Running of the Bulls | Pamplona, Spain | Passport to Adventure

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Spain's Basque Country and the Festival of San Fermin

In this episode, Julie & Mark give you a new perspective on the world famous "Festival of San Fermin" in Pamplona, Spain. Crazy or not, each year thousands of revelers hit the streets for the traditional "Running of the Bulls".

The frenetic activity continues in the streets till dawn, with all ages participating in the dancing, partying and parades.

The action culminates in the bullring where silk clad matadors take on the thirteen hundred-pound behemoths.

Is it an elegant spectacle or a cruel sport? We'll let you decide.

The journey through the Basque Country begins in the glamorous French coastal resort of Biarritz, where surfers tote their boards past chic tourists and casinos. From Biarritz, Julie & Mark visit the charming fishing village of St. Jean de Luz, then cycle through the foothills of the Pyrenees to reach Pamplona to take part in the ultimate Basque celebration.

Get Your Kicks - Adventure in Pamplona

There is so much to do whether you are at Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls or sightseeing in the Pyrenees.

Since many people come to the Festival of San Fermin July to "get their kicks" by running with the bulls. Continue reading for some important things to know about "El Encierro".

The rivers and canyons of the Pyrenees have drawn some very creative adventurers! We tried a new sport called "Hydrospeed" on one of Spain's premier rivers, the Noguera Pallarese and scaled the walls of a waterfall on our "canyoning" expedition.

The mysterious Pyrenees mountains hold valuable clues to the origins of mankind. Over the past 400 million years rushing water has created huge caves in the limestone cliffs. The most difficult leg of the Tour de France bike race takes place in the steep passes of the Pyrenees mountains. This terrain is also popular with mountain bikers, cycle tours and hikers.

Finding a Place to stay in Pamplona

Accommodations in Pamplona are hard to come by during the festival, the prime locations in the town center are all booked up a year in advance. That said, I have never made reservations and have always found somewhere to stay. If you don't want to pay the inflated festival week prices, there is always the park. It's perfectly legal to sleep in the local parks, then use the showers at the public swimming pool to freshen up. You can store your baggage at the bus station.

If comfort takes precedent over money, try the bigger, more expensive hotels. The Los Tres Reyes is right in the heart of things, but because of the high rates sometimes has a room available. A short walk from the center, and therefore much quieter, are several large, corporate style hotels. We stayed in the Iruna Park and found it very comfortable. The best advice I can give you is to be flexible and resourceful.

Once outside the cities you will find the true hospitality of the Pyrenees. Some of my most enjoyable times were spent with the delightful owners of the small country inns where we stayed.

Most of the "dining" we did in Pamplona was done in bars, and since tasting different local specialities is one of my favorite pastimes, I loved the traditional "tapas". The Spanish like to graze while they drink, so bars often serve "tapas" or "pinchos", bite size hors d'oeuvres usually eaten with a toothpick or your fingers. They are normally displayed on the bar so that customers can help themselves. When you have finished, the bartender will count the used toothpicks and charge accordingly - so don't dispose of them! Some of my favorite tapas include:

"Tortilla" - similar to quiche or an omelette with potato as the primary ingredient. (Not anything like what would be called a tortilla in Mexico). While most people indulge in "churros"(like a donut) and hot chocolate for breakfast, I enjoyed having tortillas! My other favorites are: tuna and tomato on a small piece of bread, fried squid, marinated olives and mushrooms, potatoes in various sauces and small sandwiches known as bocadillos. Tapas make drinking all that sangria and beer almost survivable!

In the Basque countryside you will enjoy a hearty cuisine featuring trout from a nearby stream, delicious locally cured ham, robust sauces featuring wild mushrooms, wine and herbs and the famous gateau Basque, a dense, dry, almond flavored cake. Many restaurants offer a fixed price menu which is usually a good value.

Pamplona at Festival Time

My girlfriend and I took an overnight train from Marseille, France to San Sebastian, Spain where we would make the connection to the local train bound for Pamplona.

After storing our bikes and the bulk of our baggage, we killed time eating "tapas" at the train station bar and gathered information about the Festival from returning travelers.

It was easy to pick out those coming from Pamplona - dark circles under the eyes, matted hair, sangria stained clothing; all bore the mark of San Fermin!

