Samaniego, what to see and do.

Samaniego, a village located at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria that shows us the wine culture in Rioja Alavesa.

Samaniego, a small town of about 300 inhabitants, offers a good handful of places to see and enjoy. An urban center located in the south of Araba, at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria, which we recommend you visit on any trip to Rioja Alavesa. A town where the wine culture is very present. The numerous wineries and vineyards that surround this historic town create an idyllic, dreamlike landscape.The historic center of Samaniego is one of the most interesting and attractive places in the town. If you want to visit some of the wineries of Samaniego and enjoy some of its most emblematic corners, we recommend that you pay special attention to each section of this article. We are sure that you will love it. Would you like to discover Samaniego with us?

Samaniego is, together with Labastida and Laguardia, one of the most striking towns in Rioja Alavesa. An urban center that attracts and enchants. And its wineries, vineyards and historic center make us enjoy a great day in the south of Araba.

What to see in Samaniego.

The urban center of Samaniego has some treasures that you should visit, but you should not lose sight of the wonders hidden in the vineyards that surround the town. Here is a small list of the most important places in Samaniego. We hope you like them.

Church of Our Lady of the AssumptionThe church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Samaniego is located in the center of the town. A religious structure of the 16th century that keeps authentic treasures in its interior. This church was built next to the old fortification. In fact, it is attached to the only tower that has survived the passage of time.

The winery districtUnlike most of the villages of Rioja Alavesa, the wineries of Samaniego are not located in the town center, but on the outskirts, in the neighborhood of the wineries, the neighborhood of Matarredo. The caves that were historically located in this area (15th and 16th centuries) have practically disappeared, giving way to larger and more advanced wineries. Even so, some of these caves excavated in the stone itself can be visited by means of the guided tours that we recommend in this article.

Hermitage of the ChristThe hermitage of the Christ and the park that surrounds it compose one of the spaces that we recommend you to visit in Samaniego. A leisure area, surrounded by vineyards, invites us to enjoy a nice day with the family thanks to its tables, barbecues and swings. This hermitage located next to the mountainous area of the town, next to the Sierra Cantabria, has undergone several renovations, the last one in 1993.

The balcony of Rioja AlavesaIn the middle of Puerto de Herrera, in the direction of Vitoria Gasteiz, we find the access to a viewpoint that offers one of the best views of Rioja Alavesa. On sunny days it is possible to contemplate most of the villages in the south of Araba and some of La Rioja. A panoramic view that we recommend you to enjoy in every trip to Rioja Alavesa.

Samaniego PalaceThis building located in the center of Samaniego, was built in the 18th century. A palace, which draws attention just by appreciating its facade and its striking coat of arms. The Samaniego Palace has recently been acquired by an important firm linked to the world of wine. After a major renovation, this palace has been converted into a luxury hotel. An accommodation, which has rates of more than 250 € per night.

Winebar AlutizWinebar Alutiz: There are more and more establishments dedicated to wine in Rioja Alavesa. In this sense, the so-called winebars are gaining ground. If you want to enjoy one of these trendy places, we recommend the winebar of the Alutiz winery. A place where we are sure you will enjoy the wines of Rioja Alavesa in style.

These are some of the most important places in Samaniego, but not all of them exist. If you want to know in depth this Basque town, we recommend a visit to places like the hermitage of San Roque, the hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Valle or the cross of the war of independence.

Where to sleep in Samaniego.

If you want to stay in Samaniego, if you are looking for a good, nice and cheap accommodation in the center of this town, we recommend you to consider the possibility of booking a room in one of the rural houses in Rioja Alavesa that we propose. Undoubtedly, this is the most demanded type of accommodation in this part of Euskadi. In fact, there are only a couple of hotels in Rioja Alavesa. Remember that you can check the prices and availability of these cottages from here.

Wineries in Samaniego.

Samaniego has been historically linked to vineyards, wineries and wine. Witness to this are the more than 10 wineries that we find in this town. Wine producers who, in many cases, open their doors for us to know the secrets of their wines. Now, which one to visit? Choosing a guided tour among all of them is not an easy task. We have been lucky enough to visit several of them and we chose the Alutiz winery. Why? In these times of architectural grandeur and large wineries, it is increasingly difficult to find a family winery that can show us the type of wineries used by their ancestors. In this case, Edu and his family combine tradition with modernity. Thus, we can see from the sixteenth century draft to the current cellars to produce their carbonic maceration wines. Remember that it is necessary to make a reservation to visit his winery. You can do it from here.

Video of Samaniego.

As usual, we have created a video to complement the words and pictures about Samaniego. An audiovisual, with which we intend to show you in a more real way what awaits you in this destination in the south of Euskadi. If you like this kind of videos, we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel to discover all the experiences and places we recommend in Euskal Herria, we are waiting for you!

What to see near Samaniego.

In the surroundings of Samaniego there are plenty of places to see and enjoy. And not only in Rioja Alavesa, the rest of the province of Araba also offers us really impressive places. Here are some examples. We hope you like them.

Harvest.

The grape harvest in Rioja Alavesa is undoubtedly one of the most important and magical times of the year. A moment in which the winemakers collect the fruits of the work done throughout the year. If you want to experience the grape harvest in first person, we recommend you to read our article about the grape harvest experience in Rioja Alavesa. Remember that you can book online, quickly and easily from here.

History.

Samaniego has been historically associated with wine. In fact, it is the driving force of its economy. According to experts, viticulture came to this town from the Romans. But it was in the 15th century, when the vineyards had a great expansion, pushing other crops aside. Nowadays, Samaniego is practically a monoculture. The landscape is completely dotted with vineyards. But if we talk about the history of Samaniego and the vineyards, we must mention the year 1585, when phylloxera completely invaded its fields.

Family routes in Samaniego.

Although the Berganzo water route is one of the main attractions of this area of Euskadi, there are other charming routes. These routes are a perfect complement to the rest of spaces that we recommend you to see Samaniego. A nice and healthy way to get to know this small corner of Euskadi. If you like this idea, we encourage you to visit each and every one of the family routes of Euskadi that we have compiled.

Festivities in Samaniego.

The patron saint festivities of Samaniego are held annually in honor of the Virgen del Valle. A festivity that takes place between 7 and 11 September. These festivities have a curiosity that attracts a good number of visitors to this town. And it is that after the txupinazo, a cardboard donkey is ascended to the tower of the church. There it will remain until the end of the festivities.

As you have been able to see, although Samaniego is a very small town, it has several places worth visiting. In case you have any questions about what to see in Samaniego, we recommend you to use the comment system below these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!