Books4Spain Fact File
Navarra was one of the original kingdoms that emerged in the north of Spain during Visigothic times to fight the Moorish occupiers – the others being Castile, Aragon and Asturias (which became the Kingdom of Leon in 910 AD). Located in the north east of Spain, today Navarre occupies just over 10,000 km2, ranging from the Pyrenees in the north to Rioja in the south. For such a small territory it packs a huge punch!
The Kingdom of Navarra
For example, with the city of Pamplona at its heart, Navarra:
- is the gateway to Camino de Santiago;
- is home to the world famous Sanfermines fiesta so beloved by Hemingway;
- was the birthplace of St Francis Xavier;
- contains the “Toledo of the North”;
- has one of the best examples of civil Gothic architecture in Europe; and
- has one of the most important cities of Islamic origin in Spain and Europe.
On top of all that history and culture Navarra also:
- has the second largest and best preserved beech and fir forest in Europe;
- is renowned for its gastronomy & wine;
- has more than 310 bird species recorded; and
- has fantastic natural parks and walks.
A brief history of the Kingdom of Navarra (Navarre in Spanish)
Roncesvalles Valley, Navarra
Navarra was formed in the 9th century when a local Basque leader Íñigo Arista was declared King at Pamplona and led the revolt against the Franks who, along with the Moors, had been vying for control over this northern region of Spain. The famous Battle of Roncevaux Pass where Basque tribes led by Roland annihilated Charlemagne’s rearguard took place at the Roncesvalles mountain pass in Navarra.
At its greatest extent the Kingdom of Navarre included all the modern Spanish province; the northern slope of the western Pyrenees (French Navarre); the Basque provinces of Spain and France; the Bureba, the valley between the Basque mountains and the Montes de Oca to the north of Burgos; the Rioja and Tarazona in the upper valley of the Ebro.
It was divided up between the four sons of Sancho the Great on his death in 1035 and never regained its former size. However, it remained an independent Kingdom and an important one – its King Sancho VII and leading nobles were instrumental in winning the battle of Navas de Tolosa in 1212 which began the re-conquest of Spain. It merged with Castile in 1512.
Pamplona – the capital of Navarra
Sanfermines, Pamplona
Founded by the Romans and located on the Camino de Santiago, Pamplona is a modern and welcoming city with a wide range of activities that include walking around century-old walls (which are a national monument) and cobbled streets; resting in parks and terraces; trying its delicious tapas (or pinchos as they’re known locally); visiting historical monuments; attending great shows or watching traditional sports such as Basque pelota. Furthermore, its central location makes it the perfect place from which to discover Navarra’s diversity at your leisure.
Sanfermines
From July 6th to 14th every year the word fiesta is written in capital letters in Pamplona. The Sanfermines have arrived. Thousands of people from all over the world descend on the city, which dresses up in red and white. For nine days the streets turn into a feast of friendship, joy, music and non-stop partying, to the rhythm of the charangas and the peñas. The Encierro (Bull Run) is the only moment of the day when the party stops, and great tension descends on the route just a few minutes before the bulls start their ‘race’ behind the mozos (young men).
Gastronomy & Wine in Navarra
Foods of Navarre Spain
Fresh vegetables from the Ebro Valley plains in southern Navarra are the main source of local produce which includes white asparagus, red piquillo pepper and tudela artichoke. Pyrenean Navarra produces Idiazabal and Roncal cheese. Beef, lamb, rabbit and quail are also produced locally.
Artisan foods include: jams, fruit and vegetable conserves, cider, liqueurs (pacharan), marinated products, honey, pates, biscuits, bread, patisserie, fish conserves and virgin extra olive oil. With this wealth of local ingredients there are many restaurants across the regions serving high quality food at very reasonable prices. For haute cuisine, Pamplona, Tafalla and Cintruenigo offer up experiences to equal those in the best restaurants of the world.
The Navarra wine region lies between Rioja to the south and the French border to the northeast. With its location between Rioja and Bordeaux, it draws expertise and inspiration from both of these regions while retaining its own individual wine style. The Denominacion de Orgin of Navarra contains five regions:
- Tierra Estella
- Ribera Alta
- Valdizarbe
- Baja Montana
- Ribera Baja
Valleys, Parks and Forests
Ranging from the Pyrenees in the north to Rioja in the south Navarra offers the visitor a rich and varied landscape. Highlights include:
Bardenas Natural Park
Bardenas Reales Natural Park – declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO this striking semi-desert landscape covers 42,500 hectares.
Located in the western Pyrenees of Navarre, at 17,000 hectares the Irati Forest is the second largest and best preserved beech and fir forest in Europe.
