What it is really like to run with the bulls in Spain!
This day starts like a typical Saturday morning in July. You are up by sunrise, caffeinated, and heading out to start your day. But today is anything but typical. You are in northern Spain in the city of Pamplona. Crowds have gathered for the first time in two years for the Festival of San Fermín. There is an unexpected calm in the air as wooden barricades and police officers corral thousands of “mozos” at the intersection of Mercaderes and Estafeta street. The storefronts are boarded up. Spectators fill the balconies above. You take heed of the advice of others and position yourself just beyond “La Curva”, more commonly known as Dead Mans Corner. Some of those around you pray to Saint Fermin while others stretch their legs. Most stand silent knowing they have reached the point of no return. Their safety and your safety lies a quarter mile ahead through the steel doors of Plaza de Toros de Pamplona. And the only way to get there is to run.
FESTIVAL HISTORY
Each July the quiet streets of Pamplona host hundreds of thousands of visitors for a nine-day celebration known locally as Sanfermin. The festival honors Saint Fermin, the Patron Saint of Navarre. Navarre is the region in northern Spain where the city of Pamplona is located. Although there is some dispute about whether or not Saint Fermin existed, his legend took hold in Pamplona during the 12th century and has been celebrated ever since.
The festival’s opening ceremony takes place in Plaza Consistorial at noon on July 6th. The firing of the Chupinazo rocket from the balcony of City Hall signifies the official start of the festival. Outside of Pamplona, the festival is known largely by one of the key activities that take place each morning, the daily El Encierro or bull run. Made famous in Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises, the festival draws a balanced mix of excitement and controversy. Each morning six bulls are released from Corrales de Santo Domingo. The bulls run an 875 meter course that goes up the Santo Domingo Slope, past Plaza Consistorial, along Calle de Mercaderes and Calle de la Estafeta before finally arriving at Plaza de Toros. The bulls remain in Plaza de Toros until they meet their fate, as part of one of Spain’s longstanding cultural traditions, at the hands of a professional matador that afternoon.
In the days that follow the Chupinazo rocket launch, there are hundreds of concerts, cultural events, competitions, and even kid-friendly activities for visitors to participate in. But it is safe to say the party atmosphere and daily bull runs are a cornerstone of the festival.
THE JOURNEY TO PAMPLONA
I am sure everyone’s reasons for attending the festival are different. For me, it was something that sounded adventurous when I first heard about it. Years went by before I ever put any serious thought into attending. At some point in 2021, I stumbled back onto a website about the festival. A few emails back and forth with the folks from Bucketlist Events and my mid-festival trip was booked. I snagged my flights and then went on with my day-to-day life, not putting much more thought into a trip that was well over a year away. Fast forward to April 2022. I was in Phoenix Arizona with my best friend Arrick, doing everything I could to avoid the cold midwest weather. Arrick and I have a long history of doing big adventures together. We’ve been skydiving, summited Mount Whitney, ran marathons, and completed a Rim-To-Rim hike of the Grand Canyon. So it was only natural that over drinks the bull run came up. After a little encouragement (e.g. peer pressure) and some Delta Airlines points, his trip was also booked!
July 2022 arrived before we knew it. I flew out of Indiana and Arrick flew out of Arizona, both of us destined for Spain. Typical travel delays aside, we both landed in Barcelona on time and boarded our trains to Pamplona. We were grabbing beers in a small bar by the train station four hours later as we waited for a cab to take us to the hotel. The Bucketlist Events team had us staying in the heart of the festival at the Tres Reyes hotel. The hotel check-in process was simple until we noticed they were giving identification bracelets to the individuals on the hotel reservation. As you can imagine, Arrick was not on the reservation given his late addition to the trip. After a short discussion with the desk clerk and perhaps a little sleight of hand, I was in possession of two security bracelets. We dropped off our bags, did a quick orientation with Bucketlist Events, and then hit the streets.
