Pamplona and San Fermin?

[PFarnsworth]

I will be in Pamplona on June 30 or July 1 and am hoping that this will be early enough to MISS the crowds attracted to the San Fermin "running of the bulls" festival that starts July 6th. Does anyone know if being there a week early will be enough for me to miss the crowds?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You will miss them and the massive increase in hotel room rates!

 

[LakeMcD]

I had one hospitalero tell me they just shut down for the week because they don't want to deal it.

 

[Mugatu]

I will be there on the 7th, and plan to walk past it... is there a preferred alternate route that bypasses the crowd

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The running of the bulls is at 8 a.m. between the 7th and the 14th. The setup makes it impossible to get through town. However, it only takes about 3 minutes, so the route is cleared away by about 8:15 a.m., and you can fight your way through the crowd on the marked route.

Before 0800 you will have bear left at Trinidad de Arre and stay well away from the town center. Aim for the Ciudadela Park at the end of the circle.

Easiest will be to get to town after about 10 a.m. Only a handful of the albergues are open, and they will be expensive and full. As a result, Cizur Menor also will fill early all week.

 

[Trude]

I will be there on the 7th, and plan to walk past it... is there a preferred alternate route that bypasses the crowd

The running of the bulls is a night time festival so when you walk through in the daytime all the drunks will be sleeping it off. You will not find too many crowds in between 9 am and 2pm.