Route through the lagoons of Laguardia.

Walking the route of the lagoons of Laguardia while enjoying a quiet walk overlooking vineyards, wetlands and the Sierra Cantabria has become one of the most popular plans in the Rioja Alavesa.

The route through the lagoons of Laguardia takes us to know one of the most important wetlands of the Rioja Alavesa. A space that, perfectly signposted, allows us to enjoy the incredible rural environment that surrounds it while we stretch our legs. An ideal activity to do after a visit to a winery or winery in the Rioja Alavesa. It is even the perfect way to enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants scattered around Laguardia. Although everyone knows the gastronomic facet of the Rioja Alavesa, a region that perfectly represents the good wines and good food found in Euskadi, many people are unaware or overlook that its incredible landscape is perfect for sports such as hiking or cycling. An environment, which, captained by a sea of vineyards, provides us with all kinds of experiences. A rural area that surprises us with villages, history and nature as we move forward. Although the main protagonist of this article is the route through the lagoons of Laguardia, we must not forget that the Rioja Alavesa has thousands of roads and trails that invite us to know in detail each and every one of the villages that make up this area of southern Euskadi.

Although our proposal is to walk the entire lagoon complex of Laguardia, there is the possibility of drastically reducing the length and duration of this route by walking only the Prao de la Paul. A space, which, in our opinion, covers the most beautiful area of this complex. If you opt for the latter route, it is a circular route that runs at all times under the watchful eye of the walls of Laguardia, along the shore of the Prao de la Paul. A walk without any difficulty, which can be perfect for people who do not have enough time to make the so-called green route of the lagoon complex of Laguardia.

This route through the lagoons of Laguardia, takes us through a rural environment in which the vineyards and wetlands are the main protagonists. Elements that transmit peace and tranquility. The lagoons that surround Laguardia, the so-called seasonal lagoons, respond to the amount of water that falls throughout the year, so if you visit them during a hot year, you may not find them at their best. This area, which is currently part of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 and listed as a protected biotope by the Basque Government, not only houses the route that we show you today, it also has part of the itinerary of the so-called Wine and Fish Route (GR-38), an old commercial trail that linked La Rioja with the coast of Bizkaia. So, if you think that the 12 kilometers of this route are not enough for you, you can always choose to do this Great Route, from Laguardia to Bermeo. Almost nothing. At the same time, we also find sections of the Camino Ignaciano (GR-120), two long-distance routes that we only recommend to those who are in perfect physical shape.

Route: The route starts from the lagoon known as the “Prao de la Paul”, the most striking space of this route. This point can be reached from the street Avenida de la Diputación de Laguardia, a place from which we enter a land full of vineyards and cereal crops. A small corner of Laguardia that hides many surprises inside. Once parked our vehicle in the vicinity of this street, we go down a road that soon becomes a dirt and stone track. As you can see in the map we have created, we have two options to go down from Laguardia to the area of the lagoons. Both are equally practical. It all depends on where you park your vehicle. In our case we use option “A”, the route marked in red. Once down, after turning left, a sign indicates that we have reached the Prado de la Paul reservoir. Be careful, although at first it may seem that we must go around this reservoir, it is not so. Once we have walked a few meters next to the pond, it is time to turn right, leaving behind us the water surface next to which we have walked. Although we suggest that you continue until you reach a kind of watchtower or viewpoint, you must keep in mind that after enjoying the views we must retrace our steps about 30 meters to the previous crossroads. Remember, we must follow the white and blue marks at all times. We follow this new road following the signs until we reach the A-124 road, a very busy road where cars drive at high speed, be careful when crossing!After about 500 meters approximately, we will find another crossroads, if you are tired or you are not interested in doing the whole route, you can take a shortcut visiting only 2 of the 3 wetlands that we find on the other side of the road (Musco and Carralogroño). In our case, we take the road to the right, on the way to the Carravalseca lagoon, ready to complete the entire route. After 800 meters, we find another crossroads, in this case, we take the detour to the left, we continue along the lagoon. We are at kilometer 4 of the route.