DECIDING WHEN TO RUN
We planned to immerse ourselves in all the festival had to offer and a quick scan of the crowd suggested the entire city was wearing the traditional festival attire. So our first order of business was to do some shopping. We bargained with local vendors to get our white pants, white shirts, red scarf, and red waistband. Next, we grabbed a few drinks and headed toward the sounds of music and celebratory crowds.
Along the way, we briefly scouted the course and chatted with locals about what we could expect the next morning. Everyone had opinions to share. Some suggested it was too dangerous to run, some offered helpful tips, and others simply wished us good luck. Armed with some rudimentary knowledge of what was to come, we finalized our plans for the next day.
We both decided it was best to run as soon as possible while we still had our nerve and before we could talk ourselves out of it. Arrick decided to start closer to Corrales de Santo Domingo. I opted to start just beyond Deadman’s Curve on Estafeta Street. It was that quick. Jet lagged and several drinks in, the decision was made. We were going to run with the bulls on Saturday, July 8th 2022.
THE START OF THE RUN
The daily El Encierro starts promptly at 8 AM each morning from July 7th to July 14th. Runners are out on the streets by 7 AM where they are joined by thousands of revelers still out celebrating from the night before.
After local police and the street cleaning crews complete their preparation, the runners are allowed to enter the course. We were told the police checked runners to ensure they were sober and did not have any video equipment. As such both Arrick and I left our cell phones at the hotel. This seemed like a reasonable decision as having people stop for selfies during the run would simply be too dangerous. The police did do a passive check on some runners, but it was nowhere near the airport security level check I was expecting. In the interest of full transparency, you could easily bring a cell phone with you and I saw many individuals that did. But I did not see anyone using them during the actual run.
Once on the course, Arrick and I wished each other luck and headed to our starting positions. Within minutes we would hear the first of four rocket explosions. The first rocket indicates the bulls have been released and the second rocket indicates all the bulls have entered the course. The third and fourth rockets are heard later once the bulls have entered the stadium and the crowds are cleared to resume the festivities.
SURVIVING THE RUN
While I waited for the sounds of the rockets to echo through the streets, I reflected on the dozens and dozens of tips I had heard from others at the festival. Here are the most important ones.
It Is Dangerous - This is not an activity to take lightly, it is dangerous. You could be trampled, gored, or worse. Hundreds of minor injuries are reported annually and there have been more than a dozen deaths over the years.
You Are Not A Professional - Professional runners on the course attempt to touch the bulls or run close to them for as long as possible. You are not a professional and should avoid putting yourself in such a dangerous situation.
If You Fall, Stay Down - Runners will fall on the course. If this happens, it is best to tuck yourself into a ball while protecting your head and organs. Do not attempt to get back up immediately as this puts you in a position where you could easily be gored by the bulls or cause other runners to fall.
You Cannot Outrun The Bulls - The half-mile course is typically completed by the bulls in less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds. It is not possible to outrun the bulls so do not try. You may be able to run with them for a short period of time but it is best not to get directly in front of them.
CORRE, CORRE, CORRE
Even though I was anticipating it, the first rocket explosion catches me by surprise. The once dormant crowd instantly shows signs of life and there is no mistaking the fact that the daily “El Encierro” had begun. I was now jogging down Estafeta Street as the spectators above cheered. Before I realized it, I was in a full sprint making erratic glances over my shoulders in hopes of catching a glimpse of the danger I knew was rapidly approaching. The first group of bulls passed by so quickly all I noticed was a blur. The runners around me instinctively veered toward the perceived safety provided by the hundreds of bodies piling up along the sides of the street. I was now in a mob, moving at full speed, doing everything in my power to stay upright. The final group of bulls approached within seconds. I could hear their hoofs pounding on the cobblestone streets as the mob reacted to their every step. It was unpredictable and chaotic. The fear in everyone’s eyes was unmistakable. I was within arms reach of the bulls. The run had become a fight for survival.
