What to see in Pamplona in 1 day
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The capital city of Navarre is steeped in legend and tradition, and is full of great places to eat, so it’s well worth spending more than a day here. But if you only have 24 hours, this guide will enable you to visit the not-to-be-missed spots, and to capture the essence of one of the most important places you will encounter after setting off on the Way of St James.
Itinerary day 1
7.00 p.m. - 8.00 p.m.
The Citadel
This is a military fortification, one of the best preserved in Europe, which was built on the orders of King Felipe II to protect Pamplona. It was built in the shape of a pentagon, a five-pointed star, but two of the points no longer exist, as they were demolished when the city’s expansion area (or Ensanche) was built. The Citadel covers 280,000 square metres, and is mostly a green space with exhibition areas. It has long been a highly popular place with the city’s inhabitants. The Citadel is a place where you can exercise, clear your mind, or attend one of the many shows and events held here. It is also a unique place to cross bridges, see municipal warehouses and stroll through gateways and down passageways.
10.00 a.m. - 11.00 a.m.
The city wall and the Portal de Francia
A good way to get to know medieval Pamplona is to wander around its city walls, enjoying the incredible views until you arrive at the Portal de Francia, the only one of the city’s six original entrances still standing. The Portal de Francia takes its name from the fact it was used by pilgrims arriving from France on the Way of St James. A later structure marks the site of the drawbridge that was once in this gateway and in use until 1915.
11.00 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.
The San Fermín run
Very close to the Portal de Francia are the Cuesta de Santiago bull pens and the plaque to San Fermín, to which young men and women pray before joining the daily bull runs throughout the month of July. From here, the route continues up Santo Domingo, across the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, past the Telefónica, and along famous Calle Estafeta, which brings us directly to the bullring where the bull run ends. It is very interesting to see how narrow and steep these historic city centre streets are, and thus to understand the level of danger posed by the bull runs.
12.00 noon - 2.30 p.m.
Cathedral of Santa María la Real
This Gothic church, built on the site of a former Romanesque church, is one of Spain’s largest cathedral complexes. As well as the inside of the cathedral, with the two royal tombs of King Charles III of Castile and Leonor of Navarre, make sure you visit the magnificent cloister. The cathedral is also home to the second-largest bell in Spain, which is still operational. The tolling of the María Bell can be heard across the whole of the Pamplona basin, a distance of 14 kilometres.
2.30 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.
Pintxos in the city centre
The best way to discover Navarre’s gastronomy is to go for pintxos [the Basque version of Spanish tapas] in the city centre. Each of the traditional bars has its own particular pintxo, and they are well worth trying. One particularly outstanding example is the ‘escombro’ (a roll with pieces of ham and chorizo) at Bodegón Sarría, in Calle de la Estafeta itself. Eight doors further along there stands Bar Fitero offering fried prawns, and then as you turn the corner towards Calle Espoz y Mina, you will find Bar Gaucho, famous for its cod and its pig’s cheeks. These are just three of the establishments you won’t want to miss on your gastronomic tour of the heart of Pamplona.
4.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.
Café Iruña and the Plaza del Castillo
After a couple of glasses of wine and a good meal, the best plan is to sit in the Plaza del Castillo to enjoy a good coffee and relax in the atmosphere. The best-known of all the establishments here is the traditional Café Iruña, a favourite haunt of the U.S. writer Ernest Hemingway. A statue of him occupies the exact spot where he used to sit at the bar.
5.30 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Chapel of San Fermín
After a short rest in the epicentre of the city, it’s time to visit San Fermín. His chapel is to be found in the church of San Lorenzo, which can be reached by walking the length of Calle de la Zapatería to connect up with Paseo Doctor Arazuri. Without doubt, the most interesting feature of this church is the chapel of San Fermín which has housed the saint and his reliquary since the seventeenth century. It is a small statue, brown in colour and trimmed with silver. It is from this church that the 7th of July procession departs, and this is where Hemingway came to pray to San Fermín, according to a letter he wrote to Ezra Pound, just like thousands and thousands of other pilgrims and citizens of Pamplona.
6.00 p.m. - 7.00 p.m.
Taconera Gardens
These are Pamplona’s oldest gardens, designed in the Romantic style and reminiscent of the famous French green areas of the time — 1830. The gardens are a lovely place to walk among the trees, including outstanding giant sequoias and Japanese sophoras, as well as magnolias and gingko bilobas. You can also see the remains of the Taconera bastion and monuments erected in honour of Julián Gayarre, Hilarión Eslava and the Beneficencia statue, more commonly known as the Mariblanca statue.
8.30 p.m. - 10.00 p.m.
Dinner at Baserri
Less than 10 minutes from the Citadel, walking back towards the Plaza del Castillo on a leisurely stroll through the centre of Pamplona, you will find Baserri, one of the city’s classic restaurants where the chef, Iñaki Andradas, has successfully blended tradition with nouvelle cuisine. The restaurant is located in Calle de San Nicolás, and it is well worth sampling its gastronomic offerings.