{"id":59216,"date":"2026-04-07T18:13:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:13:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/marshrut-pivnichnoyu-ispanieyu\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T18:22:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:22:43","slug":"marshrut-pivnichnoyu-ispanieyu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/en\/marshrut-pivnichnoyu-ispanieyu\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Spain on your own – route through the regions of the Basque Country, Navarra, Castile and La Rioja"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Route through Northern Spain – what to see and taste in San Sebasti\u00e1n, Pamplona, Logro\u00f1o, Burgos, and Bilbao.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To see Spain, it is not enough to just visit the beaches of Barcelona and Malaga. The country is very diverse – you need to visit the north and west, where the climate and nature are very different from the south. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can do it as I do – every year pack a backpack and walk through different parts of Spain on foot. Or you can come, rent a car, and drive around all these places very quickly. This is the ideal option to get acquainted with the northern part of Spain. I explored it for years on foot, but you can, if you don’t have much time, do it in a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When is the best time to go to northern Spain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The best time to visit northern Spain is from June to October<\/strong>. During this period, you will have a warm climate and not so much rainfall. In summer, the maximum temperature is about 30\u00baC during the day and 20\u00baC at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In winter, the temperature drops significantly. Depending on where you go – to the coast or to Castile, the temperature will vary. On the coast of the Bay of Biscay, there are no frosts even in winter – it is warm here, but it rains during the winter and spring months. But, for example, in Burgos in winter, the temperature can drop to -10\u00b0C in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duration and itinerary of a trip through Northern Spain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It is worth spending at least a week<\/strong> exploring Northern Spain. The region covers eight areas, including the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Castile and Le\u00f3n, La Rioja, Aragon, and Navarra. You can start your trip with the big cities in each region, and on the way, stop in small but very interesting and atmospheric places. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I suggest a route that includes Pamplona, San Sebasti\u00e1n, Bilbao, Logro\u00f1o, and Burgos.<\/strong> These are not all the iconic cities of northern Spain, but for the first time they are enough to get acquainted with the culture, architecture, and cuisine of this part of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pamplona<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pamplona<\/strong> is the capital of Navarra, a province that is part of the Basque Country. This city is worth visiting for at least one day. Well, first of all, it is very beautiful here – the Old Town, which is located inside an ancient citadel. The old walls tower above the river, along which spreads a park with great walking trails.<\/p>\n\n\n

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In the center of Pamplona, among narrow streets, stands the huge Cathedral<\/strong>, but the entrance is paid (5 Euros). Come here for mass, see the gold and splendor inside, to the sound of the organ and for free. On the large Plaza de Castilla<\/strong> there are many restaurants, you can just sit on a bench watching passers-by and pigeons. On Fridays, concerts and fairs are often held here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pamplona<\/strong> is the city that hosts one of the most famous festivals in Spain – San Ferm\u00edn<\/strong> (from July 6 to 14). On this day, bulls run through the city’s streets. The bull runs take place every day until the end of the festival, which is already over 250 years old. Six fighting bulls and six steers are released from the corral to run an 825-meter route through the Old Town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the end, the bulls reach the Pamplona arena, where later that same day they will be killed in the Corrida by a matador. The people running with the bulls usually wear a white uniform with a neck scarf with the city’s coat of arms. Clearly, this is a very dangerous tradition, which causes hundreds of injuries every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to eat and drink in Pamplona<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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If you are planning a visit to Pamplona on another date, do not worry. Because festivals (fiestas) are held every Friday. The Friday fiesta in Spain is a sacred matter. It’s fun here even without the bulls, and what is important – very tasty. The best thing to do in Pamplona is to take a walk through the tapas bars. It’s better to call them pintxos bars here, because in the Basque Country pintxos are the main snack. Most restaurants and bars in the center of Pamplona offer fantastic Basque pintxos<\/strong>. I hope you won’t be disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recommend a budget pintxos bar near the Cathedral – Los Burgos de Iru\u00f1a<\/strong> (C. Navarrer\u00eda, 14). Here they are quite cheap, and very tasty. In the restaurant Iru\u00f1azarra<\/strong> (C. Mercaderes, 15) the selection of pintxos is much wider, with various flavors and serving ideas, and they also make their own craft beer. Highly recommend!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hotels in the center of Pamplona<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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