Pamplona/Iruña

INFORMATION

PROVINCE: Navarre
AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY: Chartered Community of Navarra
DISTANCE TO SANTIAGO: 708 km

Local council website

TOURIST OFFICE

Calle San Saturnino, 2
31001 Pamplona Iruña
Tel.: [+34] 948 420 700
Email: oficinaturismo@pamplona.es
Web: Pamplona Turismo
 

LINKS OF INTEREST

 

USEFUL NUMBERS

  • Civil protection: [+34] 948 420 640
  • Health Centre: [+34] 848 422 222

 

FESTIVALS & OTHER EVENTS:

  • San Fermín Festival: reveilles, running of the bulls, giants and big-heads, rural sports, folk song competitions, dancing, running of firework bull, and fireworks.
  • San Fermín Txikito Festival: held in late September, a smaller version of the July festival mostly attended by locals.
  • Privilege of the Union: every September 8th, the city celebrates the anniversary of the pacification and unification of Pamplona. A medieval market is held and a ceremony honouring king Charles III the Noble is celebrated in the cathedral, with the participation of the local authorities.
  • Festival of the Walls: from late July through August, dance, music, gastronomy and performing arts shows take to the stage of the city walls.

Nicknamed the “First of the Camino” and the “Pearl of the North”, Pamplona has always been known for being the capital of Navarre. A modern and green city, it is at the same time full of history, ancient walls, medieval streets and colourful façades, such as those that overlook the Plaza del Castillo.

The festival of San Fermín and Hemingway put the old city of Iruña on the international map, making it a flagship city of tolerance, well-being and cutting-edge medical services.

Services

 Alojamientos Restaurantes, bares  Oficina de Turismo  Zona de baño Aeropuerto Estación ferrocarril Estación de autobusesTaxis BodegaPuente TorreMonasterio, iglesia Monumento  Teléfono público - locutorioServicios públicos - WCCajero automáticoCorreos Farmacia Fuente Cementerio singular Supermercado MerenderoMonte Mirador   

MUST-SEES

  • Magdalena Bridge: this 12thcentury Romanesque construction has borne – and still bears, witness to the passage of millions of pilgrims for more than 800 years.
  • Walled complex consisting of 16th- and 18th-century bastions, the Gate of France and a drawbridge, the “Caballo Blanco” (“White Horse”) viewpoint offering a panoramic view of the Pamplona Basin and the starting point of the “Camino de Ronda” walk. j
  • Medieval cathedral complex: cathedral, cloister, chapter house, dormitory with excavations, Romanesque chapel of San Jesucristo, medieval refectory and kitchen, 12th-century pantry and the art collection of the Diocesan Museum. Its origin is linked to the legend that says that the original sanctuary was erected to hold a statue of the Virgin brought by Saint Peter himself. The complex also holds de relics of Saint Innocent, the reliquary mummy of Saint Columba, as well as the relics of Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Ignatius, the mummified body of Saint Deodara and four coffers with relics from the catacombs of Rome. There we will also find the Romanesque wood carving of Santa María la Real, believed to work miracles, and before which the kings of Navarre swore their coronation oath. j
  • Church of San Saturnino or San Cernin: medieval Gothic temple that follows the style of southern France, with a Baroque chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Way. j
  • Church of San Nicolás: fortress-looking parish church mixing Romanesque and Gothic styles.
  • Church of San Lorenzo: neoclassical edifice housing the popular chapel of San Fermín, home to the statue of the “morenico” (“the dark-skinned saint”, that is, Saint Firmin).
  • Museum of Navarre: it is the customary provincial museum bringing together art, history and archaeology. On display at the exhibits: objects from the Vascones, Roman mosaics, medieval frescoes, Spanish-Muslim art, a work by Francisco de Goya and traditional paintings by local artists, among others. j
  • Ultreia, the Interpretation Center of the Way of Saint James.  j o l
  • Museum University of Navarra: a space for contemporary art combining visual arts, performing arts and an extremely interesting photographic collection.
  • Palace of the Constable: Renaissance palace, a display of the immense power of the Counts of Lerín, constables of the kingdom. Today it houses temporary exhibitions, cultural talks, presentations and workshops of different kinds. Accessibility: ACCESSIBLE
  • Citadel: the oldest bastioned pentagon-shaped fortification in the world (1571), transformed into the “green lung” of the city and home to Hiriartea, the city’s contemporary culture centre with current art exhibitions displayed in the different historical buildings.
  • “Pocico” (“Little Well”) of San Cernin: According to tradition, next to the church of San Saturnino there was a water well where the saint baptized the city’s first Christians, including Saint Firmin.
  • Café Iruña: Art Nouveau café where electric lighting was first installed in Pamplona and a spot frequented by Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemingway.
  • Taconera Gardens: oldest recreational park in the city with an interesting botanical collection.
  • Route of the running of the bulls: from the corrals of Santo Domingo to the Bull Ring; near the latter you can visit the monument to the running of the bulls. j
  • Court of Auditors : fiscal institution with the longest history in Spain, whose inner court is home to archaeological items.

TRACK PAMPLONA-PUENTE LA REINA

Track Pamplona -Puente La Reina

 

                                                                       ACCESSIBILITY IN THE SECTION

  On foot   Medium Difficulty
  By bike   Suitable
  PRM (pilgrim with reduced mobility)   Not Suitable (from Zizur onwards)
  Alternative

  Road NA-1110. Guardrails. Hard shoulder only in certain sections.

NEARBY POINTS OF INTEREST

  • Cizur Menor: Romanesque complex consisting of a fountain, a church of the Order of Saint John and the parish church of San Emeterio and San Celedonio.
  • Ruins of the Palace of Guenduláin.
  • El Perdón Pass: monument to the pilgrim and impressive views over the Pamplona and Valdizarbe basins.
  • Santa María of Eunate: Romanesque church and cloister.

LEGENDS OF THE WAY: 

  • The Mystery of Obanos (Obanos): The popular legend has it that Prince William of Aquitaine murdered his sister Felicia. However, he later repented and made a pilgrimage to Compostela. He finally stayed as a hermit in the Arnotegui sanctuary and the remains of Saint Felicia were buried in Amocáin, a place where miraculous events began to happen.
  • Reniega Fountain (Cizur): The area around the fountain of Gambellacos, also called “Reniega” fountain, is also legendary: the devil came to a thirsty pilgrim and offered him water if the pilgrim would renounce his faith. The pilgrim refused the invitation and prayed until the devil disappeared. At that moment the fountain appeared.
  • Santa María de Erreniega and Perdonanza Bidea (El Perdón Pass): the pilgrim hermitage of Santa María de Erreniega stood on this uphill slope, as documented since the 15th century, but utterly destroyed in the 19th century by French troops. The uphill track, known as “perdonanza bidea” (“road to forgiveness” in Basque) and the descent, known as “perdona bidea”, are named after the fact that at this point pilgrims obtained the same indulgences as if in Compostela if they should happen to die during the rest of the journey. It is said that Tartalo lived here – a man with just one eye on his forehead who devoured the sheep of local shepherds. He was seized and burned to death by the people of the nearest town.