Baztán Bidasoa

Where legend and nature become one in the landscape.

In the northwest of Navarre, where the meadows join the gentlest area of Pyrenees relief, is the region of Baztan-Bidasoa. It is structured around the waters of the river of the same name: the Bidasoa River. Its source is the Xorroxin Waterfall (Baztan) which flows into Hondarribia, flooding the valleys that run through it with magic, history and culture: Baztan, Malerreka and Bortziriak. The slopes are covered with ferns, green meadows and rounded shapes furrowed by countless streams and paths, leading to waterfalls and caves, where the shaded, silent forests keep their secrets. This is all the result of the Atlantic microclimate that surrounds this particular area of Navarre and makes it different, leaving landscapes as characteristic as they are beautiful.
The imposing greenery that bathes these valleys makes it especially suitable for raising cattle, especially cows and sheep. You can see the native breed of Latxa sheep, typical of humid locations in the north of the peninsula, as you travel along the roads and paths that link the mountain dwellings with their villages. It comes as no surprise that the typical rural gastronomy of the Baztan-Bidasoa valley is roast meat, fresh garden produce, game and desserts based on dairy products such as curd, cheese and cottage cheese, all made by hand, and with different Denominations.
There is nothing better than enjoying the power of an authentic experience and diving into the culture of our land, where customs rooted in the territory continue to be pampered, giving it its unique personality: Basque as the natural language of the area; the practice of old sports such as Basque pelota; and other more rural ones with roots in popular festivals. And if there is something you have to experience at least once in your life, it is the carnivals and pagan festivals that continue to this day, plunging us into another truly authentic experience. And harking back to their past, we find places as magical as the Zugarramurdi and Urdax caves, where legends tell us that pagan and coven festivals brought a trail of mystery to these peoples, where witches or ‘belagiles’ danced around the fire invoking the devil, claiming the lives of people persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition in the Middle Ages. Today the memory is collected in the Museum of the Zugarramurdi Witches, which delves into this history and brings reality and legend up to the present day.

A truly unique place that combines history with tradition and legend.

Whoever visits this enclave of Navarre never leaves without taking a part of this culture, its mystery and rural charm with them. There are many unique territories to visit in Baztan-Bidasoa: Bertizarana, the heart of this area with the Señorío de Bertiz Natural Park; Malerreka, with an abundance of rivers and oak and beech forests; Cinco Villas – Bortziriak, five towns on either side of the Bidasoa river; Urdax and Zugarramurdi, where legends were born; and the Baztan Valley, the origin of this culture. Draw closer if you want to leave a part of yourself in these valleys.