Salinillas de Buradón, what to see and do.

Salinillas de Buradón, one of the most beautiful villages in Rioja Alavesa.

Salinillas de Buradón, Buradón Gatzaga in Basque, is one of the most beautiful villages in Rioja Alavesa and Euskadi. An urban center, located next to the N-124 road, is the gateway to Rioja Alavesa. Nowadays, Salinillas de Buradón is a council of Labastida, but it was not always so. In the 13th century, when its salt spring was at its peak, Salinillas de Buradón was founded as a town by King Sancho IV of Castile. In fact, it was a strategic urban center on the border between the kingdoms of Navarre and Castile. It is therefore a historical passage between the plains of Alava and La Rioja. An urban center, which currently stands out for the good preservation of its thirteenth-century wall, its gates and the rest of its historic center. Do you dare to discover Salinillas de Buradón with us?

This small village is one of the most beautiful corners of Rioja Alavesa, but it is not the only one. We encourage you to read our article on what to see in Rioja Alavesa to discover some of the most emblematic places in the south of the Basque Country.

What to see in Salinillas de Buradón.

Although Salinillas de Buradón is very small, there are several areas of great interest. Places, which have an enormous historical importance. We hope that this small tourist guide of Salinillas de Buradón will help you to plan your trip.

Palace of the Counts of OñateThis emblematic building stands in the main square, next to the wall that protects the town. A structure of 2 heights of rectangular plant, that only conserves its 4 outer walls. As we indicated, its state of preservation is not what we would like, in fact, there are hardly any decorative elements. Even so, we can walk through its different rooms remembering its military and palatial past. Inside, we find the original medieval tower of Salinillas de Buradón, another historical element to take into account. This palace was for years the residence of Iñigo Vélez de Guevara, Count of Oñate and Basque diplomat.

Church of the Immaculate ConceptionThis 16th century church was built over the original church. A temple that we also recommend you to visit in Salinillas de Buradón. Located in the heart of the old town, next to the Palace of the Counts of Oñate, this Basque church has a large bell tower and a striking portico. Inside there are 2 tombs, that of Pedro Vélez de Guevara and Juana de Acuña y Enríquez.

WallsThis limestone wall was built by order of Sancho IV of Castile in 1264 to defend what at that time was one of the strategic urban centers politically and economically speaking. Most of the sections of the wall that we contemplate today respond to the remodeling carried out between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The northern entrance to Salinillas de Buradón and its southern entrance were also remodeled during the same period.

Saline springAlthough at present there is no trace of the historical salt spring of Salinillas de Buradón, we must remember that the spring that gave its name to this urban center was essential for the economic and social development of Salinillas between the 12th and 19th centuries.

Historical CenterIn addition to the spaces already mentioned, Salinillas de Buradón has several streets and squares of medieval origin through which we recommend a stroll. Examples are the church square, the Plaza Mayor, the Plaza de Oriente or the Calle Mayor.

Hospital of Santa AnaThis hospital was built in the XIV century and destroyed by fire in the XVIII century, we can still observe its original door and the cross that marked the building as a hospital.

Video of Salinillas de Buradón.

As usual in all our publications, we have created a short video to complement the words and pictures of Salinillas de Buradón. We hope it will help you to get a more realistic idea of what awaits you in this corner of Euskadi. In case you like this kind of videos, we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel to discover all the places and experiences we recommend in Euskal Herria. We are waiting for you!

Guided visits to wineries.

In Rioja Alavesa wineries are very important, in fact, nowadays, vineyards and wineries are the economic engine of the region. If you want to know in first person the day to day of the wine world, we recommend you to read our article about guided tours to wineries in Rioja Alavesa.

Where to sleep in Salinillas de Buradón.

As we have already indicated, the urban nucleus of Salinillas de Buradón is located in one of the many rural areas of the historical territory of Araba. A space, in which the rural houses are the most demanded type of lodging. It is for this reason that we recommend you to consider the possibility of booking one of the rural houses in Rioja Alavesa that we recommend for your next getaway.

Where to park.

At the beginning of the village, outside the walls, there is a dirt parking lot where we can leave our vehicles. We must remember that the historic center is not prepared to park all vehicles visiting the town. This parking is free and is available 24 hours a day. You can also leave your cars and motorcycles in front of the bar and restaurant “El rincón de Buradón”.

What to see near Salinillas de Buradón.

The south of Euskadi offers a wide range of places to see and enjoy. Less than 1 hour from Salinillas de Buradón there are many places worth visiting. A great example of this are the villages of Rioja Alavesa. We leave you some examples, we hope you like them.

Experiences in the Basque Country.

If you want to complement your visit to the south of Araba with an experience, we recommend that you take a look at our reservation center. We hope you find an activity that fits your plans and budget and let’s have fun!

Berganzo water route.

Although Salinillas de Buradón has plenty of hiking trails, in its vicinity we find a route that has captivated locals and strangers. This is the Berganzo water route, one of our favorite routes in the south of Euskadi. If you want more information about this route, we encourage you to read our article about the water route of Berganzo. We hope it will be helpful. In case you like this kind of routes, you will find a long list in our publication about family routes in Euskadi.

History.

The first evidence of this urban center can be found in the castle of Buradón. Another of the key elements of this town can be found in the salt exploitation that was active from the twelfth century until the nineteenth century. In fact, the current name Salinillas de Buradón is due to the union of both.

As you have been able to appreciate, Salinillas de Buradón is one of those villages that you will fall in love with. A small urban center that we recommend you to visit in any trip to Araba and Euskadi. In case you have any questions, we recommend you to use the comments system below these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!