Mention Rioja, and the alcoholic tipple probably springs to mind before the Northern province of Spain that it comes from. This isn't coincidence: La Rioja's landscape is dominated by around 50,000 hectares of vineyards, meaning that the scenery mostly equals grape vines, grape vines and...more grape vines.
At the centre of La Rioja's wine production lies Haro: on the major feast day, the natives get into the spirit by dousing themselves in wine. You don't have to be a vino lover to visit, however - fishing, touring monastries, or hiking are all possibilities. In addition, it's worth touring this part of Spain to sample the cuisine. Rioja's regional dish is patatas a la Riojana, a delicious potato dish with peppers and chorizo.