Briñas and its bridge over the Ebro

Briñas is a small village about 3.5 km from Haro, downriver, on the bank of the Ebro and at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño. It has stone manor houses with coats of arms, a Baroque church and an old bridge over the river, and all around there is only vineyard. You can walk all of it in an unhurried hour, and it is a good complement to a morning of wineries in Haro.

What to see

The main monument is the church of the Asunción, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, with a classicist high altarpiece. Around it, in the streets that go down to the river, you see the ashlar houses with coats of arms that give the village its character. The D.O.Ca. Rioja Regulatory Council also cites, among Briñas's points of interest, the humilladero (wayside shrine), the crucero (stone cross), the ruins of the hermitage of San Marcelo and a Celtiberian sanctuary in the municipality.

The most photogenic is the medieval bridge over the Ebro, with pointed and semicircular arches. For centuries it was the only crossing between Briñas and Haro, and today the Camino Natural del Ebro and the Camino Vasco towards Santiago cross it. From the bank you see the wide river, the poplar groves and, behind, the vineyard climbing towards the sierra.

Wine in Briñas

The Briñas municipality has about 99 hectares of vineyard, almost all red grape, and several small wineries. The one that receives visitors is Tobelos, on the N-124 road, with a wine bar where its wines are tasted. It does not publish visiting hours on its website: it is best to call 941 305 630 before going. For guided visits with fixed hours, the most practical thing is to return to the Barrio de la Estación in Haro.

Getting there and walking from Haro

By car it is five minutes from Haro on the N-124, the Vitoria road; you can park without difficulty at the entrance to the village. Alavabus line 12, between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Haro, stops at Briñas, although it does not sell tickets just for the Haro to Briñas stretch.

On foot or by bike the prettiest option is stage 13 of the Camino Natural del Ebro (GR 99), waymarked with white and red marks, which leaves Haro and passes over the Briñas bridge on the way to Briones and San Vicente de la Sonsierra. Going to Briñas and back along the bank and the vineyard tracks is about 7 km, flat, between an hour and a half and two hours on foot. In summer, set out early: there is little shade among the vines. If you want to go further, from Haro you can also climb to the Conchas and the Riscos de Bilibio, on the other side of the town.

With children and with a dog

It is a comfortable walk for families: short streets, almost no cars, and the river bank to rest on. Dogs can go on a lead through the village and along the path. There are hardly any services, so bring water; in Haro you have bars, restaurants and the tourist office on Plaza de la Paz, which gives maps of the paths.