Discover Lekunberri: Trails, Tunnels and Local Culture

A distinctive feature around Lekunberri is the Uitzi Tunnel on the Camino Natural del Plazaola. The tunnel is 2,700 metres long and crosses the watershed between the Mediterranean basin to the south, with the River Larraun in the Ebro drainage basin, and the Cantabrian basin to the north, with the River Leitzarán.

When selecting a holiday apartment in Lekunberri, you can compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the accommodation pages with the different themes of the town. For your personal planning, you can consider trails, local culture and excursion destinations separately.

Nature and Trails

The Vía Verde del Plazaola runs from Lekunberri railway station towards Leitza for just over 15 kilometres, without passing through a settlement centre; this section has up to 17 tunnels. The section of the Vía Verde del Plazaola from Lekunberri leads through dense forests and also opens onto views of valleys and mountains.

Lekunberri’s Bidegorri is considered a family-friendly option for a short excursion. The town also has a signposted circular route within the town, connecting numerous sights and important points along the way. This allows different route formats and a short excursion to be considered as separate elements of a day, without prescribing a fixed programme.

Visits to the Mendukilo Cave in the surrounding area last 60 minutes. Inside, the temperature is 8 to 9°C, so warm clothing is recommended. The information on duration, temperature and clothing gives this cave visit a clear timeframe and practical framework.

This provides different ways of exploring for putting together a day: a longer route through tunnels and landscapes, a short excursion on the Bidegorri, a circular route through the town or a cave visit with a clearly defined duration. The information on length and duration makes the differences between these options immediately understandable.

Culture and Local Life

Lekunberri’s old town has a self-guided route accessible via QR code. Large stone houses typical of the region shape the townscape. The Basque band Berri Txarrak was founded in Lekunberri in 1994; a mural about the band is located on a wall of the Frontón.

The town’s cultural events include Carnival and St John’s Eve. Carnival in Lekunberri takes place on the Saturday before the official Carnival and includes music, costumes and street entertainment. St John’s Eve is celebrated with a large fire in the village square, a communal dinner and music.

The former Plazaola railway station has a shop selling local products from artisans and producers in the surrounding area. The former station building of the Plazaola railway in Lekunberri houses the regional tourist office and is a point of orientation on the Vía Verde del Plazaola. The former public washhouse in Lekunberri can be visited.

Further destinations: Zizur Mayor, Burguete, Lantz, Zubieta, Espinal, Cadreita, Cascante and Arróniz.

For the higher-level travel overview: Navarra.