The Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona, Spain, best known for the running of the bulls (encierro), is a nine-day, wine-soaked bacchanalia. As with many Spanish festivals, it has religious and somewhat gory roots: Fermín was a 3rd-century C.E. patron saint of Navarre, of which Pamplona is the capital; he was condemned for his Christianity and martyred when he was tied to a bull and dragged to his death. Today’s festival, though, is an enormous secular bash. From July 6 to 14 each year, more than a million people pour into the city of 200,000 residents, hoping to dodge bulls, watch a bullfight, and soak up Basque culture. Like many fun things, the festival can be a bit chaotic, so follow these dozen tips and rules to get the most out of your visit.
1. Arrive early for the running of the bulls
Access to the route is through La Plaza Consistorial and La Plaza del Mercado from 6:30 a.m, so be in that line by 6 a.m. or you won’t get a good spot. Try Calle Santo Domingo by the railing that stretches down from the Nafarroako Museoa. If you don’t plan to run or you want a guaranteed spot, you can rent a balcony space. There’s no central listing for balcony rentals, but a quick search will turn up a dozen options from €115 per person (about US$125).
2. Get acquainted with the daily schedule
Although San Fermín can seem chaotic, there is an actual schedule. The musical wake-up always begins at 6:45 a.m., the encierro at 8 a.m., and the Big Head parade at 9:30 a.m. Things pick up again at 6:30 p.m. when the bullfights start, then fireworks are at 11 p.m., and the open-air dance is at midnight. Processions and parades always pass through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
While the running of the bulls is the most famous part of the celebration internationally, the festival also has a deep religious history, honoring the city’s patron saint.
Courtesy of San Fermín Pamplona/Unsplash
3. Follow the rules for running
Don’t get to the route late or drunk. Don’t touch the bulls. You can start from any part of the route. Most people jump out of the bulls’ path after a couple of seconds. If you fall, don’t get up until the bulls have passed. That’s the surest way to be gored. The run rarely exceeds three minutes.
4. Ask for the saint’s blessing
Right before each encierro, the runners at the start of the course sing to Saint Fermín, asking his blessing. Join in at the end with a rousing “¡Viva San Fermín! ¡Gora San Fermín!”
5. Enjoy Basque culture
Go to the pelota (jai alai) tournament, the nightly folk concerts in the Plaza del Castillo, and the stone-lifting, log-cutting, and tug-of-war contests at the Plaza de los Fueros.
6. Don’t jump off the fountain
Pamploneses do not consider jumping off the fountain to be part of their local culture. It’s a dangerous and somewhat disrespectful “tradition” brought in and done only by foreign tourists. Just don’t get involved.
7. Figure out a game plan for storing your stuff
Need to leave your stuff somewhere? There’s a bag check open during the festival in the school at Plaza San Francisco (€5, approximately US$5.50), and there are a handful of coin-operated lockers at the bus station (€5 to €6). Have cash. Services like LuggageHero, Lock Here Now, and Radical Storage all have storage points in the city center.
Want to fit in? Follow the festival’s red-and-white dress code.
Courtesy of San Fermín Pamplona/Unsplash
8. Follow the official dress code
All white, with a red bandana or scarf around the neck and a red sash around the waist. Bring a lot of backup T-shirts. And you really, really don’t want to wear open-toed shoes.
9. Drink responsibly
The kalimotxo—equal parts red wine and cola, served over ice—is a Basque Country concoction that’s far too easy to put away. Don’t drink more than three in a row, trust me.
10. Invest in a wineskin
Wine is an essential component of San Fermín. Instead of lugging around a glass bottle, find handcrafted botas (wineskins) at Las Tres Z.Z.Z., which has been making them since 1873. Visit the workshop on the edge of neighborhood Ermitagaña-Mendebaldea (about 30 minutes by bus or 10 by cab from Plaza del Castillo) or order directly to your hotel. The botas hold up to three liters of your favorite vino.
11. Indulge your sweet tooth
Iconic 150-year-old Churrerio La Mañueta closed at the end of 2023, but you’ll find deeply satisfying churros at tiny, very local El Churrero de Lerín (Calle de la Estafeta, 5). Go for the classic chocolate con churros or try them filled with dulce de leche, chocolate cream, or whipped cream, then write a note on the tile wall.
12. Choose the right hotel
Stay at Gran Hotel La Perla, a historic hotel from 1881 whose 44 modern, sound-proofed rooms have balconies that open onto the action of the San Fermín festivities. From €203 (US$221) per night.
This article was originally published in 2012. It was updated on June 4, 2024.
