Bardenas desert landscape

Tourism in Navarre: visual accessibility

Enjoy a Kingdom with no limits

We have put together a selection of the most relevant resources for you.

Given that this information may be subject to change and to different interpretations, you are advised to contact the person in charge in order to clarify any doubts and check that the accessibility conditions have not changed.

Visual accessibility at places to visit in Navarre

  • Bridge over the river Arga and in the background the walls and the Archive

    Pamplona

    This is a fairly accessible city for persons with a visual disability. There are many parking spaces reserved for those with a parking card. The urban buses provide on-demand audio information for the line number, destination and stops. Pavements with uniform, tactile walking surfaces at pedestrian crossings, unique platforms and traffic lights with acoustic signals that can be activated through a pushbutton, are the trend in the city centre.

    At different points along the Way of St James NaviLens markers have been installed. At all these point, the information provided is accessible to persons with low vision and to screen reader users. For example, at the City Hall, the Tourist Information Office, and the Portal de Francia gateway in the city walls, the information is presented in a descriptive way to give a clear word picture to the visually impaired.

    The Ultreia Way of St James Interpretation Centre has taken Universal Design into account to ensure that anyone can enjoy its content.

  • Capital in the foreground and in the background the upper part of the facade of the cathedral of Tudela

    Tudela

    The exterior signing of the Tourist Information Office in Tudela has a NaviLens marker so that it can be located by the blind and by persons with low vision. What is more, the staff working at the office are trained in assisting persons with a disability.

    It shares space with the Citizens Advice Bureau of the Government of Navarre and it offers a tactile walking surface as well as NaviLens codes, to allow persons with a visual disability to move around independently, competently and safely.

  • Romanesque bridge over the river Arga and some people in a garden on the shore

    Puente la Reina

    The Tourist Information Office has a scale model of the layout of this important place on the Way of St James. Although the model is delicate, persons with visual impairment can touch it and recognise the streets and layout and form of the famous bridge that gives the town its name. The staff working at the Tourist Information Office are trained in assisting persons with a disability.

  • Olite Castle from the back with its towers and wall

    Olite

    The Royal Palace of Olite is accessible to persons with visual impairment, thanks to the staff trained to conduct inclusive guided tours and the audio guide with information on the history, rooms and areas of the palace.

Pyrenees mountains between fog at sunset

Valleys and natural areas in Navarre with visual accessibility

  • Irati Forest

    At the Ochagavía Nature Interpretation Centre, the team of staff providing service to the public is trained in assisting and interacting with persons with visual impairment. Although no specific material is available in braille, they do have reproductions of birds and a scale model of this area of the Pyrenees which they use to offer explanations to those with visual difficulties.
    On the first floor, there is a panel that reproduces the song of the different birds that inhabit the Irati Forest. An audiovisual is projected on the second floor, which is not difficult to follow even if you cannot see it.

     

  • Baztan Valley

    At the Leurtza reservoir, close to the Baztan valley, there is a 2 km. easy-to-do trail that encircles the lower reservoir, where visual accessibility measures are in place. The path has wooden edging on the left side, so that it can be easily detected by white canes. It is equipped with benches, rest areas and information signs about the direction of the trail and recommended points to take into account. There are also information plates in relief and with braille.

  • Source of the River Urederra

    This place, like so many other natural beauty spots, has not been specifically adapted for persons with visual impairment. All the same, it is still a really special place for those with visual impairment and who are used to rambling together with a sighted companion. The trail is easy-going with few obstacles beyond a few steps and crossings over small brooks, however it does require suitable footwear with ankle support for those with visual difficulties. The reward is an awesome walk into the depths of a wood, alongside a refreshing, fast-flowing river with waterfalls, all within arm's reach. Waters that spring from the enormous aquifer in the Sierra of Urbasa. 

  • Señorío de Bertiz

    The Señorío de Bertiz Interpretation Centre offers guides in braille and, in the gardens, there is an enormous Sequoia that can be hugged, as its trunk is encircled by a walkway.

    What is more, a 450-metre sensory trail has been created for experiences relating to the senses of hearing, smell and touch. A guide rope has been fitted on one side, and there is an information desk with tactile and visual elements, audio trumpets that help visitors to hear the amplified sounds of nature and tactile markers that invite visitors to touch and smell the elements of nature, such as dead wood, moss and bracken.

    The park offers five trails: Aizkolegi, Plazazelai, Urrestarazu, El Suspiro and Iturburua. All start from the main track running into the woods. The first track is asphalted for a few meters and then the rest of the track surfaces range from the narrow path of El Suspiro to the wide and rocky track of the highest part of Aizkolegi. In any case, the trails are extremely accessible, depending on the rambler's physical condition and skills. Visually-impaired visitors must be guided by a sighted companion, given that there are no guide ropes or trail edging.

