The capital of Navarre (technically separate from the Basque Country but deeply connected to Basque culture) is world-famous for the San Fermín festival and the running of the bulls each July. Year-round, the beautifully preserved medieval old town, the magnificent citadel, and the excellent pintxos bars of the Casco Antiguo make it a rewarding day trip.
Pamplona, known in Basque as Iruña, is the capital of the Foral Community of Navarre and sits 95 kilometres south of San Sebastián, making it one of the most accessible and historically layered day trips from the Basque coast. Although Navarre is a separate autonomous community, its culture, gastronomy, and language overlap substantially with the Basque Country, and the city feels like a natural extension of the Basque world.
ALSA buses depart from San Sebastián's main bus station (Avenida de Sancho el Sabio) and reach Pamplona's Estación de Autobuses on Calle Yanguas y Miranda in just under one hour. Buses run throughout the day and cost approximately €10–15 each way; tickets can be bought at the station or online. Driving via the AP-15 motorway takes a similar time. From Bilbao the trip is longer (around 1 hour 45 minutes by bus), making San Sebastián the more practical base.
Pamplona's compact Casco Antiguo is easily walkable. The most famous single route is the encierro course — the 825-metre path used during the running of the bulls each July during the Fiesta de San Fermín — threading from Calle Santo Domingo through Calle Estafeta to the Plaza de Toros. Outside July the streets are peaceful and perfect for exploration.
The Plaza del Castillo is the city's elegant central square, flanked by arcaded buildings and traditional cafes. The Café Iruña, opened in 1888, was a favourite haunt of Ernest Hemingway, who immortalised the fiesta in The Sun Also Rises. From there, the Casco Antiguo's Gothic gateways (Puerta de Francia, Portal de Zumalacárregui), the Museo de Navarra with its significant archaeological and medieval art collections, and the lively pintxos streets of Calle Estafeta and Calle San Nicolás reward several hours of exploration.
The Ciudadela — a well-preserved star-shaped Renaissance fortress built in the 16th century — sits at the southern edge of the old town. Its ramparts and landscaped moat are open freely to the public and offer a striking example of military engineering from the period. Lunch on a menú del día in the old town costs around €12–18.
Highlights
- Old town Casco Antiguo
- running of the bulls route
- Ciudadela (star-shaped citadel)
- pintxos bars in Calle Estafeta
- Hemingway's favourite haunts
Tips for visiting
- Take the ALSA bus from San Sebastián's bus station — it is faster and cheaper than hiring a car, and the return schedule is flexible throughout the day.
- Walk the full encierro route from Calle Santo Domingo to the bullring to understand the layout, even outside the San Fermín festival in July.
- Café Iruña on Plaza del Castillo opens at 07:30 and makes a good breakfast stop before the old-town museums open at 09:30.
- The Museo de Navarra is closed on Mondays; confirm opening days when planning a short itinerary.
- July (San Fermín festival, 6–14 July) brings enormous crowds; accommodation and transport must be booked months ahead if visiting during this period.
When to visit
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer the most comfortable conditions, with mild weather and manageable crowds. The San Fermín festival (6–14 July) is the most atmospheric time to visit but requires months of advance planning due to demand for accommodation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pamplona worth visiting outside the San Fermín festival?
Yes. The medieval old town, Ciudadela, pintxos culture, and Hemingway connections make Pamplona rewarding year-round. Outside July the streets are calm and the city's architecture and food scene can be appreciated without the festival pressure.
How do visitors travel from San Sebastián to Pamplona?
ALSA buses depart frequently from San Sebastián's main bus station and take under one hour, costing around €10–15 each way. Tickets can be purchased at the station or in advance online.
Can the running of the bulls be watched safely?
The encierro takes place each morning at 08:00 from 7–14 July. Balcony tickets along the route can be booked in advance through official channels; standing along the barriers is free but extremely dangerous and requires being in position before 07:30.
Which streets have the best pintxos bars in Pamplona?
Calle Estafeta, Calle San Nicolás, and the streets immediately around Plaza del Castillo have the highest concentration of pintxos bars. The evening txikiteo (bar crawl) is a local ritual that begins around 19:00.