Royal Palace of Olite (Palacio Real de Olite)

The Palacio Real de Olite, the Royal Palace of Olite, was the favourite residence of the Kings of Navarre in the later Middle Ages, and it is one of the most remarkable castle-palaces in Spain. Charles III the Noble, who reigned from 1387 to 1425, built the main part in the early fifteenth century on the model of the courts he had seen in France, where he had grown up. Craftsmen came from Navarre and from beyond, including Muslim and Mudéjar builders from Tudela, and they produced a complex of halls, galleries, towers and hanging gardens that astonished visitors. Chronicles describe a menagerie that included lions, and the court at Olite was known for its elegance.

The complex is divided into two parts. The Old Palace, the Palacio Viejo, dates from the thirteenth century and now houses the Parador de Olite, a state-run hotel known as a National Parador. The New Palace, the Palacio Nuevo, is the section open to visitors. After Navarre was taken into the Crown of Castile in the early sixteenth century, the palace lost its role as a royal seat, and over the following centuries it declined. In 1813, during the War of Independence against Napoleon’s forces, the Navarrese guerrilla leader Espoz y Mina set fire to the building to stop the French from using it as a base. The ruins were left for over a century before restoration began in 1937, and the work has continued in stages since.

The visit is on several levels. Visitors can follow a self-guided route with descriptive maps through the halls and galleries, or join a guided tour. Highlights include the royal chambers, the gardens, and three notable towers: the Torre del Homenaje, the tallest and most imposing, the Torre de las Tres Coronas and the Torre de los Cuatro Vientos. Climbing them gives broad views across Olite’s rooftops to the vineyards and plains of Navarre. An exhibition inside one of the towers describes the restoration, and educational programmes for children are available through the official website.

Olite lies in the Middle Zone of Navarre, about forty kilometres south of Pamplona. The Plaza de la Constitución is beside the palace, and the Iglesia de Santa María la Real, with a fine Gothic portal, and the Casa de la Cadena are close by. The town hosts a medieval festival, and the Bodegas de Olite organise visits to local wine cellars. Free parking and green areas near the palace make it easy to arrive by car.

Tickets are bought online or on site, and the visit usually takes about an hour and a half. Opening times change by season.