One of the best vacation destinations in the world is definitely Spain. It is so great that a few years back it was the second most visited country in the world after France. This fact alone gives you an indication of how popular it is to visit. Spain has plenty to offer, including a generally warm climate, great sandy beaches, entertainment hot spots, cool nightlife and exciting festivals.
Spain really has some world renowned festivals. One of those is La Tomatina, held in Bunol, near Valencia. This festivals involves people throwing tomato at each other! But by far the biggest and best festival is the San Fermin, which is held in Pamplona every July. The San Fermin is best known for its crazy Running of the Bulls held every morning of the festival.
The Pamplona Running of the Bulls is something that I've always watched on TV with great intrigue. This year I made the decision to attend the world renowned San Fermin Festival between 6 and 14 July. I guess I love a bit of risk and a bit of a a challenge, so the thought of running in front of snorting, angry and frenzied bulls just spells excitement and adventure to me. I can honestly say that you really have to see this Bull Run to believe it. It is truly out of this world.
Almost every town and city across Spain holds a Bull Run festival each year. But there is only one world renowned Running of the Bulls and that occurs in Pamplona. I had a look at accommodation options during the San Fermin Festival and found that accommodation during this time can be really expensive. If you want to do things on a bit of a budget then I suggest you look at camping as there is quite a few tour operators that do Pamplona camping tours. The Pamplona tour companies plan everything for you, including transport, a place to sleep and quite often breakfast. A number of tour companies also have hotel tours and as I wasn't on a budget we booked into a hotel known as Gran Hotel La Perla. This hotel had a great location with a balcony that looked over the road where the running of the bulls occurred each morning.
I have to say, just watching the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona is a totally amazing experience. However, I got to thinking that I must be insane for thinking of doing this. Did I really want to be insane just this once? Then I thought about what my family and friends back home will think when I tell them what I have been doing. So Did I? Or Didn't I?? More on this later...
Anyway, there is heaps to do in Pamplona during San Fermin other than the Bull Run and parties start during the day go on throughout the night. There are lots of trendy little bars and restaurants for you to catch a bite during the Pamplona San Fermin Festival but tapas is perfect for snacks to keep you going any time during the day. Nobody can predict how events will turn out and this is the spice of the entire event. The running of the bulls takes place every day with each race lasting about three minutes and starts at 8am in the morning. There is different sorts of parades going on all throughout the day and fireworks happen every night around 11pm.
Ok, so back to the Bull Run. When it finally came time for me to run with the bulls, I said no. I have to say I was actually not happy with the participants in the running of the bulls. When I saw people simply pounding over the people who had fallen in front of them it got me a little worried. Like I watched the casualty report on the first morning after the bull run and some people were seriously hurt. We did however stay for the full seven days, because I really enjoyed that there was simply more to the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona than a crazy and insane Bull Run.
I have briefly visited Pamplona outside of San Fermin and it is a completely different place. You really need to be in Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls to appreciate the atmosphere and experience what is pretty much a uniquely Spanish experience
Spain really has some world renowned festivals. One of those is La Tomatina, held in Bunol, near Valencia. This festivals involves people throwing tomato at each other! But by far the biggest and best festival is the San Fermin, which is held in Pamplona every July. The San Fermin is best known for its crazy Running of the Bulls held every morning of the festival.
The Pamplona Running of the Bulls is something that I've always watched on TV with great intrigue. This year I made the decision to attend the world renowned San Fermin Festival between 6 and 14 July. I guess I love a bit of risk and a bit of a a challenge, so the thought of running in front of snorting, angry and frenzied bulls just spells excitement and adventure to me. I can honestly say that you really have to see this Bull Run to believe it. It is truly out of this world.
Almost every town and city across Spain holds a Bull Run festival each year. But there is only one world renowned Running of the Bulls and that occurs in Pamplona. I had a look at accommodation options during the San Fermin Festival and found that accommodation during this time can be really expensive. If you want to do things on a bit of a budget then I suggest you look at camping as there is quite a few tour operators that do Pamplona camping tours. The Pamplona tour companies plan everything for you, including transport, a place to sleep and quite often breakfast. A number of tour companies also have hotel tours and as I wasn't on a budget we booked into a hotel known as Gran Hotel La Perla. This hotel had a great location with a balcony that looked over the road where the running of the bulls occurred each morning.
I have to say, just watching the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona is a totally amazing experience. However, I got to thinking that I must be insane for thinking of doing this. Did I really want to be insane just this once? Then I thought about what my family and friends back home will think when I tell them what I have been doing. So Did I? Or Didn't I?? More on this later...
Anyway, there is heaps to do in Pamplona during San Fermin other than the Bull Run and parties start during the day go on throughout the night. There are lots of trendy little bars and restaurants for you to catch a bite during the Pamplona San Fermin Festival but tapas is perfect for snacks to keep you going any time during the day. Nobody can predict how events will turn out and this is the spice of the entire event. The running of the bulls takes place every day with each race lasting about three minutes and starts at 8am in the morning. There is different sorts of parades going on all throughout the day and fireworks happen every night around 11pm.
Ok, so back to the Bull Run. When it finally came time for me to run with the bulls, I said no. I have to say I was actually not happy with the participants in the running of the bulls. When I saw people simply pounding over the people who had fallen in front of them it got me a little worried. Like I watched the casualty report on the first morning after the bull run and some people were seriously hurt. We did however stay for the full seven days, because I really enjoyed that there was simply more to the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona than a crazy and insane Bull Run.
I have briefly visited Pamplona outside of San Fermin and it is a completely different place. You really need to be in Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls to appreciate the atmosphere and experience what is pretty much a uniquely Spanish experience
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For an extensive array of information and advice for the Pamplona Running of the Bulls, including travel options, travel tips, party spots and other activities you should contact the events and festival travel specialists, FOMO Travel.
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