3 | Briones (Rioja Alta)

Another hilltop village in La Rioja that is found on Spain’s Beautiful Pueblo list is Briones. The village sits along the slopes of the Elbo River and is home to Castle ruins, preserved city gates, small palaces, and the remains of an old abbey. As it is in the La Rioja Wine Region, Briones also has a few bodegas within the city walls.

On the outskirts of Briones is the Vivanco Cultura de Vino, which is a top attraction when visiting Briones. This large museum showcases over 8,000 years of wine history of the La Rioja Region from the growing process and the different grape varietals, to bottling and transportation logistics. In the museum there is also a section dedicated to wine and its influence in art.

Those looking to base in Briones can sleep at Hotel Los Calaos.

4 | Eltziego (Rioja Alavesa)

Another lovely village in the Rioja Alavesa region is Elciego (Eltziego). This small village is home to a few different kinds of bodegas from smaller family-run wineries to the famous Bodegas Marqués de Riscal.

Eltziego is a fantastic village to base and explore the La Rioja Wine region as it’s less than a 30-minute drive to Logroño and just a short distance from Laguardia.

Elciego boasts a beautiful plaza and a spectacular 16th-century church, the Church of San Andrés. The village is walkable and feels very lived-in. There is a flea market once a week and during the summer months, find a popular municipal pool to cool off in.

Perhaps the biggest draw to Eltziego is the Marqués de Riscal. This winery offers daily tours in English and Spanish. The Hotel Marqués de Riscal was designed by Frank Gehry (the same architect and creative mind of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao) and is one of the more luxurious places to stay in the La Rioja wine country. The Hotel design was inspired by the bottle made famous for its wire netting. In 2024, after 150 years of usage, the company has ceased using the wire netting to commit to more sustainable approach.

There are also a handful of smaller bodegas scattered throughout the village of Elciego. We opted to stay in Agroturismo Valdelana which included a free wine tasting and an onsite museum tour. This was a perfect contrast as the Valdelana Museum included an overall history of the area, not just a focus on the wines of the region.