CIRCUIT THE ROADS OF THE KINGDOM

Reception in Pamplona and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Food for free. In the afternoon, walk through the historic center of Pamplona. Dinner at Gastronomic Society with explanation of the program. This dinner will be paid for by everyone, as is the local custom.

Breakfast and departure to learn about the history of the Kingdom of Pamplona, embryo of the Kingdom of Navarra, through the territories that today occupy the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja and Navarra. Our route will be the Camino de Santiago surrounded by vineyards.

In the first place, we will enter La Rioja, visiting the Monasteries of Suso and Yuso, where we will see the first writings in the Castilian and Basque languages. Later in Nájera we will visit the pantheon of the kings of Pamplona, in the Monastery of Santa María La Real. Lunch. We will continue to Laguardia, in the Basque Autonomous Community, an old defensive castle built on the borders of the Kingdom of Navarre in the 10th century. Return to Pamplona and accommodation.

Breakfast and departure through the Pamplona Basin to make a brief stop at Etxauri. Continuation through Salinas de Oro. Navarre town of “Tierra Estella”, nestled in the foothills of the Urbasa y Andía Natural Park, is one of the few spring salt productions that remain active. We will continue to the Monastery of Santa María de Irantzu, hidden in the green valley of Yerri, in a secluded area between mountains, a grandiose Cistercian abbey built between the 12th and 14th centuries. After your visit we will continue our trip to Estella. Visit and lunch.

Although some archaeological remains have been found in its area that take us back to the Bronze Age, Estella-Lizarra dates its birth to the year 1090, when King Sancho Ramírez granted it its Fuero, that is, a series of regulations in which It tried to privilege the settlement of settlers, of French origin, that would allow the economic diversification of the kingdom and take advantage of the importance that the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela was reaching at this time.

In the afternoon we will visit Puente la Reina, "crossroads", a medieval town where the two main roads of the Camino de Santiago merge, it is one of the enclaves with the greatest Compostela meaning located in Navarra. We will approach Santa María de Eunate. Octagonal building dedicated to Santa María that was built during the reign of Sancho el Sabio, in the second half of the 12th century, around 1170, although there are those who extend it a little longer, around 1210. According to the existing documentation, the mentor and the architect of this beautiful work was a queen, to whom they attribute the name of Doña Sancha. On the way back to Pamplona, we will pass through Obanos, which in the 13th century was erected as a standard in the fight against the abuse of certain Navarrese nobles, since it was the headquarters of the Junta de los Infanzones.

Breakfast and midday departure to first visit Olite and its Palace. The Royal Palace of Olite is proof of the courtly splendor that the city of Olite experienced during the Middle Ages, a historic town located in the Middle Zone of Navarra, 42 kilometers south of Pamplona. Declared a National Monument in 1925, it occupies a third of the medieval town center and is considered one of the most interesting Gothic civil ensembles in Europe. We will continue our visit in the Cerco de Artajon, where one of the most important fortifications of Medieval Navarra is located in its highest part. The Cerco de Artajona is a walled enclosure with an irregular perimeter that dates back to the 11th century and is made up of 14 battlemented towers, nine of which remain standing.

We will arrive at the Roman city of Andelos, in Mendigorria, where there was a human settlement dating back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC. It is possible that the first contacts between the Vascones and the Roman world were established as early as the 2nd century BC. The 1st and 2nd centuries AD are the most splendid in the city. It is at this time when an important urban development takes place and the installation of the complex hydraulic system is carried out. This city remained an inhabited place until late medieval times, conserving the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Andión as the only element that survives today.

Arrival in Pamplona at noon and lunch. Continuation to San Sebastian. In the afternoon, walking or panoramic tour of the city (depending on the composition of the group): Peine del Viento, Miramar Palace, Paseo Nuevo, Boulevard, Hotel María Cristina, Kursaal,... return to the hotel and accommodation.

Breakfast and departure to Pasajes de San Pedro, where we will visit the Mater Ship-Museum and learn about traditional Basque fishing gear. We will go by boat to Pasajes de San Juan, where we will see the house of Victor Hugo.

We will continue to Hondarribia, where we will learn about its important cultural and artistic heritage, the legacy of a rich history. Its walls, a large part of them still standing and in a constant process of recovery, give it a special appearance, evoking an epic past and impregnating every corner, alley, and square with aromas, flavors and sounds that transport us to other times. Lunch in Hondarribia.

