Cultural routes
The Montaña Alavesa provides visitors with the chance to enjoy its beautiful towns, medieval villages, hermitages, caves and, in general, a rich artistic-cultural heritage.
Five routes through the Montaña Alavesa
In the publications area of this section you’ll find more information on the specific details of these five routes.
This route brings us closer to the towns of Vírgala Mayor, Apellániz, Leorza, Cicujano, Maeztu, Antoñana and Bujanda.
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Discover the towns of Santa Cruz de Campezo, Orbiso, San Vicente de Arana, Alda, Ullibarri-Arana, Contrasta and Roitegui.
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This route visits the towns of Korres, San Román de Campezo, Quintana, Urturi, Navarrete, Bernedo, Villafría and Villaverde.
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Take a tour of the towns of Faido, Laño (Trebiño), Urarte, Marquínez and Arluzea.
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Visit the towns of Baroja, Payueta, Peñacerrada, Pipaón and Lagrán.
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Hermitage route
This route offers you a sample of the hermitages in Montaña Alavesa. All of them have their own personal characteristics and their own history of worship and brotherhoods.
Hermitage of La Peña
Faido
Faido is a small town that belongs to the Municipality of Peñacerrada.
It is home to one of the jewels of Basque Country heritage, the Hermitage of the Virgen de la Peña, dated from between the 13th and 14th centuries. It was built inside a man-made cave originating from the Early Middle Ages, in the Kruzia grottos.
It’s the oldest Christian church that is still open for worship in the Basque Country and a historical-artistic complex, declared a National Monument of the Basque Country.
Hermitage of San Juan
Markinez
The Hermitage of San Juan is located in the town of Marquínez, on the outskirts of the town and next to the road that connects Marquínez with Arlucea.
It’s one of the most beautiful examples of the Romanesque in Álava and a National Monument of the Basque Country.
Hermitage of Okon
Bernedo
The Hermitage of Okon is very close to the town of Bernedo and surrounded by a spectacular beech forest offering a beautiful panoramic view.
Hermitage of Ibernalo
Santa Cruz de Campezo
In the foothills of the Sierra de Codes is the Hermitage of Ibernalo.
Hermitage of the Virgen del Campo
Maeztu / Maestu
The Hermitage of the Virgen del Campo, previously Santa Eufemia, is a small Romanesque building from the13th century, with a rectangular floor plan, a beautiful doorway, windows and ornate beams.
Hermitage of Andra Mari
Ullibarri / Harana
To the north of the town and on top of a small hill is the Hermitage of Andra-Mari. The hermitage is a Romanesque construction.
Hermitage of Elizmendi
Kontrasta
A Romanesque construction largely built with Roman tombstones.
Next to the hermitage there are remains of medieval graves. From the site, you can also take in the beautiful and extensive view over the entire town, as well as the ravines that run along both sides of the Villa.
Man-Made Caves Route
Starting from Vitoria-Gasteiz and taking the A-2124 road through the Port of Vitoria, we arrive at a turning which, if we turn left onto the A-126 road and then turn again onto the A-4148, takes us to the town of Faido.
Off the town square there’s a path that leads to the caves in the mountain, where we’ll find three sets of man-made caves: The Virgen de la Peña, San Miguel and Kruzía.
The Virgen de la Peña
Faido
National Monument of the Basque Country. In order to access this cave, you need to ask for the key.
They were used as prehistoric dwellings or monasteries in the Middle Ages.
Inside, they feature schematic cave paintings as well as anthropomorphic graves. On the roof, there is another cave with a circular floor plan, with recordings of writing.
San Miguel
Laño
Continuing with our route, we re-join the A-126 road and head to Laño, a town nestled in the County de Trebiño. On the way to this town, along a narrow stretch, we’ll see large rocks on the sides of the road. The ones on the right are called “Las Gobas” and those on the left, “Santorkaria”.
- Las Gobas include a total of 11 man-made caves, of which three are considered temples, and the site is protected by a fence.
- Santorkaria is made up of 18 caves, with eremite dwellings and basilicas. Graves can be seen in many of them, some of them anthropomorphic.
Markinez
Markinez
To round off the route, we’ll return to the A-126 road, in the direction of Bernedo, and we’ll turn left along the A-3134 and head for Marquinez.
In this town, we find 16 caves distributed between Askana or Peñas Kanas, Larrea and Peña del Castillo.
The most important cave is known as Santa Leocadia.