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7 ideas, picked for these days
The Bardenas by 4x4 and lunch in Tudela
In Tudela, on Holy Saturday the Volatín is hung and on Easter Sunday, at 8:00, a child dressed as an angel descends on ropes to the Plaza de los Fueros to remove the Virgin's veil. Both are festivals of national tourist interest and free. Afterwards, a 4x4 through the Bardena Blanca.
Formigal: a day on the slopes and a grill at Sarrios
If Holy Week falls before the season closes, which Formigal announces each spring, it is the last chance of the winter: spring snow, soft at midday, and long days. Go up early, while it is still hard, and buy the lift pass online, because the price changes by date.
La Rhune: rack railway and Espelette
The La Rhune rack train starts running again at the end of March, so at Easter it is in its first weeks. In France Easter Monday is also a holiday: that day the train queue is longer. Go up on the first clear day of the five.
A weekend in Urdaibai, an hour from Vitoria: the estuary by canoe, Gernika and Gaztelugatxe
The Bizkaia provincial council sets each year the days of controlled access to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, and Holy Week is usually among them: book the free ticket on its website. The canoe along the estuary to Laida goes out at the time the tide dictates.
A weekend in Alquézar: canyoning, walkways and Somontano wine
Five days allow the long trip to Alquézar and back without rushing. In spring the Vero walkways run over a river with water, and the collegiate church is seen in the low afternoon light. The guided canyon is done in thick wetsuits: in April the water is cold.
Misburg3014 · CC BY 3.0A weekend in Covarrubias and Silos, an hour from Burgos
In Silos the monks sing vespers every afternoon, and in Holy Week the monastery church receives many more people: arrive in good time. Sleeping opposite the monastery lets you hear them without watching the clock. Lunch at Casa Galín is booked beforehand.
Luis Fermín TURIEL PEREDO · CC BY-SA 4.0A weekend in Aguilar de Campoo: Romanesque, Las Loras and bison, an hour and a quarter from Burgos and Santander
With four or five free days, the Romanesque of northern Palencia is within reach. The Convento de Mave is open from late March to October, and in Holy Week it starts its season: order the roast lamb when you book. The Sunday bison visit is also booked.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which days are holidays in Navarre at Easter?
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday, besides Sunday. Five days in a row.
What time is the Descent of the Angel in Tudela?
At 8:00 on Easter Sunday, in the Plaza de los Fueros. The Volatín is on Holy Saturday. Both are free.
Can you ski at Easter?
Only if it falls before each resort's season closes, which depends on that year's snow. Check the report a few days ahead.
Do I have to book Gaztelugatxe?
On controlled-access days, yes: a free ticket on the Bizkaia provincial council website. Those days are set by its annual calendar.