On the train ride to Pamplona we met two girls from New York, and since we had all heard rooms were scarce, we decided to look for a place to share.

We were lucky - on the bus ride from the train station into town (Pamplona's train station is not in the town, you must take a bus into the old city center) we met a local woman who offered to rent us a room in her home.

We never spent much time in the room, but it sure was nice to have a safe haven. Sleeping in the park didn't sound all that appealing (although many do end up there!).

Penas Come Alive for the Festival

The whole town basically shuts down for the entire week, everyone is on holiday, only the bartenders go to work.

I loved being out on the streets at one o'clock in the morning and seeing fathers marching with the local pena bands carrying toddlers on their shoulders and grandmothers dancing with their grandsons at all hours of the night. Every generation celebrates together.

The Penas are local social clubs who spend the year gearing up for the festival. Their joyful music reverberates through the streets day and night as they march leading packs of singing, dancing revelers.

The Running of the Bulls

El Encierro, the running of the bulls, has taken place in small towns all over Spain for centuries.

It began as the only way to get the bulls to the ring for the evening bullfight, no one knows exactly when it became an extreme sport. I was told, that for the Spaniards it is a traditional test of courage and manhood, sort of a "right of passage".

The first time I attended the Festival, being young and stupid, I of course wanted to run, but at that time women were not allowed to risk their lives. Out of respect for the local traditions, I chose to enjoy the craziness from the sidelines.

The last time I was in Pamplona it appeared that equal opportunity was the new motto being observed, although I saw very few women in the pack. So, if you are female and would like to run, I would do a bit of asking around first and see how the local people feel about it before you decide.

There are as many tourists at the Festival these days as locals, but it is still their party, we are the guests and should respect their rules.

Some practical info for Runners and Spectators

The bulls run through the narrow streets of the old city center every morning at 8:00 AM from July 7th - 14th. The streets are closed off with eight foot high wooden barricades, so once you are in you are committed, your only escape is to try and hide in a doorway or climb a fence.

To run, you must enter the half mile course between 7:30 & 8:00am after the police have cleared the route of litter and drunks . The crowd is more dangerous than the bulls, some are still drunk and most have no idea what they are doing.

This is not a good time to test the "goodness of mankind" - if you slip and fall you are at the mercy of the mob and the thundering hooves, and there may be no one to come to your rescue. Here are a couple of important facts:

1. They may be big, but they are fast. The bulls will complete the half mile course in two minutes. Do the math - you CAN NOT out run them!

2. The bovine with bells on are steer - they are included in the run to keep the bulls calm. A bull that has become separated from the herd is very dangerous - stay away!

El Encierro - Running of the Bulls

If you are genuinely interested in the Encierro, I would suggest spending your first few days in Pamplona learning as much as possible about the festival traditions and the habits of bulls, then find a local who will run with you and show you the ropes. This will make your experience much more rewarding, not to mention safe! To prepare for your travels in Spain, pick up a copy of Hemingway's "The Sun also Rises" and "Death in the Afternoon", both feature the "Feria" in Pamplona.

The Art of Spectating:

It is difficult to find a good spot along the fences to watch the two minutes of early morning excitement. Many people stay up all night partying in the streets and have already staked out the best vantage points by daybreak, so plan on being out there by 7am and wander around till you find an open spot.

Hopefully you have several days to spend in Pamplona, so by the second or third morning you will have figured out where to get a good view of the fiasco. You could also try to buy your way onto one of the balconies overlooking the course, this should be done ahead of time, not ten minutes before the run.

Julie Answers Questions on Pamplona

I am going to the Pyrenees for a month this summer and was thinking about cycling, would you recommend it?

Julie Answers: Cycling is my favorite way to travel and the Basque country is perfect for it! The terrain is pretty mountainous, so if you are not already in shape, you will be after the trip!

Is the festival more crowded during the beginning or the end?

Typically I think the first half of the week is busier - but if the French Bastille Day holiday (14th) falls on a Monday, many French people come down for the final weekend and things get pretty crazy!

Is there much crime in Pamplona during the festival?

Amazingly little I am happy to say. The towns people are very tolerant and I think the crowd is generally very harmonious. I am sure the temptation is great for pickpockets and of course don't leave your belongings unattended, but I think that is about the extent of it.

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