Navarra, the first of the Way
Posted in Destination on December 16th, 2009
When we say that can not be understood without Navarra Camino de Santiago is to tell the truth. The traces of this route are numerous along the entire length of Navarra land and its cultural influence is more than evident.
While there are two major routes of the Jacobean route for the ancient kingdom of Navarre, we will focus today on the best known of these, called Camino Francés that enters through the Pyrenees towards Santiago de Compostela and see some of the points main value of this trip.
Upon entering we find ourselves in Navarra Roncesvalles with its Collegiate, a monument of French Gothic set in a landscape truly overwhelming in its beauty and reference both for pilgrims and travelers eager for simple serene beauty.
If the traveler or the traveler have the time to deviate somewhat from the road is highly recommended to visit the jungle Irati one of the largest and best preserved forests of beech and spruce in Europe.
Pamplona, proud and historic city deserves an article by itself so we stress that this is a beautiful city full of monuments and historic buildings and oxygenated by large green areas inside the park as Taconera or Citadel fortress, all without forgetting the excellent character of the locals or the reminiscences of the known world of the bulls festival of San Fermin.
The next major milestone of the road we find it in Puente La Reina, with its beautiful Romanesque bridge built to facilitate the passage of pilgrims.
The town of Estella is undoubtedly one of the jewels of the Camino de Santiago in general and its passage through Navarre in particular, with a good number of Romanesque gems among which the palace of the Kings or the medieval churches of San Pedro De la Rua.
Estella Nearby, at the foot of the mountain is Montejurra Irache Monastery near where we find the Fountain of two pipes which do well water and wine respectively.
Before leaving Navarra even you can enjoy the architectural wonders of the church of Santa Maria de los Arcos in the town that bears his name or the Holy Sepulchre church in the town of Torres del Rio, a rare display of medieval art to finish in Viana in the church of Santa Maria where the remains of Cesare Borgia.
