Sporting activities

The diversity of the landscapes in La Rioja, the mountains and rivers, natural spaces, pathways, forest tracks, and fauna, offer endless possibilities for outdoor sporting activities to compliment the rural and cultural tourism on offer.

The mountains in the Iberian Range offer winter sports in the winter months, and trekking all year round. The Valdezcaray ski resort, currently being remodelled to upgrade its pistes and facilities, attracts skiers from La Rioja and neighbouring regions. The waters of the González Lacasa Reservoir, between El Rasillo and Ortigosa de Cameros, offer water sports:

fishing boats, canoes, windsurfing and sailing. The wild upstream waters of the rivers Iregua and Najerilla are excellent trout streams, and offer canoeing at certain times of year.

The network of pathways in La Rioja makes it possible to cover landscapes of outstanding natural beauty. These include the Santiago Way, the GR-93 Long Distance Footpath, which runs along the range from Ezcaray to Cornago, and the Green Routes of Cidacos and Oja, which follow the old train lines. The classic mountain routes cover the 28 peaks that rise to over 2,000 metres.

Not far from Nájera, you can reach the Sierra de Moncalvillo from Sotés, Camprovín, Ledesma, Pedroso, etc, via routes lined with oaks, holm oaks and beech. The beechforests of “El Rajao” in Tobía, about 15 km from

Nájera, are really spectacular, as is the “Lugar del Río” close to San Millán, where the ascent of San Lorenzo begins (also about 15 km away).

Mountain biking, climbing and caving, paragliding and hang-gliding, horse riding, hunting, and fishing, complete a great variety of year-round outdoor sporting activities that cater to all tastes.