# Cerca de Pamplona

From Pamplona you head out in four directions. To the north, via the Baztán or the A-15, the Basque coast on both sides of the Bidasoa; to the south, Olite, the Bardenas and Tudela; to the west, La Rioja; to the east, Irati and the snow of the Aragonese Pyrenees.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/navarre/pamplona/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Olite: palace, grill and Ujué](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/navarre/olite/itineraries/royal-palace-grill-house-and-ujue.md) (40 min en coche): You climb the Royal Palace towers, walk the medieval rúas, eat chargrilled food on the Rúa Mayor and finish at Ujué, on top of its hill. 40 minutes from Pamplona.
- [The Bardenas by 4x4 and lunch in Tudela](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/navarre/bardenas-reales/itineraries/4x4-through-the-bardena-blanca.md) (1 h 5 en coche): You tour the Bardena Blanca by 4x4 with a guide, stop at Castildetierra and the Cortinas ravine, and eat Ribera vegetables in Tudela. An hour from Pamplona and Logroño.
- [Getaria: museum, the Ratón and grill](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/getaria-and-zarautz/itineraries/balenciaga-raton-and-harbour-grill.md) (1 h 10 en coche): You see the Balenciaga museum, climb the Ratón of Getaria, eat grilled fish above the harbour and walk to Zarautz beach. Half an hour from San Sebastián and an hour from Bilbao.
- [Hondarribia: old town, the Marina and Jaizkibel](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/hondarribia/itineraries/walls-ferry-and-jaizkibel.md) (1 h 10 en coche): You stroll round the walled old town and the Marina, cross to Hendaye by small ferry, eat at a grill house on the outskirts and in the afternoon see Jaizkibel from the sea. Half an hour from San Sebastián.
- [Biarritz with children: seals and a calm beach](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/biarritz-with-kids-aquarium.md) (1 h 13 en coche): The seals and sharks of the Biarritz aquarium, a bar lunch at the market and an afternoon in the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, where hardly any swell enters. Less than an hour from San Sebastián.
- [Coastal path and boat along the corniche](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/bidart-cliff-walk-to-saint-jean-de-luz.md) (1 h 13 en coche): You walk the first stage of the GR 8 along the cliffs from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, eat chipirones behind the market and see from the boat the coast you have walked. Half an hour from San Sebastián.
- [Saint-Jean-de-Luz: harbour and a fish restaurant](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/saint-jean-de-luz-harbour-chipirones-and-corniche.md) (1 h 13 en coche): The old town and harbour of Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the morning, chipirones at a restaurant behind the market and a return along the cliff road. Half an hour from San Sebastián.
- [Biarritz: surf at the Côte des Basques and the market](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/sunday-in-biarritz-surf-and-market.md) (1 h 13 en coche): An hour-and-a-half surf lesson at Biarritz's learner beach, tapas and produce at the covered market and, in the afternoon, the Atalaye aquarium. Less than an hour from San Sebastián.
- [La Rhune: rack railway and Espelette](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/sunday-la-rhune-and-espelette.md) (1 h 13 en coche): You go up La Rhune on a 1924 wooden train, eat inland Basque cooking in Espelette and finish on the main street of Ainhoa. Less than an hour from San Sebastián.
- [Lapurdi villages and a castle above the sea](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/winter-ainhoa-espelette-abbadia.md) (1 h 13 en coche): Ainhoa and Espelette without crowds in the morning, inland Basque cooking beside the pelota court and, in the afternoon, the neo-Gothic Abbadia castle on the Hendaye cliff. For when the La Rhune train is not running.
- [Laguardia, Baigorri and a night at Viura](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa/itineraries/glass-winery-and-sonsierra.md) (1 h 15 en coche): You arrive by bus in Laguardia, go down into its underground cellars, have lunch in Páganos, taste at the winery under Samaniego's glass cube and sleep in Villabuena. Wednesday or Thursday.
- [Laguardia: tower, calado and Riscal](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa/itineraries/wine-cellars-tower-and-marques-de-riscal.md) (1 h 15 en coche): You walk Laguardia inside the wall, climb the Abbey Tower, go down into a winery dug beneath the streets, eat with a view of the vineyard and taste at Marqués de Riscal. 20 minutes from Logroño.
- [Tarazona: cathedral and beech forest](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/tarazona-and-moncayo/itineraries/cathedral-kiborion-and-moncayo-beech-forest.md) (1 h 20 en coche): The cathedral with a guide and its climb to the Kiborion, a stroll round the Jewish quarter, lunch at Saboya 21 and the Peña Roya beech forest on the Moncayo before heading home. An hour from Zaragoza.
- [Haro: winery, grill house and Briñas](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/la-rioja/haro/itineraries/station-quarter-wineries-and-lamb.md) (1 h 30 en coche): You stroll round the Barrio de la Estación, visit Muga with a tasting, eat lamb at a grill house from 1877 and finish at La Herradura and in Briñas, beside the Ebro. 40 minutes from Logroño and Vitoria.
- [San Millán: Yuso, winery and Cañas](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/la-rioja/san-millan-de-la-cogolla/itineraries/yuso-monastery-winery-and-canas.md) (1 h 45 en coche): Tastings at a family winery in Badarán, a visit to the Yuso monastery, lunch inside it and a finish at the monastery of Cañas. Three quarters of an hour from Logroño.
- [Irati: Cubo Waterfall and Ochagavía](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/navarre/irati-forest/itineraries/beech-forest-cubo-waterfall-and-ochagavia.md) (1 h 55 en coche): You walk 10 km of beech and fir forest to the Cubo Waterfall, eat next to the Casas de Irati car park and spend the afternoon in Ochagavía. About two hours from Pamplona.
- [Astún: three hours of lessons, all included](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/canfranc/itineraries/first-ski-at-astun-with-lesson.md) (1 h 55 en coche): A Sunday to learn to ski at Astún with the official school's package, which combines three hours of lessons, lift pass and equipment, and a late lunch in Canfranc Estación. An hour and a half from Huesca.
- [Candanchú: slopes by the Somport and ternasco in Canfranc](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/canfranc/itineraries/skiing-candanchu-and-grill-in-canfranc.md) (1 h 55 en coche): A day on the slopes at Candanchú, the Somport resort, with a lift pass that is also valid for Astún, and a late chargrilled lunch in Canfranc Estación. An hour and twenty-five minutes from Huesca and about two hours from Zaragoza and Pamplona.
- [Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and the Casa de Juntas](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/urdaibai/itineraries/sunday-at-gaztelugatxe-and-mundaka.md) (1 h 55 en coche): You climb to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe before the crowds arrive, stroll round Mundaka, eat above the estuary and finish at the Casa de Juntas in Gernika. About 40 minutes from Bilbao.
- [Formigal: a day on the slopes and a grill at Sarrios](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/tena-valley/itineraries/skiing-at-formigal-and-grill-on-the-slopes.md) (2 h 20 en coche): A whole day on the slopes of Formigal, the big resort of the Tena valley, with a charcoal-grilled lunch at the Asador Montañés in Sarrios. An hour and a half from Huesca and about two hours and a quarter from Zaragoza.
- [Tena with children: sledges at Portalet and a table in Sallent](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/tena-valley/itineraries/snow-with-children-and-nieveaventura.md) (2 h 20 en coche): A snow day for children who do not yet ski: the NieveAventura park at Portalet, with sledges, snowshoes and games, and valley cooking for lunch in Sallent de Gállego. An hour and a half from Huesca.