  • Sendaviva Nature Park, in Arguedas

    This park, which combines animals, attractions and shows has been purposefully working on accessibility since it was first established. The signs for the different animals are gradually including QR codes that link to the content of the interpretation panels, making them accessible to those persons who are visually-impaired and have a screen reader on their mobile phone. The team responsible for visitor care at the park is trained in assisting and interacting with persons with a disability. Therefore, whether you're at the attractions, doing the educational activities, in the restaurants or at the information points, any member of staff will be ready to answer any queries and to attend to your needs. 

    More information at accessible Sendaviva
  • Ikaburu Cave at Urdazubi-Urdax

    When booking your visit, remember to let them know that you are visually impaired. The team of guides are generally quite attentive and ready to offer more descriptive explanations and may even show you some of the stalagmites, one of which is almost one-metre high and dates back 8,000 years, when it first started to be formed. The river Urtxuma has been creating these caverns for the last 14,000 years. There's no danger involved in the visit, with a rope handrail on the stairs although you do need to stoop a little in some sections. Audio recordings start up when the group passes by, and this information is supplemented with explanations from the guides. As well as the mythical lamias, the bats and dormice, this cave is also home to a spider that is unique in the world, being albino and blind.

  • Belagua Valley

    In this valley, a must-visit is the Rincón de Belagua also known as the Mata de Haya woods. Here you will find the 700-metre long Sendero de los Sentidos (Trail of the Senses), running through a beechwood at an altitude of almost 1,000 metres. The Trail of the Senses invites visitors to get a sensory experience by engaging their senses of smell and hearing. Visitors can perceive the smell of damp earth, the noise of the branches of the age-old beech trees and the sound of the birds flying over the woods. There is a guide rope along the trail, to make it accessible to everyone and to the visually-impaired in particular.

  • Roncal Valley

    In this valley in the Pyrenees, you will find an accessible route in Burgui. This is the Basari and Burgui Gorge trail, which runs alongside the left bank of the river Esca and is racket-shaped.
    The accessible route for persons with reduced mobility starts at the medieval bridge, continues along the Paseo de los Oficios (Walk of the Trades), but only goes as far as the cooler. The recreations of the various ethnographic elements, with particular mention of an impressive life-size almadía (traditional rafting practice of transporting wood downstream), are roped-off. There are also information panels in braille, high relief and with QR codes to go to the accessible information. Almost all have audio recordings to listen to the text.

  • Bosque de Orgi wood

    There is a path running through this age-old oak wood, located in the Ultzama Valley at a distance of 25 km. from Pamplona. What is known as the Laberinto or labyrinth is to be found at the start of this path. This is a short 300-metre trail which is fitted with a guide rope on one side and a number of information beacons with braille.

  • Urbasa-Andia Nature Park

    The Urbasa-Andia Nature Park offers an accessible trail for persons with visual impairment, namely the Morterutxo trail. On the left side of this 800-metre long loop trail, there is wooden edging to guide white cane users. There are also signs with large-scale characters, high-relief and braille which, although they do not provide much information, do help to locate points in the surrounding area.

  • Tierras de Iranzu

    The Emakumeen Memoria trail (Basque for Memory of Women) starts in the village of Abárzuza. Along the route, 14 interpretation panels pay homage to the women in the area, recalling the tasks they used to do and which are gradually disappearing. These include: Patxaran (sloe berry and aniseed liqueur), Carbonera (pile of firewood covered in clay to make charcoal), Calera (lime kiln), Cisco (low quality charcoal made from branches), Palomera (wood pigeon hunting posts), Cabaña Txerris (pig huts in the hills) and Trasmocho (tree topping). There are also panels with information on the role of women in the historic battle of Abárzuza (in 1873, during the third Carlist War).
     
    The Ruta al Nevero trail starts out from the village of Arizaleta, there are three panels giving information on the type of route, the animals and plants to be found in the area, and how the snow used to be produced in the Nevero (snow deposit).

    All the panels on both trails have QR codes that link to information in an accessible format for blind or visually-impaired users who have a screen reader on their mobile phone.

Visual accessibility of the rail trails in Navarre

If you are into tandem biking, then the rail trails are good places to bike and to explore Navarre on two wheels. These trails are former railway lines from which the tracks and sleepers have been removed. The surface is either asphalted or compacted to make hiking or biking easier. For this reason, and thanks to their low gradients, these trails have a great deal of potential for accessibility in general.

