Free walking tours in Ábalos and what to see

Must-sees

Ábalos is a small village in La Rioja Alta, in the Sonsierra, on the left bank of the Ebro at the foot of the Toloño range. Vineyards everywhere and a well-kept stone village set the tone. The church of San Esteban Protomártir has a 16th-century late Gothic nave, a Baroque tower and a Renaissance altarpiece, and holds the pantheon of the Fernández de Navarrete family.

Opposite the church stands the palace of the Marqués de Legarda, in dressed stone, with towers, galleries and coats of arms, and behind it a historic box garden laid out in geometric patterns. Around the village you will also see the Casa del Virrey and other manor houses with coats of arms. In the countryside, the Romanesque hermitage of San Felices is north of the village, and among the vineyards to the south are old stone guardaviñas, the huts used by wine growers.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no free walking tours or fixed activities in Ábalos. The usual format is a visit to a local winery, with a walk through the vines and a tasting, which you should book. The village and the hermitage of San Felices are easy to explore on your own. From Haro or Logroño, Ábalos fits into the wine routes linking the Sonsierra with the Rioja Alavesa.

How long to spend

The village, the church and the palace from outside can be seen in an hour or an hour and a half. If you add a walk to the hermitage of San Felices and a winery visit, give it half a day. With a full day you can add San Vicente de la Sonsierra, with its castle, and Laguardia, in the Rioja Alavesa, a few kilometres away.

Where to stay

Ábalos has a few rural houses and apartments, mostly in the village and on its edges, surrounded by vineyards and very quiet. Choice is small and fills quickly at harvest time. If you cannot find a room, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Briones, Haro or Laguardia have more accommodation and are very close.