Laguardia is a fortified hilltop village in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa wine country, just south of the Basque Country border with La Rioja. The views from its medieval ramparts sweep across vineyards in every direction, with the Sierra de Cantabria rising behind.
The village itself is tiny — you can walk end to end in ten minutes — but packed with character. Narrow stone streets run between old houses, many of which sit on top of medieval wine cellars carved into the rock. Some of these cellars are open for visits. The church of Santa Maria de los Reyes has a 14th-century polychrome portico that is one of the finest pieces of Gothic sculpture in the Basque Country.
Laguardia makes an excellent base for exploring Rioja Alavesa's bodegas. The area has invested heavily in wine tourism, and several wineries have commissioned striking modern architecture — the most famous is the Marques de Riscal complex designed by Frank Gehry in nearby Elciego.