Enozentrum, the wine culture centre

The Enozentrum is Olite's wine culture centre, a Government of Navarre space next to the tourist office, a step from the Royal Palace. It occupies a historic 17th-century building and entry is free. Before going into a winery, here you understand why Olite presents itself as the wine capital of Navarre: the vine and wine have been part of the landscape and society of Navarre for at least 2,000 years, and Roman-era wineries have been found near the village.

What you will see

The tour is divided into four themes spread over four floors, designed to discover what lies behind a glass of wine. It is a self-paced visit, without a guide, of about 45 minutes. It works whether you know about wine or not: the idea is to give context before the tasting, so that later at the winery you understand what they are telling you.

With children: Uvaluba

For the little ones there is a space of its own, Uvaluba, with a 16-minute animation set on "Planeta Viña", where characters, Lodi, Jol, Oli, Mari, Eli, Koko, Topo and Charrín, tell them how the vine and grapes grow. It is a good way to keep the visit from feeling long and to give children a part in a wine trip too.

Opening hours

The general hours are Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00, and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00, with last entry one hour before closing. In low season it opens less: in November it is closed Monday to Friday and open on Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00 and on Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00. In December it keeps weekend hours and also opens on some public holidays and holiday days, and closes on others, including 24, 25 and 31. As the calendar changes each month, check the website before you go or call 848 423 223. Organised groups visit by prior booking.

Activities

Each year, coinciding with the start of the grape harvest, Olite celebrates the Navarre Grape Harvest Festival, in early September, with wine-related activities throughout the week. It is a good time to visit the centre and the village, although also the busiest.

And then, a winery

In the same village, the Cosecheros Reunidos cooperative has a museum winery that can be visited free during shop hours, and Bodegas Ochoa, a family winery founded in 1843, shows its cellar and vineyard with a tasting. A few steps away are also the Royal Palace, the church of Santa María la Real and the medieval streets, so the Enozentrum fits into any stroll around Olite.