Kingdom of Navarre, Pamplona Spain
August 25, 2023 - by Muriel Dassen
The city of Pamplona was the capitol of the Kingdom of Navarre, the mightiest kingdom in Spain between 1000 and 1035. Pamplona and the former Kingdom are situated in the Basque country with the Pyrenees North and the Rioja area South. A beautiful city in beautiful surroundings. Therefore a perfect central point for the Kingdom of Navarre tour.
Of course you can download the GPX / ITN files and full e-books of the 2 rides we have in this tour via our roadtrip planner but you can already find the info in this blogpost.
We entered the city from the North side via the Portal de Francia, the entrance from France. The passeo de Ronda, the Santa Maria la Real, Plaza del Castillo, the Ayuntamiento and the Plaza de Torro are all highlights, but we really enjoyed wandering through the old streets with the many tapas bars, heaving during lunch and dinner time. You will find the history of the Sanfermines and the bull running throughout the whole city. We can really recommend to spend some time within the city, besides enjoying the beautiful rides of course!
For the Kingdom of Navarre tour we want to recommended the following accommodations – all with suitable parking for your bike. If you want to support us to keep supporting you, we do ask you to book the accommodation via the links that we provide as an affiliate of Booking.com.
Recommended hotels:
Rating on Booking.com: Fabulous 8.7
With private parking garage 1 minute from hotel, fee applicable
With bar and restaurant
In city centre Pamplona
Rating on Booking.com: Superb 9.4
With valet parking, reservation needed and fee applicable
With bar and coffee/teamaker in rooms
In city centre Pamplona
Rating on Booking.com: Very good 8.5
With private parking garage, fee applicable
Near to bars and restaurants
20 minute walk to centre Pamplon
Public transportation near
Rating on Booking.com: Superb 9.3
With free private parking garage
With bar and restaurant
25 to 30 minute walk to centre Pamplona
Rating on Booking.com: Superb 9.0
With free on site parking and private parking garage
With pool
With bar and restaurant
7 km / 4 miles outsite Pamplona
Ride 1
Our ride 1 of the Kingdom ofNavarre tour is 200 km / 125 miles, taking you into the Pyrenees. The ride is filled with nice mountain roads with plenty of curves! Of course we have added the perfect stops for coffee, lunch, a drink, stunning views and some sightseeing. You will be amazed by the beauty of this area.
Lumbier
We only stopped for coffee in Lumbier and the restaurant is added to you GPX / ITN file that you can download via our roadtrip planner. If you like hiking, you can go into the Foz de Lumbier for a 2,5 km / 1,5 miles round-way walk. We like the views from top to bottom more than hiking, so our next stop is going to be higher up.
Foz de Arbayun
It is only a 12 km / 7,5 miles, but very nice ride up to the Foz de Arbayun from our coffeestop. From the parking you will get an amazing view into the gorge. Don't forget to use the hashtag #QuazyRides if you are sharing your pictures on social media.
Valle de Roncal - Isaba
For lunch we have added a hotel with restaurant in the winter ski resort Isaba in the Valle de Roncal. We enjoyed the local delicacy: goat cheese.There are some other terraces further up in the village, but besides that, the Valle de Roncal is a very authentic area.
Portillo de Lazar
The Portillo de Lazar is the highest point of our ride with 1.129 metres / 3.704 feet. There is a parking on top to enjoy the beautiful views on the Pyrenees mountains that you are surrounded by.
Roncesvalles
The last stop in our ride is in Roncesvalles, only 20 km / 13 miles from the border between Spain and France. Although the village has only 34 inhabitants it is a very important stop on the way from France to Santiago de Compostella. Roncesvalles is the first stop in Spain on the Camino Francés. You will find the Augustinian monastery and a Gothic pilgrim church besides some nice terraces. The ride in your GPX / ITN file that you can download via our roadtrip planner will bring you close to Pamplona to one of our recommended accommodations over the N135 which will still leave you with some nice winding cruising roads.
Ride 2
Ride 2 of the Kingdom of Navarre tour is 175 km / 108 miles filled with curves! We are taking you West of Pamplona in this ride to the Sierra de Urbasa, the mountain range of western Navarre and part of the Basque Mountains. Its highest point is 1.183 metre / 3.881 feet. but we can only take you as high as 840 metres / 2.755 feet. Of course we have some nice stops to enjoy, making this a perfect ride in the precursors of the Spanish Pyrenees.
Mirador de Etxauri
We added this quick stop at the Mirador de Etxauri, with its 840 metres / 2.755 feet the highest point of our ride. There is a parking just at the other side of the mirador where you do not have to cross the street to get there. Briefly stretch your legs and enjoy the view!
Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real de Iranzu
Situated in a beautiful valley, our next stop is at the Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real de Iranzu. Definitely worth a visit. Ánd there is a cafeteria, so a perfect stop if you also fancy a drink or a bite to eat.
Monasterio de Irache
A second stop at a monastery just outside Estella. But this time for the Fuente de Vino at the neighbouring bodega. This bodega offers the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella wine....out of a fountain. We are not going to Santiago and can not be seen as pilgrims, but it is a fun quick stop to stretch your legs.
Estella
Our last stop of this ride is in the medieval town of Estella itself. We have added a bike parking to the GPX / ITN file that you can download via our roadtrip planner that is just a few steps away from the old centre and the Plaza de los Fueros, where you will find some bars and terraces if you fancy a drink like us. It is also definitely worth to take a short walk through the city and its palace looks very impressive.
Go on your own QUAZY RIDE
You can download the GPX / ITN files of the rides and the full e-books via our roadtrip planner and then we hope you will enjoy the rides you will be doing in this Quazy Rides Kingdom of Navarre motorcycle tour and your stay in Pamplona.
If you are posting on social media, don't forget to tag Quazy Rides or use the #QuazyRides, because we LOVE to see you having fun with our rides.
