Navarre

Navarre (Spanish: Navarra, Basque: Nafarroa) is a region in northern Spain, constituting one of its autonomous communities - the "Chartered Community of Navarre". Its principal city is Pamplona and it is made up of 272 municipalities and has a total population of 601,874 (2006), of which approximately one-third live in the capital, Pamplona and one-half in the capital's metropolitan area. There are no other large municipalities in the region. The next largest are Tudela Barañáin, Burlada and Estella – Lizarra.

Despite its relatively small size, Navarre features stark contrasts in geography, from the Pyrenees mountain range that dominates the territory to the plains of the Ebro river valley in the south. The highest point in Navarre is Hiru Erregeen Mahaia, with an elevation of 2,428 metres (7,965 feet).

Geography

Navarre is not a large province but can be divided up into three very distinct main areas: la Montaña, the mountainous north – the Pyrenees mountain range extends southward from France and dominates the northern half of Navarra- la Zona Media, the Middle Zone, and la Ribera, the Ebro basin in the south of Navarre.

These areas have subdivisions. The Mountains, for example, comprise the Atlantic Pyrenees in the west, also called the Pirineos Húmedos; the Pyrenean Valleys, which include the Irati Forest, the second largest in Europe after the Black Forest; and the pre-Pyrenees, where deep gorges called foces have been formed by fast-moving tributaries of the Ebro.

The Zona Media is Navarre's agricultural area, particularly suitable for market gardening, and the peppers and asparagus grown there are highly esteemed. It consists of the Tierra Estella, the land around Estella, south-west of Pamplona, and the Navarra Media Oriental, directly south of Pamplona, with the town of Olite at its centre.

In spite of its watery-sounding name, the Ribera in the south of Navarre is an arid region: the landscape of the Bardenas Reales, in particular, is often described as "lunar," and really is otherworldly.

Climate

Navarre enjoys marked and differing climatic conditions which provide the visitor with diversity in terms of experiences. Springs and autumns are mild and temperate, summers are hot. Winter offers snow in the mountain area.

The climate in Navarra also varies, depending on whether we are in the north or south of the region.  The north is cooler and wetter, whereas the south, which is influenced by more continental weather conditions, offers a warmer and drier climate.

Architecture

In broad terms three basic types can be distinguished: The oldest one refers to houses of big size with folded gable roofs, with facade made of ashlars, doors with pointed arch and openings in gothic style. These are usually houses of the XVII. century. Another type refers to houses of big size, built in the XVIII. century, with folded gable roofs and big eaves, plastered facades but with ashlars around doors, windows etc., doors with pointed arch and shields. The third type covers cubic houses of the XIX. century with tented roof, openings of big size and ashlars on its sides and the central part, long balconies and big shields.

The distribution of the buildings generally corresponds with the typical livestock farming of the mountain area, with a ground floor used as a barn, living quarters in the first floor and a second floor used as “"gambara", where dried herbs, corn etc. were stored. Within the urban structure of some locations some elements have been preserved, that used to be of great importance in other times. Today they only have decorative functions, like fountains – some nice examples can be found in Aldatz, Mugiro, Oderitz, Ihaben, Arraitz and Iraizotz – or public wash areas, like the ones in Aldatz, Beruete, Ihaben or Betelu. Moreover, in some locations like the one of Muskitz, you can find stellars, attached to the exterior of churches which mainly date to the period of Renaissance.

Concerning pastoral constructions it turns out to be interesting to examine the development of the txabolas, or huts of the shepherds. From the very simple arkues (stone constructions), to the current ones, which consist of a broad range of modern commodities.

In almost all villages examples of the typical architecture can be admired, but in Lizaso, Auza, Eltzaburu, Ilarregi e Iraizotz you find amazing sets of very well-maintained, popular architecture.

Gastronomy

Great variety of gastronomy regarding landscape and products influence the nature of the cuisine of the Community of Navarre. Running streams, dense forests and green valleys at the feet of the Pyrenees provide excellent raw materials for the stoves of the restaurants of Navarre.

