Basilica of Armentia

For a babazorro (Basque for a bean sack – a nickname in the Basque Country given to the people of Álava for our culinary devotion to the fava bean, especially when served with ham and bacon), the Basilica of Armentia is a shrine, one of the great Basque Romanesque temples. 

It is dedicated to San Prudencio, the patron saint of Álava. On April 28, the people of Vitoria and Álava trek to the fields of Armentia, behind the Basilica, to taste typical local dishes, such as land snails cooked up in a mouth-watering tomato sauce and scrambled eggs with perretxikos (a local mushroom). The day before, the retreta (retreat call) and the tamborrada (drum parade) of San Prudencio, where the members of sociedades gastronómicas (gourmet clubs) dress as chefs and play drums, kick off the festivities. 

For Vitoria natives, taking a walk to the Basilica of Armentia is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The path that connects the Plaza of the Virgen Blanca and the Basilica takes you by hundred-year-old trees, parks and stately palaces, such as Ajuria Enea (the residence of the Lehendakari – the President of the Basque Country), villas and Mendizorrotza, the stadium that is home to the local soccer team, the Glorioso Alavés.