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.
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
Also part of it, and being written: Chupinazo (The opening.), Pacharán (The liqueur.).
A trail idea for Pamplona
- Calle Estafeta See the bull run route.
- Plaza del Castillo Join the evening crowd.
- Pamplona Cathedral See the cloister.
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.
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Festival of San Fermín: SanchoPanzaXXI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Running of the bulls: The original uploader was Bernard bill5 at Dutch Wikipedia . Later ver, CC BY-SA 3.0, source