We will continue our trip crossing Hendaye on the sea line that unites these two towns. Brief visit to Hendaye, with its 3 km long fine sand beach, which is the largest in the entire Basque Country. Return to San Sebastian and free time.

Breakfast and departure to visit the Basque Coast. First, we will visit Biarritz, known for its famous beaches, therapeutic waters and surf scene, it is a place where luxury restaurants and spas coexist in harmony with laid-back pizza stalls and surf shops. The city is mostly made up of bourgeois houses and mansions, used by the wealthiest as summer homes. This touch of luxury balances perfectly with the more relaxed and carefree surf culture, which also has a long tradition in Biarritz. Undoubtedly, this interesting contrast is part of the city's identity.

Later we will approach Baiona, located in the northernmost point of the French Basque Country, where the rivers Nive/Errobi and Adur/Aturri join, is the urban center of Bayona ("Baiona" in Basque). Thanks to the Adur river that connects Bayonne with the Bay of Biscay, the city has benefited throughout its history from a strategic commercial position. Baiona grew thanks to the whaling and cod fishing industry, as well as thanks to Basque sailors who returned from distant lands with spices and other riches. This influx of money financed many of the city's buildings, including its imposing Gothic cathedral. Lunch.

We will end the visit in Saint Jean de Luz, where we will see many of the buildings dating back to the 17th century, a time when Saint Jean de Luz was one of the most important fishing ports in France. Although the 17th century was a time of transition, when the main economic activity changed from fishing to what was essentially piracy, as the town became the base for Basque corsairs. These corsairs pursued France's enemies at sea, plundering them with the king's blessing. Return to San Sebastian and free time.

Today we leave Donostia/San Sebastián to enter the heart of Gipuzkoa. We will first visit the famous town of Ordizia, an international gastronomy reference for its famous black pudding (a very important contest is held for this reason) and its famous Wednesday market.

We will continue our journey through the magical and suggestive Natural Park of Aralar. With its limestone massifs, its rivers and springs, rich vegetation and fauna, with its myths and legends, it captivates locals and foreigners, which is part of one of the most important mountainous areas in terms of altitude, extension, land use and natural values

Lunch in the Sakana Valley and continuation to Pamplona. Hotel accommodation and rest. In the mid-afternoon, walk through the historic center of Pamplona. Visit of the old Iruñea (Pamplona), former Basque capital; The Walls, the Palace of the Kings, its medieval streets in the old town, and the evolution of the city beyond the walls, etc... Rest before going out to dinner at a Gastronomic Society. Dinner not included that will be paid for by everyone, as is the custom.

Breakfast and then we head towards Las Bardenas Reales. From Nuestra Señora del Yugo we will have an impressive panoramic view of this spectacular Biosphere Reserve Natural Park. Continuation of our trip through the Ribera until we reach Tudela, the second largest and most important city in the Navarrese territory. In this city, Muslims, Jews and Mozarabs lived together for more than 400 years. This coexistence gave the city a cultural miscegenation, which is reflected in its monumental buildings, in its twisted alleys, with passageways, walls and watchtowers. Visit and lunch. Return to Pamplona and free time.

Departure from Pamplona to visit the Leire Monastery, located in the southeast of Pamplona. An icon of Navarra for the important role it has played in the history of the Kingdom of Navarra. After your visit, we will continue our trip to see the Castle of Javier, birthplace of San Francisco de Javier, co-patron of Navarra. We will continue our trip to the East to reach the medieval town of Ujue/Uxue where we will have lunch. View of the town and its church-fortress. Return to Pamplona and free time.

Departure to Elizondo and visit of the capital of the Baztán Valley. We will enjoy its many stately homes and palaces. Its most emblematic building is the baroque palace of Arizkunenea, but there are other artistic monuments of interest such as the town hall, the Datue palace, the viceroy's house or the church of Santiago.

After visiting Elizondo, we will continue to Zugarramurdi. Lunch and free time to visit on your own the Caves and the Museum of the Witches (herboleras, midwives and women in general) who were falsely accused by the Catholic Church of Bruges. Return to Pamplona free time.

Breakfast and free time until the time of departure transfer.