Where to Stay in Pamplona for Running of the Bulls (2026 Guide)
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If you’re planning a Running of the Bulls 2026 trip to Pamplona, where you stay matters more than it would for a regular trip to the city. During the festival, you’re dealing with late nights, very early mornings, blocked streets, and a city that barely sleeps for nine days straight.
The real decision isn’t which hotel to stay at – it’s whether you want to stay inside the action in Old Town or just outside of it, where you’ll get a little more breathing room. In this guide, I’ve broken down the best areas to stay in Pamplona for Running of the Bulls, along with a few hotel examples in each based on location and the kind of experience they suit best.
Quick summary:
The best place to stay in Pamplona for the full San Fermín experience is Casco Viejo, where you’ll be close to the encierro route. Expect it to be loud and intense. For a quieter stay that is still within walking distance, consider Primer Ensanche or Segundo Ensanche. Stay just outside the center if sleep, budget, or easier luggage logistics are your priority.
Best Areas to Stay in Pamplona for Running of the Bulls
Staying in Old Town / Casco Viejo
Casco Viejo is where I stayed for my San Fermín Experience. For me, I wanted to be fully immersed into the spirit of the festival; to feel the energy of thousands of people packed back to back, the adrenaline leading up to and during the run, and the celebrations late into the night.
A stay in Old Town will give you 24-hour non-stop action, parties at all hours of the night, and an easy access to get a spot to watch or join the run. It’ll give you the full San Fermín experience, but the tradeoff is real. It can be loud, crowded, and chaotic. Old Town doesn’t really sleep during San Fermín, and there’s no car access to the festival, so arriving with large luggage is a pain.
That said, I still think Old Town is worth it for a first-time, short trip if you want the full experience. If you want to stay in Old Town, here are the two areas worth looking at.
Plaza Consistorial
Plaza Consistorial is in the heart of Old Town, sitting directly on the encierro (bull run) route. A stay here will give you those classic narrow medieval streets, maximum immersion, and maximum noise. You’ll have crowds gathering together, bands playing with parades of people following through the streets, and that particular San Fermín energy that’s hard to describe until you’re standing in it. It’s one of the best areas for someone who wants full atmosphere, but one of the worst for someone who wants sleep.
Hotel Pompaelo Urban Spa
€€€€ | 4-star | Full immersion
If your priority is being fully inside the San Fermín atmosphere, this is about as central as it gets. I stayed here for two nights and paid €992, but when you’re stumbling home at 2 a.m. and heading back out at 6:30 for the run, that two-minute walk makes a difference. The tradeoff is obvious: you’re paying for location, and this is not the stay to pick if sleep is your top priority.
Photo: Booking.com
Plaza del Castillo
Plaza del Castillo is another good Old Town base if you want the full San Fermín atmosphere without feeling quite as claustrophobic as Plaza Consistorial. The square is lined with cafés, bars, and restaurants, and during the festival it fills with people in white and red, live music, and a lot of energy. You’re still right in the heart of the action, with easy walking access to Calle Estafeta (where the bull run happens) and the rest of Old Town.
Gran Hotel La Perla
€€€€€ | 5-star | Iconic splurge
If your idea of San Fermín includes staying somewhere iconic right in the middle of it all, this is probably the most famous option in Pamplona. La Perla has rooms with balconies that face both the Plaza del Castillo square or Estafeta Street. For me, the appeal here is less “quiet luxury” and more that you’re staying in one of the city’s most classic locations.
Photo: Booking.com
Hostal Arriazu
€€ | 2-star | Central value pick
If you want the same Plaza del Castillo location without turning it into a splurge stay, this is the kind of place I’d look at first. Hostal Arriazu is in the heart of Pamplona’s Old Town. It’s close to the plaza (but not on top of it), and has a number of pintxos bars nearby, which gives you a very central base.
Photo: Booking.com
Staying Outside Old Town for San Fermín
Staying outside of old town is a good option if you want a little space from the main events, quieter nights, and lower prices. It’s less immersive, but this means you can choose when you want to be in the action. There are various neighborhoods you can stay in, but these are the two areas I’d recommend based on proximity.
