Navarrete
Two hours on the Camino, or a short detour from Logroño. Buy a piece from a workshop rather than a gift shop.
A Camino town that still makes pottery, with a baroque altarpiece worth the walk up the street.
At a Glance
Navarrete stands on the Camino Francés west of Logroño, a single long street of houses with pottery workshops that have worked the local clay for centuries. The church of the Asunción has a 17th-century altarpiece by Vicente Berdusán filling the apse, and the pilgrim hospital of San Juan is one of the oldest on the road.
How it got here
Medieval settlers established the town along the Camino de Santiago to provide shelter for pilgrims traversing the Ebro valley toward Burgos. Control shifted between the crowns of Navarre and Castile throughout the Middle Ages as monarchs vied for the strategic high ground overlooking the route. The defensive walls dictated the tight layout of the old quarter, where the population turned to the local clay deposits for their livelihood. This specialization in ceramics grew out of the demand from pilgrims and nearby administrative centers. The 17th-century church of La Asunción replaced older religious structures, housing a grand wooden altarpiece that dominates the interior space as a remnant of the period's religious patronage.
Where it sits
Rolling vineyards define the landscape as the terrain rises from the Ebro river toward the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda. Sunlight reflects off the pale clay soil during the long summers, while autumn harvests turn the surrounding fields into a mosaic of deep red and gold. The town acts as a waypoint on the well-trodden pilgrimage path, maintaining a quiet pace once the morning groups of walkers pass through. Cold winds descend from the mountains during the winter months, and the narrow streets trap the chill until the spring thaw arrives to soften the air.
What to eat and drink
Rioja is the foundation of the table, specifically the red wines made from Tempranillo grapes that define the province. Pimientos del piquillo, small peppers roasted and peeled by hand, appear as a common starter or a side to heavier meat courses. Chuletillas de cordero, young lamb chops grilled over vine cuttings, provide a distinct smoky aroma common to outdoor hearths in the region. Patatas a la riojana, a stew of potatoes, chorizo, and paprika, serves as the standard local dish. The clay vessels produced by town potters historically held these stews, bridging the gap between the local craft and the kitchen.
La Rioja: the whole region
One product, done better here than anywhere else in Spain: a wine region that fits inside a valley, vineyards running from the Ebro plain up into the Sierra de Cantabria, and every town on the road between Haro and Logroño involved in it.…
Minimum 3 days · better 4-5 days · deep 7 days
In La Rioja
In La Rioja
In La Rioja
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