Leitza, what to see and what to do.

Leitza, what to see and what to do in one of the most charming villages of Navarra.

 

Leitza, is a small town located in the valley of Leitzaran, in the northwest of Navarra. Its geographical limits are defined by the villages of Berastegi and Goizueta to the north, Ultzi to the south, Goizueta, Ezkurra and Beruete to the east and Berastegi and Areso to the west. In this rural nucleus, the bluish gray of the noble stone houses merges with the intense green of its forests creating an idyllic space. The beauty of Leitza lies both in its urban center and in its mountains, 2 spaces, essential to visit in every trip to Leitza. If you access Leitza from Gipuzkoa, if the first thing you see is an industrial area, the paper mill, do not panic, Leitza is a beautiful village, patience. Among the places that people who visit Leitza usually like the most, we find places like Peru-Harri, Leitzalarrea, the Plazaola Greenway or the historic center itself. Such is the charm of the latter, that it was one of the most important scenes of the movie “8 Basque surnames”, one of the most successful productions of recent times. Leitza is a rural town where ancestral customs are deeply rooted. A perfect place to learn about the traditions, customs and history of our people. People who love photography, find in Leitza a luxury model. The farmhouses scattered in the mountains, among forests and meadows, surrounded by sheep, cows and horses, form one of the most photographed landscapes in the north of Navarre. A picture that makes you fall in love. The blue of the sky contrasts with the green of the mountains and the bluish gray of the houses. A beautiful palette of colors that more than one artist would have liked to capture.

You should know that, although in many articles we find references to Leiza, the official nomenclature to refer to this small urban nucleus is Leitza, in Basque. A name that groups both the urban nucleus and the more than 100 hamlets that we find scattered on the slopes of the valley. The different neighborhoods that make up Leitza are Arkiskil, Erasote, Gorriztaran, Sakulu and Erreka.

 

In this section on what to see in Leitza, we propose several spaces, which, located both in Leitza and nearby, are very interesting to know. The location of Leitza, in the heart of the valley, makes nature one of the main protagonists of this town, we hope that our proposals are to your liking.

 

Urban center of LeitzaThe old town of Leitza is worth visiting. We recommend that you enter between these enormous stone masses that they have for houses. Beautiful. In our case, there were thousands of details that left us speechless in this urban core, among all of them, we highlight the Eguzkilore, that ancestral thistle of our people, today protected, which continues to take care of the houses of Leitza prostrate at its doors.

Among all the buildings that stand out in Leitza, it is worth mentioning the Euskal Herria square, the town hall, the fronton, the washing place of Aiene or the church of San Miguel. The latter invites us to enjoy impressive views of Leitza thanks to its privileged location. Although the aforementioned buildings are simply impressive, we must not lose sight of each and every one of the stone houses, which, with their gabled design, stand out thanks to their imposing structures, balconies and doors. These characteristics turn them into architectural jewels, authentic houses of the Navarrese Pyrenees. It is said that there is a rumor that says that the houses of Leitza are angry with each other, a belief, which is largely due to the structuring of this incredible urban area. You should know that every Friday, a small market is held in the square of Leitza, a traditional space that gives us the opportunity to buy local produce, km 0.

 

Peru-HarriThe museum of Iñaki Perurena, Peru-Harri, invites us to know the culture of the stone and the Herri Kilorak (rural sports of Euskal Herria) while we make a small review to the life of the Perurena family. A space located in the middle of nature, which we recommend you to enjoy with your eyes closed. The enormous sculptures that we find along the route, together with the objects inside the Gorrittenea farmhouse, form an incredible collection that helps us to understand the way of being of the Basque people.

 

Zubieta MillThe mill of Zubieta, Zubietako errota in Basque, is a beautiful engineering complex located next to the road that separates Doneztebe / Santesteban from Leitza. This mill, built in 1785, was restored and opened to the public in 1998, a great historical jewel that is worth seeing in operation. This building, together with the waters of the small river that gives it life (Ezkurra), is one of the attractions that we find in the vicinity of Zubieta. On the other hand, the medieval bridge that joins the two banks of the river Ezkurra and the beautiful stone houses of the urban nucleus of Zubieta, complement this didactic visit of the north of Navarre.

 

Señorío de Bertiz Natural ParkSeñorío de Bertiz Natural Park: This space is one of the great attractions of the Señorío de Bertiz Natural Park. This garden is more than 100 years old, and has in its interior tree species from different parts of the world surrounded by shrubs and exotic flowers. A small walk in the middle of nature, which, thanks to its ponds, manor houses, history and natural charms, makes this enclave one of the most visited in Navarre.

