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Things to Do in Pamplona: A 2026 Practical Guide
Pamplona is more than bulls. Discover the best things to do in Pamplona, Spain: from the cathedral to pintxos bars and San Fermín 2026.
Pamplona has plenty to offer beyond the bulls. This northern Spanish city combines medieval architecture, Basque-Navarrese food culture, green public parks, and one of Europe’s most dramatic festivals. This makes it a genuine year-round destination, whether you’re here for San Fermín or passing through on the Camino de Santiago.
This guide covers the top things to do in Pamplona, Spain: from the Gothic cathedral and Renaissance citadel to kid-friendly parks, a pintxos crawl, and everything you need to know about San Fermín 2026.
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What is Pamplona famous for?
Most people know Pamplona through Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and the San Fermín festival’s Running of the Bulls, but that’s only part of the picture. The city sits on one of the main routes of the Camino de Santiago, making it a cultural crossroads that pilgrims have passed through for centuries.
Pamplona’s medieval walls are among the best-preserved in Spain, and the city’s identity is shaped by a strong Basque-Navarrese influence you’ll notice in the food, the architecture, and the local language.
It’s also an ideal base for day trips into the Pyrenees or south toward the La Rioja wine region, which makes it a smart stop for anyone doing a broader northern Spain itinerary.
Top things to do in Pamplona in 2026
Pamplona’s compact old town means most of the best things to do in Pamplona are within easy walking distance of each other. Here’s where to start.
Explore the Pamplona Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María la Real)
The Pamplona Cathedral is one of the most impressive buildings in northern Spain. Its Neoclassical façade gives way to a stunning Gothic cloister that is widely considered one of the finest in Europe, a quieter, more atmospheric space than the exterior suggests.
Entry costs €5, and if you visit at 11:15 AM, you can join the guided climb to the María Bell for panoramic views over the old town and surrounding countryside. It’s one of the best things to do in Pamplona for history and architecture enthusiasts.
Walk the Renaissance Citadel (Ciudadela)
The Ciudadela is a massive star-shaped Renaissance fortress built in the 16th century, and today it’s a free public park that locals use daily for walking, cycling, and picnicking. The geometric earthworks and wide green moats make it unlike any other urban park in Spain.
It’s one of the best free things to do in Pamplona, and the combination of military history and open green space makes it worth at least an hour of your time.
Relax in the Plaza del Castillo
The Plaza del Castillo is Pamplona’s living room, a wide, tree-lined square at the heart of the old town where locals gather at all hours. The arcaded buildings that ring the square house cafés, restaurants, and bars that have been here for generations.
Don’t miss Café Iruña, the grand, ornate café where Hemingway used to write. Even if you only stop for a coffee, it’s worth stepping inside.
Follow the Bull Run Route (Encierro)
You don’t need to be here in July to experience the encierro. The 875-meter route runs from the corral on Calle Santo Domingo to the Plaza de Toros, and walking it any time of year gives you a feel for how narrow and intense the streets are.
The Monumento al Encierro, a bronze sculpture near the route, is one of the most photographed spots in the city. For anyone planning to watch or run in the running of the bulls 2026, walking the route first is genuinely useful preparation.
Visit the Museum of Navarre
Housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century hospital building, the Museum of Navarre traces the region’s history from Roman mosaics through to medieval and Renaissance art. The standout piece is Goya’s portrait of the Marquess of San Adrián, one of the finest Goya portraits in any regional Spanish collection.
Entry is inexpensive, and the building alone is worth the visit. It’s one of the more underrated things to do in Pamplona, Spain, especially on a hot afternoon.
Unique and fun things to do in Pamplona with kids
Pamplona works well as a family destination. The old town is compact and walkable, the pace outside of festival season is relaxed, and two green spaces in particular make it easy to keep younger travelers happy without spending much.
Yamaguchi Park is a Japanese-style garden on the edge of the city, created to celebrate Pamplona’s sister-city relationship with Yamaguchi, Japan. It’s peaceful, well-maintained, and a genuinely unexpected find in northern Spain, a nice contrast to the medieval old town.
Taconera Gardens is the city’s oldest park and one of the best free things to do in Pamplona with kids. The moat around the old fortifications is now home to a small collection of deer, peacocks, and ducks that roam freely. It’s informal, charming, and completely free, a good option for a relaxed morning or late afternoon.
Visiting during San Fermín 2026: What you need to know
San Fermín 2026 runs from July 6 to July 14. It’s one of the most intense and visually spectacular festivals in Europe. The bull run is the headline event, but it’s only one part of nine days of continuous celebration that fill every street, square, and bar in the city.
The festival begins not with a bull run but with the Chupinazo — a rocket fired from the Town Hall balcony at noon on July 6th. Within seconds, the Plaza Consistorial fills with tens of thousands of people dressed in the traditional white and red, spraying cava and singing. Arrive early if you want a spot near the square.
The daily encierros begin on July 7th and run every morning at 8:00 AM sharp through July 14th, eight runs in total. Each run covers the 875-meter route from the corral on Calle Santo Domingo to the Plaza de Toros. Six fighting bulls and six steers make the run, guided by runners who line the route from early morning.
Watching from a balcony along the route is the most comfortable option for first-timers. Balconies on Calle Estafeta and Calle Mercaderes offer some of the best views and must be booked well in advance. For San Fermín 2026, expect to need reservations 6 to 9 months ahead.
Each evening during San Fermín, an international fireworks competition takes place at the Ciudadela. Teams from different countries compete across multiple nights, and the displays are large-scale and genuinely impressive. It’s one of the most underreported parts of the festival and is worth planning your evenings around.
What to eat in Pamplona: A Pintxos crawl guide
Pamplona’s food scene is one of the best reasons to visit. In Navarre, the local version of tapas is called pintxos (pronounced “peen-chos”), small bites served on bread or skewers, usually lined up along bar tops for you to pick and choose.
The two best streets for a pintxos crawl are Calle Estafeta and Calle San Nicolás, both in the old town. Bar-hop in the early evening when the pintxos are freshest, and the locals are out.
A few things to try while you’re here:
- Chistorra: a thin, lightly spiced local sausage, often grilled and served on bread
- White asparagus from Navarre: a regional delicacy, nothing like the canned variety
- Huevo Trufado at Bar Gaucho: a truffled egg dish that’s become one of Pamplona’s most talked-about pintxos
For wider context on planning your trip, the Spain travel guide covers food, transport, and regional highlights across the country.
Stay connected with a Holafly eSIM in Pamplona, Spain
Navigating Pamplona’s old town, finding pintxos bars, tracking bull run times, or staying in touch during San Fermín, all of it is easier with reliable data. A Holafly eSIM for Spain gives you unlimited data across Navarre and the rest of the country without roaming charges or physical SIM swaps.
Holafly covers over 200 destinations worldwide, with 170-plus covered by Holafly Plans, a flexible subscription option if Spain is part of a longer trip. You can browse the full eSIM store to find the right plan before you travel.
What’s more, Holafly always has your back with Always On; a perk included with every Holafly eSIM that provides 1 GB of monthly backup data at no extra cost. Just keep your eSIM installed to enjoy instant internet access for emergencies, like calling an Uber or booking a last-minute flight.
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Plans that may interest you
Formerly a travel journalist turned marketing copywriter, I found my way back to the travel world with Holafly—my dream company that made remote work possible. My motto? “Dream big and make it happen.” I’m passionate about writing, exploring the world, and staying active through walking, running, swimming, and hiking. I also love learning, reflecting, and connecting with inspiring minds.