Primer Ensanche
Primer Ensanche is west of Old Town and is one of the best compromise areas for San Fermín. You can still walk quickly into the historic center, but you’re slightly removed from the dense narrow-street chaos.
The location puts you near the Ciudadela fortress and Jardines de la Taconera; both good spots to decompress. After my last night at San Fermín, I walked to the park and just laid in the grass for a while watching other people picnic or relax. Sometimes you need that.
It’s close enough that you can participate in the festival whenever you want, but far enough that you may have a better chance of getting some sleep.
Hotel Tres Reyes Pamplona
€€€€ | 4-star | Breathing room + comfort
This is the kind of option I’d look at if I wanted a little separation from the chaos without being far from it. Hotel Tres Reyes is right next to Taconera Gardens and just a short distance from Old Town, which makes it a strong fit if you want to walk into the festival but not sleep right inside the most intense part of it.
Photo: Booking.com
Segundo Ensanche
Segundo Ensanche is the more modern and residential area just south of Old Town. It doesn’t have the same historic charm as the Old Town, but it can be a smart place to stay during San Fermín, especially if you choose the northern part near Plaza de Toros.
This area is especially useful if you want to be near the bullring or the end of the bull run route without staying in the chaos of Old Town. The streets are wider and the atmosphere can feel calmer while still being close to the festival.
You’ll still see people in white and red everywhere, and you can walk into the main festival areas easily.
Hotel Yoldi
€€ | 3-star | Easy middle ground
Sitting on the edge of the festival, Hotel Yoldi is another good option if you want to stay close to San Fermín without sleeping directly in it. You’ll still be within easy walking distance of Old Town, Plaza de Toros, and the main action. To me, this is the kind of place that makes sense if you want access without feeling completely swallowed by the festival.
Photo: Booking.com
Pamplona Hotels Near Running of the Bulls
If you want to see how these areas relate to each other geographically, this map shows hotels across Old Town and the Ensanche neighborhoods so you can compare locations before booking.
Best Hotels in Pamplona for Running of the Bulls
How Early Do You Need to Book for Running of the Bulls?
San Fermín is one of those events where booking late gets expensive fast. I booked a few weeks in advance and paid €992 for two nights in Old Town. Central locations fill first and surge the hardest, especially anything near Plaza Consistorial, Plaza del Castillo, or the route.
If you want to stay in Old Town, I’d try to book at least 6 months in advance if you can. Ensanche usually gives you a little more flexibility, but it still gets expensive as the festival gets closer, even for more ‘budget’ hotels.
Planning your San Fermín trip?
🛌 Book your Pamplona stay early: Booking.com, and Expedia
👓 Book tours: GetYourGuide, and Tripadvisor
📱 Set up data in Spain: Airalo
🏥 Travel insurance: IMG for spectators, World Nomads Explorer for U.S. runners
🚘 Rent a car after the event: Discover Cars
Where I’d Recommend to Stay by Trip Type
First time at Running of the Bulls: Old Town / Casco Viejo
Stay here if you want the full San Fermín experience and don’t mind noise, crowds, or higher prices.
Best for being closest to the bull run route: Plaza Consistorial or Plaza del Castillo
This is the most convenient option if your priority is watching or joining the encierro, but it’s also the loudest and most expensive.
Best for light sleepers: Primer Ensanche
You’ll still be able to walk into Old Town, but you’ll have a little more breathing room at night.
Best balance of access and calm: Segundo Ensanche
This is a practical middle ground, especially if you want to be near Plaza de Toros without sleeping directly in the festival chaos.
FAQs About Where to Stay in Pamplona
READ MORE ABOUT SAN FERMÍN
Looking for more information about attending San Fermín? Here’s some further reading that may be helpful for your trip:
💃🏻 For the full story of what San Fermín felt like — the atmosphere, the music, the moment the bulls came through… read: What Nobody Tells You About San Fermín: My Experience in Pamplona.
🏨 Looking for the best spots to stay based on area? Check out Where to Stay in Pamplona for Running of the Bulls.
▶️ Want to see what San Fermín is like? Check out my Youtube video: Beyond the Bull Run.
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