Booking your Holiday Rentals in Spain so you can sample the Rioja wine

Being a wine aficionado you need to keep your repertoire abreast of the market and that’s the reason you have booked your HOLIDAY RENTALS IN SPAIN this year. The best of the best when it comes to wines are from the Navarra and Rioja regions in the north of Spain. This is a different sort of Spain than you may be used to: they speak a different language here called Basque even though the official language is Spanish.

The history of this area started thousands of years ago when Palaeolithic man walked those shores giving way to the Celtic tribes who built settlements here. The Vascones put up a good fight against the Romans; in the end they acquiesced as well but they were able to retain their culture, language and most important their freedom. When the Moors were making great strides in the south there was no conflict here: this is when the Basque culture flourished.

If you are a lover of nature with lush valleys and mountains you will be further entranced with this part of Spain as it is fascinating to say the least. The land sports available here takes into consideration all that you can imagine plus some. The idea of rural tourism started here in 1991 and today there are several hundred guest houses. For a good day out visit some of the mountain villages where you can have a one on one conversation with the locals, learning about traditions and customs of their villages. While you are up in the mountains check out the olive groves and wine vineyards growing on the side of the mountain. For a treat you can pick grapes with the locals and learn the traditional way of making wine but most of all you can taste it. When you are in the mountains be careful as there are bears about; just imagine meeting one of these creatures in its natural surroundings.

Funnily enough, this area may be known for its wines but its origins differ especially in the city of Bilbao, the largest city in the province. With a population of 900,000 today it’s hard to visualize it in the 13th century when there were only three streets in what was a little village with a port. During the 15th century with the export of wool the town grew but nothing like the expansion it underwent when iron ore was discovered in the nearby hills resulting in the industrial city it has become. There is more to Bilbao than meets the eye especially in the field of arts including the famous Guggenheim Museum. When you add the Museum of Fine Arts and the Maritime Museum to this you can appreciate what is on offer. When visiting the old part of town with its medieval churches, narrow streets, bars and restaurants you will appreciate just how well this area has been preserved along with its quaint charm.

While on a day away from your HOLIDAY RENTALS IN SPAIN make it a point to visit the city of Mendoza home to the Mendoza Castle. You can spend the day roaming the ramparts of this 15th century castle that once served as a prison. Shortly after its original construction the walls were further widen and four additional towers were added to make this one of the most fortified castles in the area. This is a great place where you can enjoy the views from the large windows while walking through its numerous galleries.

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