After completely passing the Carravalseca lagoon we turn left, it is at this moment when the red and white signs of the great route leave us. We change course, we return towards Laguardia. After walking more or less 800 meters we arrive at the Musco lagoon, a space that leaving it always to our left we go around 3 / 4 parts, arriving this way, to a new crossroads. It is time to head towards the Carralogroño lagoon. After going along the right perimeter of this last water reservoir we meet again the N-232 road. But be careful, we must not cross, we have to turn right and go about 180 meters before doing so. Be careful when crossing. We move away from the lagoons to enter completely into farmland, it is time to enjoy the views offered by the vineyards. Following the signs we reach the first of the wetlands that we have presented to you, the Prado de la Paúl. If we look back, we realize that we did not make the return to this reservoir completely, as we left in the middle of the road that surrounds this water surface. We follow the path until we find a small plot of land that goes into the water, this is a wooden hut that has been enabled to observe the birds. We follow the path until we completely surround the reservoir, we reach a recreation area with tables where we can eat or just rest. In our case, we followed the route until we reached the point where we started it. It was time to enjoy a pintxo poteo in Laguardia.

Laguardia Lagoon Complex: The Laguardia Lagoon Complex, better known as the Laguardia Lagoons, is a Protected Biotope located very close to the town center. A space that, thanks to the large areas of water available, has managed to create an ecosystem rich in fauna and flora. Currently, this complex is made up of 4 wetlands: Prao de la Paul, Musco, Carralogroño and Carravalseca. The first of these, Prao de la Paul, is a reservoir created on an old wetland of Laguardia, a space that always has water. On the other hand, Musco, Carralogroño and Carravalseca, are 3 temporary lagoons, 3 spaces that do not always have water. Although it may seem unbelievable, these last three are the most special historically and culturally speaking, and the fact is that nowadays there are hardly any of these types of hydrological spaces left among us. These spaces are known by the technical name of “endorheic basins”, spaces that lack connection with other watercourses, that do not receive water inputs and do not offer water inputs. Its cycle depends entirely on nature, and its existence depends on rainfall until spring, the season of the year in which the rains begin to be scarce. From this time the sun causes the water to evaporate leaving a white trail behind due to the salts of its waters. As you can see, depending on the rainfall that is created throughout the year, these lagoons can have a remarkable depth or can be practically without water. Currently, this lagoon complex hosts an endless amount of life in its interior, highlighting in a notorious way the flora. The plants that we find in our path have been catalogued as of international interest, not only because they are exclusive to this environment, but also because they have been able to adapt to the salinity of this small habitat. On the other hand, the birds use these spaces as a resting point during their long and hard migrations. Remember that we are in the protected biotope of the Laguardia Lagoon Complex, a place that, thanks to its cataloguing as an International Wetland of the Ramsar Convention, is protected and valued at an international level.

Location: The lagoons of Laguardia are located just 5 minutes walk from the town center. A natural space that, although it is very close to one of the most visited towns in the Basque Country, is hardly known. The lagoon complex of Laguardia is located in the south of Araba, in the region of the Rioja Alavesa. Although the route that we propose in this article can be done starting from different points, our recommendation is clear, start and finish next to the soccer field of Laguardia, a perfect excuse to merge this route with other activities near the town center of Laguardia.

When: The typical climatology of each of the seasons of the year completely changes the landscape that awaits us on the route of the lagoon complex of Laguardia. A fact that makes the backdrop of this experience in the Rioja Alavesa change as the year progresses. The preferred season is usually spring, when the leaves of the vines are dyed in reddish colors leaving everyone who visits us speechless. In any case, this walk when the first bunches of grapes begin to sprout or when the vineyards are completely bare also makes this route very special.