The stunning Roncal Valley is situated high in the Pyrenees and comprises seven villages of acclaimed beauty: Burgui, Vidángoz, Garde, Roncal, Urzainqui, Isaba and Uztárroz.
Bertiz Natural Park is 2,040 hectares of exuberant vegetation in the western Pyrenees of Navarra containing a beautiful botanical garden and fauna such as blackbirds, squirrels and woodpeckers.
Walking in Navarra
Navarra is a walkers paradise with fabulous walks, from tough mountain hikes and valley walks to leisurely strolls in its plains and natural parks. There are over 50 recognised / offical walking routes of which half are in the Pyrenees. They vary in difficulty and length but the majority are actually under 10 Km. Of course even 5 Km can feel like 20 if you are going up a steep gradient!
Birdwatching in Navarra
A Lammergeier
Navarra is a bird watchers dream come true with more than 310 bird species recorded.
- Resident species include: kites, Lammergeier, goshawks, Golden eagle, owls, woodpeckers, larks, thrushes, tits and warblers.
- Summer visitors include: vultures, harriers, eagles, bee-eaters, Hoopoe, shrike and wheatear.
- Passage migrants include: Greylag goose, storks, Short-eared owl, Yellow wagtail, Whinchat, Ring ouzel, Willow warbler and Pied flycatcher.
There are 11 recommended locations for bird watching in Navarre which have been chosen because of the interesting bird species that frequent them, the good watching conditions, easy access and because they allow for birding without disturbing or putting birds at risk. These locations also offer interesting fauna, flora and geology and are of outstanding natural beauty.
Two major routes of the Camino de Santiago in Spain pass through Navarra: one via the legendary Orreaga/Roncesvalles valley/pass in the Pyrenees and the other from Aragon via Sangüesa. It was in fact King Sancho III of Navarra in the 11th Century who promoted the route through Navarra as being the official route to Santiago de Compostela, giving it the name Camino Francés. Orreaga/Roncesvalles is a beautiful forest setting in the Navarrese Pyrenees and is the point chosen by the majority of pilgrims to start the Way of St James in Spain. Puente la Reina Estella, located on the Camino Frances, is known as the “Toledo of the North” for its trove of well preserved palaces, stately homes, churches, convents, bridges and beautiful buildings. Sanguesa, located on the Aragonese Way, has been an important stopping point for pilgrims since the Middle Ages. It has retained its medieval heritage and contains many churches and monuments, including the Church of Santa Maria la Real, whose facade is one of the best examples of civil Gothic architecture in Europe and which has been declared a National Monument. Puente la Reina, “the crossroads of the ways”, is a medieval town where the two main routes on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela, the Camino Frances and the Aragonese Way, converge. Given its location on the Camino de Santiago and as one of the frontiers of Moorish Spain, Navarra contains many churches, castles, monasteries and other buildings of both Christian and Islamic origin. For example: Castle of Javier The Monastery of San Salvador de Leire contains magnificent treasures such as an 11th-century crypt, a Gothic church vault and the Porta Speciosa, a beautiful Romanesque portico from the 12th century. The Castle of Javier, is the birthplace of San Francisco Javier (St Francis Xavier), patron saint of Navarre, religious missions and tourism in Spain. The city of Tudela, Navarra’s second largest after Pamplona, is one of the most important cities of Islamic origin in Spain and Europe. © Books4Spain Ltd 2013 This article may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of Books4Spain.
By Plane: The nearest international airports to Pamplona are Biarritz (130Km); Bilbao (155Km) and Zaragoza (181Km). Pamplona has a domestic airport which is served from Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon. By Train: Pamplona is approximately 3.5 hours by train from Madrid.
A CNIG (Spain’s equivalent to the UK’s Ordnance Survey) GPS-compatible, to a scale of 1:200,000 road map of Navarra Province, Spain. The map includes relief shading, heights points and details of various types of vegetation as well the locations of national and natural parks in Navarra, Spain. See all our Birdwatching in Spain books See all our books about walking and climbing in the Pyrenees Books4Spain has a varied and interesting selection of books about Spain and it history and culture, ranging from subjects such Flamenco, the Spanish Civil War, Camino de Santiago as well as Spanish Literature in translation, Crime Fiction books set in Spain, books about Living in Spain, Novels set in Spain, Spanish Cook & Recipe books, and Travel and Holiday books about Spain and much more as well as books about Spanish authors and artists such as Federico García Lorca, Salvador Dali, Picasso, Franco, Bunuel etc. Navarra and the Camino de Santiago
Monasteries, Castles, Saints and Islam
Getting to Navarra
Maps and Books about Navarra, Spain
