Look out over Rioja Alavesa from El Balcón de la Rioja

El Balcón de la Rioja is one of the most iconic lookout points in the Rioja Alavesa area. It belongs to the municipality of Samaniego and sits on the Alto de Herrera, the natural pass connecting the Alavese mountains with La Rioja, at an altitude of 1,000 metres. On clear days, the view stretches across virtually the whole of Rioja Alavesa — vineyards, villages such as Villabuena de Álava, Leza, Navaridas, Laguardia and Elciego, the Ebro river valley and much of La Rioja Alta, with the Sierra de la Demanda range in the background. Access is free, with no booking required, making it a natural stopping point for anyone travelling through the area. For those journeying through Álava in stages, this viewpoint marks a clear transition between two distinct landscapes: the moment when mountain terrain gives way to the open, vine-covered plain of the Ebro basin.