Perfect Panorama
To get the best panoramic view of Ezcaray and the surrounding valley at the foot of the Sierra de la Demanda, there’s no better place than the Santa Bárbara Hermitage.
This small hermitage is located about 1000 meters above sea level, just above the like-named hill which lifts it over the illustrious Ezcaray valley. It’s a pretty exposed place so it’s not unusual that the cold, bitter air from the mountains “cuts” the skin of visitors in autumn and winter. We are in the coldest part of La Rioja, after all.
To get to the hermitage, I’d absolutely recommend taking the highway which leaves from Ezcaray heading towards Zorraquín and Valgañón. Right when you leave the Ezcaray town line, there’s a fork on the left-hand side where a paved road breaks off. That’s your street!
If the weather is nice and you’re feeling up for a bit of exercise, the best bet is to leave your car right there at the fork and walk along the road (about 3km) to the base of the hill on which the hermitage sits. It’s a moderate climb in which the road zigzags rather than going straight up the side of the hill. At the top, right where the road ends, there is a grassy open area with tables.
