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EveryParampara

Traditions of Pamplona

A Navarrese city whose San Fermín festival, with the running of the bulls, runs from 6 to 14 July.

Pamplona is the capital of Navarre and best known for San Fermín, a nine-day festival in honour of the city's patron saint. The encierro, the running of the bulls through the narrow streets to the bullring, is the most famous part, but the fiestas include processions, music, giants and shared meals.

Pamplona: Iruñea Nafarroa hiriburuko aireko ikuspegia, 2021. urtekoa
Photo: Nafarroako Gobernua, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Festival of San Fermín

The festival starts at noon on 6 July with the Chupinazo rocket, as crowds in white with red scarves are showered with wine. Each morning at 8 the bulls are released, and runners sing a prayer to the saint, in Spanish and Basque, before the start. Giants, gigantes, and big-heads dance in the streets, and processions honour the saint.

At the table

Pamplona is the home of the pintxo and the Navarrese table: pochas, white beans in stew, and chistorra sausage, trout with ham, and lamb chilindrón. Pacharán, a sloe liqueur, is served after meals. Rosé of Navarre is drunk in the festival. Breakfast is chocolate with churros after the run.

Signature traditions of Pamplona

Festival of San FermínThe festival.Running of the bullsThe encierro.

Also part of it, and being written: Chupinazo (The opening.), Pacharán (The liqueur.).

A trail idea for Pamplona

  1. Calle Estafeta See the bull run route.
  2. Plaza del Castillo Join the evening crowd.
  3. Pamplona Cathedral See the cloister.
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

KindSpiritualFestivalRite of passageTable customSeasonalDressPerformanceEtiquetteCraftGameFolkloreHomeCeremony
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast
🇪🇸 Pamplona, Spain and 3 moreRunning of the bullsencierro Runners sprint ahead of loose bulls through barricaded town streets in summerFestival 🇪🇸 Pamplona, SpainFestival of San FermínSanfermines An annual nine-day festival in Pamplona featuring bull runs, parades, and street music.Festival 🇪🇸 Pamplona, Spain and 5 moreProcessional giants Towering costumed figures carried through town streets during communal festivalsFestival

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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