San Fermín

Devotion to Saint Fermín in Pamplona is documented from at least the 12th century. According to tradition he was the son of a Roman senator who converted to Christianity, became Pamplona's first bishop, and was martyred by beheading in Amiens, France — a story tied to July because it marks the transfer of his relics, even though the earliest festivities in his honour were held in October, closer to the anniversary of his death.

In 1591, the city council moved the religious feast to July and merged it with the Feria, a civic and commercial fair already held that month, when better weather brought more traders, cattle merchants and visitors to Pamplona. The encierro grew directly out of that cattle fair: drovers needed to move bulls quickly from pens outside the city walls to the bullring ahead of the afternoon's corridas, and young men began running alongside and ahead of the herd, first as a practical shortcut and increasingly as a show of nerve. What started as an informal, unregulated dash was gradually formalised over the 19th and early 20th centuries with fixed barriers, a set route and a fixed starting time as the crowds grew.

International fame came later and from an unlikely source: Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises, written after his own visits to the festival, turned San Fermín from a fiercely loved regional fiesta into a bucket-list event for travellers worldwide — Pamplona later placed a bust of the author near the bullring in recognition. The core of the festival has stayed remarkably constant since: the chupinazo rocket that opens nine days of celebration, the daily encierro, the religious procession, and the midnight Pobre de Mí that closes it, even as the crowds following Hemingway's readers have turned a local saint's day into one of the most recognised festivals on earth.

For nine days, Pamplona runs on almost no sleep. The rhythm repeats daily: the encierro at eight each morning, brass bands and street performers filling the old town through the day, a bullfight each evening, and open-air parties that run past dawn — many locals and regulars simply stay up all night rather than try to sleep between one day's close and the next day's run. Expect crowded streets, constant noise, the smell of sangria and grilled food, and an atmosphere that swings between reverent (during the religious procession) and completely uninhibited (everywhere else).

The iconic San Fermín outfit is mandatory for full immersion:

• White shirt and white trousers
• Red neckerchief (pañuelo rojo)
• Red sash (faja roja) around the waist

The red pañuelo is tied loosely around the neck on 6 July at noon during the Chupinazo opening ceremony and worn throughout the festival.

By bus: The easiest option. Regular coach services from Madrid (5h), Barcelona (4h), Bilbao (1.5h), and San Sebastián (1h). Bus station is a short walk from the old town.

By train (Renfe): From Madrid (3h via high-speed), Zaragoza (1.5h), and other cities. The train station is 15 minutes' walk from the centre.

By car: Pamplona is well connected by motorways. However, parking during the festival is extremely difficult — use park-and-ride facilities outside the city.

By air: Pamplona Airport (PNA) has limited routes. Bilbao Airport (BIO, 1.5h away) and Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ, 1.5h) are better-connected alternatives.

Is it free to attend San Fermín? Most events are free — the encierro, concerts, parades, and street parties. Only bullfight tickets are paid.

Is the Running of the Bulls cruel to animals? The encierro ends at the bullring, where the bulls later participate in the afternoon corrida. This is a highly debated ethical issue — animal rights groups protest the event annually.

Can women run? Yes. Women have participated in the encierro since 1974, though they were only officially permitted from 1978 onwards.

What language is spoken? Spanish (Castellano) and Basque (Euskara). Most locals and tourism staff also speak English.