Come and spend your summer days in Tolosa. You will discover the story of how it was recovered after a fire. The old buildings will reveal how it was once a walled “island” surrounded by the river. You will sample marvellous local produce. You will walk around, relax, learn, play, laugh. You will enjoy yourself. In this article we tell you what to do, what to see, what to eat, and where to stay.

The first thing we recommend is that you visit the Tourism Office (click here to find out where it is located) to obtain your travel notebook. This guide will accompany you while you discover all the new places that await you in Tolosa.

 

What to see

The first thing that will strike you as you walk around will be the big squares, charming buildings, and all the nature surrounding the town. The Castile gate will welcome you, the Tinglado marketplace will take centre stage in your photographs, and the Navarre Bridge will reveal the strategic location of Tolosa. 

Other emblematic sites include the Palace of Idiakez, the Council, Plaza Cristales, the Convent of Santa Clara, the Parish of Santa María, Aramburu Palace, Plaza Euskal Herria,... and lots more places such as gardens, vantage points and monuments. You can consult them all in this section of our website.

If you want to discover the background history of Tolosa, along with many more secrets, you can participate in the following guided visits: the two churches (the Parish of Santa María and the Convent of Santa Clara), the traditional market each Saturday, and the Old Quarter. In this article we provide the calendar of guided visits for this summer.

 

What to do

If you are visiting on Saturday, you must head to Tolosa's Traditional Market, located in three different squares: you will find delicacies by local producers that you cannot miss out on. The best produce, the freshest and also, from here. Nor should you forget about local businesses where you will find everything, and enjoy a real experience beyond going shopping. 

Another of the great treasures to discover in Tolosa is the International Puppet Museum, TOPIC, the place where puppets from all over the world sleep. Visiting it is a really fun plan for both adults and boys and girls, and you cannot do so in many other places, as it is the only integral centre devoted to puppets in all of Europe.

If, instead of the tourism of walking around the streets, you prefer adventure, there is also a plan for you: we suggest heading to the mountain and to our rural districts of Aldaba, Bedaio and Urkizu. A good idea could be to climb up Uzturre (733 m.), whose cross can be seen from Tolosa, which serves as a balcony for gazing out over the landscape of Tolosaldea. Also, you can have a swim in the ponds that you will find on the way. You can find the route to Uzturre by clicking here. 

If the swim wasn't enough, don't forget that that the sea is just 20 minutes from Tolosa.

What to eat

With regard to eating, dining or having a nibble, there is an immense range of gastronomy in Tolosa. You can head out and eat some tapas, sit down to eat a menu of the day, share portions and combine dishes... or devour the famous chop of the grill houses of Tolosa. 

In this section on our website you will find a list with the best restaurants and grill houses, a very long list of bars with tapas, and local products that you should not miss out on (beans, chops, sweets, …etc.).

 

Where to stay

We know that resting is essential in order to regain your energy and continue to get to know Tolosa. We propose different accommodation with different prices and styles for staying in (click here to see where to stay in Tolosa). You can also see our recommendations about where to park in Tolosa.