Tafalla is located in the heart of Navarra about 30 minutes from Pamplona, the capital of Navarre. This town retains the medieval flavor in the oldest part and offers a more modern atmosphere in the center, with all kinds of shops and pubs. Tafalla is the economic center of the middle region of Navarre. Most likely, the name of this city comes from Arabic Al Tafaylla and it means “Where the crops begin”.
The Plaza de Francisco de Navarra is the central square of the city and serves as a meeting place and stage for the most important events that take place here. On this square you can also admire the fountain, which is the symbol of the city. This square also houses the town hall, which can be seen behind the fountain.
This square was part of it Royal Palace of Tafalla, which was built in the 15th century under King Charles III, also known as “the Good”. Nowadays this palace has completely disappeared. Through one of the gates on this square you reach one of the liveliest places in Tafalla, the popular one Placeta de las Pulgas (“Square of the Fleas”). There are several terraces here and it is particularly lively on Thursdays and weekends, especially in the summer.
In the summer Thursday evenings, the Juevintxo place. “Juev” is derived from jueves (“Thursday”) and “intxo” by pintxo (“tapa/small snack”). Many of the bars in the center of Tafalla offer a glass of wine or beer with a pintxo during these days for a reduced price (€2-4).
Churches in Tafalla
In Tafalla there are two main churches: Santa María and San Pedro. The Church of Santa Maria is located in the highest part of the city. It is Romanesque in style, built in the 13th century with the name of San Salvador and after a reform in 1556 it was renamed Santa María. A reform was also carried out in 1730, accompanied by an expansion.
The Church of San Pedro is the oldest in town. Inside is the altarpiece of the Visitación of Gothic style, as well as others in Baroque style. There is also an altarpiece from the 16th century that was previously in the Monastery of the Concepcionistas Recoletas (also in Tafalla) was located.
Other sights
Near La Peña, also known as Barrio Alto (“Hoge Buurt”), is the oldest part of Tafalla and has been restored in recent years. According to Arab chroniclers The first inhabitants of Tafalla settled here from the 10th century. If we walk up through the streets from the church of Santa María, we reach the hill of Santa Lucía. This is where the original castle stood, which stood until the 16th century.
It later served as a stone quarry, was converted into a fortress in the 19th century and destroyed after several wars. Today it is the perfect place for a pleasant walk through the pine forest with the best panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.
Close to the city center and along the main road is one of Tafalla's most famous buildings. It Monastery of the Concepcionistas Recoletas was built in 1674 and is connected to it Palacio de los Mencos (“Palace of the Mencos (family)”) through a monumental arch over the road. This palace was also built in the 17th century and is owned by the Mencos family, one of the most important families in Tafalla who first settled here in the year 1420.
For groups of 6 to 14 people it is possible to take a tour of the palace in English, including a tasting of 3 local wines in the wine cellar. The costs for this are 10 euros per person. For more information, click here.
Activities in Tafalla
Every year the Tafalla celebrations start on August 14 and last until August 20. They start with the so-called chupinazo, during which a flare is shot from the balcony of the town hall. This is followed by music, extensive festivities and (lots of) drinks. Locals often go out to eat with their groups of friends. Moreover, there are people on the streets all day (and night).
From August 15, there will be one every morning encierro (“running of the bulls”), which attracts many people from the region and even from far beyond. During the day there is music on the streets again and plenty of festivities. Some people go to the bullfight in the late afternoon, but this is not recommended for sensitive people.
After the bullfight every day vaquillas (“cows”) are released into the bullring. Young people try to avoid these cows, sometimes by doing beautiful somersaults over the cows. In the evening the Torico de Fuego (“Bull of Fire”) place, a version of the encierro but with a fake bull. This activity is intended for children who run ahead of the “bull”. This will be followed by another big party in the streets and bars of Tafalla. The Torico de Fuego is a Navarrese tradition that is held in several villages during the village festivals, as in Olite.
On August 17 or 18, in addition to all the partying, the concurso de recortadores held. This is a competition where a number of professionals perform somersaults and movements to avoid the bulls. It is a non-violent alternative to bullfighting, where the bull is not hurt.
During these celebrations, people traditionally wear white and red clothes, as is customary in Navarre. One could see this as a small-scale version of San Fermín, Navarra's largest festival, which took place in Pamplona takes place.
