Navarra is a region with a rich and fascinating history, which has given rise to numerous traditions that are still alive and proudly celebrated by its inhabitants. Below you will find an extensive list of the most well-known and beloved Navarrese traditions:
1. City and village festivals (San Fermín)
Each town and village in Navarre celebrates its own fiestas during the summer period, with the most famous being: San Fermín, in the capital Pamplona. In all town and village festivals in Navarre, the tradition is to wear white clothes with red accessories.
The San Fermín celebrations, also known as the Sanfermines, are an annual festival that takes place in Pamplona. These festivities are held in honor of San Fermín (Firminus of Amiens), one of the two patron saints of Navarre. The festival takes place every year from July 6 to 14 and attracts more than 1,000,000 visitors from all over the world and is best known for its encierros (“running of the bulls”).
The rest of the cities and villages also have their own celebrations, which are a smaller-scale version of the Sanfermines. Often there are too encierros and many fun activities, such as concerts, attractions, drinks and music on the street.
2. Pilgrimages
Several pilgrimages take place in Navarre every year. Two of the most famous are the pilgrimage to Ujue and Javier.
Thousands of people walk there from various nearby villages Ujue, some of which are more than 25 kilometers away. This tradition has been taking place since the year 1043, usually at the end of April or beginning of May. The pilgrims wear black robes, cover their faces with a hood of the same color and often carry Christian crosses.
Since the prayers to San Francisco Javier (“Saint Francis Xavier”) helped overcome a cholera epidemic in Navarre in 1886, pilgrimages are held every year by thousands of people from all over Navarre. These are usually held on the first two weekends of March and are also known as Javieradas. At the Javieradas one wears normal clothing, in contrast to the romería (“pilgrimage”) to Ujue.
3. Semana Santa (Easter)
In Semana Santa (“Holy Week”), several processions are held in Navarre, in which a group of bearers usually carries a statue of Christ and/or Mary through the streets of their village or city. However, this happens on a completely different level in the south of Spain. Yet it is a tradition that many residents of Navarra look forward to.
4. Medieval days of Olite and Artajona
The Medieval Festivities take place during the second weekend of August Olite place, where the city goes back in time to the Middle Ages. Numerous activities, musical performances and performances take place, along with a medieval market. In addition, many people dress in all kinds of medieval attire.
In addition, organises Artajona at the end of August also an event that takes the village back to the Middle Ages. The inhabitants also dress in clothing that was worn in the Middle Ages. There are various activities to do during this event. For example, visitors can taste all kinds of typical Navarrese products at the craft markets. There are also falconry shows, an exhibition with knights on horseback carrying medieval lances and various guided tours.
5. Reyes Magos and Olentzero
The Reyes Magos (“The Three Kings”) and the Olentzero are for Spanish children just like Sinterklaas is for Dutch children. The Reyes Magos are celebrated by almost all families in Spain, with children receiving gifts. One custom is that children who have not behaved well during the year are given coal as punishment. However, they often receive a piece of edible (candy) coal as a joke. On January 5, a parade with floats is held in almost every village or city and when the children wake up in the morning, there are often many presents under the Christmas tree.
In addition, the Olentzero (originally from the Basque Country), celebrated by some people in Navarre. These are often the people who feel Basque or have something to do with the Basque Country. A parade is also held for this purpose Olentzero, who is a kind of Basque Santa Claus, is carried by a group of people on December 24.
6. Jotas
The jotas navarras is a traditional style of music sung during Navarrese festivities. They are part of the wider jota tradition found in several parts of Spain including Aragón, La Rioja and Valencia.
The singing is an important part and is often characterized by energetic, emotional and sometimes improvised lyrics. The singers often have a powerful voice and sing with great expression. The singing is often accompanied by performed instruments such as guitars, bandurrias (a Spanish string instrument), lutes and sometimes accordions.
In addition, they dress in white clothing with red accessories, typical of Navarrese village festivals and the San Fermín festivals in Pamplona.
7. Carnival
A tradition in Navarre, as in many places around the world, is the annual celebration of Carnival. However, in some places in Navarre this is celebrated in a special way.
In the village of Lantz, a village in between Pamplona and Elizondo, the tradition is that the night before Ash Wednesday the entire village dresses up with different mythological characters, the aim being to catch the bandit Miel Otxin to catch, which represents the bad spirits. Some residents dress with bags of bales of hay, others with colorful clothes and straw hats.
The villages of Ituren and Zubieta also celebrate a special carnival in the last week of January. This is where people dress up Joaldunak (also Zanpantzar named). The costume consists of a colorful and pointed hat, a woolen garment and two cowbells on the back. The Joaldunak jump as they walk through the streets, creating a rhythmic sound through the cowbells.
In the village of Alsasua, people dress up as Momotxorro. The costume consists of a cow's head with two horns, a white apron with "blood", blue pants and a pitchfork.
