La Rioja holiday guide

This region is where many of Spain's finest wines are produced. The food, too, in this area enjoys a high reputation, with one of the specialities being 'patatas a la Riojana', a spicy potato dish with chorizo sausage and dried peppers.

As with many parts of the world where viticulture is taken seriously, the density of the vineyards makes the scenery a little monotonous with undulating hills covered with miles of tidy rows of grape vines.

The small, prosperous town of Haro is famous for its wine festival held in late June where a battle unfolds with everyone squirting red wine over each other.