navarra

Situated in the north-northeast of the Iberian peninsula, the region of Navarra is a mixture of ancient Basque tradition and modern Mediterranean influences.

Navarra is fresh, green and mountainous. Its capital city, Pamplona, is famous for its Sanfermines bull-running festival each July, but it's a lively city year-round thanks to the university population. It also has an attractive historic centre with many buildings of interest.

Outside the city, Navarra's highlights are its quaint villages that nestle amid the hills and valleys. Visitors could spend several days just pottering happily between them, drinking in the rich history of the Camino de Santiago which runs through this land - and perhaps a glass or two of the local cider as well. Other specialities of the region include the local trout which flourish in Navarra's clear rivers.

There are literary connections, too. Navarra is Hemingway country: the novelist was fond of the bulls and liked to watch the corrida in Pamplona during the festival; then he retreated to the cool green of the mountains for rest and recuperation. Modern-day visitors may enjoy following his example.