 

TolosaThe old capital of Gipuzkoa awaits us with open arms to know each and every one of its secrets. Famous for its steaks, its beans, its sweets and its txapelas, the old capital of Gipuzkoa has an incredible collection of places to enjoy. From the TOPIC museum to its spectacular old town. A highly recommended visit in the interior of Euskadi.

 

Donostia San SebastianAlthough it may seem crazy to many to recommend visiting the coast of Gipuzkoa while staying in Leitza, we must remember that Donostia San Sebastian is only 30 minutes away by car. A small getaway, which can serve to enjoy a nice walk along the coast of Donostia San Sebastian, Mount Urgull, Igeldo, the beaches of Donostia San Sebastian or any of the many viewpoints of the capital of Gipuzkoa. A nice “egun pasa” (excursion or trip that lasts all day), which will help us to complement our adventure in Leitza.

 

Baztan ValleyThe magical Baztan Valley, gives us endless adventures and stories to discover. Located between the passes of Belate and Otsondo, between mountains, forests and meadows, we find the 15 villages that are part of the Baztan Valley, the largest municipality in Navarra. The stone houses and the environment of great natural value, make this area one of the most demanded by people looking for tranquility away from the big cities.

 

Infernuko ErrotaInfernuko errota, mill of hell in Spanish, is a water mill located in a remote place of Navarra. A space, in which the cover disappears leaving place to the authentic and wild rural life. This mill has been recovered by the people in charge of a nearby restaurant, Etxebertzeko Borda. If you dare to walk the path that separates this establishment and the mill, we recommend you to try their culinary creations. Traditional, authentic, traditional and at a reasonable price. Surely you will like them.

 

Zugarramurdi: The village of witches. A small village located near the “muga”, border in Basque, in which in addition to witchcraft, smuggling was also an important part of its history. In this village we recommend visiting the museum of the witches, the caves of Zugarramurdi and the route known as “pottokaren bidea”, the route of the blue horse. A historical and circular route that connects the villages of Ainhoa, Sara, Urdazubi-Urdax and Zugarramurdi.

 

AmaiurAmaiur: In this charming village of Navarre are the remains of the last castle and bastion of the Kingdom of Navarre. It was here that the last brave men fought for their people. Nowadays, this quiet and beautiful village invites us to stroll among its houses to finish enjoying a succulent talo in the mill of the village. We recommend you to read our article “Amaiur, one of the most beautiful villages in the Baztan Valley”, we are sure that the images and words in it will help you to choose this beautiful corner of Navarre.

 

French Basque Country, IparraldeIparralde, also known as the French Basque Country, is an enchanting area. An enclave in which the small and impressive villages, call the attention of all the people who visit it. In addition, in this area, we also find emblematic spaces such as the Larrun rack railway, the historical urban center of Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto or the Aquarium of Biarritz among many others. Highly recommended.

As you can see, most of the attractions that we recommend to see in Leitza and surroundings, correspond to areas located more than 30 minutes from the center of this town. And, depending on the planning and duration of each trip, the attractions we mention may help you to get an overview of our culture, history and way of being.

 

Leitza is presented to us as a natural paradise where you can perform all kinds of activities. Lovers of active tourism are in luck. Hiking, mountain biking routes and a replenishing gastronomy are waiting for you. Here are some examples.

 

Leitzalarrea TrailThe name of this trail corresponds to a common toponym in Euskal Herria. On the one hand we find the name of the village “Leitza” and on the other hand the word “Larre” meadow in Basque, thus alluding to the meadows of Leitza. However, this route of Leitza leads us most of the way through trees. This walk through Leitzalarrea, leads us through forests full of charm for approximately 6 kilometers. A circular route, which begins in the area of Ixkibar and crosses spaces where formerly the sorginak (witches in Basque) performed their akelarres. In Ixkibar, where we can leave our vehicles, we can see the remains of a mining operation to obtain ore. Most of the trees that we find on the road correspond to plantations made by the Leitzarras throughout history. Among all the forests along the way, we find Abetal de Izaieta, declared a Natural Monument.

 

Plazaola GreenwayThe Plazaola Greenway follows the route of the old Plazaola train. A route that linked the cities of Iruñea Pamplona and Donostia San Sebastián. On this occasion, we travel along part of the recovered and conditioned route. Most of the recovered sections are within the geographical limits of Leitza, a route of great natural and historical beauty that we recommend you to travel both on mountain bike and walking. By the way, if you are thinking of doing it by bike, you can rent bikes in Lekunberri, without having to carry them from home.

