The popular dinner spot is Casa Sabina, and you’ll want to put your name on the list (at their bar) in advance. The dining room sees pilgrims from the world over sat down at random to fill the tables. Half are about to start their walk, beginning here, the other half just came off the mountain....
Roncesvalles is the setting for the epic battle of Charlemagne and Roland, where they were ambushed (by whom is unclear, perhaps the Muslims, perhaps the Basques). Roland perished and a legend was born. Centuries later the church would capitalize on the name, and the abbey...
Dia de la Virgen de Roncesvalles is celebrated every year on September 8th. Romerías (a local piligrimage) are held on the Sundays of May and June, and the Wednesday before the 8th of September.
The camino leaves along a footpath to the west of the main road (your right hand side), pressing deeper into the forest before returning to the road as it approaches Burguete.
Accommodation in Roncesvalles [Orreaga]
1 |
Refugio de Peregrinos de Roncesvalles - Itzandegia Parochial
Real Colegiata de Roncesvalles
183 12€ |
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2 |
Apartamentos Casa de los Beneficiados ⭑ Pension
Roncesvalles
Booking.com |
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3 |
Casa Sabina Pension
Roncesvalles, 18
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4 |
Hostal Posada de Roncesvalles Hostal
Roncesvalles
Booking.com |
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5 |
Hotel Roncesvalles ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Roncesvalles, 14
Booking.com |
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![Photo of Roncesvalles [Orreaga] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Roncesvalles [Orreaga] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/816-133772.jpg?itok=W09ph1XI)
![Photo of Roncesvalles [Orreaga] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Roncesvalles [Orreaga] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/816-133800.jpg?itok=XqALGupm)
![Photo of Roncesvalles [Orreaga] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Roncesvalles [Orreaga] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/816-133801.jpg?itok=v469I1AB)
Immortalized by and little changed since Ernest Hemmingway lodged here 1924. He was on a fishing trip, no doubt catching some of the trout that swim these rivers and which luckily for us end up on more than a few dinner tables.
The architecture here is typically Basque; massive...
San Juan is celebrated the 24th to 26th of June. Other festivals include one for the Arts on the second Sunday of August, and another for Farming on the last Sunday of September.
Keep your wits about you when walking through town because the camino takes a sharp right turn halfway through. There are no less than twelve yellow arrows marking the turn, but it can still be overlooked by those admiring the charm of Burguete.
Accommodation in Burguete [Auritz]
1 |
Casa Rural Don Jáuregui de Burguete Casa Rural
San Nicolás, 32
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2 |
Casa Rural Txiki Polit Casa Rural
Roncesvalles, 42
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3 |
Hostal Burguete Hostal
San Nicolás, 71
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4 |
Hotel Rural Loizu ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel Rural
San Nicolás, 13
Booking.com |
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![Photo in Burguete [Auritz] on the Camino de Santiago Photo in Burguete [Auritz] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/817-133773.jpg?itok=w084lE7M)
![Photo in Burguete [Auritz] on the Camino de Santiago Photo in Burguete [Auritz] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/817-133794.jpg?itok=8GBVjBfv)
An alternative to spending the night in Roncesvalles for pilgrims arriving there too late in the evening to walk a full day, as the stretch between the two is 5km along mostly flat ground.
Between here and Pamplona, you will notice many villages perched above the valley...
The founding of Espinal, now an uninspiring town comprised mostly of modern chalets, was driven by the desire to keep pilgrims safe. This river valley has a long history of battle and banditry, and it was in the interest of the Navarran Kings (in this case Teobaldo-II) to...
The last Sunday in August.
