In a place where leisure has many sides, the Navarrese are keen on sports, and it's likely you will see them in top-seeded positions in hIn a place whereandball, swimming, cycling and pelota. Pamplona is a top-ranking European region for the quantity and quality of its sports facilities per capita, including three golf courses and hundreds of sports centers and gymnasiums. The regional government's investment per capita in sports facilities is the highest in Spain.

Tracing its history to pre-Roman Empire era, Navarre preserves its artistic and cultural heritage -- from Romanesque remains to the gothic splendor of its numerous churches. Some of the historic buildings are now parador de turismo, where visitors can stay in opulently restored medieval digs and learn a little Spanish history at the same time.

One unique historical legacy is the Pilgrim's Way, an ancient path today traveled by thousands of modern-day crusaders in hiking boots, or on bicycles or motorcycles. Two routes bringing the travelers from northern Europe and from the Mediterranean countries converge in Navarre. According to legend, St. James the Great, one of Christ's 12 apostles, was beheaded in AD 43 and his body carried to the northern Spain city of Santiago. For centuries, the road has enjoyed huge cultural and artistic influence, not to mention trade from the British, the Italians, the Germans and the Scandinavians.

For executives, Navarre has the quality housing one would expect in a multinational community. There are first-class apartments and townhouses and golf course communities on a par with any in the world. And, of course, everyone enjoys the taste of Navarre. It's a distinctive blend of the region's many cultural influences over the centuries -- French, homespun rural, Basque.