## Two ways to the sea, via Belate or the A-15

Each road leads to a different landscape. To the north there are two ways to the sea: the N-121-A, over the Belate pass and the Baztán to Dantxarinea, where the villages of the [French Basque Coast](/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast) begin, and the A-15, which drops to San Sebastián and continues towards [Hondarribia](/en/spain/basque-country/hondarribia) or, along the Gipuzkoan coast, towards [Getaria and Zarautz](/en/spain/basque-country/getaria-and-zarautz). To the south, the AP-15 and N-121 cross central Navarre to [Olite](/en/spain/navarre/olite) and continue to Tudela and the [Bardenas Reales](/en/spain/navarre/bardenas-reales); from Tudela, the Tarazona road leads to the [Moncayo](/en/spain/aragon/tarazona-and-moncayo).

To the west, the A-12 follows the Camino de Santiago towards Logroño: on one side of the Ebro is [Laguardia and the Rioja Alavesa](/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa), and beyond, [Haro](/en/spain/la-rioja/haro) and [San Millán de la Cogolla](/en/spain/la-rioja/san-millan-de-la-cogolla). To the east, the A-21 goes towards Jaca: via the Lumbier turn-off and the Salazar valley you climb to the [Irati Forest](/en/spain/navarre/irati-forest), and continuing to Jaca you reach [Canfranc, Candanchú and Astún](/en/spain/aragon/canfranc), the [Tena valley](/en/spain/aragon/tena-valley) and, for sleeping there, the [Ordesa valley](/en/spain/aragon/ordesa-valley).

