Near Navarra

If you are planning to stay in the area a few days, there are a lot of options 1-3 hours driving from Pamplona. If you love the sea, wine tasting, hiking, mountains, food, culture, swimming and even practicing your French, there are great options for you. If you don’t like the heat, head for the coast or the mountains – there is a reason the region is so green.

Here are a few things we like, but don’t feel limited by these!

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).

San Sebastián / Donostia (1 hour from Pamplona)

A classy seaside resort with a family-friendly beach, great food and a beautiful town to walk around in. There is a spa on the beach, too, if that is your thing! (http://www.la-perla.net/en/) It’s a city rich with Basque culture. Try the pintxos, fish, and txakoli (young white wine served very cold). A great day out from Pamplona or Bilbao via bus.

Bilbao / Bilbo (2 hours from Pamplona)

A bustling city that has been transformed from its industrial roots into something far more fun and accessible. Visit the Guggenheim and the Museo de Bellas Artes, stroll through the Casco Viejo (old town), eat pintxos in the Plaza Nueva, admire Art Nouveau architecture, take the Norman Foster designed Metro out to Getxo, Puerto Viejo and the beaches, walk along the Puente Colgante, a World Heritage Site hanging bridge in Getxo and walk for miles along the waterfront. You can easily spend at least a couple of days here and it’s a good travel hub for those connecting to Europe, or for doing day trips to smaller towns in the region – Guernica may interest some!

The Basque coast

If the sea is your thing, you can spend days exploring quiet beaches, cliffs and seaside villages along the coast between Bilbao and San Sebastián. You can also try going towards Santander in the other direction. It’s a rugged coast, but the water is usually pretty warm (can be 20C/68F) and can be good for surfing and/or swimming depending on the day. The fish is fresh, the txakoli (young white wine) is refreshing, and there is good fresh veg in season in the summer (peppers, beans, salads).

• A special spot we love along the coast is Gaztelugatxe, a church on a rock in the sea, accessible via a pedestrian causeway/stairway. There is a wonderful place to eat there as well, and the nearby beach at Bakio is very nice and popular. Make a day of hiking, eating and swimming!
  • More info: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-basque-country/spain/san-juan-de-gaztelugatxe/
  • Restaurant/Bar/Cafeteria: Eneperi, Barrio San Pelayo, 80, Bakio (Bizkaia) http://www.eneperi.com We recommend eating in the outdoor cafeteria area where the food is delicious and ample. The pintxos at the bar are really good as well. Eat both – one before the hike to the church, and one after!

French border towns (via San Sebastián, Urdax or Roncesvalles, at least 2 hours from Pamplona) 

It’s easy to venture into France if you have a car. You can go via a few different mountain passes, or down by the coast, depending on where you want to visit. The cities of Bayonne, Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz (all beautiful spots) are possible as a long day trip from Pamplona, or shorter day trips from San Sebastián. Smaller towns of interest are St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (via Roncesvalles) and Ainhoa (via Urdax).

La Rioja (1-2 hours from Pamplona depending on where you go)

La Rioja is not just about the wine, it’s got a lot of culture to share as well, and some good hiking and cycling options. The food isn’t bad, either, in fact, it’s delicious and comforting. We’re [very] partial to La Rioja because it is where Miguel’s family comes from (they will be a big cohort at the wedding), and it’s Spain’s smallest region. It’s defined by vineyards, the Río Ebro, red soil and some pretty high mountains and it’s easy to spend a few days here exploring. The Camino de Santiago goes through the region, too, and overall it feels a little like the Wild West (in a nice way!). Wine tasting is a great option if that is your thing and there are dozens and dozens of wineries to visit.

Check out a guide book or https://lariojaturismo.com/en/community/larioja. We’re happy to talk to you more if you plan to head to this region, but some top tips are to check out Ezcaray, San Millán de la Cogolla, Santo Domingo de la Calzada and wine tasting (Haro is the hub for this, but it’s good to venture beyond as well)!

Zaragoza (2.5 hours from Pamplona)

Head to Zaragoza (Aragón) if you’re interested in mudéjar architecture, a fusion of Spanish and Muslim design. It’s also got important churches and a stunning location along the Río Ebro. Head north from here straight into the heart of the Pyrenees. Here are the top 10 sites, many of which are World Heritage Sites, like the Palacio de la Alfajería, which was once a residence of the Reyes Católicos: http://www.zaragoza.es/ciudad/turismo/en/que-visitar/top-10.htm

Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (3 hours from Pamplona)

For those who need a mountain fix, head straight for Ordesa to experience the Pyrenees. Hiking, camping, casa rurales and fresh air. What more do you need? http://www.ordesa.net