Arribe: Malloas, hiking and local history

Arribe brings together several distinct themes to help you plan your trip: the bridge over the Araxes, the medieval San Miguel Church and the Malloas, with their striking limestone ridges. If you choose a destination for its landscape and local history, you’ll find something to interest you in both. There is also a circular hiking route with named waypoints and annual local festivities.

Landscape and hiking

Arribe lies at the foot of the Sierra de Aralar and the Malloas. The Malloas consist of limestone ridges that define the landscape; from Arribe, they impress with a difference in elevation of more than 1,000 metres. The landscape is therefore a destination in its own right when planning your trip, alongside the specific routes through the valley.

The PR-NA 306 Uba-Artegieta starts in Arribe; its trailhead is on the NA-1300 road between Betelu and Lizartza. The circular route leads to the scattered houses of Uba, goes around the area of the Santa Bárbara hermitage and reaches the border with Gorriti at Artegietako langa. It then crosses the uplands of Pagozelai and another ridge before descending to Atallu. The loop closes along the local Harritz Herri riverside path beside the Araxes. Check trail conditions before setting out.

Several routes to the peaks of the Malloas are also possible from different starting points in the Araitz Valley. These provide additional options for summit hikes in the valley besides the circular route described above.

Bridge, church and local history

The bridge over the Araxes connects the two sides of Arribe. It is a distinctive feature of the village and complements the landscape and hiking opportunities.

Another historic highlight is San Miguel Church. It was built in the Middle Ages. Its main altarpiece dates from the 17th century; one of the altarpieces also contains an image from the 15th century, considered valuable. To understand the different periods, it is worth noting that the image is older than the main altarpiece, while the church itself dates back to the Middle Ages.

In the late 18th century, Arribe was designated the capital of the Araitz Valley because of its location. This former role adds a regional historical dimension to the church’s architectural and artistic history, and also places the village within the history of the valley.

Annual festivities

Saint Michael’s Day, the patron saint of Arribe, is celebrated on 29 September; the programme may vary. The local festivities take place on the third weekend of July. The specific dates and programme for these festivities may change. If you want to plan your trip around one of these events, check the dates and programme for the year you plan to travel. This will help you distinguish a visit on Saint Michael’s fixed calendar date from a trip during the weekend of the local festivities, without treating the two occasions as the same event.

For the broader travel overview: Araitz.