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09-07-2025
Ermitas Álava
Four historic chapels among mountains and mines: a spiritual walk through the Alava Mountains

The mining landscapes of the Alava Mountains are not just forests, mines, and trails leading to unique places. There are also small architectural gems that speak of devotion, tradition, and the history of rural life. 

Today we focus on four hermitages that, although they may go unnoticed, have been part of the soul of this land for years. They are located in the villages of Antoñana, Atauri, Korres, and Maeztu, where time takes things slowly. 

 

Hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Campo (Antoñana)

Located on the outskirts of the village of Antoñana and surrounded by meadows and old rural roads that were used to transport natural asphalt, we find this Romanesque chapel, which, although it has undergone many renovations since then, still retains the original magic that makes it special, such as the arch of the presbytery and the shell-shaped apse. 

This chapel has a small bell gable, a simple nave, and an image that is highly venerated by the locals, as it was a traditional place for prayers asking for good harvests. 

Visiting this place is ideal if you want to combine it with a walk along the Vasco-Navarro Greenway.

 

 

Ermita de la Soledad (Atauri) 
 

This is a small Romanesque building constructed in ashlar stone, with a beautiful semicircular apse and two 13th-century windows. On the left side of the altar, an image of the Soledad presides over the chapel. 

Located in the lower part of the village and a key point in local religious celebrations, mining remains are preserved in the surrounding area, such as the Lucía Mine and old asphalt factories that are so characteristic of this area. 

 

Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña (Korres) 


Located on a rocky promontory on the outskirts of the village and accessible on foot via a short path. The Virgen de la Peña chapel is simple and of more recent construction. Its location, together with its name linked to a natural feature such as the rock, suggests that this place may have had a symbolic or spiritual value prior to the construction of the building.

The pilgrimage in honor of the Virgin is celebrated on the weekend closest to September 14 and lasts from Friday to Sunday. It is the perfect occasion to see how the whole community comes together to carry the image of the Virgin in procession and enjoy an outdoor mass in a charming setting. 

 

 

Hermitage of the Virgin of the Field (Maeztu) 
 

It has a rectangular floor plan, with two large windows, corbels and archivolts, cornices supported by short corbels decorated with different motifs, a straight apse, and a nave covered with a barrel vault.

Of humble origin, with a single nave and a gabled roof, its name is associated with the protection of crops and the agricultural cycle. In an open area between fields, this chapel is located on the outskirts of the town, next to the road to Apellániz, and is much loved by the locals as it is a place for processions, pilgrimages, and popular festivals. 

 

What unites these hermitages? 
 

Their strategic location: the hermitages are located at crossroads of rural roads, mountain routes, or old mining trails, making it possible to visit them on foot or by bike, connecting culture and nature within everyone's reach. 

 

Their modest architecture and strong roots in local memory have given them an important role as spiritual and community landmarks. 

 

Route to discover the four hermitages in a day trip: 

With a little enthusiasm and planning, you can take a circular route by car, bike, or even on foot, linking the four hermitages: 

  • Departure from Maeztu → Virgen del Campo 
  • Stop in Atauri → Ermita de la Soledad 
  • Next stop: Antoñana → Nuestra Señora del Campo 
  • End in Korres → Virgen de la Peña 

 

A perfect plan if you want to spend a day full of rural history, silence, mountains, and hidden heritage. 

 

Did you know that so many chapels so close together held so many stories? Sometimes the best discoveries are the ones that don't appear in tourist brochures 😉

 

Find out more at: www.arabakomendialdea.eus and www.alavaturismo.eus

 

 

ermitas Álava

 

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05-05-2025
Lucia Mine, a treasure waiting to be discovered in the Alavese Mountain
Lucia Mine, a treasure waiting to be discovered in the Alavese Mountain

 

In the peaceful natural surroundings of Atauri, next to the Izki Natural Park, lies a gem of the Basque industrial heritage: Lucia Mine. A key site in the development of the region, it has now been restored for guided tours, becoming a showcase for local history and culture.

 

An environment that speaks for itself

 

The Lucía Mine is located in a beautiful setting, among oak groves, rural paths and remnants of its mining past. It is part of the Route of the Natural Asphalt Mining Landscapes, a 39-kilometre trail that connects different key points of the industrial heritage of the Alavese Mountain: old train stations, factories, mining villages, tunnels and interpretation centres. 

 

The town from which you access the mine, Atauri, also has other points of interest, such as its railway viaduct, parish church, the Basque-Navarre tunnel, the La Soledad chapel and other spots full of history and rural charm.

 

 

An underground past

 

Lucia Mine began operating in 1872, during the boom in natural asphalt mining in the Alavese Mountain. Its main gallery is 300 metres long and for decades it was one of the most active mines in the area. The asphalt extracted here was used throughout the Basque Country, other parts of Spain and even other European countries to pave streets, waterproof structures and for other industrial uses.

 

This type of asphalt, which emanates naturally from the walls, is very unusual, which is why the Lucía Mine has become such a unique place: it is one of only two natural asphalt mines open to visitors in all of Europe.

