How to avoid San Fermin?

Stellaluna · Jun 6, 2016

Hello all,
For those of us with the unfortunate (fortunate??) departure date that will have us passing through pamplona during San Fermin what would the veterans recommend in terms of avoiding crowds and finding accommodation? I would most likely prefer to avoid the city entirely during the festival. Should I bypass it by bus? Should I stop just before Pamplona one night and then walk through it as a stage stopping after the city? Any other possibilities?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Jennifer

mspath · Jun 6, 2016

Check out this recent earlier Forum thread for more info on how to enjoy/avoid Pamplona during St Fermin.

Stay safe and Buen camino!

Stellaluna · Jun 6, 2016

mspath said:
Check out this recent earlier Forum thread for more info on how to enjoy/avoid Pamplona during St Fermin.

Stay safe and Buen camino!

Thank you!

whariwharangi · Jun 6, 2016

Camino Vasco del Interior. Start in Irun. Join the Frances at Santo Domingo. There is GR 11 trail from Burguete to Irun.

http://www.colorfulsmiles.com/gr11

Stellaluna · Jun 6, 2016

whariwharangi said:
Camino Vasco del Interior. Start in Irun. Join the Frances at Santo Domingo. There is GR 11 trail from Burguete to Irun.

http://www.colorfulsmiles.com/gr11

I've booked my first three days so can't do that unfortunately. Thanks, though.

Stellaluna · Jun 6, 2016

So now I'm thinking of buses.... are they easy to figure ou once you are there?

Pabloke · Jun 6, 2016

The ideal thing would be staying in Huarte, Villava or Burlada and crossing Pamplona in the morning. In the old city you will find some crowds but no drunks. And if you want to avoid crowds, you can skirt around the center through the north neighborhood (Rochapea), walking with the city walls on your left.

mspath said:
Check out this recent earlier Forum thread for more info on how to enjoy/avoid Pamplona during St Fermin.

Stay safe and Buen camino!

Ain't no link. Or I can't open it, mspath.

Stellaluna · Jun 6, 2016

Pabloke said:
The ideal thing would be staying in Huarte, Villava or Burlada and cross Pamplona in the morning. In the old city you will find some crowds but no drunks. And if you want to avoid crowds, you can skirt around the center through the north neighborhood (Rochapea), walking with the city walls on your left.

earch pamplona san fer
Ain't no link. Or I can't open it, mspath.

search " pamplona san fermin"

Pabloke · Jun 6, 2016

Stellaluna said:
search " pamplona san fermin"

Ok, I thought it was a link.

whariwharangi · Jun 6, 2016

Stellaluna said:
So now I'm thinking of buses.... are they easy to figure ou once you are there?

Autocares Artieda operates buses from Roncesvalles to Pamplona. (no service sundays.

Estellesa operates buses from Pamplona to Logrono.

Buses operate via Pamplona bus station.
http://www.estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com/Inicio.aspx.html

Cizur Mayor is served by Pamplona urban bus network. Line 1 among others.

Pamplona bus network
http://www.pamplona.es/buscar/busquedas.asp?tr=TREGISI04&menu=24

Pamplona urban bus
http://www.infotuc.es/index.php/es/

Deleted member 3000 · Jun 7, 2016

Pabloke said:
crossing Pamplona in the morning. In the old city you will find some crowds but no drunks.

The bull run route cuts across the city to the arena, so there is not getting through until the barricades are removed after the running. The run begins at 0800 and typically takes three minutes. So by about 0830 foot traffic can begin again across the route. There are plenty of drunks at that hour!!

NorthernLight · Jun 7, 2016

When you arrive at the old walls of the city, abandon the markers and turn left. Walk with the wall on your right. You will enter the new town and can make your way to the bus station, which is underground, beneath the old citadel, and pick up the camino on the far side of the citadel/park, or catch a bus.

You will avoid the old town and the chaos of the festival.

Stellaluna · Jun 7, 2016

NorthernLight said:
When you arrive at the old walls of the city, abandon the markers and turn left. Walk with the wall on your right. You will enter the new town and can make your way to the bus station, which is underground, beneath the old citadel, and pick up the camino on the far side of the citadel/park, or catch a bus.

You will avoid the old town and the chaos of the festival.

Perfect! Exactly what I need!

Pabloke · Jun 8, 2016

falcon269 said:
The bull run route cuts across the city to the arena, so there is not getting through until the barricades are removed after the running. The run begins at 0800 and typically takes three minutes. So by about 0830 foot traffic can begin again across the route. There are plenty of drunks at that hour!!

Yes, you're right. My fault. I was thinking about crossing the city at 11/12am. Didn't realize Huarte, Villava and Burlada are really close to Pamplona.

Pabloke · Jun 8, 2016

Stellaluna said:
Perfect! Exactly what I need!

This is Pamplona (sorry for the shoddy work). The crowd is mainly concentrated inside the circle, the old town.

The yellow line is the Way.

The red line is the route I suggested.

The black line is the route suggested by NorthernLight (you will pass next to the bullring and the old town).

Another alternative route (the green line) is taking the avenue at your left when leaving Burlada. Or you can take the bus from Burlada to Avenida del Ejército.

Stellaluna · Jun 8, 2016

Pabloke said:
View attachment 26983

This is Pamplona (sorry for the shoddy work). The crowd is mainly concentrated inside the circle, the old town.

The yellow line is the Way.

The red line is the route I suggested.

The black line is the route suggested by NorthernLight (you will pass next to the bullring and the old town).

Another alternative route (the green line) is taking the avenue at your left when leaving Burlada. Or you can take the bus from Burlada to Avenida del Ejército.

Wow! Thanks! Now to print this off for my trip!

NorthernLight · Jun 8, 2016

Nice mapping! In my head, I had Stella walking past the arena, with it still on her right, through the park and looping around, but I didn't say that, and it now looks like it might be confusing.

The green line would be less confusing, and shorter. The red line will give you some nice dramatic views of the old town perched on the hill.

Jo Jo · Jun 9, 2016

We took about the route marked in red above (that map would have been handy--we were just walking blindly). We were going to take a city bus, but the buses were full beyond capacity. Which is to say, they crammed more people in red and white on those buses than I have ever seen even in NYC. Note, there is a big fair in the flat down by the river at that time, so you'll sort of be walking through the stalls, games and rides. All on concrete. This was the day I destroyed my feet wearing hiking boots, but that is another thread.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

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