What to visit

Our valleys have attractions to awaken all your senses: beautiful places, the green textures of the landscape and evocative smells and tastes.
You can see the powerfully distinctive traditional architecture in the small towns and villages dotted around the countryside.
You can take in green meadows surrounded by forests of beech, oak, ferns, holly and hawthorn; flocks of sheep, cattle or horses alternating with wild board, deer and foxes; rivers and channels in which crystalline waters run; caves and crevasses revealing the bowels of the earth; protected areas and more.
You can visit museums, farms, cheese makers, craft workshops and visitor centres, as well as going a little further afield to visit unique cities like Iruñea-Pamplona, Donostia-San Sebastian, Bilbao or the seaside towns and beaches of the Basque coast.

In our area

The Aralar mountains

Visitors to this region can discover traditional trails and other less-frequented paths. Beeches, ancient oaks and hazel trees grow beside pastures grazed by Latxa sheep, cattle, horses living alongside wild boar, foxes, deer, Egyptian vultures, small eagles, black vultures and wild cats, making this place an extraordinary natural setting.

While flora and fauna are the stars in the Aralar mountains, stone also plays a major role, giving us a host of dolmens dotted throughout the hills, and authentic piece of our history, numbering more than 60.

All this forms part of the natural essence of these mountains, a place which speaks of legend, of mythical figures, of Mari, of Kixmi, of the mighty Jentilak, of the legend of Teodosio of Goñi and the dragon.

The Mendukilo caves

Visitors can discover the bowels of the Aralar mountains in Astiz.

WEB: www.mendukilo.com

TEL: 948396095

San Miguel de Aralar

San Miguel in Excelsis is a sanctuary church with over a thousand years of history which stands high in the Aralar mountains and enjoying impressive views. Inside there is a Romanesque altar screen to be found, a masterpiece of European enamelling.

WEB: www.aralarkosanmigel.info

WEB: www.aralar-excelsis.com

The Urbasa-Andía natural park

Millions of years ago the landscape of a great plateau known as Zunbeltz or Lizarraga changed forever. A gigantic sinking of the ground occurred to open up a broad corridor between the mountains of Urbasa and Andía. Meadows alternate with leafy beechwoods in the protected area with its idyllic countryside, the southern edge of which descends sharply into the Améscoas valley, forming the stunning natural viewpoint of the circus of the source of the Urederra.

WEB: www.parquedeurbasa.es

Vía verde del Plazaola

The route of this former railway forms a true natural sanctuary, linking the valleys of Larraun and Leizaran in Navarre to Gipuzkoa in the Basque country. It has been made into a route to be enjoyed by cyclists and walkers.

WEB: www.plazaola.org

The Peruarri museum

In this museum the Perurena family narrates the history and development of Basque country sports, with artefacts displayed in a traditional farmhouse on the way out of Leitza.

TEL: 659701045

The oak forest of Orgi

A humid oak forest, of enormous interest in itself and ecologically, in Lizaso – La Ulzama.

WEB: www.bosque-orgi.com

Eltso bee-keeping center

A traditional house in the valley of La Ulzama, where you can learn about the fascinating world of bees and honey.

TEL: 948306619

Leitzalarrea

A hidden valley 8km from Leitza, with a majestic forest of fir trees.

Villages in the valley of Larraun

Picturesque little villages with solid farmhouses set in beautiful countryside, under the influence of a humid sub-Atlantic climate.

Villages in the valley of Araitz

Picturesque hamlets and villages built beneath the Mailoak hills.

The former irnoworks of Goikola in Betelu

A 19th-century ironworks which can be reached from Betelu along the Senda Real.

The holm oak woods of Betel

A Mediterranean forest with its origins in the dry periods of the Quaternary era, on limestone soil.

The Iribas springs

The area of the Iribas springs is filled with springs, crevasses, sinks and swallow holes and old watercourses.

"Iturraskarri" route taking in old wash houses and villages in the Larraun valley

Footpaths between the villages of the Larraun valley.

Oak woods of Ultzama-Basaburua

Listed as a Site of Community Importance (SCI), characterised by large meadows and extensive oak forests.

Dairy farming visitor centre

Visits to the Etxeberri dairy farm. Find out about how the cattle are looked after and the process of producing and selling milk.

WEB: www.lacturale.com

TLF: 948600449

Underground water visitor centre (Arteta spring)

Your chance to discover the mysterious world of the underground waters hidden beneath the spring.

Locality: Ultzarrun

WEB: www.mcp.es

TEL: 901502503

Arteta folk museum

This has ethnographic items from the historic territory of Navarre from the middle ages up to the apprearance of mechanised farming in the 1930’s and 40’s.

Price: Free

TEL: 948328034 – 647950896

Source of the river Urederra

The murmur of the crystalline waters, the light filtering through the leaves of the trees, colouring the landscape with green.

Further a field

Pamplona-Iruñea

A modern, welcoming city offering a wealth of things to do.

Donostia-San Sebastián

A historic European holiday resort which hosts major cultural events and boasts some fine beaches.

The basque coastline

Attractive, welcoming towns, villages and quality beaches for both swimming and surfing.

Estella-Lizarra with its old town and jewish quarter

Estella-Lizarra, a historic town which grew up on the old pilgrims’ route to Santiago.

Wineries

Routes between wineries with a pedigree, both ancient and modern: “learn to enjoy wine with all your senses” .

WEB: www.entrevinos.org

WEB: www.rutadelvinodenavarra.com

The caves of Zugarramurdi and Sara

Beautiful caves; the haunt of witches, covens and mysteries...

WEB: www.visitbaztanbidasoa.com

Señorío de Bertiz

A beautiful botanical garden with some highly unusual species.

WEB: www.parquedebertiz.es

TEL: 948592421

The forest of Irati

One of the finest fir and beech forests in the whole of Europe.

WEB: www.selvadeirati.com

Olite mediaval site

Olite with its castle and its Roman walls is a monumental historic site…

WEB: www.olite.es

Monastery of Irache / Monastery of Irantzu / Monastery of Leire

The Monastery of Irache treats you to some monumental architecture. The Monastery of Leire is one of the spiritual hearts of Navarre. The Royal Monastery of Our Lady of Iranzu, a fine example of a Navarrese Cistercian chuch.

WEB: www.guiasmonasterios.com

Oteiza museum

This houses the personal collection of Jorge Oteiza, a leading figure in 20th-century sculpture.

WEB: www.museooteiza.org

TEL: 948332074

Senda Viva park

The Senda Viva adventure and amusement park is located in the Ribera de Navarra region, 80 kilometres south of Pamplona, close to the Bardenas Reales natural park.

WEB: www.sendaviva.com

TEL: 948088100

Tolosaldea

WEB: www.tolosaldea.com

Vitoria-Gazteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of Álava province. Sited at a crossroads, throughout history it has been an important strategic point in military, trading and cultural terms.

WEB: www.vitoria-gasteiz.com