What are the ENCIERRILLOS? - HOW do we get tickets to the ENCIERRILLOS??

The Encierrillo refers to the event in which the bulls and the lead oxen are led from the Gas Corrals to the corrals of Santo Domingo, where the bulls spend their last night.  The word Encierrillo refers to the "short Running of the Bulls" and involves about 400 meters of nocturnal bull-running, without any lights, except the usual street lamps. This event takes place in the night, although there is no fixed time - you can expect that it will take place some time around 10 o'clock, in the night.  The ambience of this "short Running of the Bulls" is tranquil, and the running takes place in silence. Tickets to this event are very limited and very difficult to obtain.  If you are interested in attending one of these nightly Encierrillos during the San Fermín fiestas, please email us right away, so we may make a reservation for your group.  We will do our very best to obtain tickets for you. Here's a video link, to give you an idea of what to expect, if you are lucky enough to acquire tickets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTeN4qaCkac

5th STEP of the SAN FERMIN LADDER!

Just a quick note to remind all of you that today - May 5th - marks another milestone on the way to the sanfermines, 2015! Yes, today is the 5th day of the 5th month! We are getting closer and closer to our long-awaited San Fermín fiestas, 2015, and the official countdown to euphoria is well under way!

For those of you are are new to the sanfermines, the "steps" of the official "San Fermín ladder" refer to the milestones that we die-hards celebrate, as we get closer in time to the fiestas in Pamplona!  As the song tells us: In English - The 1st of January, the 2nd of February, the 3rd of March, the 4th of April, the 5th of May, the 6th of June, the 7th of July - San Fermín!!"

In Spanish, the words are: Uno de enero, dos de febrero, tres de marzo, cuatro de abril, cinco de mayo, seis de junio, siete de julio - San Fermín!"

Watch this fun video here, to enjoy this lively San Fermín song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxzr-YcgxKE

In honor of what the sanfermines stand for, there are some things that you can do - today! - in order to get ready for the greatest fiesta on the planet! First, call your work place, and tell them that you are calling in "well", and that you will feel "even better" today when you eat some churros for breakfast and sip sangria with your tortilla for lunch! Go out and throw sangria on your friends and - better yet! - on lots of unsuspecting people you don't even know! Next, early tomorrow morning, take your kid's drums outside and walk up and down your neighborhood streets beating the drums until you wake up as many tired neighbors as possible! Throw more sangria on even more friends and unsuspecting passers-by! Go out and dance the "jota" in any public place - we did this at our local grocery store last week! - great fun to watch the reaction of the store's customers! Also, stay up all night tonight, and tomorrow night, and the next night, to get in practice for the real thing!

Repeat all suggestions above, until you collapse from fatigue, and then get up and do it all over again! Yes, today, we are on the 5th Step of the San Fermín ladder....Now, go out and have a blast!

WHERE CAN WE LEAVE OUR LUGGAGE DURING THE SANFERMINES??

Many of you have written to us, asking where can you leave your luggage, backpacks, etc, before you are able to check into your rooms, or after you check out of your rooms??

You will be happy to know that there is a "left luggage" area, called the "Consigna", at the old school building, located directly on the Plaza de San Francisco, in the heart of the sanfermines fiesta! 

The hours of the "Consigna" are from 8:00am on July 4th, continuously through 2:00pm, on July 15th.

 

The cost to leave each piece of luggage, each backpack, etc is about 4.75 euros, per 24 hours.

 

Viva San Fermín. 2015!

Which BUS do we take from the PAMPLONA train station to the OLD CITY??

Many of you have been asking a very common question:  From the train station, which public bus is best for transport to the old city, Pamplona?  The only bus from the RENFE train station in Pamplona, to the old city, where the sanfermines take place, is the Bus # 9.....You will see the bus-stop just outside the main entrance/exit of the train station....and, you can expect a short 10-15 minute bus trip into the old city, depending on San Fermín traffic!

What about PARKING during the sanfermines??

Many of you have been asking about where to park a vehicle during the very crowded dates of the sanfermines -

If you plan to bring a car to Pamplona, please know that all streets in the old city are blocked to traffic, during the fiesta dates of July 5th, through and including, the 14th.  You may get lucky and find a spot at the underground parking at the Plaza del Castillo, or at the underground parking area at the Plaza del San Francisco. However, don't count on it, especially if you are planning to arrive on July 5th, when tens of thousands of other tourists also plan to arrive and plan to park their cars, too.  Parking is sometimes available at the airport; along the perimeter of the Parque de la Taconera (see photos above); and in the residential area called "Rochapea", across the Río Arga from the old city, and about a 15 minute walk to the fiesta.  Here is the link for where the Rochapea area is located:  http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enUS311US311&q=rochapea+pamplona+spai Please be aware that leaving a car for several days, or even overnight, may be risky