couple , not knowing what to do for their son , decided to continue their journey by asking the saint for help . Santiago told him to go back and pull the still-living body of his son off the rope . Back before the judge who had sentenced the couple , they were told that their son was as alive as the chicken he was eating . Miraculously the chicken and the hen regained their feathers and the judge saw them escape from the plate . The young man was thus saved and returned home with his parents . Since then , the pair of birds has been on display in the monastery in memory of one of the miracles of the well-known saint .
Briones is a must for all those interested in the history of wine production ; indeed , in addition to its picturesque square and its enchanting position on a hill overlooking the surrounding vineyards , it is home to the museum of wine culture . Inebriated by such
beauty we got lost in search of one of the many megaliths scattered in this area ; observing his profile in the silence of these countryside will be one of the best memories of this trip .
To reach Pamplona we pass through Puente La Reina to admire the splendid medieval bridge with six spans . We are in Navarre , a region where the Pyrenees descend into the arid plains that make up the typical landscape of the South . Geographically united , but politically divided , the northern part corresponds to the homeland of the Basque people while the southern part is more oriented towards Castilian Spain .
Pamplona seems to live all year round for the week of Sanfermines to the point of having a huge clock that perpetually counts down the days for the start of the party . In reality , the historic centre , surrounded by well-preserved medieval walls , is in itself a good reason to visit .
Walking through its cobbled streets it is not difficult to get an idea of where the fences are placed for the traditional running of the bulls . The culmination of the party is in fact the moment in which unleashed madmen let themselves be chased by the poor beasts who follow the path that leads them from the stables to their death inside the arena . The tradition dates back to the fourteenth century when vendors ran alongside the animals to reach the market square first . Tradition or not , the event reports 16 victims among the participants since 1924 and we find it a little difficult to understand where the passion ends and the madness begins .
Following the state road south we reach Olite , the former residence of the royal families of Navarre , where the towers and spiers of the Royal Palace seem to come from illustrations in a storybook . Let ' s try to follow the labyrinth of stairs and
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