Peñacerrada Urizaharra, what to see and do.

Peñacerrada Urizaharra, medieval village between the ancient kingdoms of Navarre and Castile.

Peñacerrada, Urizaharra in Basque, is one of those urban centers that few people visit during their stay in Euskadi. A destination, located between the ancient kingdoms of Navarre and Castile, turned out to be strategic in the coming and going of people and goods. Its medieval origin, its southern gate and its walled enclosure, are some of its main attractions. But not the only ones. The Church of the Assumption, the Plaza de los Fueros, the palace of the Dukes of Híjar or the Ethnographic Museum are some examples. The Historical Center of Peñacerrada Urizaharra was declared a Cultural Asset in the category of Monumental Site. Do you dare to visit Peñacerrada Urizaharra with us?

Peñacerrada Urizaharra is a perfect destination for people looking for direct contact with nature or the practice of outdoor sports. In fact, it is common to see groups doing mountain biking, Nordic walking, mountaineering or hiking.

What to see in Peñacerrada Urizaharra.

The urban core of Peñacerrada Urizaharra can be seen perfectly in a couple of hours. We encourage you to walk through its streets and squares to know most of its attractions. We leave you a brief summary of the places we recommend you to visit.

South GateThe old gate of the wall, also known as the South Gate, is flanked by two huge towers. Attached to them, we find the remains of the wall and the house of the Duke of Híjar. Today, this gate represents the main access to the historic center and one of the most visited areas of the town.

WallYou can still see today some sections of the old wall that protected the medieval urban center of Peñacerrada Urizaharra. Also the promenade. A space, which has been conditioned and restored recently (a section).

House of the Duke of HíjarThis building next to the wall of Peñacerrada Urizaharra was built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, next to the old town hall and the Casa Cural. The Palace of the Dukes of Híjar, also known as the House of the Arch, will house the Amber Interoperation Center in the future. We must remember that the Peñacerrada Urizaharra amber is considered one of the most important in the world for its biological content (in the whole world there are only 14 sites in which biological inclusions have been found in amber) and for its period, the Lower Cretaceous (there are only 4 sites from this period).

Church of Our Lady of the AssumptionThis temple, built in the 13th century and enlarged in the 16th and 18th centuries, is one of the great jewels of Peñacerrada Urizaharra. Its thirteenth-century south portal has a Romanesque decoration of floral and human motifs that attracts the attention of all visitors to this church. Inside, in addition to the different carvings, chapels and images, there is also a small museum with reliquaries and other religious objects.

Ethnographic MuseumAlong the urban nucleus, next to the Paseo de Ronda, we find several spaces that have been conditioned to house an open-air museum. A kind of wooden tents, in which a series of objects have been deposited (most of them of agricultural character) that show us the way in which the lands of the area were worked and how the collected raw materials were processed. It is a museum in continuous evolution, since the neighbors of the area donate objects continuously. In fact, there is a tent near the South Portal that still has no objects.

Historical CenterIts small historic center is full of surprises. Its streets and squares have houses with coats of arms and semicircular doors built on a medieval base. The 2 main squares are divided by the church of Our Lady of the Assumption. In the north square, in the Plaza Fray Jacinto, we find the town hall, while in the south square, the Plaza de los Fueros, we find the doctor’s office and the house of the Duke of Híjar. We must remember that this space was declared a Cultural Asset in 1996 in the category of Monumental Site. Although these are the main attractions of Peñacerrada Urizaharra, they are not the only ones. If you want to know in detail this town, we encourage you to know the site of Amber, the mill and the site of the Yurdinas.

Video of Peñacerrada Urizaharra.

As usual in all our publications, we have created a short video about Peñacerrada Urizaharra. An audiovisual, with which we intend to show you in a more real way what awaits you on your next trip. We hope it will be helpful. In case you like this kind of videos, we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel to know all the places and experiences that we recommend in Euskal Herria. We are waiting for you!

Guided tours in Peñacerrada Urizaharra.

Although there are currently no regular guided tours in Peñacerrada Urizaharra, there is the possibility of guided tours for groups. On demand. A perfect option for those companies, associations, schools and groups that want to know this urban center with the help of a local guide. In case you are interested in these guided tours in Peñacerrada Urizaharra, we encourage you to use our contact form. We will try to respond as soon as possible. We are waiting for you!

Guided visits to wineries in Rioja Alavesa.

The winemaking tradition of southern Euskadi is known throughout the world. In fact, wineries abound in this area of Euskadi. We recommend reading our article on guided visits to wineries in Rioja Alavesa to get a more realistic idea of the wine experiences that can be found in the vicinity of Peñacerrada Urizaharra.

Berganzo water route.

The Berganzo water route is one of the most beautiful family routes in Euskadi. A circular route, which shows us the attractions of the small town of Berganzo. The path runs through magical forests, along the Inglares riverbed, until you reach the Herrerías waterfall. Once we go up the waterfall, the route continues along the channel of the hydroelectric plant of Berganzo through the upper part of the valley until we reach the town center again. Highly recommended.

What to see near Peñacerrada Urizaharra.

The urban center of Peñacerrada is very close to Rioja Alavesa. It is also close to the capital of Alava. For this reason, we have gathered a series of places that we recommend you to visit during any getaway to Peñacerrada Urizaharra. We hope you like them.

Experiences in the Basque Country.

If you like to discover the places you visit through active tourism experiences, we recommend you to take a look at our reservation center. In it, you will find all kinds of activities, from guided tours to hot air balloon flights. Ready? We leave you some of the most demanded experiences to give you an idea of the options you have. We hope you like them.

Where to sleep.

The proximity of this urban center with Rioja Alavesa, makes the accommodations in this area are perfect when looking for a place to sleep. In case you are interested in this option, we encourage you to read the article that we dedicate to the rural houses of Rioja Alavesa. And we must remember that in this area of Euskadi hotels are scarce and rural houses abound.

Peñacerrada Urizaharra motorhome area.

Next to the old town, about 200 meters away, there is a small motorhome area with 8 spaces (maximum 48 hours). Although this area is free and has drinking water, gray water and sewage, it is on a slope and has no shade. There is also no electricity. Although it is located next to the main road, it is a very quiet place. One of the best options in the area.

History of Peñacerrada Urizaharra.

According to experts, the first inhabitants of Urizaharra date back to the 8th century. But with the passage of time, the castle and the rest of the buildings that in the Middle Ages were located in one of the watchtowers in the area, would be moved next to the crossroads that linked Rioja Alavesa with Vitoria Gasteiz (XIII century). It was then, with the name of Peñacerrada Urizaharra, when its defensive walls were built. Due to its strategic location between the kingdoms of Navarre and Castile, this urban center was disputed and seized on several occasions, being part of both kingdoms during different centuries. In 1377 Henry II of Castile ceded these lands to the Count of Salinas, Don Diego Gómez Sarmientos, who years later ceded them to his heirs, the Dukes of Híjar.

As you have been able to see, Peñacerrada Urizaharra is a small urban center that still preserves part of its medieval layout. A charming place that we recommend you to visit in the south of Araba. If you have any questions, we encourage you to use the comments system below these lines to send them to us. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!