Before you go

Your trip to Pamplona.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Pamplona – Navarra Destination Navarra and La Rioja Capital

How to get there

Aeroporto de Pamplona (Aeropuerto de Pamplona) (PNA) Noáin · 6 km
Aeroporto de Bilbao (Aeropuerto de Bilbao) (BIO) Loiu · 160 km
Estação de trem de Pamplona (Estación de Pamplona/Iruña) 3 km
Rodoviária de Pamplona (Estación de Autobuses de Pamplona) 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before booking. Pamplona airport, about 6 km from the center, has flights to Madrid and a few other cities. Most international flights arrive in Bilbao, about 160 km away, and Madrid. By train there are connections to Madrid in around 3 hours, and to Barcelona and Zaragoza. Buses link the city with San Sebastián, Bilbao, Logroño and the towns along the Caminho. By car, use the A-15 and AP-15 highways.

How many days

Two days allow you to see the old town, the cathedral with its cloister, the walls, the citadel and the Museu de Navarra, with time for the pinchos bars at night. Pilgrims usually stay one night. During the San Fermín festivities the city changes pace and many people visit only for a few days of the festival.

When to go

From May to October the weather is more stable, good for walking along the walls and parks. The San Fermín festivities run from July 6 to 14, with the city full and accommodation booked well in advance. Winter is cold, with rain and sometimes snow.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The old town is compact and largely pedestrian, and city buses connect the train station to the center. A car helps for exploring inland Navarra, such as the Pyrenees, Olite and the Bardenas Reales.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Pamplona

Morning
Portal de Francia, walls and cathedral
Enter the center through the Portal de Francia, like the pilgrims, and follow the walls to the Caballo Blanco viewpoint. Next door, visit the cathedral with its Gothic cloister and the old kitchen.
Afternoon
Encierro route and San Saturnino
Walk the encierro route on foot: the Cuesta de Santo Domingo, the town hall square, Mercaderes street and the Estafeta, up to the bullring. Return by the church of San Saturnino.
Late afternoon
Plaza del Castillo
Finish at the Plaza del Castillo with a coffee at Café Iruña, open since the late 19th century, and enjoy the square's bustle.
Evening
Pinchos in the old town
The streets San Nicolás, Estafeta and around the Plaza del Castillo concentrate pinchos bars, the snacks served at the counter. Dinner in Spain starts late, from about 9 p.m.

2 days in Pamplona

Day 1

Morning
Walls and cathedral
Portal de Francia, Caballo Blanco and the cathedral with its cloister.
Afternoon
Encierro route
From the Cuesta de Santo Domingo to the bullring, via the Estafeta.
Late afternoon
Plaza del Castillo
Coffee in the main square.
Evening
Pinchos
Bars on San Nicolás and Estafeta streets.

Day 2

Morning
Museu de Navarra
Visit the Museu de Navarra, in the former 16th-century hospital, with Roman mosaics, the Leyre ivory coffer and a portrait by Goya.
Afternoon
Citadel and Vuelta del Castillo
Walk to the star-shaped citadel and explore the bastions and the Vuelta del Castillo park around it.
Late afternoon
Parque de la Taconera
Continue through the Parque de la Taconera, with the moat of the walls and free-roaming animals, to the Portal de San Nicolás.
Evening
Dinner in the old town
Central restaurants serve Navarra cuisine, with asparagus, piquillo peppers and lamb.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

When are the San Fermín festivities in Pamplona?

From July 6 to 14. The festival begins with the chupinazo at noon on July 6 in the town hall square, and the encierros take place on the mornings from July 7 to 14.

Can you visit Pamplona outside the festivities?

Yes, and more calmly. The encierro route can be walked year-round, and the city has a cathedral, walls, a citadel, museums and pinchos bars.

How to get from Madrid to Pamplona?

By train in about 3 hours, or by plane to Pamplona airport. By car it's around 400 km.

Is Pamplona on the Camino de Santiago?

Yes. It is the first large town on the Caminho Francês, about three stages from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Pilgrims enter through the Portal de Francia.

Is Pamplona a good base for San Sebastián?

You can go by bus or car in about 1 hour. Those short on time often split their days between the two cities.

Back to Pamplona