Villanueva de AĂ©zcoa combines historic architectural styles with the natural features of the Aezkoa Valley. The village is considered traditionally Aezkoan; cobbled streets are part of its character. There are different ways to plan your stay: San Salvador and Casa Arrese are architectural highlights, while HĂłrreo Reka and woodworking represent local heritage, and Dolmen Gibelea and Berrendi appeal to visitors interested in archaeology and speleology, respectively.
Landscape in the Aezkoa Valley
Hiriberri / Villanueva de Aezkoa is one of the municipalities in the Aezkoa Valley located in the Irati Biosphere Region. It was recognized on July 5, 2024; the declaration was published in the BOE in 2025. Villanueva de AĂ©zcoa is also part of the Irati, Urrobi, and Erro river system. It extends across several municipalities in northeastern Navarre; up to seven different habitat types of community interest have been recorded there. The Ariztibarrena Integral Protection Area covers 500 hectares and is home to a wide variety of plants and animals among its oaks.
Church, architecture, and local heritage
The parish church of San Salvador was built in the Middle Ages in the Gothic style. Its single-nave layout, ribbed vault, and pointed-arch portal illustrate its architectural style through specific features. The main altarpiece is a Renaissance work by Juan de GaztelĂşzar and Ambrosio de Bengoechea; it was appraised in 1606. The church therefore offers two distinct art-historical points of reference: Gothic architecture and a Renaissance altarpiece. A ribbed vault is recognizable by the intersecting ribs on its ceiling; a pointed arch tapers to a point at the top.
Casa Arrese, also known as Arrese Etxea or Casa del Indiano, has a monumental ashlar-stone façade and arcades. Hórreo Reka, one of Villanueva de Aézcoa’s traditional granaries, is part of the protected traditional heritage. It is recognized as an Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural). Woodworking is another local tradition. This includes a small chair called a “katedra,” used by the fire. The granary and the chair represent different forms of local heritage: traditional granary construction and woodworking.
Archaeology and views
Dolmen Gibelea can be visited from Villanueva de AĂ©zcoa and is located within the municipality. From Hiriberri-Villanueva, visitors can also go caving in the Berrendi area. These offer different thematic interests: the dolmen represents archaeology, while Berrendi is associated with speleology.
Visitors go to the area on Mount Petxuberro known as “La era de las brujas” (The Witches’ Field). From there, most of the villages in the Aezkoa Valley are visible. This view across several settlements offers a different perspective from the village’s individual buildings and nature-related attractions.
Discover more destinations: Murillo El Fruto, Tajonar, Donamaria, Eslava, Urdax, Ibero, Ultzama, Aribe.
For the main travel overview: Navarre.
