Here are a few suggestions on how to visit the San Fermin festival in Pamplona.
The Stay Up All Night Option
- Travel in the afternoon from Bilbao, San Sebastian or Barcelona.
- Arrive in time for the fireworks.
- Stay up all night, making your way to your chosen viewing spot by about 4 or 5am.
- Watch the bull run (at 8am).
- Leave Pamplona as soon as the run has taken place.
Who this would appeal to: The big-time party guy (or girl) who is able to stay awake throughout the night and still be conscious enough to enjoy the bulls. This is the cheap option as no accommodation is involved and it is great for getting a good seat to view the run from as you can get to your chosen spot nice and early, but a lot of stamina is required for this option. Under no circumstances should you run the bulls if you have had no sleep and have been drinking all night.
The Night Train Option
- Take the night train (or bus) from Bilbao, San Sebastian or Barcelona, arriving just in time to see the run.
- Watch the bull run.
- Leave Pamplona as soon as the run has taken place.
Who this would appeal to: The budget culture traveler, one who has no interest in the partying the night before. This is the cheapest option as it doesn't require accommodation or beer money, but it does kinda miss out on all the fun! You might also arrive a little late to find the best place to view from.
The Quick Lie Down Option
- Book a Hotel in Pamplona (book direct) well in advance
- Travel in the afternoon from Bilbao, San Sebastian or Barcelona.
- Arrive in time for the fireworks.
- Party for a while, but go to bed early.
- Have a short sleep (three or four hours) and rise at about 4am to go to your chosen viewing spot.
- Watch the bull run (at 8am).
- Leave Pamplona as soon as the run has taken place.
Who this would appeal to: The traveler that wants to party a little but knows their limits and knows they'll never make it through the night. You'll hardly use your accommodation but you'll appreciate it! This option is highly recommended for those who wish to take part in the run.
The 'I Need My Sleep' Option
- Pamplona is noisy throughout the night during the San Fermin Festival, so the Quick Lie-Down Option (above) isn't for those who really need their sleep, so Book a Hotel in Nearby Vitoria (book direct)
- Take the early morning train from Vitoria to Pamplona in time for the day's running of the bulls. Read more about Trains to the Pamplona Running of the Bulls.
- Note that the locals won't be doing what you're doing, so most of them will be asleep during the day. Pamplona is a ghost town during the San Fermin festival, until the evening's bull fights start at around 5pm. Museums and restaurants will be closed.
If you want to stay in a hotel just outside Pamplona, you'll need a ride into town. SPYNS offers a Pamplona Bull Run Guided Tour where you stay in a nearby hotel and get taken to the run in the morning.
Who this would appeal to: Culture vultures who really want to see the main spectacle but aren't interested in the partying the night before or trying to sleep while a whole city is out partying.
The 'Wrap Me Up in Cotton Wool, I Can't Handle All This Excitement' Option
- Travel in the morning from Bilbao, San Sebastian or Barcelona.
- Spend the afternoon watching the locals set up the festivities; there'll be little else to do.
- Have a meal at one of the famous Pamplonan restaurants. (You didn't know there were any famous Pamplonan restaurants? That's because I was lying, there aren't any!)
- Watch the fireworks (from a safe distance, you can't handle the noise) and go to bed. Fail to get to sleep as it's all too darn noisy outside.
- Get up at 7.30am and try squeezing through the crowd to see the bull run. Fail to find a vantage point because you've left it to late.
- Watch the bullrun on TV.
- Stick around in Pamplona, looking for the museums and art galleries. Realise they're all closed because everyone's asleep.
Who this would appeal to: The kind of person that isn't really interested in the run at all, but is simply ticking off items on the 'Things to Do in Spain' list. As you can probably tell, I'm not a fan of this option. Pamplona is not the most exciting city in the world and it is even less exciting when everything is closed - as things always are at festival time.
