San Fermin is a 15 day festival most famous for the encierro (the running of the bulls) held early each morning. However, the festivities don’t stop there, here’s part two of how to have the time of your life in Spain with Stoke Travel.
Where to Stay
For the most fun accommodation, with everything you could possibly need, stay with Stoke Travel at their campsite in Mendigorria, and if you use my promo code JAYNEY when you book, you’ll get free unlimited beer & sangria for the first night of your stay!
Stoke Travel offers two-person shared tents. If you’re travelling alone, you’ll be paired with someone of the same gender. Or you can upgrade to a solo tent for €30 per night.
Don’t let the distance put you off, Shuttles run from the campsite to central Pamplona throughout the day. Guides are on board each bus to give you all the info you need. Besides, Stoke Travel holds its own party at the campsite, with bands and DJs playing in the afternoon and evening. The campsite also has a luxurious pool & bar, plus it’s located by a gorgeous river & a small scenic town to explore.
Mendigorria
This is the small town next to the campsite. I recommend walking to Centro Civico during the day and trying their menu del dia (set menu). The restaurant sits in the heart of Mendigorria, and has a balcony with a stunning view of the countryside.
The Festival – San Fermin
Opening Ceremony
Similar to Batalla del Vino, sangria gets thrown everywhere. There’s partying in the streets, dancing and singing all around. The celebrations begin at noon with a chant in front of the town hall, and everyone puts on their red kerchiefs.
For the duration of the festival, the whole town dresses in white with red kerchiefs and sashes. You’ll also want to tie the knot of your sash on your left side, like the locals. Even when wandering the city during San Fermin, people still wear their white and red clothes. You’ll stand out if you don’t. Stoke Travel provides a whole set of these clothes at the merch tent, or if you’re staying elsewhere, souvenir stores provide plenty of options.
The Running of the Bulls
Six bulls and six steers are released during the encierro. Three of those six steers are released one minute after the bulls. Having run the course every day, they guide the bulls along it and move them in the right direction if they get turned around.
Surviving the Running of the Bulls
It’s a dangerous event but there’s still ways to make it as safe a run as possible if you decide to join in. The course is 875 meters and the bulls take about 6 minutes to complete the run. It is very fast so, as soon as you hear the first rocket go off, start running – this signals that the bulls have been released. The second rocket you hear signals that all the bulls are now on the course. As you run, don’t forget about the steers, there’s at least three not far behind the main procession of bulls!
The good news is you don’t run the entire length of the course, you choose where to start. Where you choose will depend on a few different factors and whether you want to end up in the arena.
The Start
To run, you must be at Plaza Consistorial in front of the town hall before 7am.
On the first few days it is extremely busy. Police remove extra members of the crowd to ensure there aren’t too many people on the course. They will also remove people if they aren’t wearing the correct clothes (white shirt and pants with red scarves & sash) or if they are carrying items like phones or cameras. Tie your scarf and sash in slip knots so they can come undone easily.
Further along, there’s a sharp turn called ‘Dead man’s corner’. Bulls often slam into the wall here because of their momentum. This is also where the bulls are most likely to get disorientated and turn around to run the wrong way. Obviously, it’s best to avoid being on the wrong side, but even better, you can avoid being in the way of most bulls and start your run just after this section to the right side, on the main street (Calle de la Estefata)
Where there are fences along the course, there are two sets of fencing. This gives an additional layer of protection to the watching crowd but also provides space for anyone wanting to get out. In the space between fences, police and paramedics await. If you feel you need to leave the course, you must go UNDER the fence. You must not climb, this is so that you do not get in the way of the paramedics vision of what is happening on the course. If you climb the fences, you may get pushed back onto the course.
The Middle
As you run down Calle de la Estafata, the longest stretch of the run, don’t look behind you. You’ll be running down a narrow cobblestone street lined with shops, with no way out. Looking behind you could cause you to run into other people or trip and fall. There is a camera above the track that follows the bulls, it is easier to look above you to see that camera to get an idea of where the bulls are. If you do fall down in this section, it is best to stay down and keep your hands over your head until the bulls have passed.
The End
The street will widen again towards the end, as you get closer to the arena. Fences also line the last part so you are able to make an escape again if needed.
