The Story Behind The Kingdom Of Navarra

Navarra is an autonomous Spanish community which lies just southwest of the Pyrenees. It borders France to the north, the Basque Country to the west and Aragón to the east. A unique part of Spain, Navarra once used to be its own country, even with its own monarchy. Find out more with our brief history lesson. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Roman Navarra

During the Roman era, the upper part of Navarra was part of the Basque Country, sharing everything from the Basque language to the culture. The lower part, however, was taken over by the Romans, with the Roman leader Pompeii founding the city of Pamplona in 75 BC, later to become the capital of Navarra. When the Roman Empire fell, the Navarrese had to defend their territory against both the Visigoths and the French. Finally, during the Battle of Roncesvalles in 778, they managed to defeat Charlemagne and his troops.

The Kingdom of Navarra

Under French rule

It wasn’t until 1234, with the death of then ruler Sancho VII el Fuerte, that the Kingdom of Navarra was threatened once more. First the House of Champagne (1234-1274) took over, and then the Capetians, who between 1274 and 1328, became the rulers of both France and Navarra.

Joining with Spain

In 1328, the House of Evreux succeeded the Navarrese throne, along with Carlos III, known as ‘The Noble’ in 1387. When Carlos III died in 1425, chaos and the threat of civil war ensued. The conflict finally came to an end in 1458, when Juan II married Blanca, the heiress to the Navarrese throne, and became the king of both Navarra and Aragón.

In 1512 Ferdinand the Catholic, king of both the Castile and Aragón at the time, invaded Navarra and made it part of the Crown of Castile, thus joining Navarra with the rest of the country now known as Spain.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.