Everything a first-timer needs for San Fermin in Pamplona: the dates, what it really costs from London or New York, how the running of the bulls actually works, what the white and red kit means, and how to find a bed in a sold-out city.
San Fermin is the nine-day festival that turns the quiet Navarrese city of Pamplona into a sea of white and red, and it is best known the world over for one heart-stopping ritual: the running of the bulls. Ernest Hemingway put it on the global map in 1926, and a century later it still draws huge crowds for the daily encierro, the round-the-clock street parties, the religious processions and the evening bullfights. For a first-timer it is exhilarating and a little overwhelming, so this guide focuses on the parts that matter: the dates, how the bull run actually works, what to wear, where to watch, and how to find somewhere to sleep.
When is San Fermin 2026?
San Fermin is fixed to the calendar, running 6 to 14 July every year. In 2026 it begins at noon on Monday 6 July with the Chupinazo, when a rocket is launched from the town hall balcony into a packed, soaking, wine-drenched square and the whole city erupts. It ends just before midnight on Tuesday 14 July with the Pobre de mi, a candlelit gathering where the crowd sings a farewell until next year. The famous bull runs happen each morning from 7 to 14 July, so there are eight of them across the festival.
Is San Fermin free?
Yes, the festival is free to join. There is no ticket and no wristband for the city itself. The opening Chupinazo, the daily processions behind the giant figures known as the Gigantes, the live music, the fireworks over the citadel each night and the running of the bulls are all open to everyone. The two things you pay for are the evening bullfights in the Plaza de Toros, which are ticketed and sell out, and, if you choose, a spot on a private balcony along the bull-run route, which agencies and residents rent out at a premium for a safe, elevated view.
The running of the bulls (the part everyone asks about)
The encierro is a roughly 875 metre dash from the corral at Santo Domingo, through the old town, to the bullring, with six fighting bulls and several steers running the route. It starts at 8am sharp each morning from 7 to 14 July and is over in just two to four minutes. It is also genuinely dangerous: runners are gored, knocked down and trampled most years, and there have been deaths. If you want to run, you must be over 18 and sober, you cannot carry a bag or stop to take photos, and you must obey the marshals and never touch the animals. Be honest with yourself about the risk. The vast majority of visitors watch rather than run, and that is the sensible first-timer choice. To watch, you either book a balcony, claim a space behind the double timber fences hours in advance, or simply catch it on the big screens in the bars and squares with everyone else.
What to wear
San Fermin has a uniform, and joining in is half the experience. The look is all white, a white shirt and white trousers, finished with a red neckerchief called a panuelo and a red sash called a faja. You can buy the whole kit cheaply from stalls all over the city when you arrive. Tradition says you hold the neckerchief up during the Chupinazo and only tie it on once the festival has officially begun, then keep it on until the closing night. Wear clothes you do not mind ruining, because the opening day in particular involves a great deal of red wine being thrown around.
Getting there and getting around
Pamplona has a small airport with limited connections, so most international visitors fly into Bilbao, San Sebastian or Madrid and continue by bus, train or car. Bilbao and San Sebastian are each around an hour to ninety minutes away by road. Once you are in Pamplona, the old town where everything happens is compact and entirely walkable, and during the festival much of it is closed to traffic anyway. The catch is sleep: Pamplona is a small city with limited hotel stock, rooms sell out as much as a year ahead at festival rates, and many people end up basing themselves in San Sebastian or Bilbao and travelling in for the day. If being in the centre matters to you, book the moment you commit.
First-timer tips
- Watch, do not run. Unless you fully understand the risk and the rules, spectating is the smart choice, and the atmosphere from the fences or a balcony is incredible either way.
- Get the kit on arrival. Buy the white outfit, red panuelo and faja from a street stall so you blend in from the first hour.
- Stake out the Chupinazo early. The town hall square fills hours before noon on 6 July, so arrive early or watch from a side street if you do not want to be crushed.
- Sleep somewhere, even nearby. If Pamplona is full or absurdly priced, base yourself in San Sebastian or Bilbao and day trip in.
- Pace yourself over nine days. The festival runs around the clock, so eat properly, nap in the afternoon lull, and do not try to keep going non-stop.
- Mind your valuables. Packed streets and pouring wine are perfect cover for pickpockets, so carry as little as you can and keep it zipped and close.
How much does San Fermin cost?
San Fermin is a free street festival, so your trip cost is really flights, a few nights in or near Pamplona, and what you spend on food, drink and the odd bullring ticket. Here is what four nights works out to per person from a handful of major cities, using a mid range hotel and a typical daily spend.
| Flying from | Flights | Typical / person | Budget to premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | $250 | $1,250 | $770 to $2,210 |
| New York | $750 | $1,750 | $1,270 to $2,710 |
| Dubai | $450 | $1,450 | $970 to $2,410 |
| Singapore | $900 | $1,900 | $1,420 to $2,860 |
| Sydney | $1,500 | $2,500 | $2,020 to $3,460 |
Per person, based on 4 nights with a mid range hotel. Pamplona is a small city and rooms sell out a year ahead at brutal prices, so many visitors stay in San Sebastian or Bilbao and travel in. These are FESTGO planner estimates in USD, not quotes.