In Navarre there are 5 rail trails:
- Two in the northern or Mountain area: the Plazaola trail and the Bidasoa trail
- Two in the Central Area: the Irati trail and the FC Vasco Navarro trail
- One in the Ribera in southern Navarre: the Tarazonica trail

Tandems can be hired on the Tarazonica Rail Trail. For the other trails, remember to either take your own tandem or hire one from one of the companies that will take it to your point of departure. 

All the necessary information is available on the rail trail official website. We are now going to summarise some important details on the accessibility of these routes. As usual, we would recommend confirming this before your visit.

  • Young man on a bike and a girl with a dog in front of a stone arch

    Nature Walk - Plazaola Rail Trail

    This trail starts in Sarasa, passes through Lekunberri (Navarre) and ends in Andoain (Gipuzkoa). It is 66 km long. The type of surface varies from one section to another. From Erice de Iza to Aizkorbe, and from Mugiro to Uitzi there are some slightly more pronounced changes in gradient. Between the Navarre border and Andoain, there is a 17 km. section that may present greater difficulty, due to the potholes and mud. The route is lined with leafy trees and goes through a number of tunnels, offering shelter on hot days. For this reason, it is an ideal trail all year round.

  • A man and a woman riding a horse along the greenway

    Bidasoa Rail Trail

    This trail runs between the villages of Oieregi and Endarlatsa, with the Bidasoa river as a travelling companion for 35 kms. 
    The surface is varied, with either concrete, asphalt or compacted earth, depending on the section. Potential road traffic in some sections giving access to farmhouses. Potholes in the section between Sunbilla and Lesaka. Differences in gradient between Legasa and the Señorío de Bertiz nature park.

  • Two people from behind walking through the Foz de Lumbier

    Irati Rail Trail

    This incredible track connects the nearby towns of Liédena and Lumbier, separated by a distance of just 6.4 km. Its route runs through the tunnel in the Lumbier Gorge. This natural beauty spot boasts vertical walls that rise up more than 150 metres over the Irati river bed, and buzzards flying overhead. The terrain is compacted earth, and some sections have loose gravel.

  • Cyclist sitting on a bench looking at a town and in front of the bench is the bicycle

    Nature Walk - Basque-Navarrese Railroad Rail Trail

    The complete 123.5 km. rail trail connects the town of Estella-Lizarra in Navarre with the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the town of Bergara in Gipuzkoa. The Navarra section is the simplest, covering a distance of 27 kilometres. It starts at the Estella-Lizarra bus station, which was the former railway station, and then passes through the municipalities situated along the banks of the river Ega, with Zuñiga being the last village in Navarra. The terrain is mostly compacted earth, although it has been asphalted between Estella-Lizarra and Zubielqui. There are occasional slopes in the section between Zubielqui and Murieta.

  • A couple is walking and a cyclist passes by

    Nature Walk - Tarazonica Rail Trail

    The trail connects the city of Tudela in Navarre with Tarazona in the province of Zaragoza. It covers a distance of 22 km., 13 km. of which are in Navarre. The terrain varies, while some sections are asphalted others are compacted shingle. There are no difficult gradients with the only exception of the footbridge over the Ablitas road, at some 4 km. from the start in Tudela. In Cascante, the company Active Experience, located in the Rural Suites apartment-hotel, hires tandems and bikes.

Interior of the vaulted room of the General Archive

Museum of Navarre, in Pamplona

  • Museum of Navarre, in Pamplona

    The Museum of Navarre offers a booklet with the 6 more important exhibits of the museum, in braille and Easy-Read format. You need to ask for it at the reception desk at the start of the visit. These exhibits include the portrait of the Marqués de San Adrián, by Francisco de Goya.

  • Museo Universidad de Navarra

    There is a NaviLens marker at the museum entrance with explanations about the Museum and University Campus, which is located right on the Way of St James as it passes through Pamplona. The museum organises activities for disabled persons. Get more information on its website, which offers level AA accessibility.

  • Museo Jorge Oteiza

    In the museum it is possible to request guided tours for disabled persons. And, persons with no vision or low vision are offered the opportunity to touch a number of sculptures and experience their volumes and shapes.

  • Museum of Tudela

    The Museum of Tudela website (https://museodetudela.com/) offers an accessibility module with resources for persons with low vision. Moreover, the team of guides at the museum are trained in assisting disabled persons.

  • The Gustavo de Maeztu Museum, in Estella - Lizarra

    One of the aims of this picture gallery is to help promote social cohesion through culture. To do so, guided tours and activities adapted to the needs of each group are organised in order to promote the inclusion of everyone, including those with sensory impairment. 

