Irache Fuente de Vino is not alone

[scruffy1]

Before continuing on this intriguing subject I must admit that I possess a somewhat, well, shall we say, deviant personality. I go down all the alternative routes mentioned in the guide books. I have an admiration for all things Romanesque and will search sites out all along the Camino and often very far off the accepted beaten track. While walking the Camino Portugués I ate Papas de Sarrabulho, never heard of it? If you like morcilla you will love this even though its not a sausage. Moving along, Wine! Warms the heart and allows quick camaraderie. Less then 20 kilometers north of Santo Domingo de la Calzada lies the town of Haro. The Camino skirts Haro, there is no pilgrim albergue there, no pilgrims menu to be found. Haro is a very beautiful little town which also happens to be the agricultural, commercial, and culinary epicenter and benchmark for...Rioja wine! Now, the weekend is coming up, you feel you deserve a rest, and you already have been beguiled by the chickens in Santo Domingo well, a good walker can be in Haro before lunchtime! You will not regret the experience.

 

[SabsP]

Scruffy,

You are right about Haro : beautiful town , visited it as a regular tourist a couple of times. Brillant places for tapas! We always stayed in a self catering apartment.

But there is indeed a pilgrim's albergue, a very nice one too. Haro is on the Camino Vasco Interior and after Haro the Interior meets the Frances in Santo Domingo.

http://www.haro.org/turismo_gastronomia.htm

Link to the albergue
http://www.caminodivino.com/

http://www.apartamentosconencanto.com/

 

[scruffy1]

Thank you Sabine, I stand corrected. I was last there 2-3 years ago and the albergue was closed for renovations the neighbors were very friendly and helped me find a place to stay but the albergue appeared abandoned. Glad to hear that it is open again.
S

 

[SabsP]

some pics of Haro

 

[SabsP]

more Haro

 

[SabsP]

menu del dia in 2009

 

[Arn]

Sabs,

Like your new avatar!!!

Makes me hungry!

Arn

 

[SabsP]

Cheers Arn. Especially for you...this display...

 

[Arn]

Thanks Sabs,

Now that is truly mouth watering! The wine looks inviting also.

Arn

 

[hieronimus]

Ohh... please restraine your self a bit, it is friday here and we should keep jamon of the menu.
wine is fine. Have you any pictures with cheese tapas or pimento?.

 

[SabsP]

Hieronimus,

I cater for all tastes...voilà

 

[scruffy1]

Since we have delightfully slid into a discussion on tapas maybe we should open a new reply or continue to develop this one. Tapas in Barcelona are exquisite, very pleasing to the eye, far less pleasing to the pocketbook, and truthfully, not the best around. Logrono as some interesting options however that 2200 deadline does not allow one to fully appreciate the opportunities. In Santiago the most obvious place is a Taberna do Bispo, Calle do Franco 37 there are many others, the best pulpo is NOT Pulperia Ezequiel in Melide, a far better serving can be found in O'Cebreiro and even better at Casa Fidel in Pontevedra along the Camino Portugues. Moving along to the best tapas I have ever seen, tasted, and paid for is to be found in San Sebastian! The Basque people call it pincho or pintxo due to the "nail" which holds their creations together - what a people, what a town, what a pleasant experience.

 

[SabsP]

Spain is such a great country when it comes to food ( and when it comes to all other things cultural because for me food is a big part of the cultural heritage ).
Wrting down my preferred bares, restaurantes would take me ages. Each region with their specialties, the local markets, love for the homemade products, the artisenal flair , the bread, the milk from Asturias, the extended families on sunday afternoons in their local resto ( even now with the dire economical situation ), the Michelin rated chefs in Pais Vasco, the fishmonger at the local mercado in Cadiz : glorious!

 

[tyrrek]

Spain is such a great country when it comes to food...

Yes.

 

[GunnarW]

Re: St Domingo to Haro

If you are in Santo Domingo and you would like to walk/bike to Haro, take de old railroad way (Calle de Estación). It's parallel on the right side of the LR111 and goes till Casalarreina (2/3 of the way to Haro) (you can see it in google maps). Casalarreina has a beautiful monasteria.

I have another suggestion for those with a bike, more scenic. Before and just after Santo Domingo d/l C while looking to the direction of Haro (a little bit more to the left), at the horizon, there is a very nice rock formation. Type in Cellorigo in "google pictures" and you will see what I mean.
I once did it with the bike because I was attracted by the rock formation. At Cellorigo there are no shops, no bar, even no fountain, only some houses. But you will have a splendid view over "La Rioja". You can take a break on return trip at the nice village Sajazarra. I was told that the castle is in hands of a Coca Cola-manager.