• Understand
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Learn
• Work
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Contact
• Stay safe
• Cope
• Get out

Pamplona (Basque: Iruña) is a city in Navarra in Spain. It is most famous world-wide for its festival in early summer which features The Running of the Bulls. Other than this, it's a day-in-a-year town, with nothing interesting for traveler through the rest of the year--except its elite university, the Universidad de Navarra, owned by the Opus Dei.

In the arena after the Running of the Bulls

[edit] Understand

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Pamplona has a little airport connected with several cities (Iberia fly several times a day from Madrid and Barcelona, Spanair from Madrid; TAP from Lisbon). Nearby, there are international airports like Bilbao (156 km), Zaragoza (170 km), or Biarritz, France (115 km) with several flights from the UK, Ireland, or Germany.

[edit] By train

Daily trains from and to Madrid, Barcelona, Vitoria, Galicia, and Asturias. Urban busses links train station and downtown.

[edit] By car

Underground parking is widely available.

[edit] By bus

The cheapest way to get in Pamplona. Several daily services from Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Vitoria, Zaragoza and other towns.

[edit] Get around

A great place to walk the streets, with live music and wonderful people. Lots of alcohol and dancing in the streets all night long and, by 6AM, you'd better go get a good place to watch the running of the bulls. It's at 8AM, and after that, a good breakfast and run to sleep.

[edit] See

Besides the evening bullfights, at 11AM some mornings during San Fermin, there is a chance to enter the stadium for free, and watch student bullfighters hone their craft.

July 5th is becoming an extra day of fun, as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has a "running of the nudes" to protest the bullfights. Sadly though no one is totally naked, it's against the law. Fortunately not all the topless female "runners" are ugly.

[edit] Do

Opening Ceremony of San Fermin celebration

• Sanfermines, city-wide. July 6 - July 14. The city festival of Pamplona. The festival begins with the txupinazo: a rocket fired from the city council's balcony at 12PM of the 6th. A large street party ensues that night and for the rest of the week. The best-known feature is the encierro (running of the bulls), which is done every day at 8AM. 6 bulls run through the town center towards the plaza de toros (bull ring); the adventurous and foolhardy run in front of them.

If you are wanting to run with the bulls, then arrive at the track at about 7:30AM. You will form up behind a line of police that will be glad to take you out of the crowd if you are drunk. Also having a camera when you run is not allowed, so if you take one along, make sure you hide it.

[edit] Learn

Many people are surprised to learn that San Fermin has a nightly fireworks show. Each night a different company (many international) competes for a prize. This happens nightly near the cuadella or fortress.

Pamplona has many old palaces, most of them in the heart of the city. One of them, on the outskirts of town in Gorritz used to belong to Sir Lancelot (of King Arthur fame). He received this palace upon marrying a Spaniard. The palace has a nice upper class bar and restaurant, and an excellent wine cellar below.

[edit] Work

[edit] Buy

You can buy good wine, Patxaran, jam, and tins of peppers the best are from Lodosa, and of course sparragus from Navarra. And as a present you can buy small bulls, also you can find the Shop of shirts from Urmeneta: Kukusumusu, the shop situated at the beginning of Estafeta Street.

[edit] Eat

Outside Sanfermines day, many eateries close at 3:30PM.

[edit] Drink

In Pamplona you can find good wine from Navarra, try it! it's really good. You can order it in every bar as "tinto" (red wine) or as "clarete" (rose wine). Besides there's a liquor called "Patxaran" that should be tried.

You should also make sure you try the Sangria. It's a red wine punch, usually with some fruit, red wine, and some honey to sweeten. The alcoholic content can vary greatly from place to place.

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Many sleep in the open for free in the parks throughout Pamplona.

• The El Molino campground is nearby Pamplona. It has campsites, cabins and rooms. Definitely requires booking during San Fermín festival. Is about 25 min from the center of Pamplona and there are standard 40 Euro per shuttle rides, and there are always others around keen to share.

• A good camp close to Pamplona is Lizarra at Estella. Approx. 1/2 away by coach. Has bar, restaurant, shop, showers, & pool.

• Camp in Tali Mendi, Zarautz (on the coast) Approx. 1hr 15 minutes away by coach. Few hundred metres from the beach.

[edit] Mid-range

• There are a number of Hotels/Hostels in the city, although you will need to book very early.

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

• Watch out for the bulls!

[edit] Cope

• Luggage There is a place near the bus station where knapsacks, luggage, and items can be stored free. This is expected to be moved after the 2007 San Fermines as the existing bus station is going to be torn down, the new one is nearby where the "barakas" or carnival.

[edit] Get out