Photo by wili_hybrid
“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”—Ernest Hemingway
What’s better than a great steak? A great steak that chases you. Pamplona’s famous encierro, or “running of the bulls”, provides a rite of passage, a badge of bravery to those pilgrims willing to make the trek to northeastern Spain.
Popularized in the English-speaking world by Ernest Hemingway, the festival of San Fermin—the backdrop of the encierro—starts each year on July 6.
When/Where to Go
The bulls run daily from July 7 to 14, at 8:00am. During the weekend, you’ll find the most runners on the course, so plan accordingly. More runners = a more dangerous run.
Wherever you happen to arrive, head to the heart of Pamplona—the old town. Follow the people dressed in white. If you’re lost, ask, “Donde esta Casco Antiguo?” (Loosely, “Where is Old Town?”)
Where to Stay
Pamplona is one of the most welcoming cities you’ll find. You can eat, drink, and sleep almost anywhere you’d like.
If you didn’t book a hotel room or apartment a year in advance, forget about it; you’re on your own. If you decide to try one of the parks, bring something warm: the nights can get cold.
Need a place to store your stuff? Head to Plaza San Francisco. You can store your gear in an official, secure area.
A great option if you have a little extra cash is to rent a car and drive to Pamplona. You get a movable shelter, protection for you and your stuff, and the ability to explore the gorgeous Spanish countryside. If you can, check out highway N-240. It’s the scenic route, and it’s worth it.
Photo by www.viajar24h.com
What to Wear
The standard dress for the entire festival is white pants, white t-shirt, and a red scarf. You can bring them with you or buy them there. Of course, days spent with wine, beer, and calimocho (made from equal parts red wine and Coca-Cola), will ensure you leave looking like Jackson Pollock’s undershirt and smelling about as bad.
Before the Run
Plan to arrive the afternoon before the morning you intend to run. You’ll want to spend some time walking the actual 800+ meter course. This will give you a chance to scope out the area that you’d like to start from and plan possible escape routes.
Before 7:30am on the day of your run, you MUST be in Plaza Consistorial. You know you’re the right place if you’re smashed next to thousands of strangers listening to the p.a. system read off some guidelines in various languages.
Don’t worry. You won’t have to wait long before the barricades are removed and you’re released onto the course.
Photo by www.viajar24h.com
During the Run
Before they release the bulls, you have complete freedom to move about the course. Technically, you can start your run from just outside of the corral (where the bulls are running from) or just outside the bull ring (where they are running to). Keep in mind, though, that those points reflect either an extreme form of bravery that borders on lunacy or pathetic cowardice.
A rocket lets you know the door to the corral is open. The next rocket lets you know that more than 6,000 pounds of angry bulls are headed toward you. Big, ugly, and fast, they cannot be outrun, so timing is everything. When you see a wave of people heading toward you, it’s time to run. Hard.
Your goal should be the bullring, as a very special event awaits the lucky few who make it in before or immediately after the bulls. Thousands of ticketholders cheer from the stands as several cows are released—one at a time—into the ring, charging.
Grabbing a horn will draw cheers from the crowd. Getting hit will draw laughs.
Photo by www.viajar24h.com
Downtime
During most of the day, say between 10:00am and 7:00pm, most of the town is recovering from a hangover. If you brought a car, you’ve got plenty of time to explore northern Spain.
You can head to the beautiful coastal town of San Sebastian (1+ hour drive) or visit the Guggenheim in Bilbao (2 hour drive). No car? There’s plenty to explore in and around the town. The tourist office in Plaza San Francisco provides free itineraries for the day’s events.
Community Connection:
If you run with the bulls in Pamplona, we sure hope you blog about the experience on Matador. If you’re headed to Spain, be sure to get in touch with some Matador members like Teresa, a journalist from Madrid, or El Lobo , who leads cultural walking tours in southern Spain.
If the running of the bulls isn’t enough of a party for you, check out Matador’s round-up of the best festivals in Spain.
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13 Comments... join the discussion!
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All up a good article, nice work Michael. One suggestion I do have for anyone planning to do Pamplona in the future would be to get there early on the 6th. The opening ceremony is an experience that rivals the lunacy of the run itself. Also, those looking to run should be wary of the crowd control measures the police enforce. Anyone carrying a camera or backpack, or who appears so drunk that they'll be more of a danger than the average runner is usually herded straight out of the course. Also, they tend to thin the crowd by herding people into the side streets with the barriers – quite a pain for anyone keen on running.
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Wow. After reading this article, I almost feel crazy enough to run myself! In the meantime, thanks for the great imagery and suggestions.
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I can't believe this site is encouraging and supporting such a cruel activity. Its totally barbaric, and as travellers and tourists, we should be using our influence to protest against the abuse of animals and show that we're civilised enough not to need to get our kicks that way… rather than supporting it. Perhaps the article should have covered what happens to the bulls during the "event" in order to give a more balanced picture.
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Angela, get a life. It is nither barbaric nor cruel to run with the bulls. I suppose you don’t eat red meat either !
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What a great article! Angela has no sense of adventure! Bulls are tougher than you think!
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I've always wanted to make the San Fermin run. @ James, thanks for the tip of getting there early, good point. @ Angela, the bulls may be a little stressed for a bit, but they're definitely not abused. This isn't bull fighting.
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The bulls are killed in the evening bull fight. If you have a problem with this, don't go to Spain.
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Great article,
I am definatly running with the bulls this summer. Does anyone have any suggestions, maybe a website or anything to find other’s who plan on doing the same. I am flying from Miami to Madrid on the 5th, then taking a bus to Pamplona. I plan on taking a pack and a sleeping bag and sleeping in park or anywhere I can find. Anyone else heading for some excitement this summer, send me an email. DavidMoulton76@gmail.com.
Key West David
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This is a great article. Thanks, I’m going to Pamplona this Saturday. Does anyone if there are tattoo parlors in Pamplona, after I run(survive) I’d like to get a tattoo of a bull to commemorate the event.
Thanks!
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I agree with Angela. No I am not a vegan or vegatarian. I enjoy steak and hamburgers but the misstreatment of animals is not cool nor is it sport. These bulls are hit, drugged and have their horns shaved to throw off their balance. Kept in a dark pen and forced out into the bright light of the street and hit until they run. Once they run the gauntlet they are murdered by a crew lead by a matador in the bull ring for the entertainment of spectators.
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I’m with Angela and Chas.
It’s obvious that there are some people who think the bulls involved in this are having a fantastic time and a marvellous fund day out.
In reality the bulls are running because they are being herded towards their eventual slaughter in the bull-fighting ring.
As much as I like Spain they have a backward, ill-educated attitide toward animals and animal welfare..↵ -
Sincerely the best global party of the world. Pamplona exploit on 6th of July.
Americans welcome!↵
