Muneta at the foot of the Sierra de Lóquiz

Muneta lies at the foot of the Sierra de Lóquiz, in the center of the valley, on a gently sloping hillside below the rock face. The landscape and surroundings that can be experienced from Muneta are considered the town’s main attraction. When planning your trip, the location between the town and the mountains is therefore the defining feature; the built environment complements this landscape with specific historical points of interest. Near Zubielqui, a local road connects Muneta with the NA-132 Estella–Tafalla–Sangüesa regional road. This connection provides a clear reference point for finding your way on the approach.

Landscape and orientation

Muneta has notable dehesas with gall oaks. They give the local landscape a distinctive feature alongside the mountain setting of the Sierra de Lóquiz. In the regional context of the mountains, the existing hiking trails are considered one of the main leisure attractions. Nature enthusiasts can thus distinguish between two scales: the gall-oak dehesas in Muneta and the Sierra’s hiking trails as a regional leisure activity.

Church and historic buildings

The parish church of San Vicente in Muneta is the work of Andrés de Iturmendi and dates from the early 17th century. Simply designed, it has a rectangular floor plan, three nave sections, and a square apse. A portico, a sacristy, and a tower at the rear complete the building. The main altarpiece of San Vicente is Baroque and was created around 1700. An altarpiece is an ornamental structure behind an altar; this distinguishes the artistic furnishings from the building’s architectural form. The church and its main altarpiece thus point to two different periods: the early 17th century and around 1700.

Among the scattered buildings in the town, a 16th-century house with late Gothic elements stands out. The altarpiece in the hermitage dedicated to San Martín dates from the second half of the 18th century. These two details broaden the picture beyond San Vicente to include other aspects of the town’s architectural and artistic history.

Nature and local culture

A breeding territory of the Egyptian vulture, listed as “S. Damian y Cosme,” was recorded in Muneta from 2000 to 2013. In September 2024, a program of festivities for Muneta was published, including a mass in honor of San Vicente and a public tortilla tasting. These are two distinct program items: a religious celebration and a public culinary offering.

Experiences with specific conditions

The “Sendero de mariposas en Muneta” is exclusively for guests of Casa Rural Basaula. The offering includes creating a butterfly oasis with flowers, shrubs, and a picnic table in Bardabia, and building scarecrows with nesting boxes and bat shelters in Eskoldabia.

The “Saborea Tierra Estella” offering associated with Casa Rural Basaula includes a picnic in nature featuring local products from Tierra Estella, including wine, cured meats, vegetables, cheese, meat, fruit, and eggs. It is available in spring and autumn and requires a two-night stay.

Discover more destinations: Mutilva Baja, Donamaria, Biurrun, Oláibar, Enériz, Falces, Tafalla, Isaba.

For the broader travel overview: Navarra.