Kingdom of Navarre. Land of diversity

Pamplona is a city with good communications but transport is heavily booked during the period of Sanfermines, so it is advisable to make your travel arrangements in advance. Access our specific section where you will find all possible options for getting to Pamplona: by car, bus, rail, air, or taxi.

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There is a very wide range of accommodation during San Fermín: hotels, hostels, guesthouses, campsites, etc. There are many options, but remember: you need to reserve well in advance for accommodation in Pamplona.

The first few days of San Fermín and the weekend are times when the hotels, guesthouses, campsites, etc. are completely full. Trying to find accommodation without making a reservation in advance is almost impossible. The situation is a little easier during the rest of the week. Your chances improve if you look in nearby towns and villages, where you will also find lower prices and also the chance to enjoy the natural surroundings.

Access the search engine for accommodation in the Pamplona area and see the bus schedules to nearby campsites 2010.

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Pamplona has an enormous variety of options for eating out, from sandwiches in bars to a meal in a high-class restaurant. Remember that prices rise quite considerably during the fiesta, although it is possible to eat out at a reasonable price. You will also need to be patient when looking for somewhere to eat, everywhere is very crowded.

Local meal times are generally 2-3 p.m. for lunch and 9-10.30 p.m. for dinner, although these hours tend to be flexible during Sanfermines. In some restaurants it is even possible to have lunch at 5 p.m. and dinner at midnight!

Access the form of bars, restaurants and cafes in Pamplona..

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In the street
The bull run can be seen from behind the fence that marks out the route. More specifically, behind the second fence, because the space between the two fences is reserved for runners, medical services, Press, Police, etc.

It is not possible to reserve a place, so you should get there at around 6.30 a.m., preferably with a jersey to combat the low temperatures that are common in the early morning. You then have to wait until 8 a.m., when the rocket is launched and the encierro starts.

Unless you manage to get a place on the top of the fence you will not get a good view of the bulls passing. However, if you cannot get access to a balcony overlooking the route this is the only way to get a feel for the dramatic atmosphere of the run.

In calle Santo Domingo, in front of the museum, there is an area without a fence to see the start of the run. A lot of people choose this spot, so it is advisable to get there between 5.30-6 a.m. to find a good place.

From a balcony
The best way of seeing the bull run is from the balcony of an apartment overlooking the route. In the Tourist Office of Pamplona (Calle Eslava, 1. Tel.: 848 42 04 20) you can get the telephone numbers of people who offer this service (in some cases even including breakfast). It is also possible to rent a balcony to watch the chupinazo [inaugural rocket] on 6th July. Download 2010's list of balconies.

In the Bullring
The end of the Encierro can be enjoyed in the Bullring. Some of the days, you need to buy a ticket, which also includes the vaquillas (steers that are let loose in the ring) after the bull run. A brass band entertains the crowd in the bullring prior to the bull run, and the crowd sing along to the tunes.

On TV or on the Internet
The bull run is broadcast live every morning on TVE (Canal 4) and is repeated in the news bulletins of all the major TV stations throughout the day. In recent years it has also been possible to see it on the Internet. To do this go to the new website of the city of Pamplona..

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Some specialist companies (Erreka and Global Servicios Turísticos) organise guided visits in the city to show visitors the most notable aspects of the fiesta, and also interesting VIP programmes (Erreka and Dinamic Eventos).

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Getting tickets for the bullfights is a complex process, because most of them are sold in advance. Only 10% are put on sale the evening before the bullfight in the ticket office of the bullring. The sale of tickets starts at around 9 p.m., after the day's bullfight has finished. Tickets for the bullfight of July 7th are sold to the public from 10 a.m. on July 6th.

Sometimes it is difficult to get tickets because ticket touts usually manage to get hold of most of those on sale. The peñas also resell their tickets when one (or more) of their members cannot go to the bullfight. They often do not know until the last minute, so it is a good idea to stop by their club premises and ask. They will sell you the ticket(s) at face value.

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In Sanfermines it is advisable to walk or use public transport. Vehicle traffic is chaotic, especially in the area around the Old Part. This area is, indeed, closed to traffic during the fiesta.

