Castles and fortresses (2)

Central Navarre is home to true natural and monumental gems, such as the emblematic Olite castle, the starting point for this cycling route, which passes through valleys such as the pastoral Valdorba, a land abounding with truffles, or Valdizarbe, the “Tuscany of Navarre”.

The route begins in the historic town of Olite and sets off at a placid pace along the banks of the Cidacos river before climbing to Pueyo, from whose viewpoint you can admire the Valdorba valley, an ideal area for gravel biking, with great dirt tracks over an undulating terrain.

It continues through Añorbe, a land of vineyards, from which it then heads towards Puente la Reina, passing the magical chapel of Eunate and the charming village of Obanos on the way. In the Way of St James village of Puente la Reina with its Romanesque bridge, follow the course of the Arga river in the direction of Mendigorria and from there, between fields fed by the waters of the Navarre canal, you arrive in Artajona, known for its interesting mediaeval defensive walls. The route back to Olite passes through the typical Central Navarre landscape of croplands and holm oak trees.