Elgorriaga: Spa, Water Route and Local History

Elgorriaga can be explored through three distinct themes: the spa in the green Ezkurra Valley, the Water Route as a cycling route, and the town’s cultural and historical heritage. If you’re looking for a hotel, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. The thermal baths, route and local history each offer different starting points.

Spa in the green Ezkurra Valley

Elgorriaga Spa is located in a green valley beside the Ezkurra River. Its thermal area includes pools with waterfalls, contrast areas, massage jets, a sauna and two flotation pools. The spa’s mineral waters are also part of its story: they were officially recognized as being of public benefit in 1919, have a salt content of 336 g/l and are described as the saltiest in Europe. The year marks the historical recognition; the figure in grams per liter describes the salt concentration. This distinguishes the history of the waters from their specific mineral properties.

Water Route: eight kilometers by bike

The Water Route, also known as Uraren Bidea, is a linear route eight kilometers long. It connects Doneztebe/Santesteban, Elgorriaga, Ituren and Zubieta and can be cycled. You can start the route in Doneztebe/Santesteban or Zubieta. Along the way, you can observe the biodiversity of Malerreka and the landscape of Baztan-Bidasoa. The focus is therefore not only on the cycling route itself, but also on the landscape it passes through. Conditions may vary seasonally; check them before planning a ride.

Basque emigration at the museum

The Euskal Artzainak Ameriketan Museoa (Museum of Basque Shepherds in America) documents the special relationship that Basque emigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries had with the western United States. It focuses on the lives and way of life of Basque shepherds in North America, and displays tools, photographs and objects. The museum thus brings together two geographical scales: the way of life of Basque shepherds in North America and their special relationship with emigration to the western United States. Its historical scope spans the 19th and 20th centuries.

Architecture and the river in town

Among the buildings in town is a 16th-century temple with a sturdy portico supported by stone pillars and a barrel vault. A portico is a projecting part of a building supported by pillars; a barrel vault is a curved ceiling that extends lengthwise. These terms make the construction easier to understand without specialist knowledge. A stone bridge with a semicircular arch spans the Ezkurra River in Elgorriaga. The two structures have different defining features: the portico and vault shape the temple’s architectural character, while the bridge is notable for its arched form and connection to the river.

Discover more destinations: Rada, Zariquiegui, Olite, Noáin, Artazu, Dorrao, Zubieta, Eslava

For the broader travel overview: Navarra.