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Ruta por Plazaola, Sakana y Ultzama
Mapa turístico de la zona de Plazaola, Sakana y Ultzama
Ubica los hitos de Plazaola, Sakana y Ultzama en el mapa
Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar
El Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar es un tesoro escondido en la impresionante Sierra de Aralar. Su iglesia del siglo IX te cautivará por su majestuosidad y por la joya de orfebrería medieval que alberga en su interior, el frontal de esmaltes.
Las vistas a los valles de la zona son espectaculares y es un paraíso para los amantes de la naturaleza.
Cave of Mendukilo
And now we're heading west, to the Sierra de Aralar, to tell you about the last cave you can visit in Navarre. It's in Astitz and is called the Cave of Mendukilo.
The guided tour will reveal to you the mysteries of the depths of the earth, thanks to the recent installation of floating walkways and multimedia lighting. It passes through several chambers, such as Artzainzulo —the shepherds' shelter—, a large space with plenty of natural light; Laminosin —the chamber of the lakes—, full of geological formations; and the grand finale, Herensugearen gotorlekua —the colossal dragon’s lair. This is where the guide asks for silence and all —all— you can hear is that deep silence which only the earth is capable of producing.
And for the more daring, there’s the chance to sign up for the speleo-adventure programme, which goes as far as the Chamber of the Warrior, 70 metres underground. It is a physically demanding activity that takes about 3 hours and you have to book in advance.
No matter which option you choose, there’s also the reception area, an exhibition area, toilets and snack and coffee vending machines.
And what can we say about the Ultzama Valley?
Well for starters, it's one of those valleys with gentle hills and picturesque villages that are a pleasure to see. It lies between Pamplona and the Baztan Valley, and has a bit of everything: very accessible hiking trails just about everywhere, the most established golf club in Navarre and loads of things to do.
If you come with kids, you can visit the Ultzama school farm and have a great time amidst donkeys, cows, ponies and piglets, each one cuter than the next, and try the slow-food menu they offer there. Or walk through the age-old Orgi oak woods. Or why not get the whole family to try their hand at golf at the Pitch & Putt? You’re going to have a great day!
You can also visit the mycological park — at the right time of the year —, a paradise for mushroom hunters, or the curious Honey Museum in Eltso-Gerendiain, where tradition and sweetness come together.
Gastronomía
Descubre la esencia culinaria de esta zona y déjate llevar por una experiencia gastronómica que no te va a dejar indiferente:
- menú de sidrería: choricicos a la sidra, tortilla de bacalao, chuletón, queso con membrillo y nueces, y sidra a discreción
- carne de cerdo Euskal Txerri
- chistorra
- queso DO Idiazabal
- canutillos de crema
- cuajada
Turismo activo para amantes del deporte
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Organised activities
In Aralar, try a cider house menu: choricicos cooked in cider, cod omelette, cod loins, rib-eye steak, cheese with walnuts and quince jelly, and all the cider you want. You can also try the black beans, charcoal-grilled meat and, of course, D.O. Idiazabal cheese. And dairy-based desserts are a must. Here and in the nearby Ultzama valley, the highlights for food lovers are the pastry horns filled with confectioner’s custard, cheesecake and the star of local desserts, junket.