The history of the ancient kingdom of NavarrA always has been marked by its border situation with France, Castilla, Aragón and Pais Vasco, and the fact that it is crossed by the pilgrim way Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) is an additional reason for its extraordinary monumental richdom. Its beautiful towns, like Artajona which is surrounded by medieval walls, Estella, Olite, formerly seats of Navarre's kings, Tudela and Roncesvalles are always worth a visit.
The region's capital, Pamplona, a quiet and pleasant city, is world-famous for the Running of Bulls which forms part of its most famous festival, Sanfermines, in July. Another very peculiar folkloristic attraction are the Navarrese Carnivals with their typical Zanpantzarrak.
Navarra is divided in three sectors: the mountain range of the Pyrenees in the north, with exceptional landscapes as the exemplaric Batzan valley; La Riviera in the south, a plain land with small lagoons and the fertile valley of Ebro river, and, inbetween, la Zona Media, with impressive landscapes and canyons as Hoces de Lumbier and Arbayun. |
