Pamplona, Spain

Pamplona is thrown under the world’s spotlight every year between the 6th and 14th of July for the (in)famous and controversial Festival of San Fermin, when daring and/or foolish revellers run with bulls.
When Ernest Hemingway published his novel “The Sun Also Rises” in 1926 it catapulted the town and its traditional San Fermin Festival into one of the most famous of the world’s festivals.
For us Pamplona was a much more sedate affair and perhaps just as well, since we are no bull runners, or fans of the San Fermin festival for that matter.
But maybe sedate was not exactly an accurate description of Pamplona since there was a “fiesta” going on as we entered the main high street. People dancing on the streets, dressed up in costumes, eating, drinking and having a ball…we immediately thought “I think we are going to like this town”.

A Spanish “fiesta” was going on as we arrived in town

Dancing at Plaza del Castillo

Our motorhome Aire (GPS N42.82093 W1.65626) at a cost of 10 Euro per night was perfectly located within walking distance to the old town and all the attractions.
Pamplona’s medieval walled old city is located on a high position above a valley. A city that was originally built as a fortress, it’s ancient walls are well preserved and it is possible to walk its length which is about 3 miles/5 km round walk.
From the top there are great views over the valley, the river Arga, a tributary of the Ebro and the mountains in the distance.

Pamplona’s ancient wall

View from the top of the wall, can just about see the motorhome Aire by the red petrol station on the left

The city has developed on both sides of the river, clearly seen when walking over the walls, with the historical centre on the left bank of the river.
The old town is very charming with winding quaint cobbled streets, beautiful architecture and apparently a very good night life. We didn’t partake though, after our wild nights of pinchos eating our way around San Sebastian we had early nights in Pamplona.
We were there over a weekend, arriving on a Saturday lunch time to find Pamplona lively with a fiesta going on. But come Sunday morning there was little sign of life, the town was very quiet and sleepy, only coming to life again at around lunch time.
Keen to make the most of our short time in town we did the ancient walls walk on the quiet Sunday morning, entering it from an entrance point near our motorhome Aire and walking all the way around to the citadel.

The citadel

The citadel is considered one of the best examples of Spanish Renaissance military architecture. It is now a public park containing pavilions, moats, fortifications, art exhibits and is a lovely green space where we saw many people taking a stroll and relaxing.
From the citadel we wondered over to the very realistic looking sculpture about the San Fermin’s bull run festival. Looking like frozen in action, the “Monumento al Encierro” was a tribute to “los San Fermines “.

Brian at the Monumento Al Encierro. He loved it.

Made in cast bronze by sculptor Rafael Huerta in 1997 and expanded later by the same artist in 2007. It is four metres wide and eleven metres long. It shows eleven runners running, a herd of nine bulls hot on their heels, giving a good impression of what it would feel like having the hot breath of an angry bull or it’s sharp horns moments from ripping you apart…
We spent most of Sunday afternoon at Plaza del Castillo, where everyone appears to congregate, the epicentre of Pamplona’s social life. Locals while away the hours here gossiping with friends, eating, drinking coffee and just hanging out.

Plaza del Castillo…a dog convention?

We sat in one of the benches with a picnic, listening to some very good musicians playing guitar and drums whilst basking in the sun at the Plaza.

Afterwards we wandered over to the Cathedral, Santa Maria La Real, which has been built over the ruins of a previous Romanesque church, destroyed in the 14th century. The façade is not very impressive, but inside at the centre of the church lies the 15th century mausoleum of Charles III of Navarra and his wife Leonor de Trastámara. The 13th – 14th century Gothic cloister is also very interesting. It was free to enter when we visited.

Santa Maria La Real

Pamplona is the first major city on the Camino (the pilgrimage that ends at Santiago de Compostela, Galicia), most people doing the Camino Frances starting in St. Jean Pied de Port will arrive here on day 3. Some might even start their Camino walk from here, we noticed that there are various albergues (where pilgrims stay overnight) dotted around town.

There is lots to see in Pamplona, so I would recommend at least two days to do it justice. If visiting by motorhome we recommend the Aire we have stayed, since it is perfectly located within walking distance of all the attractions.

After leaving Pamplona our travels continue on a route South.