  • Santxotena Museum in Arizkun

    The wooden sculptures by Xabier Santxotena are on show in the 9 huts standing in the field in which the artist's museum is located. You can enjoy the most sensual art while learning all about the history of an ethnic group of craftsmen: the Agotes. You can read an interpretive guide in braille, listen to the audiovisuals and get around by yourself thanks to the changes in floor texture. Some 90 minutes of tactile sensations, learning about the art and past of this ethnic group, which played an important role in regional history.

    As soon as they enter the museum, at the reception desk, those with low vision or no vision are given a guide in Braille and a touch map so that they can do the entire tour independently if they wish.

  • Museum of the Witches of Zugarramurdi

    We would suggest that you inform the staff of your visual impairment and book a guided tour. The hour-long visit will allow you to learn about the history and legends of lands with an incredible past. Although there are no accessible resources, the museum guides will allow you to touch some surprising objects such as a ram's head. The audiovisuals will make you think about a disturbing issue: how human beings have persecuted and punished the unknown and the different. And, listening to the interactive recordings you'll learn about those women who were considered to be witches, many of whom were sentenced to be burnt at the stake.

  • Museo de la Almadía at Burgui (rafting to transport logs downstream)

    Although this ethnographic museum has no visually accessible panels or videos, a visit is extremely recommendable given the fact that most of the exhibits can be touched (particularly the traditional clothing and a scale model of a raft) and, secondly, because the guide's explanations are really expressive and provide a great deal of information.

  • Las Eretas Archaeological Site and Museum

    For a long time now the Las Eretas Archaeological Site and Museum has been working on making the area accessible to everyone. Visual accessibility has been achieved through bluetooth beacons, which you can access through the free Beepcons application. The beacons, located on each of the panels and at strategic points of the museum and archaeological site, contain accessible information in PDF format, with a description of the items and the scale models at the exhibition. The museum also offers leaflets in braille.

  • Molino de Zubieta Ecomuseum and mill

    This unique working museum produces corn flour to make the traditional talos, delicious corn pancakes that can be filled with txistorra (fresh paprika sausage), cheese and even chocolate... The miller will give you a demonstration of his trade and you will feel how the smell of the corn, the music of the water and the sound of the mill gears make this experience a joy to your senses. What is more, you will be able to learn all about the traditional carnival of Zubieta through an audiovisual which is projected on the first floor.

    All the panels in the exhibition area are included in a braille booklet, with an accessible PDF option to allow you to consult it by yourself. What is more, the videos of each panel and interpreted in the Spanish Sign Language (LSE) have an audio so that you can listen to them.

  • Roman Villa of Las Musas

    Inside this villa, located in Arellano, a raised platform has been installed, making it possible to go around its perimeter without having to go down to the site itself. However, if you do want to descend, then there are two points with stairways. Persons with visual impairment are offered the possibility of going down to the site and touching some of the original exhibits.

  • Ultreia - Way of St James Interpretation and Pilgrim Reception Centre

    The Ultreia Centre has a NaviLens marker on the door, making it possible to access Easy-to-Read information. From the entrance door right up to the reception desk there is a tactile walking surface and the Centre also offers bluetooth beacons, which you can access through the free Beepcons application.
  • Yacimiento arqueológico de Santa Criz de Eslava

    At the archaeological site of Santa Criz de Eslava, the most important of the Roman cities conserved in Navarre, there are panels with high readability graphics, as well as Braille and high relief, for the benefit of persons with visual impairment. Guided tours are also offered, to learn all about the archaeological site and the exhibition.​​​​​​​

  • Monastery of Fitero

    In the monastery there is a replica of the column capital of Carlos V. This replica is accessible and can also be enjoyed as a tactile experience. As it is positioned at a lower height than the original, it is possible to go all around it and touch it, making it far easier to explain all the really interesting features that show the procession in which the emperor Carlos V appears. Another replica has also been scaled down in order to allow blind visitors to get an idea of the part as a whole and its details.

Room number plate with Braille reading
In a restaurant a girl ties a red scarf to another blind girl who is sitting at the table while they both laugh

Accommodation in Navarre with visual accessibility

Below, you'll find a list of links to those hotels, country holiday homes and apartments in Navarre that advertise as being accessible to persons with visual impairment on the main tourist platforms.  

For each type of accessibility, the platforms apply different filters to give the accessibility details of the accommodation. We would therefore recommend doing the following:

1.    Select the platform that you normally use to make your bookings.
2.    Search the links to find the types of accessibility that you need. 
3.    Select the dates for your stay in Navarre. 
4.    Choose the establishment that you consider to be the most suitable.
5.    And finally, before making the booking, contact the person in charge to make sure that the accommodation has the characteristics that you require, meets all your functional needs, thereby ensuring a comfortable stay. 

Booking
Check out the accommodation in Navarre with visual support (braille) and with tactile signs.

Expedia
Check out the accommodation that permits assistance animals.