Accommodation in Espinal [Aurizberri]
1 |
Irugoienea Private
Oihanilun, 2
21 12€ Booking.com |
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2 |
Albergue Haizea ⭑⭑⭑ Private
Saroiberri
30 12€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Camping Urrobi Camping
Pamplona-Valcarlos, Km. 42
5.15€ |
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4 |
Casa Rural Errebesena Casa Rural
San Bartolomé, 25
Booking.com |
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5 |
Casa Rural Gertxada Casa Rural
Espinal
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6 |
Casa Rural Roncesvalles Casa Rural
San Bartolome, 86
Booking.com |
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![Photo of Espinal [Aurizberri] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Espinal [Aurizberri] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/818-134835.jpg?itok=yWA7MoH4)
![Photo of Espinal [Aurizberri] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Espinal [Aurizberri] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/818-133774.jpg?itok=2d-hfT3z)
There is a bar at the start of town which provides decent service. Another, Bar Juan, is in the square. The supermarket is at the far end of town.
Accommodation in Bizkarreta [Gerendiain]
1 |
Casa Rural La Posada Nueva Casa Rural
San Pedro, 2
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2 |
Casa Rural Maitetxu Casa Rural
San Pedro, 12
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![Photo of Bizkarreta [Gerendiain] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Bizkarreta [Gerendiain] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/819-134837.jpg?itok=LVrDi_os)
The bar has highly irregular hours as it is not generally open to the public.
When you get to this town, be sure to follow the arrows that direct you to the right and uphill. If you get to the main road (the N-135) you have gone wrong. The climb is fairly steep up to the Alto de Erro.
Accommodation in Lintzoain
1 |
Posada El Camino Casa Rural
San Saturnino, 48
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Two restaurants offer pilgrim menus. They are on opposite ends of town, the first near the main square and the other down the road. The shop here offers everything you need to put together a meal, it is next to the church.
On extremely busy days, the polideportivo (sports complex)...
The name Zubiri comes from the Basque word for bridge, a clue which tells us that the town was founded relatively late. The bridge itself was thought to cure rabies and hydrophobia in animals, and rituals of crossing the bridge with them or circling its base a number of times were all...
Accommodation in Zubiri [Esteribar]
1 |
Albergue Suseia Private
Murelu, 12
20 15*€ Booking.com |
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2 |
Albergue Segunda Etapa Private
Roncesvalles, 22
12 13€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue Zaldiko Private
Puente de la Rabia, 1
24 10/12€ |
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4 |
Albergue El Palo de Avellano Private
Roncesvalles, 16
49 20€ |
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5 |
Albergue Río Arga Ibaia Private
Puente de la Rabia, 7
15€ |
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6 |
Pensión Amets Pension
Gerestegi, 25
Booking.com |
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7 |
Pensión Usoa Pension
Puente de la Rabia, 4
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8 |
Pensión Zubiaren Etxea Pension
Camino de Santiago, 2
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9 |
Pensión Benta Berri Pension
Roncesvalles, 10
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hostal Gau Txori Hostal
Ctra. N-135
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11 |
Hostería de Zubiri Hotel Rural
Roncesvalles, 6
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Four hundred meters from Ilarratz on the right-hand side of the road lies La Abadia de Ilarratz (the abbey). The medieval building, rumored to have been a fort, was converted to a church in the early 16th century. Pilgrims have recently bought it and are currently busy with a...
Accommodation in Ilarratz
1 |
Albergue Ezpeleku Casa Rural
San Martín, 3
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2 |
Hostel Acá y Allá Hostal
San Miguel, 18
6 15€ Booking.com |

The grocery has minimal hours and stock but does open early for breakfast.
Like Zubiri, Larrasoaña has a bridge which is well known, though for less beneficial reasons. Instead of healing, it was a frequent point of banditry; the name of the bridge is the Puente de los...
Larrasoaña has a long history of hospitality to pilgrims; though you would not guess such from its current state. An Augustinian monastery and two hospices for pilgrims served the pilgrimage for the better part of 8 centuries. Sadly, little remains. Two chapels, dedicated to St. Blaise...
