Cycling Holidays on the Plazaola Greenway Trail
We propose you a trip on the Plazaola Greenway Trails, in the north of Navarra. A route following the old railway tracks that once connected Pamplona to Donostia. Ride in the shadows of dense beech forests with the spectacular backdrop of the Aralar Mountain range, a legendary place full of history.
Along the way you fill find: culture, gastronomy, railway heritage, beech and riverside forests and legendary landscapes reminding of film settings.
It’s an easy, doable route through beautiful landscapes. An itinerary designed for those who like to enjoy gentle cycling holidays. The route has short stages making it perfectly suitable to enjoy with kids. There is enough to learn about local culture, with local cheese being the most typical product of the region.
The Plazaola railway connected the cities of San Sebastián and Pamplona. It was originally constructed as a 20-kilometer-long, modest mining railway linking only the Plazaola mines. The name of these mines was later used for the Greenway and the Nature Trail. They were located practically on the border between Navarra and Guipúzcoa.
The railway started to be used in 1905 and in 1914 the extension included the cities of Pamplona and Donosti (San Sebastian). At the time the tracks were a big challenge with highly complicated parts such as the Uitzi pass and the pass from the Leitzarán valley to the Larráun valley. A tunnel of more than 2,5km was constructed, which was for a long time the longest single railway tunnel in Spain. After the Civil War in the beginning of the 20th Century the future of the railway didn’t look very promising. When in 1953 strong floods washed away some bridges and parts of the tracks, it was the definitive dismantling of the railway line.
Large part of the trails have been restored as a Greenways cycling trail, thanks to the ‘Nature Trails Program of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food. Many of its stations have been turned into restaurants or even a tourist office, like the Lekumberri station, where you can get to know the history of the railway more into detail.
The itinerary was developed thanks to the Ederbidea project (a cross-border cycling project in the French and Spanish Basque country) and offers a wide range of local and experiences and products. All of this was promoted by the European Trailgazers Project.
All in all, the Vía Verde de la Plazaola offers you authentic cycling holidays, in one of the most stunning parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Enjoy the route and its unforgettable surprises sus as the Medukilo’s Cave (in the heart of the Aralar) and the visit of the Bikain Cheese Factory.
Would you like to know more about the region? Please have a look here.
Conoce la Vía Verde del Plazaola en bicicleta
MEETINGPOINT | Hotel Ayestarán in Lekumberri |
ACCOMMODATION | The historic Ayestarán Hotel in the centre of Lekumberri |
DURATION | 3 days/2 nights |
RECOMMENDED SEASON | All year round except January and February Departures any day of the week except Mondays |
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RECOMMENDATIONS – What to bring?
- Casual comfortable cycling clothes
- Sunglasses and gloves
- Rain jacket / rain pants
- Water
PRICE
295€ / person (one person in a single room)
INCLUDED
- 2 nights accommodation in a room with private bathroom
- Half-board
- Rental bike (including helmet, bike light, small lock and repair kit)
- Transfer from Andoain to Lekumberri, including bikes
- Guided visit of the Mendukilo's Cave and the Cheese Factory Bikain.
- Tracks of the route
- Accident and liability insurance
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- Ebike rental (45€ / day)
- Bike trailer for kids (16€ / day)
Bike rental includes, helmet, bike light, small lock and repair kit.
INFO & BOOKINGS
Contact us if you’d like to make a reservation or if you require further information.
Please fill out the form and we will get back to you ASAP.
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