San Fermin
The festival of San Fermín, or the Running of the Bulls as it’s more commonly known outside Spain, officially begins at midday on 6th July every year with the ‘Chupinazo’ which takes place on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona. Thousands of people congregate in the square awaiting the mayor’s official announcement that the fiestas have begun, a rocket is launched and the partying begins.
Pamplona Bull Running Tours – 2021
Bookings are now being taken for camping tours at July’s running of the bulls in Pamplona. As a bonus for visitors to this website Stoke Travel will give you FREE beer or sangria at their Pamplona campsite provided you quote “FIESTAS” on the booking form.
History of the Running of the Bulls
The history of the bullrunning in Pamplona is not clear. There is evidence of the festival from as far back as the 13th century when it seems the events took place in October as this coincided with the festival of San Fermín on October 10th. It seems that the modern day celebration has evolved from this as well as individual commercial and bullfighting fiestas which can be traced back to the 14th century.
Over many years the mainly religious festival of San Fermín was diluted by music, dancing, bullfights and markets such that the Pamplona Council proposed that the whole event be moved to July 7th when the weather is far more conducive to such a celebration. To this day San Fermin remains a fixed date every year with the first bullrun at 8am on July 7th and the last at the same time on July 14th.
The joining together of the religious, commercial and bullfighting festivals and the move to July 7th led to the first official celebration of Sanfermines in 1591. This inaugural fiesta was a low key affair in comparison to the modern day running of the bulls as it only lasted two days although there was much merriment involving music, a procession and a bullfight. Dancing and fireworks became features of the festival over the next few years and the event was extended to July 10th.
The first evidence of foreigners turning up in Pamplona for San Fermín are recorded in chronicles from the 17th and 18th centuries when reference is made to the local clergy being concerned about “the abuse of drink and the permisiveness of young men and women”. By now there was plenty music, dancing, drinking, street theatre and bull-running as the religious focus of the occasion took a back seat. By the 19th century all kinds of fairground attractions were making their way to Pamplona including human cannonballs and circus animals. The actual route of the bull run didn’t have a double security wall as is the case today so the bulls were able to escape, creating chaos in the streets of Pamplona.
It was thanks to the writing of American writer Ernest Hemingway that San Fermín developed the notoriety of today. The publication of his novel “The Sun Also Rises” in 1926 told the world about the Pamplona bull running festival which attracted people from all over the world to this annual festival. Such is the popularity of the event that overcrowding is a serious problem and if you’re planning on staying there then you should book accommodation many months in advance.
The Bull Run – El Encierro
The Pamplona bull run takes place at 8am every morning from 7th to 14th July (eight runs in total). Runners must be in the running area by 7.30am. The actual run stretches from the corral at Santo Domingo where the bulls are kept to the bullring where they will fight that same afternoon. The length of the run is 825 metres and the average time of the run from start to finish is about three minutes. The streets through the old town which make up the bull run are walled off so the bulls can’t escape. Each day six fighting bulls run the route as well as six steers (castrated bulls).
The tension builds as the release of the bulls approaches and at 8am on the dot a rocket is fired to confirm that the gate has been opened at the Santo Domingo corral. Runners dressed in white with a red handkerchief around their necks pray to San Fermín then a second rocket announces that the bulls have left. The bulls and the runners then proceed along the route.
First of all they climb Santo Domingo and go across the Ayuntamiento Square continuing down c/ Mercaderes. The most dangerous part of the bullrun approaches as there’s a closed curve leading into c/ Estafeta which is the longest stretch of the run. Next comes a small section of c/ Duque de Ahumada which is known as the Telefónica stretch. The last stretch is also very risky as the route leads into a dead end street providing access to the Bull Ring.
Map of the Bullrun:
- Corralillos
- Cuesta de Santa Domingo
- Plaza del Ayuntamiento
- Curva de Mercaderes hacia Estafeta
- Calle Estafeta
- Curva de Telefónica
- Callejón
- Plaza de Toros
- Plaza del Castillo
A third rocket is set off once all the bulls have entered the bullring and the fourth, and final, rocket means that the bulls are now in the bullpen and the bullrun has finished. The vast number of people taking part in the bullrun nowadays adds to the already considerable danger of running alongside wild bulls weighing in the region of 700kg each.
