Pamplona.

Where we sleep

1. Day 1 · Mon 5 Jul

   Arrive before the storm

   A calm afternoon in the old town, the day before the city changes colour. Time to buy the white clothes and the red scarf.

   • Pamplona Cathedral1 h

     A Gothic cathedral behind a neoclassical front, where the kings of Navarre were crowned. It is the calm before the fiesta.

     What to see

     • The tomb of Charles III and Eleanor
     • The Gothic cloister
     • The bell towers

     Time

     About an hour.

     Tip

     Opening hours change during San Fermín, so check the cathedral’s site before you walk up.

     To eat

     Pintxos in the old town, Pamplona’s bar snack on a slice of bread.

     Photos
   • Plaza del Castillo1 h

     The city’s living room, an arcaded square with a bandstand in the middle. Ernest Hemingway drank here while gathering material for The Sun Also Rises.

     What to see

     • The bandstand
     • The arcades and their cafés
     • The evening concerts during the fiesta

     Time

     As long as the coffee lasts.

     Tip

     During the fiesta the square is noisy until very late. Earplugs are the best thing you can pack.

     To eat

     A coffee on the arcades, then chistorra, Navarra’s thin spicy sausage.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Tue 6 Jul

   The Chupinazo at noon

   At noon the rocket goes up from the town hall balcony and San Fermín begins. The square packs out hours ahead, so we plan to watch from nearby and join the party afterwards.

   • Town Hall Square2 h

     From this baroque balcony the Chupinazo rocket opens San Fermín at noon on 6 July. Thousands in white raise their red scarves at the same moment.

     What to see

     • The rocket from the balcony
     • The red scarves going up
     • The party spilling into the side streets

     Time

     Arrive well before noon if you want to be in the square.

     Tip

     The square gets dangerously full and drenched in wine. For a first time, a side street or a rented balcony is the wiser choice.

     To eat

     A big breakfast first: nobody leaves that square for lunch.

   • Plaza del CastilloGuide on day 1 →
3. Day 3 · Wed 7 Jul

   Bulls at eight, saint at ten

   The first bull run is at 8:00, and we watch from behind the barriers. Then the procession carries the saint through the old town, the most moving moment of the week.

   • Calle EstafetaEarly morning

     The long straight stretch of the bull run, from the seventh to the fourteenth of July at 8:00. The whole run is about 875 metres and usually lasts a few minutes.

     What to see

     • The run from behind the barriers
     • The singing to the saint before the start
     • The street cleaners, faster than you’d think

     Time

     Claim a place by the barriers very early.

     Tip

     Running is genuinely dangerous and people get badly hurt every year. Watching is a perfectly good way to take part.

     To eat

     Chocolate with churros straight after, as half the city does.

   • Church of San Lorenzo1 h

     This church holds the chapel of San Fermín, whose statue leaves here for the procession on the morning of 7 July.

     What to see

     • The chapel of San Fermín
     • The statue of the saint
     • The procession passing through the old town

     Time

     An hour, plus the procession.

     Tip

     The procession is solemn, and the mood changes fast. Keep your voice down, and find a spot on its route early.

     To eat

     Ajoarriero, salt cod with peppers and tomato, a classic of Navarra.

     Photos
4. Day 4 · Thu 8 Jul

   A castle and a desert

   A day of quiet south of the city: the towers of Olite in the morning, then the eroded badlands of the Bardenas Reales.

   • Royal Palace of Olite2 h

     A fairy-tale palace of towers and terraces, built mostly for Charles III of Navarre in the early 1400s and heavily restored in the twentieth century.

     What to see

     • The climb up the towers
     • The hanging gardens
     • The little medieval town around it

     Time

     About two hours with the town.

     Tip

     The stairs in the towers are narrow and steep, so wear proper shoes and leave the big bags in the car.

     To eat

     Pimientos del piquillo and a glass of Navarra rosado.

     Photos
   • Bardenas RealesAfternoon

     A semi-desert of clay and sandstone carved into strange shapes, protected as a natural park and a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

     What to see

     • The Castildetierra rock chimney
     • The white Bardena Blanca
     • The light late in the day

     Time

     Three hours on the signed tracks.

     Tip

     There’s no shade and very little water out here. Fill up the car and carry plenty to drink, as July afternoons are hot.

     To eat

     Picnic before you go in: vegetables from the Ribera, Navarra’s market-garden south.

     Photos
5. Day 5 · Fri 9 Jul

   Walls, then home

   One last walk along the old fortifications, away from the crowds, before heading home.

   • The Citadel and city walls2 h

     A star-shaped Renaissance fortress, now a park, joined to some of the best-kept city walls in Spain. It’s the quiet side of Pamplona, even in July.

     What to see

     • The five bastions of the star
     • The Portal de Francia gate
     • The view from the Caballo Blanco lookout

     Time

     Two relaxed hours on foot.

     Tip

     People sleep off the night in these parks during the fiesta, so step around them kindly and enjoy the shade.

     To eat

     One last plate of pintxos in the old town before the road home.

     Photos

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.