Things to do in Navarra

Introduction to Navarra

Navarra is a region of diverse landscapes, climates and culture. It’s rugged and beautiful. In the north you have the beginning of the Pyrenees, caves and beech forests. To the south there are stunning badlands and the mighty Ebro river. In between, are hilly landscapes, castles and monasteries. Even though it’s only 2% of Spain geographically, and has only 650,000 residents, Navarra punches above its weight. We’ve broken down the region below so that you can appreciate the diversity of experiences it has to offer. If you’re coming for a week, you can easily spend it exploring the region. Most sites are within an hour’s drive from Pamplona (often less), though if you go up into the mountains the drives can be a bit longer. It’s pretty much traffic-free because it is sparsely populated – like much of Spain – and the roads are great. Here we list some of our favourite sites, but there is much more beyond what we list here.

Navarra tourism website – has pages on all of our suggestions: http://www.turismo.navarra.es/eng/home/

Guide book recommendations in English: Cadogan guide for “Bilbao and the Basque Lands:” https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bilbao-Basque-Lands-Cadogan-Guides/dp/1860114385 Great for those who want to focus on Navarra and the Basque Country. Gives more detail than this Northern Spain Footprint guide, which is also good (Marina has been working off of a 2007 edition – there is now a 2014 edition): https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Spain-Handbook-Footprint-Handbooks-ebook/dp/B00MQT56ES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485112323&sr=8-1&keywords=northern+spain+footprint (a new edition of this is allegedly coming out in 2017, but we don’t know when).

Fiestas

Summertime is time for parties, fiestas, and each town will have their own. In Navarra the theme colour is red (handkerchiefs), paired with white clothes. Friends and family eat out on the streets, everyone is in a good mood, hot food stalls and markets are set up, there will be games, parades, maybe a bull run or two… We’ve purposefully avoided Pamplona’s fiesta to end all fiestas, San Fermín, but if you’re exploring the region, or elsewhere in Spain, you’re likely to come across a fiesta in another town. (We know that Tudela’s fiestas coincide with the wedding period.) Enjoy! They are very fun!

Within 10 min of Pamplona

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You don’t have to go far to find great views, hiking and beautiful countryside. Here are some suggestions within about a 10-15 min drive from Pamplona.

  • El Perdón mountain (easy walking, great views, Camino de Santiago sculpture and path, modern windmills)
  • San Cristóbal mountain (hiking, driving, great views, abandoned military fortress)
  • Vuelta de Aranguren (cycling, driving, beautiful rural/agricultural landscape, villages)
  • La higa de Monreal (steep mountain, hike, cycle – not for beginners, views)

 

Northern Navarra

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The north of the region is defined by the mountains and runs along the French border and the neighbouring Basque country to the west. The Pyrenees start up here and many of its peaks make for good day hikes or longer multi-day hikes if that is your thing. If you want to spend a few days in the north, why not look for a “casa rural?” These are usually converted or working farm houses that are now run as bed and breakfasts. Usually these are big, Basque-style “caserios” – very beautiful and distinct. There are oodles of them in Navarra. You’ll also love northern Navarra for its rivers, valleys, gorges (“foz” in Spanish), beech forests, comfort food and sheep cheeses. Basque culture is strong here.

Some suggestions:

  • Roncesvalles (for those interested in the Camino de Santiago, and cheese), Burguete (for Hemingway fans), Sorogain park and beech forest
  • Roncal Valley (hiking, cheese, villages, river valley)
  • Salazar Valley (hiking, villages, river valley)
  • Irati forest (beech forest, hiking) http://www.selvadeirati.com
  • Bertiz park and forest, Urdax, Zugarramurdi (caves and forests near the French border) http://www.parquedebertiz.es

 

Heading East from Pamplona

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For those who like culture and history mixed in with some beautiful geology, why not head east from Pamplona? Visit the birthplaces of San Francisco Javier and King Fernando de Aragón, see an ancient, working monastery at Leyre, take in Romanesque churches in Sangüesa, or walk along a specular river gorge in Lumbier.

Suggestions – all within 20-60 min of Pamplona:

  • Sangüesa (romanesque churches, historic houses, especially Santa María la Real church and its portico)
  • Javier (castle, birth place of San Francisco Javier, founder of the Jesuits)
  • Leyre (ancient, working monastery, Gregorian chant masses, unusual 1000-year old crypt, great views, hiking, reservoir) http://www.monasteriodeleyre.com
  • Foz de Lumbier (river gorge, accessible walking along a disused railway line, vulture watching, cliffs)
  • Sos del Rey Católico (King Fernando de Aragón birth place – Isabella’s husband, hill town) – this is actually in Aragón, but only barely!

 

Heading West from Pamplona

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Here you will find the beautiful Urbasa, a karst plateau great for easy hiking and bird-watching along breathtaking cliffs. You can also travel along part of the Camino de Santiago, go wine-tasting, admire a number of Romanesque churches and hike along a beautiful river source.

Suggestions, 30-60 min from Pamplona:

  • Urbasa Andia natural park (accessible hiking, Balcon de Pilatos for vulture watching, cliffs) http://www.parquedeurbasa.es 
  • Camino de Santiago: Estella (art, churches), Puente la Reina (nice town, river, ancient bridge), Viana (church), Eunate (atmospheric octagonal Romanesque church in a field), Torre del Rio (octagonal church)
  • Monjardín (winery, castle, hike up a hill) http://www.monjardin.es/winery.html
  • Nacedero del Urederra (moderate to easy hiking along a river to its source, beech forest) http://www.parquedeurbasa.es/informacion/urederra.html
  • Great place to eat near Urbasa and the Nacedero: Casa Faustina, Calle Magdalena, 58, Barindano (Amescoa) Navarra. http://www.casafaustina.es Huge, tasty lunches with set menu – siesta-inducing!

 

South from Pamplona

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The further south you get in Navarra, the drier it gets. It’s pretty amazing that such small region accommodates so many climate zones! Here you’re able to explore the beautiful badlands called “Las Bardenas” that are used as pasture, film sets (007) and a military shooting range. You can also explore castle towns like Olite, learn about how Jews, Muslims and Christians lived together in harmony in Tudela, ramble through the cobblestone streets of Ujué and hang out with Cistercian monks at Monasterio de la Oliva. The mighty Ebro river runs through Tudela and provides irrigation for much of Spain’s vegetable production – make sure you taste some local produce!

Suggestions: 45-90 min from Pamplona

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