Accommodation in Larrasoaña
1 |
Albergue de Larrasoaña Municipal
San Nicolas
58 8€ |
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2 |
Asteia Hostel Private
Errotabidea, 24
12 15€ |
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3 |
Albergue San Nicolás Private
Sorandi, 5-7
40 12€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Casa Elita Casa Rural
Amairu, 7
Booking.com |
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5 |
Pensión Tau Pension
Errotabidea, 18
Booking.com |
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6 |
Pensión El Camino - Casa Sangalo Pension
Portalcelay, 12
Booking.com |
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A small Basque hamlet, notable only for the large rural hotel. Leave the paved road for a dirt track here.
Accommodation in Aquerreta [Akerreta]
1 |
Hotel Akerreta ⭑⭑ Hotel
Akerreta
Booking.com |
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The camino joins the main road here but not for more than 700m before turning left onto the first road. Along the road you are likely to find herds of spandexed cyclists. This stretch of asphalt was where Spain’s most famous cyclist Miguel Indurain trained to win his five Tour de...
Accommodation in Zuriain
1 |
Albergue La Parada de Zuriain Private
Landa, 8
13 12*€ |
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Between here and Zabaldika the camino splits, and while one path is not technically the camino it can be misleading. The camino proper heads towards Zabaldika, while the “River Walk” turns left after the bridge and follows the river into Pamplona; while this sounds...
The somewhat confused signs through Zabaldika are the result of local politics interfering with tradition. In this case, the ayuntamiento has managed to one up the culturally significant Iglesia de San Esteban and the original Camino Francés. To follow the original way, turn...
Accommodation in Zabaldika
1 |
Albergue Parroquial de Zabaldika Parochial
Church of St. Esteban
18 Donativo€ |
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The pair of buildings here are the Palace of the Lords and the Iglesia de Santa Marina. Neither are open to the public but there is place enough for a rest or a picnic before tackling the suburbs of Pamplona.
The camino passes through a tunnel beneath the highway and then climbs up and around the Monte Miravalles before nearing Trinidad de Arre.
Crossing over the río Ulzama you arrive to the district of Arre. Trinidad de Arre marks the point where you begin a mostly urban walk into Pamplona.
The camino here is joined by another from Bayonne to the northeast. It is an uncommon route by most...
The next 7km are through the suburbs into and out of Pamplona.
Accommodation in Trinidad de Arre
1 |
Albergue de Trinidad de Arre Parochial
Mayor de Villava
34 8€ |
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Accommodation in Villava
1 |
Albergue Municipal de Villava Municipal
Pedro de Atarrabia, 17
54 13.50€ Booking.com |
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2 |
Pensión Obel Pension
Las Eras, 5
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3 |
Hotel Villava Pamplona ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Pamplona
Booking.com |
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The border between Burlada and Pamplona is the río Arga, which is spanned by the Puente de la Magdalena. Since Trinidad de Arre the terrain has been flat. From the bridge here you get your first glimpse of Pamplona’s defenses, both natural and man-made.
Modern Pamplona is the most populous city along the Camino Francés. It offers just about every service you might need along the way. Its main square, the Plaza del Castillo was renovated in 2003 and is the easiest point from which to get your bearings.
Hemingway...
Pamplona has been a city of importance since the year 75 BC. It was then that the Roman general Pompaelo set up camp at what has always been a geographically strategic point. That the camino passes through Pamplona is no coincidence, the geography dictates that it ought to...
Pamplona is the first city along the way with a post office (Correos ⨠), perfect for lightening your pack. The post office here can help you send your stuff to the Santiago post office, or to Casa Ivar (the same Ivar as the popular ‘Camino Forums’’). He offers package and luggage receiving...
Pamplona enjoys its fiestas. The most notorious of them is San Fermín (think of men running from bulls) from July 6th - 14th. The municipal albergue is closed during that time, and accommodation elsewhere is hard to find and an order of magnitude more expensive. If you are keen on the experience plan well in advance, otherwise just pass through town with a watchful eye on your belongings.
