Page 255 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY

Exploring Logroño

Most visitors rent cars, stay in the capital
city of Logroño, and make day trips around
the region. For those who enjoy walking and
want to get a feeling for the town, spend an
afternoon wandering the narrow streets lined
with tapas bars pouring Riojan wines, most
notably along Calle Laurel. Each tapas bar
seems to have a specialty or two of its own.
Intriguing aromas wafted from the small bars
as we wandered. In one spot, we enjoyed an
oriental version of prawns and bacon bro-
chette on onion bread toast – an array of fla-
vors and textures dancing across the
tastebuds. A few doors away, we discovered
mushrooms stuffed with cheese mousse,
Iberian ham, and aioli sauce. We sipped dif-
ferent red Rioja Reservas with most tapas. A
grilled octopus with pesto potatoes in another
tapas bar matched well with a tasty, slightly
tart, and flinty white, the 2021 R. López de
Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco. We
often extend our grazing adventures into the
evening for dinner rather than go with tradi-
tional entrees.
The Casco Antiguo (Old Town) offers an es-
cape to medieval times, with charming small
squares similar to those found in villages
throughout Spain. Calle Ruavieja is one of
the oldest and most picturesque streets in
the Old Town, with color and character ev-
erywhere. For more shopping, stroll over to
Calle Portales, with several boutiques featur-
ing local crafts and antiques.
The Church of Santa María de Palacio is a
prominent landmark in Casco Antiguo. It is
worth a visit to admire its architectural
beauty and explore its rich history. The
church was founded in the 11th century, re-
built in the 12th century, and extended in
the 16th century.

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