Route through Central Navarre: Olite and district
Route through Central Navarre: Olite and district
An area of transition between the foothills of the Pyrenees and the plains of the Ribera where you'll soon notice the local love of wine on the doorways of its churches, at its wineries...
The musts in this area
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Olite
Olite
Mapa turístico de la Zona Media navarra: Olite y comarca
Ujué
Another picture postcard village is Ujué; narrow cobbled streets lined with stone houses, the Sanctuary-fortress of Santa María de Ujué at the top of the hill and amazing views of both the Ribera and the Pyrenees.
And no less important, its migas de pastor (shepherd’s breadcrumbs) served on a brazier; they’re the real thing! And San Martin de Unx is a nearby village with a church crypt well worth visiting.
Artajona and other jewels of the Romanesque
This glorious era has left us several interesting relics in this area. First of all, you have the Cerco de Artajona, a mediaeval fortification with nine towers and a church whose roof resembles a dragon’s back which you can take a guided tour of if you want to climb up; from there you have a great view of this pretty village.
And then there’s the Monastery of La Oliva, home to some twenty white-robed monks, with its Cistercian church, Gothic cloister and chapter house.
And finally, the small Romanesque churches in La Valdorba.
The culture of origins
And if your love of the ancient is pure devotion, between Olite and Estella-Lizarra you can find the Iron Age archaeological site of Las Eretas, declared a Site of Cultural Interest, and two Roman archaeological sites, each with a museum: Arellano, with its spectacular Mosaic of the Muses, and Andelos, where you can see the complex water system the Romans used. And if from Olite you head south, you’ll come across the mediaeval walled settlement of Rada, just a stone’s throw from Bardenas Reales
Puente la Reina
A typical linear town with several interesting churches and the point where the two branches of the French route of the Way of St James that enter the Iberian peninsula merge.
Its famous bridge is a perfect example of Romanesque architecture at its most majestic and an emblem of the pilgrimage route, for it is here that the Way becomes one.
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Church Santa María de Eunate
And a few kilometres earlier on the way from Sangüesa, a small octagonal church with an open atrium which rises up out of nowhere that’s so special you just have to see it: Santa María de Eunate.
Gastronomy
- Navarra asparagus
- D.O. Navarra Wine
- Migas de pastor (“shepherds’ breadcrumbs”) from Ujué
- Txantxigorri cakes
- Turrón royo (made with almonds, honey and sugar) from Artajona
- Candied almonds from Ujué
- Coffee-flavoured boiled sweets with pine nuts from Tafalla
Active tourism for sports lovers
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Wine tourism experiences
Visit the wineries of Olite, San Martín de Unx and other villages in the area to take part in their original guided tours and discover their secrets for making high-quality wines.
Plans and activities organised by companies
If you want to find out about them all, cultural activities, active experiences, family activities...