One of the uni-provincial autonomous regions of Spain, Navarre was once a kingdom, and a Basque kingdom at that. There are 9 crossing points into France and as a border region, Navarre has had its fair share of conflicts and signs of this are evident everywhere, with ruins of castles and fortified buildings.
It is an important stage in the Camino de Santiago, the Way of Saint James, and many of its attractive villages and hamlets have Romanesque churches and hostels for pilgrims. During the middle Ages, the tomb of St James at Santiago de Compostela was regarded as one of the most holy sites in Christendom and thousands of pilgrims traveled through Spain each year to visit the shrine.
Romans, Christians, Muslims and Jews have all made their mark on the region and its architecture is as diverse as its landscape.
The only city of note, the capital of the Autonomous Community of Navarre, Pamplona is the top Navarre travel destination. Pamplona has been inundated with tourists ever since American writer Ernest Hemingway put the town on the map. Pamplona was always a very important city because of its location. For a while Pamplona was the subject of much fighting among Franks and Arabs. After the 11th century, medieval Pamplona was finally outlined.
In the 18th century the city went through a process of improvement in all public services, thus becoming a modern city. In the 19th century it was looted by the French. At the beginning of the 20th century part of the wall was demolished and, from this point on, new suburbs proliferated. Pamplona is an atmospheric though provincial city, with an extensive historic centre encircled by new high-rise suburbs. It is always an interesting place to visit of Navarre vacations.
Your Navarre travel will be incomplete without the ecstatic revelry of the annual fiesta, the incomparable San Fermen. During the week of the Festival of San Fermen, brave or foolhardy visitors join the young men of the town in trying to outrun a large herd of bulls that stampedes through the town's narrow, closed streets. Visitors should book early and expect relatively high prices.
Outside the fiesta season, Pamplona's main attractions are its old walled quarter, Renaissance Cathedral and imposing Citadel.
Even though Navarre travel destinations are not very numerous, the region has no fewer than 50 natural preserves, most outstanding are Reserva Integral de Lizardoia and Parque Natural de Sentorio de Bertiz. It offers great possibilities for hiking, climbing and fishing. There are also many beautiful parks and gardens here. The Parks along the River - in the beautiful Tejera Park, close to the most monumental part of Pamplona, there are the towers of the town-walls and the square of Plaza de Santa Maria la Real, with the baroque Archiepiscopal Palais.
Following the walls, you arrive to Puerta de Zumalacarregui, one of the six old doors of the town, and the Park of Santo Domingo. Close to it there is the town-hall and the Seminar of San Juan Bautista.
On your Navarre travel you are sure to find many things to interest and appeal to you.