 

 

A present for dissemination

 

After years of neglect, the mine has been restored as an interpretive and visitor space, with an intervention that has respected its authenticity and natural environment. Since 2023, visitors can take a guided tour through the gallery, entering a cool, quiet space full of history.

 

During the tour, visitors will discover what the miners' work was like and the geological and social context of this activity in the region. Soft lighting and original materials also provide an immersive and respectful experience.

 

 

A mine that keeps beating

 

Lucia Mine not only preserves galleries, tools and materials, but also a collective story: this of those who worked underground and shaped the landscape that now speaks to us with its own voice. Visiting it means gaining a better understanding of the history of this land and reconnecting with a past that, far from disappearing, continues to beat in the heart of the Alavese Mountain.

 

Want to discover it?

 

Tips for your visit

🔸 Guided tours: it is essential to book in advance, as access is regulated and always accompanied by a guide.

🔸 Equipment: comfortable footwear, warm clothing (the temperature inside the mine is quite low) and a desire to learn are recommended.

🔸 Duration: the guided tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.

🔸 Great for families: this activity is suitable for all ages and is especially interesting for schoolchildren and geology enthusiasts.

🔸 Natural surroundings: combine your visit with a walk along the Basque-Navarre Greenway or a stop at the nearby Izki Natural Park.

 

 

More info

Guided tour hours at Lucia Mine in 2025:

Every Saturday and Sunday at 10:00, 11:15 and 12:30

Reservations: 639 310 779

If you have a group outside these time slots, please enquire about availability

Small groups of 10-13 people

Visits in English, French, Basque and German - please enquire in advance

Meeting point: Atauri car park (next to the fountain)

 

Find out more at: www.arabakomendialdea.eus and www.alavaturismo.eus

Explore the Alavese Mountain and its mining landscapes. You'll be amazed!

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26-06-2024
Salto del Nervión
5 perfect family activities to do this summer in Álava

With its rich historical heritage, vibrant culture, and diverse and lush nature, Álava is an endless source of family-friendly activities suitable for all tastes.

 

Any time of year is good to enjoy what Álava has to offer, but summer, which is usually synonymous with free time and is also generally mild and pleasant in this province, offers even more opportunities to make the most of your time and get the most out of the Álava experience.

 

Here we want to offer you 5 different summer plans in Álava that you can do as a family, in the company of the little ones, and that will allow you to discover different aspects of the heritage and landscape of this region. Take note!

 

 

 

1. Tour the Añana Salt Valley


The Añana Salt Valley, just 30 km from Vitoria-Gasteiz, is a truly unusual and special landscape, marked by its characteristic salt-extracting terraces. With over 7,000 years of uninterrupted exploitation, the Añana salt pans are the longest-used in the world.

 

Here you can not only walk around the terraces and discover their surprising architecture, but you can also enjoy different experiences such as salt and chocolate tastings, virtual reality, and more.

 

Children will have a particularly good time in the salt workshop, an activity where they can touch the brine with their own hands and learn in a simple and fun way how salt is extracted. And, if you're still hungry for more, we invite you to experience the therapeutic properties of the salt spa.

 

 

2. Visit the Cathedral of Santa María


The Cathedral of Santa María, popularly known as the Old Cathedral, is one of Vitoria-Gasteiz's emblematic monuments. It is an impressive 800-year-old Gothic complex whose restoration and original "Open for Works" visiting program have turned the church into a point of great tourist interest and a driving force for economic development.

 

It can be visited in its entirety, from the crypt to the triforium. The visits also include a program of themes adapted for children of different ages and content designed specifically for them, such as the polychrome show The Portico of Light, not to mention the possibility of traveling back in time through virtual reality.

 

 

3. Enjoy the Berganzo Water Route


The Berganzo Water Route is a circular trail of approximately 8 km (approximately 2.5 hours), well signposted and easy to follow, suitable for families.

 

The trail starts and ends in Berganzo, a town in the municipality of Zambrana, just over 30 kilometers from Vitoria-Gasteiz. It runs along the banks of the Inglares River through a dense forested landscape full of small and large waterfalls, pools, and canals.

 

During the second half of the route, children will find interactive panels with games and scores that will help them learn about the water cycle and the local flora and fauna.

 

Camino del Berganzo water

 

 

4. Walking along the Delika Green Trail


Another excellent option for a family walk through nature and mountains is the Delika Green Trail, a route that starts in the village of Delika and heads into the canyon of the same name, with the cliffs of the Sierra Salvada and the Salto del Nervión as a backdrop.

 

It's almost 5 kilometers (approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes) of meadows, oak and beech forests, streams, and waterfalls, all along a well-marked trail suitable for the whole family.

 

Salto del nervión Álava

 

 

5. Discover the medieval villages of Rioja Alavesa


The last of the family summer plans in Álava that we want to propose is a tour of the beautiful medieval villages of Rioja Alavesa.

 

Rioja Alavesa is one of the regions into which Álava is divided and is full of small traditional villages that emerge among the seas of vineyards so characteristic of the region.

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