Malerreka

Amidst the murmur of the streams and the shade of the beech forests, the landscape of Malerreka unfolds from the lands of Bortziriak to Bertizarana. In this region, the rivers Ezkurra and Ezpelura wind their way through oak groves before joining the Bidasoa, shaping a landscape where stone-built architecture and water set the rhythm of daily life. Here, time passes amidst the dampness of the valleys of Santesteban and Basaburua Menor, where each village preserves the legacy of the Navarran mountains in the solidity of its walls and the use of its meadows.

Which villages belong to Malerreka?

The valley comprises twelve municipalities spread across the slopes and valley floors, sharing a mineral and forest-rich character:

• Doneztebe/Santesteban : The commercial and service hub. It is the largest village in the region and the ideal place to hire bicycles, enjoy its cuisine or go shopping.
• Sunbilla : Famous for its spectacular stone bridge over the Bidasoa and its stately homes.
• Donamaria : A place where the Jauregia Tower showcases civil architecture in wood and stone, bearing witness to the evolution of tower houses in the area.
• Elgorriaga : Known for its spa with mineral-medicinal waters, the saltiest in Europe.
• Ituren and Zubieta : Sister villages linked by the ancestral tradition of the Joaldunak and their famous carnivals.
• Beintza-Labaien : Gateway to the Leurtza reservoirs, where the green of the beech forests closes in on the water’s surface.
• Ezkurra, Eratsun and Saldias : High-mountain villages that preserve the purest essence of pastoral life and rural living in Baztan-Bidasoa.
• Urrotz and Oitz : Villages nestled within the forest landscape. In Oitz, boxwood defines daily life and the craftsmanship of the artisans who transform this material into traditional items.