Valdegovía/Gaubea

Valdegovía is a municipality in western Álava occupying a valley of strong natural character, with forests of Scots pine, holm oak and beech, rivers and streams, and diverse wildlife including the griffon vulture as its most emblematic species. The terrain, with steep north-facing slopes and gentler southern hillsides, creates a landscape that shifts visibly with the seasons.

The territory is home to Valderejo Natural Park, one of the Basque Country's key protected natural spaces. Beyond the natural setting, Valdegovía holds a remarkable historic heritage: the Torre-Palacio de los Varona, a 14th-century military palace; the church of Tuesta, a pre-Gothic parish temple; the monastery of Angosto; and Valpuesta, a village whose medieval scriptorium produced documents preserving some of the earliest written words in Romance Castilian.

Rock-cut hermit caves and a network of walking trails across the valley round out a destination that brings together nature, history and landscape in a relatively undiscovered corner of inland Álava.