The capital of Navarre, historically the capital of the kingdom, is situated in the centre of the community, half way between the Mountain and the Riverside zone, on the route to France, Aragón and Castile. Geographically and figuratively speaking, Pamplona has for centuries been he backbone of the community and still continues to be so.

Pamplona and its most immediate districts concentrate half of Navarre´s population as well as great part of the industrial and commercial resources. The Palace of Navarre is the site for the Local Government where all the political and administrative work occurs.

Pamplona is not only an industrial and commercial city but also a city of services. Public and private health services are provided by three centres: the Hospital of Navarre, the Virgen del Camino Hospital and the University Clinic. Due to regular investment in the medical area and highly qualified specialised professionals the health service in Navarre is superb at all levels from the first medical attention to hospitalization. It is not a coincidence that the life expectancy in Navarre is 77,5 years of age.

Education has a great presence in the city life. Three university centres influence and stimulate the cultural activity in the city. A city of the size of Pamplona has necessarily to feel the impelling effect of over 20.000 university students living in the city.

Communications

Access to the rest of Spain is excellent, on the motorway Zaragoza is only 175 kilometres away, there is a distance of 480 kilometres to Barcelona, 160 kilometres to Bilbao and Madrid is 407 kilometres away travelling mostly on motorway too. The recent opening of the highway to Vitoria has dealt with the heavy traffic on the old road and now you can get there in an hour. Travelling by car to San Sebastian - 90 kilometres away - has become a wonderful sight as you cross the valley of Leizarán on the new highway. The Concha beach in San Sebastián is less than hour away from Pamplona. A bypass around the urban perimeter redirects the flow of the heavy traffic and simplifies the communication of the centre of the city with the outskirts of Pamplona. The airport of Noáin nearby Pamplona, has daily flights to Madrid and Barcelona. Navarre in general and particularly Pamplona has, in last few years, made considerable efforts in improving its communications with the rest of the country and in breaking through the Pyrenees border. On the motorway you can easily and securely cover the distances to Bordeaux - 325 kilometres - and Toulouse - 428 kilometres -.

The Green City

The urban development of the new parts of the city has been excellently designed, examples are Mendebaldea, Iturrama, Zizur or Mendillorri. The old fortress and city wall areas have been converted into public parks and walks in the heart of the city. For example the Taconera, the northern city wall; the Vuelta del Castillo which preserves the military fortress which dates back to the XVI century; the Media Luna overlooking the River Arga and the vegetable gardens of the Magdalena. To all this, the new parks have to be added: Biurdana, del Mundo, Barañáin, Mendillorri, Aranzadi and Yamaguchi, of Japanese style. However, this is not all, there is a scheme to construct a water park in the Rochapea on the River Arga. Both the private and public universities have carefully looked after campuses ideal for Sunday strolls. In conclusion, the people of Pamplona enjoy 23 square metres of green spaces per inhabitant for their leisure.

More:

• Climate
• History
• How to arrive in Pamplona