Navarre and La Rioja Travel Guide

The ancient land of Navarre (Navarra in Spanish, Nafarroa in Basque) shares a 130km (81-mile) frontier with France, with nine crossing points. This province, with a strong Basque tradition, is an important link between Iberia and the rest of the Continent.

As a border region, Navarre has seen its share of conflict, and to this day the remains of lonely castles and fortified walled towns bear witness to that. But somehow this kingdom, one of the most ancient on the peninsula, has managed to preserve its own government and identity. Romans, Christians, Muslims, and Jews have all left their stamp on Navarre, and its architecture is as diverse as its landscape. It is also a province rich in folklore. Pagan rites were blended with Christian traditions to form a mythology that lives on today in Navarre's many festivals. Dancers and singers wear the famous red berets, the jota is the province's most celebrated folk dance, and its best-known sport is pelota -- sometimes called jai alai in other parts of the world.

Navarre is also rich in natural attractions, but most foreign visitors miss them when they come in July to see the Fiesta de San Fermín and the running of the bulls through the streets of Pamplona, Navarre's capital and major city. Even if you do visit for the festival, try to explore some of the panoramic Pyrenean landscape.

Adjoining Navarre is La Rioja, the smallest region of mainland Spain -- bordered not only by Navarre but also by Castile and Aragón. By virtue of its world-famous wine, this province punches well above its weight. The land is generally split into two sections: Rioja Alta, which gets a lot of rainfall and has a mild climate, and Rioja Baja, which is much hotter and more arid, like Aragón.

The provincial capital is lively Logroño, a city of some 200,000 that sits both on the Ebro, one of Spain’s most significant rivers, and on the Camino Francés route of the Camino de Santiago, its most important pilgrimage. But for many visitors to the city, the most important ‘route’ might just be a bar-crawl along the lively Calle del Laurel!

Nearby Haro is known for its wineries and Nájera once served as capital for the kings of Navarre. Now little more than a village, the latter lies along the Najerilla River.