Ituren: Culture, Hiking Trails and Holiday Apartments

The Ituren and Zubieta Carnival is celebrated every year in Ituren and Zubieta on the Monday and Tuesday following the last Sunday in January and is a cultural heritage asset of cultural interest. In Navarre, the Ituren and Zubieta carnivals have also been declared festivals of tourist interest. On Monday, the procession from Zubieta visits Ituren; on Tuesday, Ituren returns the visit in Zubieta. The central procession covers three kilometres between the two villages, ending in Ituren’s village square; it includes Joaldunak, a bear, other animal figures and rams.

For a holiday apartment in Ituren, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions can be compared directly on the respective offer page. This information provides a clear framework for your own travel period and preferred type of accommodation when planning your trip.

Culture

Traditional buildings in Ituren preserve turned wooden balconies; some houses date from the 17th century, while one shows Gothic traces. The Church of San Martín de Tours dates from the 16th century, was partially remodelled in the 18th century and has a main altar from the early 17th century that retains its original polychromy. The Palacio de Ituren has origins in the late Middle Ages; the present stone building was completed in 1715 and bears a Baroque coat of arms.

The Marizeneko zubia is one of Ituren’s two medieval bridges over the Ezkurra River and retains its original construction with a large round arch. The second medieval bridge over the Ezkurra crosses the river between the districts of Latsaga and Aurtitz in Ituren and likewise retains its original construction with a large round arch. The Trinity Chapel was rebuilt in 1963. The Chapel of San Joaquín is about ten minutes from Ituren on the way to Mount Mendaur and was restored in 1956.

Trails

The Camino del Agua is a 15.6-kilometre, moderately difficult linear hiking trail that follows the Ezkurra River and passes through Ituren and Aurtitz. It is also suitable for mountain biking (BTT). On the Ituren section of the Ruta del Agua, the trail passes along the Joaldunak Trail in the Lasaga district and by old washhouses and bathing areas.

The Ioaldunen Bidea begins in Ituren’s village square and continues via Latsaga and Aurtitz to Zubieta. The five-kilometre linear hiking trail connects Ituren and Zubieta, gains 100 metres in elevation and offers insights into the traditional way of life of the Basque-Atlantic dispersed settlements. The Arantza-Mendaur-Makillipurdi-Sorano-Illurdi-Arantza route is a difficult 21-kilometre hike that descends towards Ituren and continues to the Mendaur Reservoir.

Different trail lengths and difficulty levels help you compare your own hiking preferences and available time.

Getting There

Ituren and Zubieta can be reached from the N-121A via the turn-off for Doneztebe/Santesteban and then along the NA-170.

Other places include Ayechu, Enériz, Ezcároz, Tirapu, Ultzama, Yerri, Viana and Barillas.

Annual Festivals

The Feast of the Trinity is celebrated in late May or early June; during the celebration, local residents climb Mount Mendaur, whose summit is home to the Trinity Chapel.

For the higher-level travel overview: Navarre.