Haro old town and the Herradura

Haro's old town climbs from Plaza de la Paz, with the town hall and the bandstand, to the church of Santo Tomás, at the top, at the foot of the Cerro de La Mota, where the town was born. In between there are streets of houses with coats of arms and palaces, most from the 16th to 18th centuries, with Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical facades. It is a historic-artistic site protected since 1975 and is covered on foot in an hour and a half, more if you stop at the bars.

What to see

Plaza de la Paz is the centre of village life. It is presided over by the town hall, from the time of Charles III: José de Ituño drew it up in 1768, Ventura Rodríguez modified it and the date 1769 can be read on the facade beneath the town's Baroque coat of arms; the clock was placed in 1857. In the same square is the tourist office, in a stone building with facades from the 16th and 18th centuries and a 15th-century Mudéjar gallery.

The church of Santo Tomás is the great work of the old town. Its main portal, Plateresque, is by Felipe Vigarny, with scenes of the Calvary, the Apostles and the Velasco coats of arms. Inside it has three naves of equal height with star rib vaults, choir stalls from the late 17th century, an organ of 1798 and a high altarpiece of 1730 that the Town Council presents as the largest in La Rioja. The tower, of 1671 in its lower part and 1720 in the upper, served as a model for those of Santa María la Redonda in Logroño and the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

The Basilica de la Vega, at Avenida Bretón de los Herreros, 2, houses the city's patron: a 14th-century Gothic carving in a Baroque altarpiece of 1740, the work of Santiago del Amo. It opens Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00.

El Torreón is the only remnant of the walls that defended Haro from the 12th century. Today it is a section of the Museo de La Rioja devoted to contemporary Riojan art and opens Tuesday to Saturday, morning and afternoon, with different afternoon hours in summer.

The Herradura

The streets around Santo Tomás and Plaza de San Martín form the Herradura, Haro's pintxo-bar area. It is called that because of the horseshoe shape of the route. It has the most atmosphere in the evening and at weekends at midday: a pintxo and a local wine at each bar.

Guided and self-guided visits

The tourist office organises guided visits of the old town, the palaces and the churches, in Spanish and English, with prior booking essential; the times are checked at the office itself. If you prefer to go on your own, the Haro Turismo website offers a self-guided visit with codes for your phone.

The office opens in winter, from 1 November to 31 May, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays also from 16:00 to 19:00; on Mondays it closes, except on public holidays. In summer, from 1 June to 31 October and on long weekends, it opens daily in the morning and Tuesday to Saturday also in the afternoon. It closes on 25 December and on 1 and 6 January.

Getting there

From the Barrio de la Estación it is about 10 minutes on foot, crossing the Ebro. If you come by car, park in the streets around the old town and walk up: the upper streets are narrow. With children the walk is short and Plaza de la Paz has room to run around.