• Milk, cheese, meat (sheep as well as beef), hazelnuts and chestnuts originate from the mountains, as well as the famous potatoes from Aézcoa.
• The vegetable garden supplies tomatoes, pies, thistle, cabbage, chard and asparagus of the river banks or the artichoke from Tudela.
• From the river comes fabulous trout and the appreciated salmon from Bidasoa. The wonderful pulses are represented by the Pochas beans from Sangüesa. Lamb is prepared as chilindrón in Pamplona and, not to forget, the sucking pick from Estella and the cherries from Ciriza.

Very good game is represented by the pigeon, roebuck, hare and quail. The duck fattened in the region of Aranaz is famous for its excellent and famous foie gras.

Wine from the area has the Denomination of origin Rioja or Navarra. The red wine of the last one mentioned is of great interest and provides 90 per cent of the production, followed by white and rose wine. The most important winery is the one of Julián Chivite, with white and rose wine of high quality, but also the wineries Ochoa, en Olite, Irache, Príncipe de Viana or Señorío de Otazu supply very good wine.

The liquor par excellence is Pacharán, which consists of fruits from a wild bush and sloe, together with anis or firewater.

Typical products from Navarre:

Asparagus from Navarre - piquillo pepper from Lodosa – Roncal cheese - beef – Idiazábal cheese - Pacharán - Chorizo de Pamplona -   borage – artichokes from Tudela

Traditional dishes from Navarre:

Ajoarriero – Artichokes with ham - Canutillos de Sumbilla  - Thistle with mussels - Cardos con almendras y jamón - Trout a la navarra  - Borage al horno - Rabo de buey guisado al vino tinto - Salmón del Bidasoa en parrilla - Guisado de torcaces de Etxalar - Leche frita - Ajoarriero - Sopa cana  - Natillas  (Navarra) – Pepper filled with meat - Canutillos de crema  - Pochas estofadas   - Cochifrito

Festivals & Events

It is the richness as well as the variety of Navarre’s folklore which makes it difficult to provide an organized summary about the events and festivals that take place in the course of one year. The majority of the festivals have a religious or seasonal background.

The major festival of the most important ones, there is no doubt, is the one of San Fermín (or Sanfermines) in the city of Pamplona (Navarre, Spain). It is a deeply rooted celebration held annually from 12:00, 6 July, when the opening of the fiesta is marked by setting off the pyrotechnic chupinazo to midnight 14 July, with the singing of the Pobre de Mí. While its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, the week-long celebration involves many other traditional and folkloric events. It is known locally as Sanfermines and is held in honor of Saint Fermin, the co-patron of Navarre. It has become probably the most internationally renowned fiesta in Spain. Over 1,000,000 people come to watch this festival.

Sanfermines are also celebrated in Lesaka, though much more quietly. However, these festivities are full of colours and of great ambience, too. Its most important event is the procession of the dantzaris, which finishes with the panning of the flags over the river Onin and the dance of the dantzaris.

Of note are the city's festivals in honor of Santa Ana (St. Anne, mother of Mary) which begin on 24 July at noon and continue for approximately one week. Street music, bullfights and the running of the bulls are events which exemplify this festival.

The 'Pilón' Bull Run in Falces takes place at 9 a.m. every morning of the festivities in honour of the Virgin Mary of Nieva (9 days after the penultimate Sunday in August). Steers, young men and the hillside become the protagonists of one of the most curious bull events in Navarre. An 800-metre routes runs down a narrow and steep path down to the town. On one side is the 'wall' of the hillside, with a gully on the other side. The result: a scenario of a spectacular nature that adds strong emotion to the event.

The 8th of September is another date, when many patron saint´s festivities take place. Some of the most important are the one of Cintruénigo with its running of the bulls, Ochagavía with the pilgrimage in honour of the virgin of Muskilda, or the ones of Viana. The 11 September the festival of Sangüesa begins, in which one each day the dance "jota vieja" is performed.