Eslava: Holiday Apartment and Roman Traces in Santa Criz

Culture and History

Eslava draws attention to Santa Criz de Eslava, where the remains of a Roman forum and the city’s necropolis are preserved. Santa Criz de Eslava is the most monumental of the Roman cities preserved in Navarre and probably one of the most impressive in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The remains of a monumental defensive wall have been documented at the protohistoric hillfort of Santa Criz.

Visits and Routes

Guided group visits are organised at Santa Criz de Eslava; Eslava Town Council and the University of Navarra work together to conduct them. Guided visits to the Roman archaeological site of Santa Criz de Eslava and the exhibition space featuring the exhibition “Santa Criz de Eslava, reflejos de Roma en Territorio Vascón” are offered from 15 March to 15 December and last approximately two hours. A signposted path leads from the centre of Eslava towards Santa Criz. The route “Eslava y el vino: Visita a Santa Criz y cata en yacimiento” combines a visit to Santa Criz with a tasting at the site; it lasts two hours in total and is 4.1 km long. For planning purposes, you can distinguish between visits scheduled for specific times, a path starting from the town centre and a route with a specified length according to the desired type of activity.

Landscape and Orientation

The municipality of Eslava consists of two small mountain ranges running north and south, separated by a lower and flatter central area. Tourist signage in Eslava comprises a road sign, a location map and a total of nine arrows. These indicate the town, as well as the main services and tourist resources, to visitors.

When comparing holiday apartments in Eslava, check the travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the offer pages. The decision regarding these fields remains separate from the thematic choice between archaeological visits, the townscape and the landscape.

Townscape and Buildings

At the exit from Eslava towards Lerga stands a 16th-century wayside cross on three square steps, with a prismatic base and fluted shaft. The chapel in Eslava is located in the upper part of the town and has been extensively remodelled; it contains an expressive 16th-century crucifixion sculpture.

The church in Eslava has medieval origins dating to around 1200. It preserves a medieval tower, choir columns, a crypt and the triumphal arch of the chancel. Eslava’s streets and squares also preserve ensembles such as “Las Agujas”, the megalithic monument “Mirador” and the sculpture group “Los Cipreses”, which integrate contemporary art into the town’s historic masonry.

Other Places

For further orientation at the same higher-level category: Armañanzas, Abaurrepea / Abaurrea Baja, Iturmendi, Lérruz, Iruñela, Arantza, Cizur Menor, Zizur Mayor

For the higher-level travel overview: Navarre.