Yzabelle Bostyn
THE MIRROR has named this Spanish city ‘underrated’, stating it’s ‘just like Barcelona but without the crowds’.
Lauded by both The Mirror and Time Out, Logroño, in northern Spain is a growing destination for Brits avoiding tourist hotspots like Madrid and Barcelona.
“Though the city is small, it offers a lot, including historic landmarks and picturesque landscapes,” The Mirror wrote.
“Logroño is also known for its exceptional gastronomy and wine culture. The city is famous for its ‘pintxos,’ which are similar to tapas.”
As well as pintxos, they recommended dishes such as ‘patatas a la riojana,’ ‘patorrilo,’ and ‘fardalejos.’
The British newspaper highlighted Logroño’s ‘lively’ and ‘welcoming’ atmosphere with plenty of bars, bodegas and cafes to be explored.
On the smaller side, they recommended exploring Logroño on foot to warm up before undertaking the Camino de Santiago of which the city also forms part.
Important sites include the Concatedral de Santa María de la Redonda and the Church of San Bartolome.
They also recommend ‘interesting’ places such as the Museum of La Rioja, Casa de las Ciencias, and Sala Amos Salvador.
With something for ‘all ages’ they assure visitors will ‘never run out’ of things to do.
You can’t leave the city without visiting wineries with the Mirror recommending Bodegas Campo Viejo, Bodega Viña Ijalba, and Arizcuren Bodega & Viñedos.
For the best experience, they advise coming in September to coincide with the grape harvest.
It comes months after respected travel magazine, Time Out, picked Logroño as ‘one of the most underrated cities in Spain’ in September 2024.
“Logroño can certainly compete with the main gastronomic cities in Spain,” they wrote.
“It’s one of the best places in the country to spend a night bar-hopping and trying a lot of tapas and pintxos.”
