Navarrete is a cozy town with about 3,000 inhabitants that, from a distance, attracts attention with its embrace of the hillside and elegant display of the great tower of its church.
Since its origins, it has stood out for being on the famous Camino de Santiago, and it also hosted San Ignacio de Loyola, being one of the main stops on the Ignatian Way. Therefore, a long tradition of caring for and satisfying travelers has been in place for a long time.
And even before, a Roman road passed through here.
Adding to this is the richness of its land, famous for its extraordinary La Rioja wines and exceptional quality clay, making it the main pottery center in northern Spain and a significant reference point in the country and Europe.
One of Navarrete's great advantages is its perfect location, ensuring everything is within reach.
It is located next to the A-12 highway and the AP-68 motorway, making it very easy to enter and exit to reach all points of interest in the area.
The city of Logroño is just 12 km away (10 minutes by car).
Santo Domingo de la Calzada is 35 km away (about 27 minutes).
Haro is 40 km away (about 35 minutes by car).
Its historic core from the 16th and 17th centuries was the first in La Rioja to be declared a Cultural Heritage Site, as well as a Historic-Artistic Ensemble, allowing you to breathe a medieval atmosphere as you wander its authentic streets, discovering numerous noble coats of arms.
It's not very large, so it can be comfortably explored, and it is located on the slope of Cerro Tedeón, where a castle was built in the 14th century, of which no remains remain.
It also had a walled enclosure with 7 gates, which over time became integrated into the medieval town, forming some of the typical streets that you will recognize today for their arcaded appearance and which bear characteristic names.
The ones that were attached to stretches of the wall or built on top of it are known as the "Certijos ", and they have an arcaded appearance with colonnades.
The narrowest and lower alleys, which in some areas are covered, even embedded in buildings, with curvier and more mysterious sections, are known as the "Cocinos ", named after an ancient canal that passed through here. Don't miss the picturesque Calle Cal Nueva, between Calle Mayor and El Coso.
In turn, the stepped squares and terraces that overlook the slope to the west of the church are called "La Alhóndiga ".
The name of the town comes from Basque: "Nafar" refers to the Navarrese, and "ate" can be translated as gate or wicket. Thus, Navarrete would mean "The gate of the Navarrese" or the gate of Navarre .
Along the streets, you will come across three sculptures that reflect well three loves of this town: Tribute to the pilgrim, Tribute to the potter, and Tribute to the Navarrete water carrier woman.
The latter is located in the Plaza Mayor, next to the only fountain that historically existed in the town. Therefore, it was the place where women came for water with their typical Navarrete pitchers. Hence, this tribute.
Started in 1553, it stands out for its extremely high tower, the tallest in La Rioja after Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and its Renaissance facade in the Riojan style.
But it's inside where it shines the most.
It has three naves and a spectacular 17th-century Baroque altarpiece, one of the largest in Spain, consisting of three parts: the altarpiece of the main nave and those of the two side naves (the epistle and the apse).
In addition to its meticulous carving and large size, it impresses with its brilliant ubiquitous gilding.
The sacristy contains a 16th-century Flemish Assumption triptych.
It also has one of the only two authentic censers remaining in Spain, which is only swung during the most important ceremonies. The other one is the well-known "botafumeiro" in Santiago de Compostela.
In 1185, Doña María Ramirez , a prominent woman from the Navarrese nobility of Baztán, ordered the construction of a hospital and hostel to serve pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago as it passed through La Rioja.
After her death, the management was entrusted to the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Acre.
Her son Martín, bishop of Zamora and Osma (Soria), would build in the 13th century the adjacent church whose remains can be visited today.
Over time, the hospital was abandoned, and part of its apse, door, and windows were used to create the striking facade of the cemetery, next to the Hermitage of Santa María de Jesús, from the 17th century.
Today, the floor plan of the apse of the church is preserved and can be visited, offering a curious tour of the remains of an outdoor church.
Leaving Navarrete on the road towards Burgos, where the Camino de Santiago also runs, you'll soon see on your left the municipal cemetery next to the Hermitage of Santa María de Jesús.
As we mentioned earlier, the carefully crafted architecture of the cemetery wall stands out, which was built with part of the medieval pilgrim hospital of Doña María Ramírez.
Its elegant facade and numerous sculpted details are noteworthy.
Don't miss the sculptures and carvings, both on its exterior and interior walls.
Additionally, across the street, you'll find the Antonio Naharro Pottery and a few meters ahead, the Corzana Pottery.
Spacious 17th-century palace renovated to house the current town hall.
On the facade, you can see an ancient marquesal coat of arms, and you are welcomed by an entrance hall.
The "calado" is a kind of storage cellar or wine cellar built of stone, typical of La Rioja where wine was stored.
In the cellar of the Palace of the Count of Navarrete, the town hall holds some activities.
The clay in this area has a very characteristic hardness, uncommon in Spain, with quartz and kaolin and little iron, which gives it an extraordinary quality (kaolin is used to make porcelain).
This rich raw material, combined with the great professionalism of the master craftsmen of Navarrete, has turned this Riojan town into a national benchmark in pottery craftsmanship.
Therefore, the workshops and shops of these artists are worth a visit to admire one of the lesser-known gems of La Rioja.
In the article "What to Do in Navarrete: Activities and Experiences ," we provide more details about each of the pottery workshops you can discover.
Don't miss the Navarrete jug, a traditional jug characterized by being wider than it is tall, with a handle and a rim decorated with a glazed apron at the top.
This jug was used by the women of Navarrete to transport water on their heads, as you can see in the sculpture "Homage to the Navarrete Woman," next to the fountain in the Plaza Mayor.
You can also see two chimneys from old pottery industries protected as industrial heritage in the village.
Furthermore, in mid-July, the National Pottery and Ceramics Fair (N.A.C.E.) is held with exhibitions, live demonstrations, forums and debates, contests, specialized courses and workshops, and much more art.
We detail it in the article "Festivals and Events in Navarrete ."