Pamplona
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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.
City is in Navarra.
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[edit] Understand
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane
Iberia fly several times a day from Madrid and Barcelona, Spanair from Madrid. The nearest international airport is Bilbao (156 km)
[edit] By train
Daily trains from and to Madrid, Barcelona, Vitoria, Galicia and Asturias. Urban bus links train station and downtown
[edit] By car
[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
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 6 a.m., you'd better go get a good place to watch the running of the bulls. It's at 8 am, 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. Fortunatly not ALL the topless female "runners" are ugly.
[edit] Do
- 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 7:30. 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 it's situated at the begining of Estafeta street.
[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". Besides there's a licor called "Patxaran" that I suggest everybody to drink.
[edit] Sleep
[edit] Budget
- Many sleep in the open for free in the parks throughout Pamplona.
[edit] Mid-range
[edit] Splurge
[edit] Contact
[edit] Stay safe
[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.