Tudela

The Ribera´s capital, it preserves a valuable artistic and architectural legacy, consequence of its rich history. Founded in 802 by Amrus Ibn Yusuf Al-Muwalad. This strategic enclave was used as watchtower by the Moslems against the Christians. Years later, it was used as fortress by the Navarre Crown against Castilla & Leon . After the Reconquest, and during 400 years,Tudela became the melting pot of the three cultures living in it: Moslems, Jews and Mozarabs. All of them left behind their legacy.

You can walk through the streets of the antigua juderia and visit the Catedral with its impressive main front of the Last Judgement. Don't miss the Museo de Tudela, with valuable sacral art pieces, or the Museo Muñoz Sala, with an extraordinary modern art collection.

To have something to eat and drink we recommend the Plaza de los Fueros, also used in the past as bull ring. Here you can find some of the best cake shops in Tudela, where you can buy the famous lardy cakes. A walk around the city streets would lead you through houses, palaces, the Iglesia de la Magdalena, el Palacio del Bocal, the medieval bridge.....

Corella

Corella is another important city of the Ribera, with a high heritage value. In this barroque city par excellence, you can walk and enjoy the numerous civil listed buildings, such as the Palacio de Sesma o Casa de las Cadenas, the Casa de los Virto de Vera and the Casa de los Peralta of renascence style. Don't miss the Museo Arrese, in it you would see the most important religious art collection of Navarre.

San Martín de Unx y Ujué

Two villages you can't miss out situated in the North of the Ribera. You can visit the (church) Iglesia in San Martin, a XII century Romanic construction that still maintains its original main front with chess like decoration on the inside, you can admire the beautiful gothic carving of the Virgen de la Leche, the main altarpiece and the crypt, a magical and mysterious place accessible through and spiral staircase. You can also visit the XIV century Iglesia-Fortaleza de Santa Maria Apostol.

In Ujue there is another magnificent Iglesia-Fortaleza (church-fortress), that of Santa Maria, with Battlements and buttress, a landmark of the medieval architecture. Inside there is a fantastic carving lined in silver of the Virgen y el Niño (Madonna and the child) and a 1406 chest containing Charles III´s heart. You would also find the Crucero del Saludo. But what will really amaze you is the magnificent Casco Medievaloriginal, a stony truss you can walk through and from which you can enjoy the fabulous views.

When thinking about a break, we recommend tasting the sugar almonds available in most shops.

Olite

Olite is a town with elegant aristocratic houses and buildings that go from Renaissance to Barrocan styles. Olite´s Royal Palace dominates all of the urban structure. Built in the late french gothic style, this palace takes the visitor back to the Medieval Age, thanks to its impresive towers, its bay windows, its passages and its hanging gardens. The oldest part also known as Old Palace is today Olite´s National Parador.
You can also visit Santa Maria´s Church, an XIII century gothic building that was once the Palace´s Chapel. However, the oldest church in Olite is the Romanic one of San Pedro, built on the XII century. It still manteins its primitive Romanic front even though it suffered great reforms during the XVIII century.
Of all this town´s events and festivities we must point out its famous Clasical Theatre Festival, celebrated every summer, as well as its Fiestas and medieval fares in which you can enjoy the markets, food and wine tastings, performances and craftsmanship

Monasterio de la Oliva

Next to Carcastillo, this monumental site is one of the most beautiful Cistercian monasteries in Spain. Its gothic cloister, the church, chapter house, abbatial palace.... you can either organise a guided tour or visit it by yourself. On the monastery you can buy the famous chocolate and wine made by the monks.

Monasterio de Fitero:

Situated in Fitero it also belongs to the Cistercian Order. The temple is protogothic; the cloister is from a later date and the vestry is barroque. The altar piece is spectacular, the best of the XVI century in Navarre. You can organise a guided tour.

If you fancy taking a relaxing break, you can spend the day at the Baños de Fitero, a spa with thermal waters. The curative water, highly recommended for the rheumatism and arthritis treatment, was already known by the Greeks and the Romans.

Monasterio de Tulebras:

It was the first female Cistercian monastery created in Spain in 1149. From the side chapel and through a gate you can see the XIII century church, solid and striped of any decoration. In the monastery you can buy honey and sweets made by the nuns such as "virutas de San Jose".

Castillo de Marcilla

This monumental XV century castle is situated in the centre of town. It is surrounded by a great defensive ditch and has six defensive towers around. Surprisingly it survived fortress´ demolition carried out by Fernando el Catolico in Navarre.

Santacara roman ruins:

If you like archaeolgy, you can organise a visit to the Santacara roman ruins, located in Santacara. Looking at the structures and streets that still remain you can begin to imagine the importance of this city. What remains is only a small part of the dimensions the city once had. A stop in the old roman road that joined Pamplona and Zaragoza.

Rada ruins

Also a must for those with an archaeology passion and next to Melida is Rada. A medieval town, it played an important role within the Navarre Crown. You can walk over the remains of the wall that once surrounded the town and see the houses, streets and circular watch tower or visit the XII century church of San Nicolas.