Hiking trails
Perfectly waymarked routes for every level, straight from the front door. Beech and ash woods and the source of the river Tirón.
More infoThe surroundings
The sierra ahead, the villages near.
Sierra de la Demanda, a Natura 2000 site. 16 km from Ezcaray; an hour from Logroño, Burgos and Vitoria. Three trips in one: nature, culture and food.
Things to do
Year-round activities.
Ski at Valdezcaray
Winter's big draw: the Valdezcaray ski resort is 30 km away, deep in the Sierra de la Demanda. Guided snowshoeing also available.
More infoMountain bikes
Four bikes at your disposal at no extra cost. Set off pedalling from the door.
Horse riding
El Encinar farm school, 30 minutes away. For all ages.
More infoBalloon rides
Globos Arcoíris over La Rioja, taking off from Haro.
More infoGolf in La Rioja
A golf course a short drive away — perfect for a different kind of day.
More info
Hiking
Pozo Negro, our crown jewel.
If you only do one route, make it this one. A glacial lake hidden high in the sierra, among beech and pine. A demanding climb with an enormous reward.
Pozo Negro lake
Glacial meltwater at over 1,700 metres. The most spectacular landscape in the Sierra de la Demanda for the well-prepared.
The thousand-year-old yew
Another must: a yew over a thousand years old, a silent witness of the sierra. A gentle trail, suitable for almost everyone.
Chapatales waterfall
A short, easy route to a waterfall in the woods. Perfect with children.
The area on video
The Sierra de la Demanda, in motion.
A walk in pictures through the beech woods, rivers and villages around Casa Fresneda. So you can see where you will switch off.
To discover
Heritage, villages and wine, a step away.
You are at the crossing of three provinces. In under an hour you go from a World Heritage cathedral to an arcaded square or a century-old vineyard.
Cultural heritage
Thousand-year cathedrals and monasteries.
Visigothic, Romanesque and Gothic art within a few kilometres of the house.
Charming villages
Arcaded squares and the Camino de Santiago.
Stone villages a short drive away, several right on the Camino de Santiago.
- Ezcaray — the most elegant in the sierra
- Santo Domingo de la Calzada — cathedral and Camino
- Belorado — arcaded main square, on the Camino
- Pineda de la Sierra — Romanesque mountain church
Wine tourism
Century-old wineries of the Rioja Alta.
From Haro's Station District to Briones or Laguardia, you are surrounded by some of the oldest, most prestigious wineries in the world. Tours, tastings and over a century of Rioja history, less than an hour from the house.
Unusual museums
Two visits you will not expect.
For a different day, two unique spots very close to Fresneda.
Where to eat
From two Michelin stars to Calle Laurel.
You are on the border of two cuisines, Riojan and Burgalese, and a step from fine dining. Roast lamb and olla podrida on one side; Riojan potatoes and caparrones on the other.
Fine dining
Ezcaray and El Echaurren.
Just 16 km away, Ezcaray is one of the great names in Spanish gastronomy. El Echaurren, run by the Paniego family, holds two Michelin stars: cutting-edge cooking and timeless Riojan tradition in the same village.
- 2★
- Michelin stars
- 16 km
- From Casa Fresneda
- El Echaurren
- A must
For tapas
Calle Laurel, Logroño
And if you fancy tapas, Logroño's Calle Laurel packs more than fifty pintxos bars into the old town. It is an hour from the house.
Riojan food
- Riojan-style potatoes
- Rioja-style cod
- Lamb chops over vine cuttings
- Caparrones (red beans)
- Vegetable menestra
Burgos food
- Burgos blood sausage
- Olla podrida stew
- Burgos cheese
- Castilian garlic soup
- Roast lamb
Gallery
The Sierra de la Demanda, in pictures.
Check availability
When are you thinking of coming?
Two-night minimum. The whole house for four adults and one child. Book with a secure 30% deposit.