FIRST, BARDENAS REALES

This amazing natural area in the south of Navarre was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2000. It’s the result of erosion shaping the gypsum and clay there for millions of years, offering us today this striking landscape riddled with ravines, buttes, plains and mounds, making it look more like a lunar landscape than something you’d expect to find in southern Europe. That’s why so many film producers succumb to its charms and choose it as the setting for their movies and adverts. It’s also just 100 kilometres from the green mountains of the Navarrese Pyrenees, a contrast that delights visitors.

How to visit Bardenas Reales?

You can drive to the village of Arguedas and from there join the 25-km track on a round trip around La Bardena Blanca, the most striking part of Bardenas Reales due to its dramatically eroded landscape and home to Cabezo de Castildetierra, the butte resembling an inverted funnel which is the icon of the reserve. The route takes about 2 hours by car and is recommended for those visiting Bardenas Reales for the first time. Another more active option is to walk or cycle along its trails.

Organised activities in Bardenas Reales

It’s always a great idea to have expert guides introduce you to the history, flora and fauna, and distinctive features of the area. Discover Bardenas Reales aboard a 4WD, by Segway or on electric bikes or MTBs, be it in the daytime or at sunset, when you can take some stunning photos. Find out about everything you can do here.

AND WHAT TO DO IN THE AREA?

Visit Tudela and treat yourself to a gastronomic delight

You’re in Navarre’s Ribera region, the capital of which is Tudela, the second largest city in the province. It’s just 14 km from Bardenas Reales and is famous for its vegetables, so why not give yourself a treat and choose a good restaurant to try the local artichokes, borage, peppers and asparagus, all paired with DO Navarra wine? And don’t miss out on the chance to see the city itself. It has a striking cathedral with Romanesque cloister and façade, a beautiful square with a bandstand in the middle which is packed with terraces for a drink and a snack, a Jewish quarter, numerous palatial homes...

SENDAVIVA Nature Park

If you're coming with the kids, don't think twice. At this theme park overlooking Bardenas Reales, you can spend a fantastic day in the company of farm animals and more exotic species, as well as enjoy shows such as the birds of prey display and multiple attractions, such as zip lines, boats, a water maze and the absolutely thrilling bobsleigh. And throughout the month of October until 2 November, Sendaviva dresses up for Halloween and has some terrifying surprises in store for you!

Hiking & bike trails

If you want to get about and discover the flat landscapes of the Ribera region, here are a few ideas:

• The Tarazonica Rail Trail follows the route of an old railway line past the market gardens on the banks of the Queiles river. There are 22 km to walk or cycle between Tudela and Tarazona. More info
• The Roscas circuit: an easy 8-km walk by the Alhama river which starts in the village of Fitero and takes its name from the curious, screw-thread-like shapes that the rocks have adopted through erosion. More info

Visit an oil mill and taste its organic oils

Have you ever visited the place where the “liquid gold” of our cuisine comes from? And did you know that such a thing as oil tastings exist? Maybe not. Make the most of this unique opportunity and visit the Artajo olive grove and oil mill, a family business which has received important international awards, and discover the art of extra virgin olive oil tasting. More info

3 monasteries you can't miss

If you like culture, take note of these 3 mediaeval architectural gems:

• Monastery of La Oliva, home to Benedictine monks and located in Carcastillo, north of Bardenas Reales. More info
• Monastery of Fitero: Spain's first Cistercian monastery, with an impressive abbey. More info
• Monastery of Tulebras: the first female Cistercian monastery in Spain, inhabited by a very active community of Trappist nuns. More info

And just look at the accommodation available!

Here’s a link to help you find somewhere to stay in Navarre’s Ribera region, but if you want something original and that little bit different, here are a few of our ideas:

• Sleep inside a cave: Cuevas de Valtierra
• Treat yourself to a stay at a hotel built into the Bardenas Reales landscape which has received numerous awards for its design: Aire Bardenas
• A centuries-old spa with thermal waters and treatments that work miracles: Fitero thermal spa
• A hotel installed in a tower fortress surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, and with beautiful views of Mount Moncayo: Pago de Cirsus

More information on unique accommodation in Navarre