You can get to know Navarre at any time of the year. Whether you want a quick visit or to spend more time there, the Kingdom of Navarre offers a wide range of attractions every season of the year and is also a wonderful place to settle down.
Autumn: Navarre in shades of ochre
The Selva de Irati (Irati forest) is the best example of the thousand colours that inundate the landscape of Navarre. The Urbasa mountain range, the Aezkoa or Salazar valleys, the gorges of Lumbier and Arbaiun or the Bertiz Natural Park offer scenery that is difficult to forget. The Central Zone celebrates the start of the wine harvest and invites the visitor to artistic places such as the monasteries of La Oliva, Leire or Irantzu and historic towns like Puente La Reina, where the two main routes of the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago come together. These are days for eating game, including the doves of Etxalar and a variety of dishes in which wild mushrooms, boar or pigeon are the stars.
Winter: treading virgin snow
In Navarre winter is something to enjoy. It is the time for Nordic skiing in the Roncal and Salazar valleys and to feel the healthy cold of sunny winter days while trekking. Another option is a casa rural (country house) and a good book next to the fire. Then comes New Year and Carnivals at villages like Lantz, Ituren and Zubieta, ceremonies whose origins are lost in the mists of time. The most demanding palate will enjoy alubias pochas (succulent beans) and the meats, cheeses, wines and liqueurs of Navarre.
Spring: the 'green thaw'
This is an ideal season to discover the splendour of the Bardenas Reales or follow the routes of old railway lines on foot or by bicycle: the Bidasoa, Plazaola or Tarazonica vías verdes (green routes). In spring the Pyrenees wake up and the snows give way to a host of colours that you can discover by climbing Mount Ori or wandering through woods such as Orgi, Urbasa-Andía, Irati or Quinto Real. It is also a time to enjoy the Easter Procession in Corella, popular pilgrimages at Roncesvalles or the delights of towns like Ujué, Olite, or Elizondo. At the table, it is the time of menestra (vegetable stew), asparagus and salmon.
Summer: the time of fiestas
In July Pamplona plunges into the fiesta of San Fermín and all the towns and villages of Navarre celebrate their festivities some time during the summer. Tudela, Tafalla, Estella-Lizarra or Sangüesa set the tone for good fun and hospitality. It is also a time to discover traditions such as the dances of Ochagavía. The summer encourages you to enjoy Nature and discover the green valleys of the north of Navarre: Roncal, Baztán and Bidasoa. Culture is present in emblematic places: The Classical Theatre Festival of Olite (next to the town's majestic castle) and the Ancient Music Week in Estella-Lizarra are two good examples of major cultural activities. At the table, the select cuisine of Navarre pays tribute to the varied vegetable dishes from the market gardens along the river Ebro.