Riberas del Ebro & Sotos de Viana
Less than two kilometres from Viana's old town, the Ebro river winds through a corridor of gallery forest — poplar, willow and ash — known as the sotos, a habitat so rich in birdlife it forms part of the wider Reserva Natural de las Riberas de Navarra. It is a complete contrast to the arid plateau above and utterly unexpected.
The riverside walk
A flat, waymarked path follows the Ebro's northern bank downstream from the road bridge on the N-111 for several kilometres, passing through dense riverside woodland where the light filters green and cool even in midsummer. The path is unpaved but wide, suitable for families and cyclists, and connects eventually to the outskirts of Logroño if you want a longer adventure.
In spring the forest floor is carpeted with wild garlic and the air is thick with birdsong. Listen for the rapid drumming of the middle spotted woodpecker, a species that thrives in these old poplar stands, and look for kingfishers darting low over the water in flashes of electric blue.
Birdwatching highlights
The sotos are one of the best easily accessible birdwatching spots in southern Navarre. In addition to woodpeckers and kingfishers, the area hosts breeding populations of little egret, night heron and Cetti's warbler, whose explosive song bursts out of the reed beds without warning. Autumn migration brings waders and wildfowl to the gravel bars in the river.
A pair of binoculars and a dawn start in May will reward you with a dawn chorus that rivals anything in the Pyrenees. The path is flat enough that you can watch and walk simultaneously without stumbling.
Swimming and picnicking
In summer, local families use the gravel beaches along the Ebro for picnics and informal swimming. The water is slow-moving and clear enough at these points to see the riverbed, and the poplar shade keeps temperatures manageable even in July and August. There are no facilities, so bring everything you need.
The combination of a morning walk in the sotos, a picnic on the riverbank and an afternoon in Viana's old town makes for a near-perfect day in this undervisited corner of Navarre.
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