A word of warning … With the drinks flowing and the party in full swing you could be forgiven for forgetting that running the bulls is an extremely dangerous activity. Under no circumstances should you even consider running if you’re intoxicated. Not only are drunken people a risk to themselves they are also a risk to everyone else. There are plenty security guards and first aid personnel but there is little they can do during the running of the bulls such that 15 people have died and over 200 been seriously injured since 1924.
Where to Watch the Bullrun
1. From the Street
You can stand behind the fences that mark the route of the bullrun but you need to arrive by around 6.30am to get the best spots on the top of the fence directly overlooking the run. Another good spot is in front of the museum on c/ Santo Domingo where there isn’t a fence but the best spots here are usually taken before 6am leaving you with a cold two hour wait before the run starts.
2. From Private Balconies
A great alternative is to get yourself onto a balcony overlooking the bullrun. You might be lucky enough to meet someone who invites you onto their terrace, alternatively, ask in the tourist information office (c/ Esclava, 1).
3. In the Plaza de Toros
Your only other options are to go to the bullring and watch the end as the bulls (and some terrified runners) arrive in the arena. Alternatively, you could head for a bar and watch the bull run which is shown live every morning on national TV.
San Fermin Video
Take a look at this incredible video produced by Spanish TV (RTVE). It portrays all the tension and excitement of the bullrun culminating in horrific scenes at the entrance to the bullring where some runners had fallen which led to a major crush that blocked the entrance of the bulls. More injuries resulted that day than for many years.
Watching the Bullfights
On every evening of the fiesta beginning at 6.30pm on 7th July there is a bullfight in the Pamplona bullring. Tickets for the bullfights are sold out well in advance as the arena only holds 12,500 people. Every evening after the day’s bullfight some tickets go on sale for the next evening’s event at the ‘taquillas’ at the bull ring. You’ll usually find ticket touts operating around the Plaza de Toros during the day and before the bullfight selling at elevated prices.
Getting to Pamplona
Whilst there are no international flights into Pamplona Airport, you can fly to Madrid or Barcelona (seasonal) then take a connecting domestic service to get there. The airport is only 6km from the city centre. There are regular train services from Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastian to Pamplona as well as frequent bus services. For more detailed information on how to get to Pamplona take a look at our comprehensive Pamplona Travel Guide.
Where to Stay in Pamplona
The city of Pamplona simply isn’t big enough to accommodate the vast number of people who flock there during Sanfermines. It’s more or less impossible to book Pamplona Hotels at short notice so if you want the comfort of a hotel bed you should consider booking many months in advance. Similary budget accommodation in hostels gets fully booked a long time before the event so planning your visit some time ahead is crucial.
My personal preference is to book a place on the campsite in Pamplona which lies about 7km from the city centre. Whilst it is also packed throughout the week of the fiestas they do take security seriously and offer bus transport in and out of town.
The free campsite that appears near the Ezcaba campsite during the fiestas is another option but isn’t recommended for security reasons as petty crime is rife during San Fermin. Similarly sleeping in parks along with many others should be avoided for the same reason. Young revellers would be strongly advised to book a tour to the Pamplona bullrun with Stoke Travel. Their experienced organisers arrange a number of lively packages which attract hundreds of like-minded young people from all over the world.
An alternative to staying in Pamplona is to book a hotel in San Sebastian, Vitoria-Gasteiz or Estella and make the early morning trip to the bull run from there. The trouble is that getting public transport early enough in the morning to see the bullrun can prove impossible so this option is only really viable if you have your own vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every year in the run-up to San Fermín we receive the same questions about the fiestas. Here they are together with answers:
How Much Does it Cost to Run with the Bulls?
Whilst this does come as a surprise to many people who ask this question, there is no need to pay to run the bulls or even register for that matter. All you have to do is head for Plaza Consistorial near the start of the route preferably before 7am. Don’t turn up just before 8am as you’ll be too late to get a spot and don’t wait along Calle Estafeta as the police will clear everyone off this street before the bullrun commences.
Can Women Run With The Bulls?
Yes, there is nothing to stop women from participating although they tend to be very few in numbers. It’s very rare to see any Spanish females running, the majority normally seem to be Aussies.
The Navarra Tourist Board website is a handy resource for tourism information in this part of Spain.