San Fermín as a local
Pamplona is a gorgeous city.
Romans, Germanics, Visigoths, Franks… everyone wanted a piece of it.
Testimony of its rich history, Pamplona’s stone-paved streets wind their way through the historical heart of the city, between alleys, squares, medieval churches, palaces… (and of course, plenty of bars and restaurants!).
But what truly makes this tucked-away treasure the incredible place that it is, is its people.
“Pamplonicas” are a very happy lot.
And, why wouldn’t they be?
They love everything about the micro universe they live in – its climate, its food, its traditions…
But, most of all, they love to share it (and yes, occasionally boast about it!) with the rest of the world!
And that’s how Pamplona Fiesta’s experiences came about!
Our goal is for you to get to know this stunning medieval jewel from the hands of its very hospitable and joyful residents and feel as though you are a member of the great Pamplona family!
Experience 1
Learn how to Run from Local Experts
“Soon after dawn the first day of the fiesta […], hundreds of youths gathered at the edge of town near the railroad station. Men climbed upon six big cages, reached down and opened them. Out walked six bulls, blinking in the sunlight. They were strong, lithe, handsome, each branded with the mark of Don Ernesto Blanco. They looked around, uncertain what to do, until from the crowd of youths came a yell: “Hah! Hah! . . . Toro!” The bulls lowered their heads, charged the crowd. The crowd took to its heels, the bulls stampeding in pursuit.”
Ernest Miller Hemigway, The Sun Also Rises, 1925
“Soon after dawn the first day of the fiesta […], hundreds of youths gathered at the edge of town near the railroad station. Men climbed upon six big cages, reached down and opened them. Out walked six bulls, blinking in the sunlight. They were strong, lithe, handsome, each branded with the mark of Don Ernesto Blanco. They looked around, uncertain what to do, until from the crowd of youths came a yell: “Hah! Hah! . . . Toro!” The bulls lowered their heads, charged the crowd. The crowd took to its heels, the bulls stampeding in pursuit.”
Ernest Miller Hemigway, The Sun Also Rises, 1925
Question: Do you comprehend the implications of the last sentence in the above paragraph written by Hemingway himself?
Just in case, let us repeat it:
“The bulls lowered their heads, charged the crowd. The crowd took to its heels, the bulls stampeding in pursuit”.
There are four keywords here we want to emphasize: bulls, charged, stampeding and pursuit.
These four words alone paint a very clear picture of what you are about to face:
A stampede of bulls charging against you and pursuing you for 875 meters.
Another question: are you prepared for it?
Sure, you’re very fit.
Yes, you are an excellent runner.
And of course, you are an adrenaline junky.
But probably never had to navigate your way through a stampede of raging bulls averaging 1300 pounds in weight in a crowded and narrow alley.
If that’s the case and you are planning on running with the bulls in San Fermín, you need to “learn how to run with local experts”.
Yes, there’s no denying it – we are talking about full on “crazy and wild”! However, there are some techniques we can teach you to have a safer run. These include:
- How to access the route of the run
- How when and where you should locate yourself depending on your physical abilities and your fitness level
- What you should do before, during and after the run
- How to run to ensure that your “personal photographer” takes the best possible social media-worthy pictures of you from any vantage point.
Please note:
- Advance reservation is required.
- It’s important to be punctual as
there are other guests in the
tour and we are not able to wait
for anybody. - Prices quoted are per person –
whether you intend to run in El
Encierro or not.
Details of the learn how to run
Where: Meet us outside hotel La Perla, Plaza del Castillo nº 1
When: Everyday from the 6th to the 13th July at 16:00 pm
Duration: Approx. 1 hour depending on the number of questions asked by participants.
How much: 25€/pax
Experience 2
Breakfast with the Locals
We call it “breakfast”, for you to have a point of reference but you’ll soon see that while in San Fermín, nights blur into days and days blur into nights making you lose track of what time it is and what meal it’s time for!
Anyhow, we meet for breakfast.
And what a breakfast it’s going to be!
You’ll eat some of the most succulent local specialties you can possibly imagine, you’ll taste many of the incredibly versatile “pintxos” typical of the region but most of all, you’ll laugh, you’ll learn and you’ll feel overwhelmed by the joi-de-vivre of your table partners.
One word of caution though – breakfast will never be the same for you after you sat at the table with these very animated and hospitable lot!
Details of the breakfast with the locals
When: from July 7th to July 14th, at 9:00 am
Where: Outside of Hotel La Perla in Plaza del Castillo (Pamplona)
How much: 50€/pax
Please let us know of any food allergies or food elections that you might have. We will try to accommodate as much as possible.
Experience 2
Breakfast with the Locals
We call it “breakfast”, for you to have a point of reference but you’ll soon see that while in San Fermín, nights blur into days and days blur into nights making you lose track of what time it is and what meal it’s time for!
Anyhow, we meet for breakfast.
And what a breakfast it’s going to be!
You’ll eat some of the most succulent local specialties you can possibly imagine, you’ll taste many of the incredibly versatile “pintxos” typical of the region but most of all, you’ll laugh, you’ll learn and you’ll feel overwhelmed by the joi-de-vivre of your table partners.
One word of caution though – breakfast will never be the same for you after you sat at the table with these very animated and hospitable lot!
Details of the breakfast with the locals
When: from July 7th to July 14th, at 9:00 am
Where:Outside of Hotel La Perla in Plaza del Castillo (Pamplona)
How much: 50€/pax
Please let us know of any food allergies or food elections that you might have. We will try to accommodate as much as possible.
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