Bird watching: Thanks to the large body of water in the different wetlands that we find during the route of the lagoons of Laguardia and the ecosystem that has developed to it, you can now enjoy the activity of watching migratory birds. What in Anglo-Saxon terms we know as “birding”. For this, the best point that we find during our itinerary is the Prao de la Paul, and is that, of all the wetlands that we find next to Laguardia, the latter is the one with more vegetation and more water, facilitating the breeding and stay of the different birds that come together in the interior of Euskadi. Currently, there are experiences oriented to this type of theme, we recommend you to ask for them at the tourist office. However, if you do not want to pay for it and do not want to be slaves of a schedule, we recommend that you venture to discover it by your own means. It is only necessary to bring binoculars, to be at one of the different sighting points that are scattered throughout the lagoons, to be quiet and to be very patient. As a tip, we indicate that the period in which most birds can be observed in Laguardia is between September and March. Experts indicate that among the most striking species that can be found in the lagoon complex of Laguardia are the grey heron, the marsh harrier and the purple heron. This space reminded us a lot of others like Urdaibai Bird Center, places that, respecting nature completely, allow us to enjoy the beauty of those species that visit us sporadically during the migration season.

Where to park: We recommend parking your vehicle in any of the parking lots that are scattered throughout Laguardia. However, given the location of our point of origin, the ideal parking for this would be the one next to the soccer field of the town. If you decide to follow our indications, at the end of the route you can use the free public elevator that you will find next to the parking lot to go up to the center of Laguardia.

What to see and do in LaguardiaLaguardia is one of the most beautiful villages of the Rioja Alavesa, one of the most visited towns in the Basque Country. A walled town, which, thanks to the good preservation of its architectural elements, makes us travel back to the Middle Ages every time we visit it. The streets that form its urban center, narrow, cobbled and short, form a small labyrinth through which we can wander while discovering corners full of charm. Do not miss the church of Santa Maria, the Torre Abacial and a visit to one of the few wineries that still stand in the basement of the town center.

These spaces are but a small representation of everything we can see and do in the Rioja Alavesa. A land rich in culture and history, which invites us to visit its villages in search of different attractions.

Wineries: Winemaking in this area of Araba has a great tradition and history behind it, a fact that makes a visit to the different wineries that make up the Rioja Denomination of Origin practically a must. What would the Rioja Alavesa be without its extensive vineyards, its wineries and its prestigious wines? For our part, we encourage you to visit different types of wineries, family, traditional, modern… Believe it or not, although all of them have excellent wines, the way of elaboration and the way of exploiting the vineyards varies depending on the type of winery we visit. We provide you with 3 very clear examples, 3 wineries that we already mentioned in our article“the best wineries in the Rioja Alavesa“.

We hope you like these wineries as much as we liked them. They are not to be missed. Anyway, you can leave us your own suggestions in this article, we are open to all kinds of experiences.

Where to sleep: La Rioja Alavesa has different establishments where you can rest after an intense day full of experiences. In this case, we recommend a small and cozy family hotel located in Samaniego, La casona de Alutiz. At this point, you may wonder why not sleep in one of the establishments in Laguardia, simple, Alutiz has one of the best value for money in the area. A hotel establishment, which, run by the same family that we find in the Alutiz winery, offers a very comfortable stay.

Other family routes in Euskadi: Euskadi, a land of great scenic beauty, invites us to visit each of its small “txokos” (corners in Basque) during our stay. A type of experience that is gaining more and more followers among all the people who read us. Each and every one of the routes that we show you below, have a very good effort – reward ratio, making it really worth walking every meter that forms them.

As you can see from the photos, all of them have their own attractions. Now you just need to choose one of them. It all depends on your tastes, physical level and desire. Let’s enjoy!

Video: Once again we wanted to upload to our YouTube channel a small video showing what we found during the route through the lagoons of Laguardia. A small audiovisual, through which we encourage you to follow our steps and know in detail each of the spaces that form the so-called lagoon complex of Laguardia. In addition, if you want to follow our adventures throughout the Basque Country, we recommend that you subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you will find videos that you will love and that will help you choose your next destination.

As you have seen, the route of the lagoons of Laguardia is a perfect plan for those who are planning a getaway to the Rioja Alavesa. A healthy and very interesting experience that we recommend you to merge with a visit to a winery, a visit to a winery or the tasting of the typical dishes of the area. We are sure you will love it. A round plan. By the way, don’t forget to enjoy the town of Laguardia, one of the most impressive urban complexes in the Basque Country. We are waiting for your comments!