Mark2012
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances (2012, 2014) Camino Finisterre (2012, 2013, 2014) Camino Portugues (2013), Camino del Norte (2015)
I'm going to be starting the Camino Frances from St Jean on July 3 this year, and expect to reach Pamplona on Sunday, July 6 - the day the big San Fermin festival is scheduled to begin!
I may or may not want to stop in Pamplona overnight, that's something I want to decide on the day. If I decide that the busy, loud fiesta vibe isn't compatible with my Camino mindset I may well look to walk on to Cizur Menor.
However, I'm wondering about the implications of the fiesta for bunk availability in Pamplona. I saw on a thread in the albergue sub-forum that apparently beds are like goldust during San Fermin, which would make sense for hotels etc., but I asked a question in that thread which has gone unanswered, so I'll ask it again here - does San Fermin make much difference to how busy albergues are? Given the way the distances line up, Pamplona is a natural stop point on day 3/4 of the Camino for many people (even though to do so would be to go against the Brierley guide!!!); so, short of pilgrims choosing to start in Pamplona at that time or timing their departure from St Jean to coincide with San Fermin, I don't see why albergues should be filling up any faster there at that time than anywhere else in July.
Am I missing some vital bit of understanding on this or is it just that Pamplona albergues will be busy in July anyway, San Fermin or no San Fermin?
Thanks in advance!
I may or may not want to stop in Pamplona overnight, that's something I want to decide on the day. If I decide that the busy, loud fiesta vibe isn't compatible with my Camino mindset I may well look to walk on to Cizur Menor.
However, I'm wondering about the implications of the fiesta for bunk availability in Pamplona. I saw on a thread in the albergue sub-forum that apparently beds are like goldust during San Fermin, which would make sense for hotels etc., but I asked a question in that thread which has gone unanswered, so I'll ask it again here - does San Fermin make much difference to how busy albergues are? Given the way the distances line up, Pamplona is a natural stop point on day 3/4 of the Camino for many people (even though to do so would be to go against the Brierley guide!!!); so, short of pilgrims choosing to start in Pamplona at that time or timing their departure from St Jean to coincide with San Fermin, I don't see why albergues should be filling up any faster there at that time than anywhere else in July.
Am I missing some vital bit of understanding on this or is it just that Pamplona albergues will be busy in July anyway, San Fermin or no San Fermin?
Thanks in advance!
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