Medieval stories, kingdoms, and fortresses
Navarre preserves among its mountains, valleys, and villages an extraordinary legacy of castles and palaces that recall the history of an ancient kingdom marked by power struggles, alliances, and border changes.
For centuries, these fortresses were symbols of authority, places of defense, and residences for monarchs and nobles who left a deep imprint on the territory; today, however, they are the legacy of those times that still stands for the delight of those who have the opportunity to contemplate them, and a portal to the memory of the past for those who walk along their walls and corridors...
Today, I invite you on a tour of 10 castles in Navarre, where we will create a route that you yourselves could visit.
The route begins at the Royal Palace of Olite, one of the great symbols of the ancient Kingdom of Navarre. From there, we will head toward the NA-128 until we reach the Castle of Marcilla, located about 20 kilometers away, to continue another 80 kilometers east along the NA-127 to the Castle of Javier.
At this point, we will ascend along the road, heading north on the A-21 until we reach the Castle of Amaiur-Maya, located 100 kilometers away, where we will enter the old border territories of northern Navarre.
From there, we will change direction, crossing the middle zone of Navarre via the N-121, where the Castle of Monjardín is located, and we will then continue toward the center of the region along the A-12 until we reach the Castle of Tiebas, located 50 kilometers away.
Returning toward the south of Navarre, following the AP-15 and the N-121, we will arrive at the Castle of Cortes, located about 130 kilometers away. From this area, the route will take us back toward the interior along the N-121 and the AP-15, to the Castle of Garaño, located 160 kilometers away.
Nearing the end of the journey, we will find ourselves 35 kilometers away via the NA-700, toward Estella-Lizarra, where the Palace of the Kings of Navarre is located, before finishing by advancing toward Pamplona along the A-12, where we will find our final destination, the Castle-Palace of Gorraiz, located 45 kilometers away.
This route, while not the only one you could choose to visit these magical lands steeped in history, does gather some of the most prominent medieval castles and palaces in Navarre, combining historical heritage, charming villages, and landscapes where the footprint of the ancient kingdom still remains.
If you choose to visit these castles in person, we suggest that spring and autumn are the best times to take this route, thanks to their mild temperatures and the beauty of the surroundings.
Without further ado, let's begin.
Royal Palace of Olite
As we approach the town of Olite, we can contemplate the majestic Royal Palace of Olite, whose towers rise above the landscape and signal to us that we are standing before one of the great symbols of the ancient Kingdom of Navarre.
Built between 1400 and 1424, during the splendor of the Kingdom of Navarre, it is one of the most spectacular Gothic palatial complexes in Europe. Its interior can be explored by you, as it is open to the public, although we recommend checking its hours and costs to plan your visit.
Its towers, courtyards, galleries, and gardens date from the time of Charles III the Noble, the monarch who promoted the palace's construction until it became a residence worthy of one of the most refined courts of medieval Europe.
Its towers and passageways have fueled popular stories about how ghosts of former inhabitants seem to remain present within its walls, so, if you are adventurous, perhaps you will have the chance to discover it for yourselves.
Castle of Marcilla
On the road separating us from the Castle of Marcilla, you will be able to contemplate the landscapes of the Ribera de Navarra, its extensive crop fields, and the towns that dot the route, until we finally find ourselves before this imposing medieval fortress.
Built around 1420, it is one of the best examples of Gothic military architecture in Navarre.
Its excellent state of conservation allows one to visit and appreciate a fortress designed for defense, but also adapted as a stately residence.
Its towers, walls, and interior rooms preserve the medieval essence of a place that survived the passage of time.
Here, tradition recalls the figure of the Marchioness of Falces, a noblewoman who reportedly defended the fortress against Castilian troops thanks to her ingenuity and bravery.
Castle of Javier
Over the course of the next 80 kilometers, you will be able to enjoy agricultural fields and vineyards with beautiful mountain ranges as a backdrop, before finding ourselves in front of the Castle of Javier.
Built in the 10th century, this is one of the most emblematic fortresses in Navarre.
Its medieval image, with towers, walls, and Romanesque elements, dominates the landscape of the town where Saint Francis Xavier, one of the great missionaries in history, was born.
Linked to the Jasso family, ancient lords of the place, it preserves the atmosphere of a medieval noble residence.
Popular tradition also relates it to the spirits of ancient Navarrese knights who, according to legend, still seem to protect its walls... something that, when contemplating its imposing silhouette capable of transporting the visitor to remote times, is difficult to doubt.
Castle of Amaiur-Maya
Continuing your tour, you will be able to enjoy landscapes surrounded by mountains, beech, oak, and conifer forests, as well as meadows and hillsides covered in vegetation. Small villages along the way that preserve the traditional character of these lands also stand out, until you finally find yourselves before the remains of the Castle of Amaiur-Maya, which represents one of the most important episodes in Navarrese history, as it was the last great bastion of resistance for the Kingdom of Navarre in 1522, before the incorporation of the territory into the Castilian Crown.
