The Camino de Santiago passes through the centre of Navarrete: first along Calle Mayor Baja, then along Calle Mayor Alta. This route is a good starting point for getting to know the town’s pilgrim traditions, historic architecture and pottery craft. The old town preserves the layout of a walled city; its traditional building style combines dressed stone with brickwork.
Historic Streets and Buildings
Calle Mayor is divided into Mayor Alta and Mayor Baja. Along it stand buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, with details that draw attention to the area’s architectural history: dressed-stone doorways, wrought-iron work, coats of arms and Jacobean symbols. Following the Camino de Santiago through the town centre takes you along both sections of the street and past their distinct façades.
The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is a three-nave church built of dressed stone. Construction began in 1533, and the tower was built in the 17th century. Its furnishings include a significant Baroque main altarpiece from the late 17th century; the church also has a museum in its sacristy. Another testament to the town’s older architectural history is Navarrete’s cemetery portal: it dates from the Late Romanesque period and was moved to its present location in 1887 from the former Hospital of San Juan de Acre.
The restored ruins of the Hospital of San Juan de Acre can be visited in the La Serna area. They are protected and form part of the Camino de Santiago. The portal and ruins represent different chapters in the hospital’s history: the portal was moved, while the restored ruins in La Serna are an accessible part of the historic building.
Ceramics, Wine and Visitor Experiences
Wine and pottery are considered Navarrete’s two signature local products. Traditional production continues today in a modernised form. N.A.CE. also celebrates this tradition: since 2009, the pottery and ceramics fair has been held every July in Navarrete, accompanied by numerous activities. Dates and programmes may vary from year to year.
At AlfarerĂa Antonio Naharro Flores, visitors can watch traditional hand-throwing on the potter’s wheel and see the entire production process; a collection of antique pieces is also on display. Please check with the pottery in advance about visiting arrangements, as appropriate for access. AlfarerĂa El Torero runs pottery workshops for children and older visitors. Free visits can be arranged there by prior appointment.
Wine tourism is also part of what the town offers: visitors can tour wineries. Please check access arrangements with the relevant winery before your visit. As part of the wine tourism offer at Bodegas FyA, visitors can also see a ceramics museum with around 1,000 pieces dating from the 16th to the 20th century. Exhibitions and visiting arrangements may change.
The Navarrete Town Council Tourist Office provides information about wine tourism, pottery, the Camino de Santiago, accommodation and routes. If you would like to use this service, check the current visiting arrangements in advance. This allows you to bring together questions about several aspects of your stay in one place.
Two Circular Routes Through the Countryside
The Dehesa de Navarrete, also known as La Verde, covers around 404 hectares within the municipality. It lies on the outer slopes of the Sierra de Moncalvillo in the Ebro Depression. Access to Dehesa La Verde is via Camino de la Dehesa and Pasada de la Ironda. From Cerro de la Dehesa, at 781 metres, views extend to San Lorenzo and Serradero, and northwards to the Sierra de Cantabria, Codés and Toloño. Rabbits, hares, foxes and wild boar are found in the area.
The Dehesa de Navarrete route, also known as La Verde, is a 6.4-kilometre circular walk with an estimated walking time of two hours. The paths and junctions are easy to follow; the surface is smooth and partly uneven. This makes it possible to compare the route directly with the one around Pantano de Valbornedo: that walk is also estimated to take around two hours, but covers eight kilometres. The paths and junctions there are also easy to follow, and the surface is smooth. The same estimated walking time therefore applies to two routes of different lengths.
The area around Pantano de Valbornedo is covered in vineyards and is suitable for walking or fishing. The vegetation includes oaks, holm oaks and planted pine trees. While the Dehesa route includes views from a named high point and the wildlife found there, the route at Pantano is described as a vineyard landscape with opportunities for walking and fishing. Both circular walks offer a clear connection to the landscape, but have different highlights.
The Camino de Santiago and Getting There
The Camino de Santiago reaches Navarrete by two described routes: via the old road from Fuenmayor or via the old road from Navarrete, which coincides with the road from Entrena. The Camino Ignaciano has a separate historical context. It retraces the route Ignatius of Loyola took in 1522 from Loyola-Azpeitia to Manresa; the route is 650 kilometres long and has 27 stages. Navarrete is connected with two periods in the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, before and after his conversion.
To reach Navarrete by car from Logroño, take the LO-20 towards Vitoria until the junction with the A-12 towards Burgos. The AP-68 also has an exit within the municipal area. Check current navigation information before setting off. When planning your stay, you can also choose between the town’s different highlights: the Camino de Santiago and its historic buildings, ceramics and wine, or one of the two circular walks with their different distances and landscape features.
Discover more destinations: Lumbreras, San Millán De La Cogolla, Nájera, Ventosa, Aldeanueva de Cameros, Ausejo, Castañares De Rioja, San Asensio.
For the main travel overview: La Rioja.
