Baños de Río Tobía: Wine, Summer Art and Architectural History

If you’re looking for a hotel in Baños de Río Tobía, you can plan your stay around specific interests: wine visits, the summer art festival Bañarte, the Festival del Chorizo or historic architecture. The following themes offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Wine visits and regional orientation

Bodegas Juan Carlos Sancha and Bodega Clemente García can be visited in Baños de Río Tobía. These are two specifically named destinations for travelers who want to experience the town’s connection to wine. If one of the wineries is the main reason for your trip, check the visiting arrangements in advance.

The regional context may also be useful for your planning: Baños de Río Tobía is part of the Valle del Najerilla section of the Ruta de los Tres Valles. This offers two different perspectives: specific winery visits and an overview of the town’s place on the regional route.

Bañarte and other festival occasions

Bañarte takes place every summer in Baños de Río Tobía, turning the town into a kind of open-air workshop. Workshops and exhibitions are held throughout the town, and visitors can watch artists working and creating on site. The festival therefore offers different ways to engage with art: you can visit exhibitions and workshops or watch artists’ work take shape. The program varies from one edition to the next. If Bañarte is important to your trip, check the dates and events for the relevant festival edition.

Another specific date to plan around is the Festival del Chorizo, which takes place on the Sunday before San Mateo. If you want to time your trip to coincide with this festival, check the date of the event before setting your travel dates. This makes it easy to distinguish it in time from Bañarte, which takes place every summer.

Architectural history in the town

The Church of San Pelayo was built in the early 16th century. Its main altar is in the Renaissance style and was created approximately between 1530 and 1540. The church and the altar offer two separate points of reference: the church dates to the beginning of the century, while the altar’s date of creation is given only approximately.

Archaeological remains of a small settlement were found at the entrance to the church, including pottery and other objects dating approximately to the 2nd or 3rd century. These finds come from a much earlier period than the construction of the church. Their approximate dating is an important part of understanding them.

The Ermita de la Virgen del Rosario offers a different architectural accent. It was built in the second half of the 17th century and funded by Fray Benito Salazar. The stone chapel has a nave, four bays and a sacristy. Its main altar is in the Baroque style, with an image of the Virgin of the Rosary in an upper niche. The building’s features and the design of its altar describe different aspects of the same structure.

The Palacio de Salazar adds a 17th-century palace to the town’s architectural history. Built of stone, it has three floors; the top floor is crowned by a gallery with round arches. The palace also features two coats of arms, one of which bears the inscription “Goiry Salazar.” Together with the Church of San Pelayo and the hermitage, it allows for a comparison between religious buildings and the palace: the churches and chapel are notable for their altars and interior layouts, while the palace is distinguished by its floors, gallery and coats of arms.

Discover more destinations: Hornos de Moncalvillo, Viniegra de Abajo, Cuzcurrita De Río Tirón, El Cortijo, Almarza De Cameros, Alfaro, Cirueña, San Román De Cameros

For the wider travel overview: La Rioja.