There is a good route network of city buses, with a frequency of between ten and fifteen minutes on each route. There are also night buses to the suburbs on the outskirts of the city. There is a customer service phone number of the City Transport Service of the Area Services Board of the Pamplona basin: 901 502 503.

Another option is to take a taxi. Fares are officially set and are metered. In Pamplona, in contrast to other cities, taxis do not usually stop in the street, so the best option is to find a taxi rank or order a taxi by telephone: Tele Taxi San Fermín (Tel.: 948 351 335) and Radio Taxi (Tel.: 948 221 212).

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During Sanfermines we recommend not using your car, because many streets are blocked to traffic and it is difficult to find somewhere to park. There are free and paying car parks, however, some of them specially set up for the Sanfermines at certain entry points to the city (a kind of 'park-and-ride' system). The Tourist Office will give you detailed information.MAP OF CAR PARKS 2010.

Parking zone tow trucks are in operation during the Sanfermines, so it is a good idea to park your car properly and pay attention to prohibition signs. If you are unlucky enough to have your car towed away the phone number of the municipal tow truck service is 948 174 000.

In Sanfermines the metered parking area does not operate, so if you are parked between blue or orange lines you do not have to worry about the time your car is parked there. However, take precautions against possible theft; do not leave any objects in view in the car.

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Bank opening hours
Banks and cajas de ahorro (savings banks) are generally open in the morning, from 9:00-14:00 hours, except for July 7th, the Day of San Fermín. Some banks are also open between these hours on Saturdays during the fiesta. Almost all of them close in the afternoon.

However, if your usual bank is closed and you need to visit one of its offices you can always visit a branch in the towns around Pamplona, which are open as usual. Banks and savings banks are all closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Changing currency
Generally, it is not possible to pay for products and services in currencies other than the euro. The only exception is certain hotels. Banks will change currency, although you may have difficulties if the currency is not European, with the exception of the US dollar.

Automatic cash machines
Pamplona has a large number of ATMs (cash machines). However, they are sometimes empty by the end of the day (mainly in the Old Part) due to the high number of people using them.

Credit cards
Credit cards are widely accepted, especially the best-known like Visa, Mastercard or American Express, although many small shops will ask for payment in cash.

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There are a number of public toilets in the streets and squares of Pamplona, and some of the (such as those in Antoniutti park) also have showers. The Casa de Baños (bath house) at Calle Eslava 9 has showers service.

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There are many places in Pamplona where you can log onto the Internet: some centres charge a small fee for logging on, and you can also have a drink in some cybercafés.

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SOS NAVARRE: 112 (for any incident).

Protección ciudadana (citizens' protection service)
Municipal Police: 092
Regional Police (red and grey uniform): 112 - 948 426 830
Nacional Police: 091 - Calle General Chinchilla, 3
Guardia Civil (Civil Guard) 062 or 948 296 850 - Avenida Galicia, 2
Traffic Guardia Civil: 948 234 700

Health services
Hospital de Navarra: 848 422 100 - Calle Irunlarrea, 3
Hospital Virgen del Camino: 848 429 400 - Calle Irunlarrea, 4

Others
Citizens' enquiries: 010
Bullring: 948 221 059 - Calle Amaya, 1
Main Post Office (includes Telegrams): 948 221 263 - Paseo de Sarasate, 9
Telegrams by phone 948 222 000
Public call boxes: Paseo Ernest Hemingway, next to the Bullring
Tow truck and parking fines service: 948 174 000
Traffic fines office: 948 420 606 - 948 420 611
Lost property: 948 420 612

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The climate of Navarre is oceanic in the damper north west, Alpine in the north east and almost a Mediterranean climate in the drier southern area.

The summer in Pamplona is usually hot and dry, but it can cool off considerably at night. Although the Sanfermines usually take place with good weather and high temperatures, rain is quite possible. We recommend bringing a jacket or jersey and some waterproof item of clothing.

Consult the weather forecast for Pamplona for the next few days.

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During the Fiesta you can leave your luggage in the Left Luggage Office in the school in Plaza San Francisco, opposite the Tourism Office. It is open uninterruptedly from 4th July at 08:00 until 16th July at 14:00 (price per case: 4,40€) or in the bus station with shorter opening hours (06:30-23:30).

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Main office: Tel: 948 207 217 - Paseo de Sarasate

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