 

8 Basque surnames in LeitzaTouring the different scenarios of films like 8 Basque surnames or series like Goenkale, is quite an adventure. And is that, if we take as an example the film directed by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro, 8 Basque surnames, we can say that it has been a perfect showcase to show the world the beauty of Leitza. This production winner of 3 goyas in 2015 is one of the highest grossing films in history. Argoitia, the name with which Leitza was known in fiction, is where most of 8 Basque Surnames takes place. This statement is based on the fact that the house of Amaia, the main character of the film, as well as many other locations, were filmed in Leitza. If you want to relive the film, we recommend you to walk through the scenarios that walked Clara Lago, Dani Rovira, Karra Elejalde or Carmen Machi among many others.

 

Enjoying the gastronomyEating in Leitza is a real pleasure. The fact of being a rural environment, makes that many of the raw materials used to make the dishes, are local, autochthonous. An example of this is the menu we enjoyed at the Iruso restaurant in Leitza. A menu, full of local proposals such as talo, txistorra, chops, Idiazabal cheese salad or cheesecake. Undoubtedly, a perfect establishment to know and enjoy the gastronomy of Leitza. If you are interested in eating in this restaurant, if you want more information, we recommend you to read our article: “Iruso, the restaurant of Leitzalarrea“.

 

The environment in which Leitza is located, between mountains, at an altitude of 490 meters above sea level, surrounded by mountains of 700 meters of average altitude, makes Leitza provide us with a space where we can enjoy nature in total comfort and tranquility. At the same time, the good road communication that it enjoys, makes us to be far and close to the big cities of our environment. Leitza is perfectly communicated with the interior and the coast of the Basque Country, being its strong points Iruñea Pamplona (40 minutes) and Donostia San Sebastian (30 minutes). As you can see, Leitza is presented to us as a strategic place to visit Navarra and Gipuzkoa. And is that, located halfway between both regions, this Navarrese town is perfect to know an important part of Euskal Herria.

 

There are many witnesses that tell us about the presence of human beings in Leitza, the oldest of which are the two-chamber dolmen located in Mendibil (4,000 BC) and the Urdola cromlech (2,000 BC). On the other hand, the oldest written reference is found in a document of the then king of the Kingdom of Pamplona, Sancho el Mayor (1004-1035), although unfortunately, experts do not agree on its veracity. In any case, the next document we find dates from 1192, when Sancho VI the Wise gave Leitza a charter. For all those who do not know the concept of “fuero”, it is a set of laws that a monarch granted to a territory in the Middle Ages with the aim of regulating the day to day life of that place. The fueros granted privileges and rights that other towns or territories did not have, but they also imposed their own taxes. In the case of Leitza, the charter stated that they had to pay a tax for each house and another for each animal they owned.

Leitza, has long been in the muga between the kingdoms of Navarre and Castile, a fact, which made Leitza suffered multiple attacks. In one of these battles, in 1429, the Kingdom of Castile razed the town. After this altercation, Leitza remained under the command of Castile until 1437. Unfortunately, the battles did not cease and in 1444 the village was again destroyed. If today Leitza is beautiful, we do not even want to think what it would be like if it had not been destroyed so many times.

 

Leitza is a town of illustrious people. In addition to the aforementioned Iñaki Perurena, there are many other famous people in Leitza. Most of them, sportsmen. If we had to mention a town in Navarre that stands out for being the cradle of sportsmen, we are sure that more than one person would mention Leitza. The Leitzarras have stood out throughout history in different sports disciplines, most of them, in different modalities of Herri Kirolak, the rural sports. Here are some examples:

This is but a small representation of the great athletes that the small town of Leitza, 2900 inhabitants, has given to elite sport. According to Inaxio Perurena himself, this success is partly due to the way of being of the inhabitants of this town. Sacrifice, routine and hard work. We are sure that in the future, the Leitza factory will continue to brighten our days with great sporting spectacles.

 

As in the rest of our articles, in this article about what to see in Leitza, we also wanted to record a small audiovisual. This time, we present Peru-Harri, one of the most striking spaces in the area. If you like this kind of destinations, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find more than one place to visit.

These are, in short, our recommendations on what to see in Leitza. There are many more options, but in our opinion, the ones we suggest are the most important and beautiful. We hope you like them. Anyway, if you have any questions or suggestions, we recommend you to leave us a comment in this article. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pass!