For almost everything you need a car. The clearest exception is Olite, with a scheduled Pamplona–Tafalla–Olite bus; there is also a bus to San Sebastián, but from there the inland villages have no convenient transport.

## Olite at 40 minutes and Ujué in the afternoon

**Under an hour** is Olite, at 40 minutes: the Royal Palace, the medieval streets and, in the afternoon, Ujué on top of its hill. It is the only plan with time to spare in the morning.

The bulk of the Sundays is **between one and one and a half hours**, and almost all look north. The Bardenas are 65 minutes away; Hondarribia and Getaria, 70; the French coast between Bidart, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz, 73; Laguardia, 75; Tarazona, 80, and Haro, exactly an hour and a half.

**Between an hour and a half and two hours** the day starts early: San Millán de la Cogolla is 105 minutes away, and Irati, Candanchú, Astún and [Gaztelugatxe with Mundaka](/en/spain/basque-country/urdaibai/itineraries/sunday-at-gaztelugatxe-and-mundaka), 115. Formigal and the Portalet snow park, at 140, are already a Sunday from which you return at night.

It is best to sleep away **from two and a half hours**: [Ordesa from Torla](/en/spain/aragon/ordesa-valley/itineraries/ordesa-weekend-torla-from-huesca), at 144 minutes; [Burgos and Atapuerca](/en/spain/castile-and-leon/burgos/itineraries/night-with-atapuerca-from-valladolid), at 147; [Alquézar and its canyons](/en/spain/aragon/alquezar/itineraries/alquezar-canyoning-walkways-somontano-wine) and the [Laguna Negra](/en/spain/castile-and-leon/laguna-negra-and-urbion/itineraries/night-in-soria-pine-forests-laguna-negra), at 165; [Aínsa and Añisclo](/en/spain/aragon/ainsa-and-sobrarbe/itineraries/ainsa-anisclo-canyoning-weekend), at 185; the [oysters of Arcachon](/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/arcachon-bay/itineraries/oyster-weekend), at 194, and [Gavarnie](/en/france/cirque-de-gavarnie/itineraries/weekend-cirque-and-waterfall), almost four hours away.

## Chains in the boot for Candanchú

In winter the snow of the Aragonese Pyrenees rules: a [Sunday of skiing at Candanchú](/en/spain/aragon/canfranc/itineraries/skiing-candanchu-and-grill-in-canfranc), a [first day at Astún with a lesson](/en/spain/aragon/canfranc/itineraries/first-ski-at-astun-with-lesson) or [snow with children in the Tena valley](/en/spain/aragon/tena-valley/itineraries/snow-with-children-and-nieveaventura), always with chains in the boot. When the La Rhune train is not running, the northern plan is [Ainhoa, Espelette and Abbadia castle](/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/winter-ainhoa-espelette-abbadia).

In spring, southern Navarre is at its best. The Bardenas are toured on a [guided 4x4 through the Bardena Blanca](/en/spain/navarre/bardenas-reales/itineraries/4x4-through-the-bardena-blanca), with a lunch of Ribera vegetables in Tudela; in July and August they have no shade and the heat bears down from mid-morning.

In summer the plan is on the water or in the high mountains. The Gipuzkoan coast, with the [Balenciaga and the Ratón of Getaria](/en/spain/basque-country/getaria-and-zarautz/itineraries/balenciaga-raton-and-harbour-grill), and the Gavarnie cirque, which calls for the months from June to September. Olite, in August, has medieval festivals and a lot of people.

In autumn, in the second half of October and the first days of November, the Irati beech forest changes colour, and in September and October the grape harvest arrives in Olite and the Rioja Alavesa, with [Laguardia and its cellars](/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa/itineraries/wine-cellars-tower-and-marques-de-riscal) 75 minutes away.

## Ten kilometres of beech forest to the Cubo Waterfall

- **Without a car, in a day:** [Olite and Ujué](/en/spain/navarre/olite/itineraries/royal-palace-grill-house-and-ujue). Bus to Olite, the Royal Palace towers before the queues, a grill house on Rúa Mayor; to go up to Ujué in the afternoon you do need a car.
- **A long Sunday:** [the Irati Forest to the Cubo Waterfall](/en/spain/navarre/irati-forest/itineraries/beech-forest-cubo-waterfall-and-ochagavia). Setting out at eight, ten kilometres of beech and fir forest, lunch beside the forest and the afternoon in Ochagavía.
- **With one night:** [the Rioja Alavesa from Laguardia](/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa/itineraries/rioja-alavesa-wine-weekend-laguardia). 75 minutes away, to sleep inside the walls, go down to the cellars and taste at Marqués de Riscal without worrying about who is driving.