The tunnel is a narrow point at the end of the run, where too many people entering at once can cause a squeeze, pushing people against walls, increasing the risk of injury, and slowing down the crowd in the way of the bulls with little area to move out of their way.
You only have a short time frame to get inside the arena as the doors close once the final steers enter the ring.
Surviving the arena
If you make it into the arena, congratulations! but its not over yet…
Heifers (young cows) are released one by one into the arena for about 6 – 7 minutes each. To me, this looked like the most dangerous part of the whole event. They are a lot faster and feistier than the bulls. Their horns are covered but they can still wreak havoc. The heifer’s horns could get under your scarf/kerchief, this is why it’s important that they are tied in slipknots.
You may be able to jump over the fence to escape when you want to leave but you might also get pushed back in. Paramedics and police wait behind this fence prepared to jump in, depending on what happens in the arena.
It’s considered extremely disrespectful to touch a heifer or pull its tail. It’s not only more dangerous, but it will also cause you to get arrested. Locals also get very angry if this happens and may try to harm the wrongdoer before they get arrested.
Watching the Running of the Bulls: from the fences & arena
As a spectator if you arrive early, you can find a spot along the fences to watch the run from. Be prepared to push for a spot in large crowds, especially on the earliest days. I recommend trying to do this first before trying your luck with the arena. The atmosphere of the run is insane up close – you will see how big and fast the bulls really are.
If you want to watch from inside the arena, you can try your luck getting to the box office very early. Realistically, you’ll have to buy them from the locals standing by the doors. They charge more, but they buy all the tickets before you get there.
You can go to different people to see if they’re offering different prices, or try to negotiate cheaper prices (this works better if you have someone with you who can speak Spanish or you’re in a fairly large group). As the festival goes on, these tickets get cheaper. (They start from €20 on the first day then they end up around €7-8 by the last day).
Bulls from the run are used in the first bull fights each day. I was not interested in these, but they are also held throughout each day of the festival.
Street Parties
These start with parades during the day and continue throughout the night. A lot of the festivities such as parades and dancing are in or around Plaza del Castillo, but you’ll find concert stages in each of the town squares. Plaza de los fueros has a stage that you can head to straight after the fireworks.
Fireworks Shows
There’s fireworks shows every night at 11pm right outside the central bus station. Pick a spot to sit on the grass and watch. The show lasts around 15 minutes and it has the biggest, most colourful fireworks I’ve ever seen! These are also just the start of the nightlife kicking off in Pamplona.
Nightlife
If you’re looking for a nightclub to check out while wondering the city, look for Zentral. It’s behind the building where the running of the bulls begins.
Closing Ceremony
The festival ends with gathering once again before the town hall with a chanting of Pobre de Mi while holding kerchiefs above you. These go back on your wrist to signal that the celebrations are over.
Although the festival might be over, the nightlife still continues, so don’t forget to make the most of it!
Interested in working with Stoke Travel for the Running of the Bulls?
Volunteer with Stoke Travel! You can apply to be a Stokie here.
Festivals are a marathon, not a sprint, whether you’re attending or working them. San Fermin (The Running of the Bulls) is two weeks long with at least two weeks of set up & pack down on either side of that. It is preferred that you work at least 2 weeks during the Spanish Festival events (you can also help out with the Haro Wine Fight, as these festivals are back to back).
Stoke Travel is not for the faint-hearted. You’ll be right in the heart of the party, with access to beer & sangria all day & night, then waking up hungover to do it all again. I recommend giving it a go if you consider yourself outgoing, adaptable, and always have a positive attitude.
As a Stokie, you get 3 meals a day, free beer + sangria and accommodation in the form of a two-person tent – not shared, unless you want to 😉
You could be placed in any role throughout your stay to help run the event, which can include:
- Set up, Tent Turnover & Pack Down – physical work to set up the site and artwork, then pack it all up at the end.
- Reception – an admin & customer service role.
- Welcome Crew/Tent Runner/Butterfly – welcoming guests, showing them the site, and their tent + general help wherever needed.
- Bar/Threads – Serving beer/sangria & selling merchandise to guests.
- Kitchen – Help chef prepare meals for guests and other Stokies.