Although today we can only visit the ruins of this castle at the top of a small hill, which is reached by walking from the village of Amaiur, these monumental remains maintain a great symbolic weight that makes it one of the most significant historical enclaves in Navarre.
Castle of Monjardín
As we advance on our tour through the middle zone of Navarre, you will be able to enjoy the landscapes of vineyards, fields, and small towns that spread out around, until you finally find yourselves before the Castle of Monjardín, situated on top of an elevation that dominates the landscape.
It was an ancient Muslim fortress that later passed into Christian hands during the expansion of the Kingdom of Navarre, and when visiting it, you can access its walls and the hermitage of San Esteban de Monjardín, a small church located within the grounds of the ancient castle.
Its strategic position made it a key enclave during the Navarrese Reconquista, from where wide areas of the territory were controlled.
Its ruins preserve the memory of a fortress linked to kings, warriors, and medieval battles, and when contemplating the surroundings from the top, it is easy to understand how, centuries ago, the roads and the lands that stretched out at its feet were watched from that very place...
Castle of Tiebas
Crossing now through landscapes of fields and hills, and leaving behind the old roads that were your unavoidable company on the journey until now, you will arrive at the remains of the Castle of Tiebas, situated in a position from which a good part of the territory was dominated.
Built in 1264, it was one of the main royal residences of the Navarrese monarchs during the Middle Ages. Its strategic location near Pamplona allowed it to combine defensive and palatial functions.
Today, although only part of its walls and structure remain to be seen, its ruins allow one to get an idea of the importance it had as a center of power for the Kingdom of Navarre, where kings and nobles carried out part of their political life and made decisions that marked the fate of Navarre.
Castle of Cortes
Next, the tour moves through the open landscapes of the Ribera, between extensive crop fields and small towns that extend on both sides of the road, until arriving at Cortes, where you will find yourselves before this historic castle of medieval origin.
Of Muslim origin and later transformed by the Christians, it was an important border fortress between Navarre, Aragon, and Castile. Its strategic position made it a key point for surveillance and control of the territory.
With the passing of the centuries, it was adapted as a stately residence, preserving elements that recall its military past and its palatial function. Its walls reflect an era marked by disputes between kingdoms for dominion over the borders, and the importance this place must have had in those times of conflict and territorial struggles is still evident today.
Castle of Garaño
You will then traverse landscapes of mountains, valleys, and small towns, while the path leads toward one of the areas that formerly protected the access routes to Pamplona, until reaching the place where the remains of the Castle of Garaño are found.
This was a medieval fortress situated in a strategic position for defense. Built during the 13th century, it formed part of the defensive system of the Kingdom of Navarre.
Although it only preserves archaeological remains, its location allows for an understanding of the importance of these fortresses that controlled roads and protected territories.
When contemplating the ruins and the landscape that stretches out around it, we can understand the function it performed as a point of surveillance and defense, for its ruins maintain the essence of a medieval past where every enclave had a key role within the kingdom.
Palace of the Kings of Navarre in Estella
As you approach Estella-Lizarra, you will be able to enjoy the streets, squares, and historic buildings of this ancient city, closely linked to the Way of St. James, until you find yourselves before one of the great treasures of Navarrese medieval heritage, the Palace of the Kings of Navarre.
This is one of the great jewels of civil Romanesque architecture and the only building of this style preserved in the community.
Built in the 12th century, it was linked to the Navarrese monarchy as a residential and representative space.
Its capitals, sculptural decoration, and architecture reflect the artistic medieval splendor of Estella-Lizarra.
By contemplating its details and exploring its surroundings, you will be able to appreciate how the power of the monarchs manifested itself, not only in great fortresses but also in buildings intended to represent the wealth and prestige of the court.
In this case, more than a defensive fortress, it represents the cultural and political power of the kings during a time of great development.
Castle-Palace of Gorraiz
Now nearing the end of the journey, you will advance toward Pamplona, crossing the landscapes of its Basin, among fields, small towns, and the mountains that surround the Navarrese capital, until finally finding the Castle-Palace of Gorraiz, the final destination on this route through the medieval heritage of Navarre.
Built in the 14th century, it was a noble residence linked to the medieval aristocracy, and its architecture combines defensive elements with the comfort typical of a stately home.
Unlike other border fortresses, this castle was more related to the daily life of the nobles who occupied its rooms, and it is easy to see in its construction and interior spaces the glimmer of that era, which today has merged with modern luxury by being transformed into a hotel and gastronomic complex.
Its presence completes the route by showing a more residential facet of the ancient Kingdom's medieval heritage, thus bringing to an end this tour of some of the places that still preserve the memory of that ancient kingdom.
