Things to Do in Alfaro

The history of Alfaro begins on the neighboring hill, where the Celtiberian tribe Ilucris lived. The Roman general Tiberius Sempronio Graco, the father of the two famous Plebe tribes, founded on this Celtiberian village the new village of Graccurris in 179 BC. This Roman settlement, which was named in the honor of the general, was the first one founded in the Ebro Valley. The current name of Alfaro derives from the Muslim Era in Spain, when the city was known as Al-Faruh (“the Lighthouse” or “the Watchtower”), a testament to its defensive nature.

At the end of the 11^th century, Alfaro fell at the hands of El Cid during his battles with the Count García Ordóñez. A little while after this, Alfonso I the Fighter, king of Aragón, reconquered and repopulated the area. He also initiated an irrigation system from the Alhama River, which ran swiftly through the area.

Alfaro officially became a village in 1253, declared by Alfonso X the Wise, confirming its standing and amplifying its privileges on multiple occasions until the 15^th century. In 1429, the famous French knight, Count Gastón IV de Foix, besieged the village with the help of troops from Navarra. He was ultimately unsuccessful.

In 1429, the famous French knight, Count Gastón IV de Foix, laid siege to the city with the help of Navarran troops. He was ultimately defeated.

In 1629, the village officially became a city by order of Felipe IV. In exchange for this honor, the town had to pay 40,000 maravedíes. This began a period of prosperity for the municipality, to which the existence of multiple stately houses and religious buildings (like the Convento de San Francisco, that of the Inmaculada Concepción, and the Colegiata de San Miguel) can attest.

Alfaro was added to the province of Logroño in 1883, when it was created, leaving its previous affiliation with Soria.

Alfaro is a town with a rich heritage. A walk through its streets will reveal the vestiges of a time past, temples, and palaces with centuries of history. These serve as a testament to the ancient splendor of this place.

The urban area of the city is centered around the Plaza de España, a large space with porticoes on one side. The Colegiata de San Miguel Arcángel, the most important building in the city is located here. It is the largest temple in La Rioja, and it was declared a national monument in 1976. It was constructed by a knight between the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Its classical façade stands out for visitors, which includes a staircase, and has three doors and sits between two twin towers. Inside, you can see its impressive baroque grilles from 1697, which allows access to the choir, which contains an ashlar of walnut wood. It also conserves a total of 15 altarpieces, among which are the main altarpiece, with its image of San Miguel de Gregorio Fernández; the central altarpiece of the Virgen del Rosario; the chapel of San Ildefonso, with a magnificent image of La Dolorosa; and the chapel of San José, with a 13^th century Gothic Christ.

La Colegiata houses one of the largest colonies of white storks in all of Europe, which makes the temple a natural attraction. However, it also presents a problem for its conservation. Its roof can accommodate some 150 nests for couples, which can mean that around 500 storks live in the temple during breeding season. However, the roof’s 3,000 sq. feet soon becomes cramped with birds, so some have to spread to peripheral neighborhoods. Because of this, the Alfaro sky is often filled with these birds in search of food and building materials for their nests. There seems to be no explanation as to why the birds choose to settle in this town besides the presence of the Alhama and Ebro rivers with their thickets, and the immense Alfaren orchard. As for why the birds choose the roof of La Colegiata, it is thought that the many nooks and crannies it possesses offers perfect places to build a nest for the birds. Thus, Alfaro is considered a unique biotope in its species nationwide.

The Plaza de España also holds the ancient Casa Consistorial, which has a Neoclassical façade and a triangular pediment. Its current use has changed since its construction; it now serves as the home of the Tourism Office and the Centro de Inderpretación de los Sotos del Ebro, which is a great place to learn about the beautiful natural environment that surrounds Alfaro.

If you start at the Plaza de España and take the Calle Mayor, you’ll come to the neighborhood of the Puebla, where you can visit the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Burgo, on the street with the same name. It is made of brick, and it follows the Classical and Baroque styles of the 17^th century. Its interior displays the Capilla de la Virgen del Burgo, in whose entrance resides an interesting canvas of the Juicio de Salomón. It is in the Sevillian baroque style, and copies one of Ruben’s works from the middle of the 17^th century.

You can also find in la Puebla the Palacio Sáenz de Heredia (late 19^th century), which you can visit on weekends. Its façade displays numerous balconies and windows. On the site that occupies the palace (ancient residence of the Primo de Rivera), the house that hosted Felipe V in 1711 was built.

Leaving the neighborhood, you can visit the area where you can watch the storks to fully appreciate how the birds fill the skies and dominate the city. Later, you can go to the Monasterio Clasicista de la Conceptión (17^th century), which houses a spectacular Rococo altarpiece designed by the Riojano artist Diego de Camporredondo.

After this, you can take the Calle Las Pozas to get to the Palacio Abacial, from the mid-18^th century, which currently serves as the seat of the new town hall, the library, and the municipal archive.

Another roof in Alfaro that is popular among the storks is that of the Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís, which is in the Classical style. It was constructed in the 17^th century out of brick and stone from the old castle. On the inside, you cannot miss the exceptional image of the crucified Christ attached to one of its walls.

When it comes to the civil architecture of the city, we must mention the Casa Orovio, built between the 17^th and 18^th centuries, and the Palacio Remírez, which was built in the 19^th century. The Antigua Cárcel, built in 1867, is also interesting. It is now a hostel, but you can still see old cells and visit the punishment chambers, perfectly equipped with all sorts of chains and shakles.

On the outskirts of Alfaro lies the Yacimiento Arqueológico Eras de San Martín-Graccurris, which lets you in on the Celtic and Roman past of the city. Also interesting is the Ruinas del Ninfeo, a fountain that supposedly was the site of a cult for the nymph of the Alhama River. The Nymphaeum is located in the outskirts of the town, on the street named Zaragoza, in the direction of Logroño.

Apart from the usual specialties of Riojano cuisine, Alfaro serves delicious Caracolijas, snails served with tomato sauce, ham, chorizo, onion, and olive oil. On the desert side, we have the Rusos, a dessert made from butter, eggs, and flour that is famous in this area. This is also the city of various wineries which produce wine with a D.O. Riojano. Some of these are Burgo Viejo, Ciego del Rey, Finca Egomei, Ilurce, Isidro Milagro, Marqués de Campo Nuble, and Palacios Remondo.