Pamplona
Surrounded by mountains, the plain of the basin of Pamplona has always favoured human settlement. As early as 75,000 years ago evidence of human habitation is frequent.
Pamplona (Basque: Iruña) is a city in Navarra (Basque: Nafarroa), Spain. It is most famous world-wide for its San Fermín festival also known as "The Running of the Bulls" held each year from July 6th - 14th, which features the daily bullrun or "Encierro" in spanish.
Pamplona is a beautiful green city and ranks the highest in enviroment and recycling cities in Spain & Europe.
There are many interesting things to do and explore in Pamplona for traveler as it is a main city on the route of St. James (Camino de Santiago), Wine routes & tours, Roman mosiacs and buildings and it is a city with beautiful parks and river running through it also.
The city has three universities, both public (Universidad Pública de Navarra) and private ( Universidad de Navarra), and two campus located in different parts of the city.
Besides the evening bullfights, at 11AM some mornings during San Fermin, there is a chance to enter the bullring for free, and watch student bullfighters hone their craft. Pamplona's bullring is the second largest in Spain.
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.
TIP: To gain free access to the main event in the bullring which happens after the bull run, run during the last segment of the bull run and gain access to the bullring for free!!
Things to See in Pamplona
Royal Palace of Olite
This ancient building was the official home of the Navarran kings until the kingdom was subsumed by Castile in 1512. Built on top of the remains of an ancient Roman forum, the palace was many transformed over the following centuries.
Camino de Santiago
The ancient and famous pilgrimage trail passes through Pamplona. It entersat the Puente de la Magdalena in the northeastern part of the city. For those who want a flavour of this magical routes, walk part of it by passing through the walls at the Portal de Francia. Your road takes you past the Cathedral, the Plaza Consistorial and the Church of San Saturnino. Take a leisurely stroll across the Puente de Zizurand head on west....
Plaza del Castillo
This plaza, originally built as a bullring in 1847, is the heart of Pamplona. The narrow streets of the town's old quarter extend on three of its sides. The bullring used today is situated to the southeast of here. It is around this area that the bulls runs during the fiesta of San Fermin.
