Iruñea · Pamplona
The capital of Navarre, 15 minutes from the door
Few country houses can boast the capital of a medieval kingdom just fourteen kilometres away. From TTipiaenea you reach Pamplona's old town in under a quarter of an hour. You set off after breakfast, stroll without hurry and come back for lunch with the fire lit.
A capital that keeps five centuries in stone
Pamplona keeps its medieval layout intact, born from the union of three separate boroughs in 1423 under the Privilege of the Union of King Charles III the Noble. Narrow streets, broad squares and Renaissance walls that embrace the whole old town form a city best explored on foot rather than by car.
The Plaza del Castillo is its heart: terraces, the legendary Café Iruña where Hemingway wrote, and the Hotel La Perla where he stayed. From here the rest of the city unfolds like a relief map.
From the Gothic cloister to the 16th-century walls
The Cathedral of Santa María hides one of the finest Gothic cloisters in Europe behind its neoclassical façade. The alabaster mausoleum of Charles III and the choir stalls are unique pieces that deserve time and calm.
The Renaissance walls —five kilometres declared a National Monument— are the city's loveliest walk. You walk above the rooftops of the old town, see the Citadel, the river Arga and, on clear days, the Pyrenees in the distance. A circuit that can be done in an unhurried hour, or all morning if you stop to look.
The Plaza del Castillo is where everything converges: terraces, the legendary Café Iruña where Hemingway wrote, the Hotel La Perla where he stayed, and the energy of a city that knows how to live in the street. It's the best place to sit down, order something and let Pamplona go by.
Pintxos, fritters and Estafeta street
Before going into the bars, it's worth climbing up to the Mirador del Caballo Blanco, beside the walls. From there one of the best views of the Pamplona basin opens up: the river Arga, the northern hills and, on the clearest days, you can almost make out the hamlet of Ariz where TTipiaenea is. Fourteen kilometres away, but in sight.
The fritters are just as traditional: egg fritters, pepper or squid balls are a must. Navarrese cheese, chistorra, Pamplona stuffing, asparagus, piquillo peppers and Navarra wine round off a first-class larder.
The Santo Domingo Market offers vegetables, meats, sweets, dairy and stalls specialising in cod. The Plaza del Castillo adds the menus of the legendary Café Iruña, where Hemingway wrote a century ago.
Fourteen kilometres, a quarter of an hour
From TTipiaenea, Pamplona is so close that you can go in the morning, lunch in the city and be back for a siesta. Or set off before lunch and arrive in time for an aperitif on the Plaza del Castillo.
Practical information
- Distance14 km · 15 min by car
- ParkingPlaza del Castillo or Plaza de Toros car park
- On foot from the car park2 min to the old town
- Best timeEarly morning or evening in summer
- San Fermín6–14 July · Book well in advance
