Navarra in 1 day

Some tourists head towards the warm Spanish coast or the south of Spain and pass through Navarra. This visit to Navarra is often very short. That is why below you will see a list of sights that you must visit if you are only in Navarre for 1 day.

If you have a little longer to visit Navarre, we recommend seeing Navarre in 3 days and Navarre and 5 days.

Visit Navarra in 1 day

To get the most out of a short visit to Navarra, we have collected the sights below that you cannot miss.

Pamplona or Ujué

Pamplona is the capital of Navarre and best known for the San Fermín festivals, which are mainly associated with the running of the bulls. Considering the time limitation, we recommend visiting the Old Town. The old town of Pamplona is full of bars where you can enjoy the diverse gastronomy from Navarra. These are the so-called pinchos/pintxos (“small bites”). This one is highly recommended pintxos to combine with a delicious local wine.

Kathedraal tussen balkonen — Cathedral of Santa María la Real in the old town

Another option for people who don't like big cities is the village Ujue. This village has been chosen as one of Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España (“The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain”). With its steep, labyrinthine streets, Ujué is also home to one of the most important monumental buildings of Navarre's medieval architecture. This is the Romanesque sanctuary-fortress of Santa Maria, which was built between the 11th and 14th centuries.

Ujué, with the shrine-fortress at the top

Olite

Olite is a small town about 35 minutes drive from Pamplona. This is where one of Navarra's most popular tourist attractions is located, namely the Royal Palace of Olite.

The Royal Palace of Olite is the perfect place to learn more about Navarre's medieval history. This palace can be explored from the inside, with access to galleries, rooms and the various towers. In addition to exploring the palace, Olite has more wonderful experiences to offer. Walking through the medieval alleys of the old town or visiting beautiful churches are some examples.

We recommend eating in Olite. Our recommended restaurants are Gambarte or Casa Del Preboste, and for people who like fine dining we recommend it Parador de Olite restaurant. These restaurants all serve typical Navarrese dishes.

Kasteel met kegelvormige daken — Royal Palace of Olite

Bardenas Reales

A 45-minute drive from Olite are the Bardenas Reales, one of the most visited sights in Navarre. The Bardenas Reales is a semi-desert in the southeast of Navarra.

This is one of Navarre's most popular attractions thanks to its enchanting ravines and plateaus that form an almost moon-like landscape. In recent years the area has become even more popular due to its appearance in TV series Game of Thrones.

The Bardenas Reales offers more than 700 kilometers of roads for nature lovers and is best explored by car or bicycle. However, we also recommend using a guided tour to get to know the story behind the Bardenas.

Rotsformatie in woestijn — Most famous rock formation in the Bardenas Reales

These are our recommended sights in Navarre if you only have 1 day to visit Navarre. However, we recommend staying in Navarra for a longer period of time, because there are many other beautiful places to visit. If you change your mind and want to stay in Navarre a little longer, check out Navarre in 3 days or Navarre in 5 days.