Weekends in September are a good opportunity to carry out activities with the students that allow them to get to know each other and strengthen their relationship. They still have little to study at the University, so they can take advantage of the weekend to get to know the most beautiful corners of Navarra and its surroundings. The students really enjoyed the excursions, thanks to their good spirits and the excellent weather that accompanied us.
The first weekend of the course we visited two of the jewels of Guipuzcoa: its capital, San Sebastian, and the small town of Zumaya. San Sebastian had a great impact on the students, for its beautiful beaches, its exquisite gastronomy, and the elegance of its buildings and streets. Zumaya also caused some expectation, as it was the scene chosen to shoot several sequences of the movie “Ocho apellidos vascos”.
This same curiosity was experienced the following weekend in Gaztelugatxe, where a chapter of the famous series “Game of Thrones” was filmed. Gaztelugatxe is an islet near the town of Bermeo, with a mountain of thick vegetation crowned by the hermitage of San Juan, a wonderful example of Romanesque art of the tenth century. Gaztelugatxe is considered one of the most beautiful spots in the northern area and the students were captivated by its beautiful views and its unique hermitage.
That same day we moved to Bilbao, capital of Vizcaya, a sure value, with the Guggenheim Museum, its historic center and the wonderful walk along the estuary.
The last place visited was Bordeaux, the so-called “pearl of Aquitaine”, in the southwest of France, famous for its vineyards and monuments. Its Cathedral and historic center attract thousands of tourists every year and its Port of the Moon has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Next weekend we will stay at home, not in Pamplona, but in Navarra! We will enjoy nature at the source of the Urederra, a beautiful spot with natural waterfalls and streams. We will also visit Puente la Reina, a cobblestone town very representative of the Camino de Santiago, and the encirclement of Artajona, which has the best preserved fortification in the area.
A guide accompanies us on the trips, so that our residents can learn about the history and appreciate the cultural and scenic richness of these environments. Exchange students have joined the trips as a way of getting closer to our roots and interacting with national students. In short, a nice way for the students to “get together” at the beginning of the school year and get acquainted with the territory that will be their home for the next few years!
