The Haro Wine Festival, also known as La Batalla del Vino, is a famous festival in Spain. Like the Tomatina Festival, La Batalla del Vino involves a wine battle. In this competition, participants split into two teams and throw litres of red wine at each other. The Haro Wine Festival takes place every year on July 29. According to legends, the festival began as a territorial dispute between Haro and one of its neighbouring villages, Miranda de Ebro. Over the years, the Haro Wine Festival evolved into an activity of hurling wine.
How Is The Haro Wine Festival Celebrated
The celebrations start a week before the Haro wine festival. People worldwide come to witness the wine-making traditions. The festival commences on June 23 with a Haro parade led by its mayor and other town officials. The parade participants are dressed in red and white and can be seen carrying containers filled with wine. They parade throughout the town and end at the Ricos de Bilibio, where a mass is held in honour of San Pedro. The fun begins after the mass, as the parade participants climb up the hill and have a wine fight. The wine is sprayed using buckets, hoses, pitchers, etc. At this point, everyone is soaked in red wine, and the streets of Haro turn crimson.
After a good 1.5 to 2 hours, the festival comes to an end. Around 10 pm, however, a new party begins. In the main town square, there is a large stage where a live concert is held. Additionally, wine tastings and food vendors serve delicious tapas (a Spanish appetiser) around this time. Although this is the main event, other small, impromptu karaoke concerts also occur. However, suppose you&rsquore looking for something quiet. In that case, you can visit the local wineries like Bodegas Bilbainas, Bodegas Muga, and Bodegas Ramon Bilbao in order to learn in detail about the wine-making process, along with trying the region&rsquos best wines. For historical and cultural buffs, Haro has some of the most exquisite architectural landmarks, such as the Plaza de la Paz, Museo del Torren, and the Church of Santo Tomas.
Where To Stay
There are many great and affordable places to stay in Haro while attending the Haro Wine Festival.
The Hotel Los Augustinos, located in the heart of Haro, is a historic hotel that is very well-known for its spectacular décor, architecture, and comfortable as well as spacious rooms.
Address C. San Augustin, 2, 26200, Haro, Spain
Hotel Arrope is another great option to stay at while visiting Haro, Spain. The Modern, architectural-style hotel is located just a few metres away from Haro&rsquos town square. The hotel has beautiful, spacious rooms with a rooftop that offers a beautiful view of Haro&rsquos beautiful vineyards.
Address C. de la Vega, 31, Izquierda, 26200 Haro, La Rioja, Spain
If you&rsquore looking for an affordable place to stay while in Haro, Hostal Patron is a great option. A cosy and spectacular guesthouse located in Haro&rsquos town square offers affordable, spacious and good-quality rooms.
Address Virgen de la Vega, 31, Haro, La Rioja
How To Reach Haro
By Air The nearest airports to Haro are the Bilbao and Logrono airports, with both airports offering domestic as well as international flights at regular intervals. From the airports, you can either take a bus or a cab to Haro, which is only an hour&rsquos drive away.
By Road If you&rsquore reaching Haro by road, then the best way to reach it is by taking the A-68 highway that connects Bilabao to Zaragoza. The drive from Bilbao to Haro is only an hour.
Cover Photo Credits imenezar / Shutterstock.com
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