Agurain: Old Town, Camino de Santiago and Pintxos

The Camino de Santiago runs through Agurain. The medieval walled quarter of Salvatierra/Agurain was declared a historic ensemble in 1975. Its historical character is evident not only in the town walls, but also in the preserved churches and the oldest secular building in the municipality.

Culture

The old town of Salvatierra/Agurain is divided into three main streets, named Zapatari, Carnicería and Mayor. These three streets form the distinctive layout of the historic town centre. The Iglesia de Santa María is a fortified church that was once part of the town walls of Salvatierra/Agurain. The altarpiece in this church in Agurain was created by the sculptor Lope de Larrea. The Iglesia de San Juan in Agurain was designed as a fortified church. Its defensive walkway offers views of the neighbouring Sierra de Aizkorri-Aratz. The main altar of the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista was begun by Mateo de Zabala in 1646; Pedro de Obrel continued it in 1650. The Iglesia de San Martín dates from the 13th century. Today, it houses the archive and the town hall of Agurain. The historic churches thus bring together different functions and periods. The Casa de las Viudas is the oldest secular building in the municipality.

Getting around

Guided tours of Agurain’s old town take place every Sunday at 1:00 p.m., as well as on Thursdays in July and August. Registration for these tours is available at the tourist office. This provides fixed tour dates and a designated registration point for the historic old town. Agurain has bus and train stops. From there, connections are available to Vitoria-Gasteiz, Iruña-Pamplona and Donostia-San Sebastián, as well as to neighbouring towns. The town therefore combines the route of the Camino de Santiago, its historic centre and public transport connections to several of the cities and surrounding towns mentioned.

Food and drink

The Mercado de los Martes takes place every Tuesday in Plaza San Juan. The market offers food and textiles. Agurain’s culinary offering includes pintxos and traditional cuisine. In most bars in Agurain, a pintxo is offered as a complimentary accompaniment with a drink on Fridays. The stated time period is from 8 to 10 p.m. The Poor Clares of the Convento de Clarisas de San Pedro are known for their fine pastries. The market, bars, traditional cuisine and the convent’s pastries represent different facets of Agurain’s culinary offering.

Festivals

During the festivals of Salvatierra-Agurain, an exhibition takes place on the first Tuesday. Cattle, sheep and agricultural machinery are displayed. The exhibition thus links the festival days with animals and agricultural technology.

More destinations

More destinations: Laserna, Pinedo, Maturana, Urturi, Barrón, Labastida, Arkaia, Murga

For the higher-level travel overview: Alava.