Not long to go ...
Not long to go ...
In the main square Plaza del Castillo there is usually an open-air
dance which is always well-attended. At 21.00 there is a basque music
performance in the Pza. del Castillo with txistularis and gaiteros and
the people meet for typical basque dancing. At the end of the
performance they always play a very well known dance called “Larrain
dantza”.
There is a well-known gastronomic club which just opens it's doors to
the general public during the Fiestas - The Gazteluleku - to be found
at No. 15, near the Txoko Bar.
It's on a first floor flat and during these days sells a special
chilled champagne with lemon which goes down a treat. It's usually easy
to find as there is always a queue gathered at the stairway and into
the street.
The general atmosphere in the main square is similiar to that of
Jarauta, but usually with an older and somewhat more refined crowd. It
is packed out, but that's no hinderance when it comes to dancing, which
is what has brought the crowd there. The music can vary, basque folk
music, waltzes, rock and roll, pop, whatever.
The bars in the square - Casino Eslava, Baviera, Gure Etxea, Sevilla, and of course, the emblematic Café Iruña,
all have a day-long scene going with their tables and seats on the
terraces, and at night they go into full swing with music and dancing.
There is a special kind of disco-pub called the Subsuelo with free admission which attracts the young crowd.
At the top of Estafeta Street and surroundings (Duque de Ahumada
street and Espoz y Mina street) there are another group of bars with a
similiar atmosphere: La Granja, The Fitero, The Monasterio, El Gaucho, The Niza.
They are particularly popular for the daily lunch-hour drink and after
the bull-fights in the afternoons, although they also have their
night-long action. Sandwitches and suppers can usually be had at El
Niza, although the offer varies from year to year. It's a big bar and
with a bit of luck you can get a seat there (seats are at a premium
during the Fiesta). The people like to go there to watch the running of
the bulls on the TV and have a nice breakfast. The run is only four
meters from there, but some people don’t want to be waiting for hours
on the fence and prefer to have a hot chocolate and txurros while they
are watching the running of the bulls.