There is a saying that the people of Pamplona cannot go a full year with celebrating San Fermín, so to help they also celebrate San Fermín Txikito (or Chiquito, or San Fermín de Aldapa) on the weekend closest to the 25th of September when the church celebrates the martyrdom of San Fermín. No bull.
The camino leaves town via the star-shaped Citadel that rose up during the 17th century (much like the citadel in Saint Jean Pied de Port, as both were based off the designs of the same French military engineer). If you are lost, find your way to the park which surrounds the...
Accommodation in Pamplona [Iruña]
1 |
Albergue Municipal de Peregrinos - Iglesia de Jesús y Maria Municipal
Compañia, 4
112 10€ |
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2 |
Albergue Casa Ibarrola Private
Carmen, 31
20 16*€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue de Pamplona-Iruñako Aterpea Private
Carmen, 18
24 16€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Albergue Xarma Private
Baja Navarra, 23
24 15/16*€ Booking.com |
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5 |
Albergue Plaza Catedral Private
Navarrería, 35
45 15/18*€ Booking.com |
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6 |
Aloha Hostel Private
Sangüesa, 2
26 15*€ Booking.com |
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7 |
Albergue Casa Paderborn Association
Playa de Caparroso, 6
26 7€ |
8 |
Pensión Sarasate ⭑⭑ Pension
Sarasate, 30
Booking.com |
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9 |
Pensión Pasadena ⭑ Pension
Pio XII, 32
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hostal Arriazu ⭑⭑ Hostal
Las Comedias, 14
Booking.com |
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11 |
Hostal Navarra B&B ⭑⭑ Hostal
Tudela, 9
Booking.com |
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12 |
Pamplona Catedral Hotel ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Dos de Mayo, 4
Booking.com |
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13 |
Hotel Castillo de Javier ⭑ Hotel
San Nicolás, 50
Booking.com |
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14 |
Gran Hotel La Perla ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Plaza del Castillo, 1
Booking.com |
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15 |
Hotel Eslava ⭑⭑ Hotel
Virgen de la O, 7
Booking.com |
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![Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/833-133795.jpg?itok=IAV7HuGj)
![Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/833-133796.jpg?itok=qgNoCU1N)
![Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/833-133797.jpg?itok=tEEb3n_a)
![Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/833-133798.jpg?itok=ez5rYTnT)
![Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago Photo of Pamplona [Iruña] on the Camino de Santiago](https://www.wisepilgrim.com/sites/default/files/styles/100x300/public/newimages/833-133799.jpg?itok=1Lsnpd3L)
One restaurant, Asador El Tremendo, does a pilgrim menu for about 10 euro. The grocery store in Cizur MAYOR is a short walk to your west, though a smaller shop with basic staples is available in town.
The Hospitallers of Jerusalem (the Knights of Malta) cared for pilgrims between here and the Alto de Perdón. Later, when the Knights Templar disappeared, they also took over operations west of here in Puente la Reina.
The Romería (a sort of local pilgrimage) to the Santuario de Nuestra Señora del Perdón (the namesake of the alto ahead, see history inset below) is held on Easter Monday.
Accommodation in Cizur Menor [Zizur Txikia]
1 |
Albergue de peregrinos de la Orden de Malta Private
Albergue de Cizur Menor
27 7€ |
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2 |
Albergue Familia Roncal Private
Albergue Familia Roncal
Lurbeltzeta
51 12€ |
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3 |
AC Hotel Zizur Mayor ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Etxesakan, 3
Booking.com |
From here the climb is steady to the Alto de Perdón. If you have watched Martin Sheen’s “The Way” you may recognize the front of the Iglesia de San Andres as the setting for one of the movie’s earlier scenes.
Accommodation in Zariquiegui
1 |
Albergue San Andrés Private
Camino de Santiago, 4
18 11€ |
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