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ALAVA - Tourism
> The Ayala Valley and Upper Nervión
“Lush and stunningly beautiful” is how one might describe
the scenery in the Ayala Valley and Upper Nervion - a privileged setting
for the pursuit of all kinds of outdoor sports and for exploring picturesque
landscapes of exceptional natural beauty.
Its proximity, with easy access from Bilbao and Vitoria-Gasteiz, make
this district an attractive area in which visitors from both cities can
quickly and easily take in the peacefulness of a gorgeous natural environment
with its unique culture and heritage.
Belonging to different historical territories, the Ayala Valley consists of the municipalities of Artziniega, Ayala-Aiara, Laudio-Llodio, Amurrio and Okondo, in Alava, and adjacent to them, now in Bizkaia, the towns of Orduña and Orozco.
The high rainfall recorded in the area helps to keep the scenery verdant, providing an extraordinary range of vistas that combine a rural habitat, centred on the typical Basque farmhouse – the caserío, with sprawling areas of pastureland, forest tracts, brooks and streams, with mountains dotted here and there throughout the valley.
Yet, above all, visitors are struck by the district’s underlying rural character, with its ultimate expression being the wide range of traditional homemade products on offer: cheeses, cured meats, farm produce, and the typical local wine - txakoli.
In addition, the valley is crisscrossed by numerous roads and tracks that make for enjoyable walks between the villages in the area, with there also being attractive paths leading up to the mountain peaks around the valley.