Logroño Holidays: Cathedral, Museums and Rioja Day Trips
Provincia de La Rioja · La Rioja · Spain · 151,164 residents
Co-cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda
plaza de toros de Logroño
Vareia
Casa de las Ciencias
Museo de La RiojaLogroño is the capital of La Rioja, an inland city of around 151,000 people set at 380 metres above sea level. Its appeal is compact and cultural: the Co-cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, the Museo de La Rioja and the Convento de la Merced all sit within a few hundred metres of one another, with the bullring and the Roman-era settlement of Vareia a little further out. Summers are hot and dry, with July and August reaching 32°C, while winters are cool. Bilbao airport, with direct flights from the United Kingdom, is about an hour and a half away by car, and small towns such as Laguardia and Haro make easy outings.
Why go
- The Co-cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda and Museo de La Rioja are a short stroll apart.
- Bilbao airport has direct UK flights and lies roughly an hour and a half's drive away.
- Laguardia, Elciego and Haro are all within 22 miles for relaxed day trips by car.
Top sights in Logroño
Cathedral, Museums and Roman Vareia
The Co-cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda is the city's best-known landmark, about a third of a mile from the centre, and the natural place to begin. The plaza de toros de Logroño, the city's bullring, stands roughly 0.8 miles out, while the archaeological site of Vareia, an ancient settlement, lies about 2.3 miles away and rewards those curious about the area's deeper past.
Closer in, the Museo de La Rioja is barely 0.1 miles from the centre, and the Casa de las Ciencias, a cultural space that works well for families, is around 0.4 miles away. The Convento de la Merced, the Palacio del Espartero and the Palacio del Marqués de Monesterio round out a walkable cluster of historic buildings, all within half a mile.
Tours and tickets for Logroño and the surrounding area can be booked directly on this page, with around 30 activities currently listed.
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Tours & tickets in Logroño
Guided tours, day trips and tickets in and around Logroño can be booked in advance, priced in GBP.
See tours & tickets (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)Where to stay in Logroño
Central Logroño or a Quieter Base
Most of Logroño's sights sit within half a mile of the centre, so staying near the co-cathedral and the Museo de La Rioja puts nearly everything on foot. As a city of over 150,000 people, the centre stays lively all year rather than emptying out after a summer season.
If you would rather wake up somewhere smaller, the nearby towns of Fuenmayor, Laguardia or Elciego are all within 9 miles. Logroño is inland, so there is no seafront to weigh up; the choice is simply city centre versus village calm. Live hotel prices for Logroño are shown on this page.
Hire a car
The easiest way to reach Logroño and the villages around it is a hire car from Bilbao (BIO), about 1 h 28 min away.
Best time to visit Logroño
Spring and Early Autumn Suit Best
- 10°CJan57 mm
- 12°CFeb54 mm
- 17°CMar41 mm
- 20°CApr27 mm
- 21°CMay67 mm
- 27°CJun60 mm
- 32°CJul9 mm
- 32°CAug23 mm
- 24°CSept55 mm
- 21°COct105 mm
- 15°CNov55 mm
- 10°CDec37 mm
Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Going by the climate table, April and September offer the most comfortable balance. April brings highs around 20°C with the driest spring month (about 27mm over six rain days), and September settles at around 24°C after the summer heat.
July and August are the hottest months, with daytime highs of 32°C, though July is also the driest of the year with only three rainy days. October is the wettest month, averaging 105mm over 13 days, and May and June can also be showery. Winter is cool, with January highs of 10°C and lows near 2°C. Logroño is inland, so there is no sea temperature to consider.
Full monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10°C | 2°C | 57 mm | 6 h |
| Feb | 12°C | 3°C | 54 mm | 8 h |
| Mar | 17°C | 5°C | 41 mm | 9 h |
| Apr | 20°C | 7°C | 27 mm | 10 h |
| May | 21°C | 10°C | 67 mm | 11 h |
| Jun | 27°C | 14°C | 60 mm | 11 h |
| Jul | 32°C | 16°C | 9 mm | 13 h |
| Aug | 32°C | 17°C | 23 mm | 12 h |
| Sept | 24°C | 13°C | 55 mm | 10 h |
| Oct | 21°C | 11°C | 105 mm | 7 h |
| Nov | 15°C | 7°C | 55 mm | 7 h |
| Dec | 10°C | 3°C | 37 mm | 6 h |
Averages 2015–2024. Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Getting there from the UK
Flying, Sailing or Driving from the UK
Bilbao is the closest airport, about 62 miles away with a drive of roughly an hour and a half, and it has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Zaragoza, around 91 miles and about 2 hours 10 minutes by car, and Santander, around 96 miles and about 2 hours 15 minutes away, also have direct UK flights, which gives useful flexibility on dates and departure airports.
For those bringing their own car, Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Bilbao in roughly 28 to 32 hours; the port is about 68 miles from Logroño. Driving all the way from Calais takes around 14 and a half hours at the wheel, so most will want to break the journey.
By air
- Bilbao (BIO)62 miles, about 1 h 28 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Zaragoza (ZAZ)91 miles, about 2 h 9 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Santander (SDR)96 miles, about 2 h 16 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
By car and ferry
Driving from Calais takes roughly 14 h 25 min without stops. Nearest ferry ports: Bilbao (68 miles).
Logroño is good for
Around Logroño
Villages and Towns Within 25 Miles
Fuenmayor is the nearest neighbour at about 6 miles. Laguardia and Elciego, both across the regional line in the Basque Country, are each around 9 miles away and pair well in a single outing.
Further west, Briones lies about 18 miles off, Labastida around 19 miles and Badarán roughly 20 miles. Haro, the largest of the group with some 12,000 residents, is about 22 miles away, and Cárcar in Navarre is around 25 miles to the east. All are small places, so a car makes it easy to combine two or three in a day.
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Tips from Robin
Practical Points Before You Go
Logroño sits at 380 metres and well inland, so summer days are hot but winter nights are cold, with lows around 2°C in January. Pack a proper jacket outside the summer months and plan walks for the morning in July and August, when highs reach 32°C.
October is noticeably the wettest month, so an umbrella is worth bringing for an autumn visit. And because the nearby villages are small, car hire from Bilbao, Zaragoza or Santander is the simplest way to reach them.
Questions people ask
What is the nearest airport to Logroño from the UK?
Bilbao is the closest, about 62 miles away with a drive of roughly an hour and a half, and it has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Zaragoza and Santander, both just over two hours by car, also have direct UK flights.
When is the best time to visit Logroño?
April and September tend to be the most comfortable, with highs of around 20°C and 24°C respectively. July and August are hottest at 32°C, while October is the wettest month, averaging 105mm of rain over 13 days.
Can I take the ferry to Logroño from the UK?
Yes. Brittany Ferries runs from Portsmouth to Bilbao, a crossing of roughly 28 to 32 hours. From the port at Bilbao it is about 68 miles to Logroño, making it a practical option if you want your own car.
What are the main sights in Logroño?
The Co-cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda is the headline sight, alongside the Museo de La Rioja, the Convento de la Merced and the Casa de las Ciencias. The bullring and the archaeological site of Vareia lie a short distance from the centre.
Is Logroño good for a family holiday?
It can work well for a culture-led family break. The Casa de las Ciencias and the Museo de La Rioja are both within half a mile of the centre, and the compact layout means children are not faced with long walks between sights.
What day trips can I take from Logroño?
Laguardia and Elciego are each about 9 miles away, Fuenmayor about 6 miles, and Haro around 22 miles. Briones, Labastida and Badarán sit between 18 and 20 miles out, so several can be combined in one day by car.