Cameros, what to see between nature and rural landscapes in La Rioja

We all know that a getaway or a holiday trip to La Rioja Its main attraction is wine tourism.

But this community has another series of attractions that we have been discovering in recent years.

See nature landscapes It is one of them and in this regard, we have had the opportunity to finally get to know one of the most outstanding areas whose beauty we discovered on a recent trip from Logroño to Madrid.

I mean the Los Cameros region whose history is closely linked to medieval legends and transhumance traditions.

But I tell you that, above all, cameros It is an ideal place to make a getaway to see autumn landscapes thanks to its extensive beech and oak forests, as well as acacias and wild pines.

Therefore, cameros In recent times it has become a perfect destination for hiking where you will find numerous signposted routes.

History of Cameros and its tradition of transhumance

In fact, the name of the region itself is derived from the Latin word “camera”, which means “elevated place”, which already reflects a steep topography.

Although there was already a population in the pre-Roman era with the presence of Celtic tribes, in the Roman times There was a period of prosperity that is evidenced by the construction of roads and bridges.

During the Middle Ages, cameros It also lived a cultural eye thanks to the influence of the monasteries that were established in the area, such as that of San Prudencio founded in the 10th century.

It should be noted that from 1110 to 1812 the Cameros region was under the Cameros Lordship.

It was at the end of the 13th century, with the creation of The table, when the livestock and transhumant tradition of this region, with the creation of large sheep ranches.

Where this tradition was concentrated was in the towns of Villoslada y Louvers, where at the end of the 200.000th century there were up to XNUMX heads of cattle.

What is the population of the Cameros region?

the disappearance of The table In the 19th century, the sheep herds were reduced and the cloth factories that had been installed in towns such as Villoslada were closed, which caused a gradual economic and population decline.

In fact, currently Only about 2.600 people live in the Cameros region..

What it is like and how to get to the Cameros region

To prepare yourself for your trip, you should know that the Cameros region is south of La Rioja, in the border with the province of Soria.

If you come from Madrid, you must access via national 111 that connects the city of Soria with Logroño passing through the Port of Piqueras.

Precisely once you pass the Piqueras tunnel, you will have entered the Sierra de Cebollera Natural Park.

This region is divided into two valleys that run in a north-south direction and are separated by the mountains of the Sierra del Camero Viejo.

One piece of advice is to start your visit at Cameros tourist office what you find in the town of Pradillo, where they will guide you on the best places you can visit according to your preferences.

The best natural landscapes to see in Cameros, our experience

As we have commented, and from our recent experience of traveling to Cameros, today this area has become an attractive nature destination great for hiking.

Peñas de Viguera, door from Logroño

From the landscape point of view, the first thing we want to highlight is the majestic entrance from Logroño along the Peñas de Viguera, in the valley known as New Camero.

It is worth going up to the viewpoint located in the town of the same name from where you have excellent panoramic views of said rock group and the first area of ​​the valley.

Leza River Canyon, great gorge

If you also access from the north through the second valley known as Old Camero, you will pass through another very outstanding landscape corner, the Leza River Canyon.

It is a seven-kilometer gorge to travel following the road, but where it also you can go hiking walking through the upper part of the canyon starting from the Hermitage of the Virgin of the Cortijo.

As a curiosity, there is the last famous factory Soto marzipan.

If you travel by car, you should stop at the Canyon Viewpoint.

But if you are looking for wider panoramic views, the advice is to go up to the village of Trevino which is located at 1.000 meters above sea level, a place where you can also see samples of the traditional textile crafts from Cameros.

Sierra de Cebollera Natural Park

Now, the Sierra de Cebollera Natural Park It is the great landscape attraction of this Rioja region.

With an area of 23.000 hectares and a maximum altitude of 2.262 meters, this natural park extends along the border of La Rioja with the Soria province.

This corner of nature hides beech and oak forests, as well as rivers and waterfalls and numerous animal species such as roe deer, wild boars, eagles and vultures.

It is the ideal place for hiking, specifically, through the Puente Ra Waterfalls Trail and the Sculpture Park Trail, both of circular design, an ideal starting point being the Hermitage of the Virgin of Lomos de Orios.

In our recent trip to the Cameros region, we walked a small part of the first of the aforementioned trails, to reach the aforementioned waterfalls that in winter have a large amount of water.

The aforementioned hermitage is a building from the end of the 17th century that, when you see it, will not seem like a church, since it is hidden inside the large home of the santero who takes care of the parish.

As a curiosity, we must highlight the charity festival that every first Sunday in July brings together thousands of devotees to whom chorizo ​​and meat are donated, a tradition that dates back to 1520 and is linked to transhumance.

Most beautiful towns in Cameros

As for the towns that you can visit during your visit to this Rioja region, Cameros Tower It is the head town of the region and with the largest population.

And on the other hand, Rasillo can be considered as the Cameros tourist center due to its location next to the reservoir where in summer you can enjoy various nautical activities, and because it is the place where you will find more accommodation in rural houses.

But if what you are looking for is to walk through beautiful corners of rural architecture, we are going to recommend three places.

Villoda de Cameros

Within the Sierra de Cebollera Natural Park, Villoda de Cameros It is undoubtedly one of the most attractive towns in the Rioja region, and has traditionally been a destination for hunters, fishermen and vacationers.

From there you can get close to the aforementioned Cascadas del Ra and the Lomos de Orio hermitage.

Aldeanueva de Cameros

If you're looking for corner of rural architecture with fairy tale scenes, you will find it in Aldeanueva de Cameros, in the municipality of Villanueva de Cameros.

From being an uninhabited town, the gradual restoration of its stone houses has turned it Aldeanueva in an ideal place for rural tourism during the summer.

It has a parish church from the 200th century, and about XNUMX meters away you can see the hermitage of Santa Ana, a baroque building from the XNUMXth century.

Ortigosa de Cameros and the Ortigosa Caves

This small town stands out for its location on the slope of a hill at the foot of which runs the Albercos River.

You can see beautiful views of the landscape from a viaduct and walk through streets with arcades, but you can also visit the Ortigosa Caves.

Located in the Mount Encinedo Next to the iron bridge, these are the only caves prepared for tourist visits in La Rioja and where you can see interesting geological formations.

Here you have information with schedules for visiting the Ortigosa Caves.

Tradition of Transhumance in Cameros

From the point of view of traditions, to delve deeper into transhumance, the main economic activity developed in this region until the beginning of the 19th century, you can visit the Transhumance Interpretation Center, near the port of Piqueras.

Specifically, it is located in the Sale of Piqueras, where the set composed of the Hermitage of Light and said interpretation center.

Now in it you can see the reflection of this tradition, with various objects from the daily life of the shepherds, from their portable cabins to old utensils, and you can also view an audiovisual.

At Sale of Piqueras, a place that since the 16th century has received travelers and shepherds to provide shelter and food, each year a festival and a market are also held in which all attendees receive a gift of bread and sheep meat that remembers the livestock past of the Shire.

Map of the Cameros region

The Cameros region is located less than an hour south of Logroño and half an hour north of Soria.