Estella-Lizarra

Perched on high ground overlooking the city, this church welcomes you with a beautiful, richly decorated13th-century portal with a lobed arch of Arab influence, an imposing tower and an interior which houses, among other things, the chapel of San Andrés, patron of the city, and a 12th-century cloister, considered one of the finest exponents of Navarrese Romanesque stonework.

And don’t overlook the capriciously entwined Solomonic column holding up one of the central arches, an idea which can also be found at the Cathedral of El Burgo de Osma (Soria) and the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos).

In the charming Plaza de San Martín stands the Palace of the Monarchs of Navarre, the only example of Romanesque civil architecture in Navarre and declared a National Monument in 1931.

The palace dates from the 12th century and has a beautifully harmonious façade, arranged in three heights; the ground level consists of an arcade with robust semi-circular archways and the one above it has large windows, each divided by four small arches which rest on fine columns with capitals. The façade is framed by two columns with historiated capitals, one of which depicts the fight between Roland and the giant Ferragut, and two towers adorn the roof of the building. A little gem that's well worth a stop on your walk.

After restoration work carried out in 1975, the palace was converted into a museum devoted to the painter Gustavo de Maeztu.

This church is located on the left bank of the River Ega, in the district of San Miguel, built in the second half of the 12th century and home to both Franks and Navarrese residents.

One of its finest features is the north portal, which is truly representative of late Romanesque sculpture, with Christ in Majesty on the tympanum, surrounded by the symbols of the Four Evangelists, and the Virgin and St John interceding at the Judgement. 

The impressive exterior of the building consists of contrasting volumes, such as those of the Baroque tower beside the chevet and the bulky mediaeval tower at the foot of the nave.

Be sure to see the 14th-century portal on the church of Santo Sepulcro, the doors of the church of San Juan Bautista, the church of Santa María Jus del Castillo, now converted into an Interpretation Centre of Romanesque architecture and of the Way of St James, and the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Puy, the patron saint of the town.

There’s art all around in Estella-Lizarra.

If you wander through the streets at your leisure, you’ll discover beautiful palaces and houses of the nobility, such as the palace of Eguía (16th century), now the city library, the stately house of Ruiz de Alda (17th century), the house of Fray Diego, now the city’s culture centre, the Governor's Palace (17th century), now the Carlism Museum, and a set of ancient Gothic arches which used to be the entrance to shops and Way of St James hostelries.

Don’t miss Calle Mayor, with its emblazoned buildings and an 18th-century Baroque palace at number 41. Or the Station building (1927), which used to be a narrow-gauge railway station and is now the coach station.

The Los Llanos park on the meander formed by the Ega river is the lung of the city and strolling through its trees and green areas is a delight.

The Sumac Route bears the name of a shrub that came from the East and whose bright red colour can only be seen for a few weeks in autumn. A walk that combines countryside and city, and has a lot of history. Oh! And don't leave without trying Rhus craft beer, which uses the plant as its main ingredient.

​​​​​​​And as a final stop, the Vasco-Navarro Railway Rail Trail, which joins Estella with Bergara (Basque Country) over 123.5 km, a great way to get to know Tierra Estella and its wealth of cultural and railway heritage.