Moments later and almost as fast as it all started, the third rocket sounded. The crowd slowed to a jog as I made a slight left-hand turn toward Plaza de Toros. The end of the run was in sight. I crossed through the steel doors of the stadium to the sound of music and the deafening cheers of a nearly 20,000 person crowd. The ground was a mixture of sand and blood from the earlier bullfights. I stood quiet. Mesmerized. I didn’t have a cell phone to capture the moment. There are no selfies to be taken. Instead, I slowly took stock of where I was and what I had just done. The moment was unique. A moment that words cannot accurately describe. A moment that could only be experienced. There was a primal feeling to it all. I had just tested fate. And I survived!
CELEBRATING AFTER THE RUN
Arrick and I rendezvoused at the hotel after the run and then immediately headed back out to celebrate. The scale of the festival was a sight to see. Street after street after street was filled with thousands of people. Some young, some old. Some had participated in that morning’s run, others had watched it from the balconies. Still, others were planning to run the next day. We shared our stories and heard the tales of survival from other runners. Strangers quickly become friends as beer and kalimotxo (part cola, part red wine) flowed freely. Amazing food was available at every turn. Some people took refuge in one of the many bars. Others simply walked the streets drink in hand, singing along with the crowds, and celebrating all the festival had to offer. As for Arrick and I, we did a lot of both that night and in the days that followed.
A LESSON LEARNED
A key lesson I will take away from the festival and more specifically the bull run is that not every experience needs to be viewed through the lens of my phone, drone, or camera. I actually do not have any photos or videos of my own from the time that I left the hotel the morning of my bull run until I returned to the hotel after the run. The photos and videos in this story are from the days after I completed the run.
I raise this lesson because often times you will see people when traveling who are so fixated on capturing the perfect picture or video that they fail to fully experience where they are and what they are doing. This is a sad reality of a society that is so focused on social media. And unfortunately, it is a situation I have personally found myself in on multiple trips.
So what is the solution? It is simple, just leave your phone at the hotel from time to time. Granted that is easier said than done. Especially since many of us rely on our phones for navigation, making payments, etc. However, there are definitely times when you can go without your phone if you plan accordingly. Give it a try on your next trip and let me know how it impacted your overall experience.
“Not every experience needs to be viewed through the lens of my phone, drone, or camera...”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Reflecting on my trip to Sanfermin 2022, I could not be happier with the experience. It was truly an adventure!
Pamplona was a fantastic and easily accessible travel destination that I would highly encourage everyone to add to their bucket list. That being said, I would consider this a once-in-a-lifetime activity. As a seasoned traveler, it would be hard for me to justify attending the festival more than once. In terms of trip duration, I felt the half-week itinerary (e.g. 3 to 4 days) provided the perfect amount of time to experience all that the festival had to offer.
For those that are hesitant to travel to Sanfermin because they do not plan to run with the bulls or due to other ethical concerns with the festival’s activities, I would share the following perspective. The festival is massive and has hundreds of activities available to visitors. The bull runs and fights are a key part of the festival. However, it is possible to attend and enjoy the festival while not participating in those specific activities. My point of view is that travel exposes each of us to new experiences which often involve different ideas, cultures, and people. Sometimes those experiences will be aligned with our personal beliefs and other times they will not. But it is the exposure to the experiences that allows us to form opinions, build perspective, and ultimately grow as humans.
MY TRIP DETAILS
While it is possible to plan the entire trip yourself, I would encourage you to use a travel service for this festival. As mentioned above, hundreds of thousands of visitors attend the festival each year which can make booking hotels, reserving balconies to watch the bull run, etc. a significant challenge. I worked with Toby from Bucketlist Events and was more than happy with the services they provided. For a reasonable fee, they handled all the logistics outside of me getting to Pamplona and also included a variety of orientations, events, dinners, etc. in the package which would be a welcome addition for even the most seasoned traveler.
Here is a snapshot of my travel itinerary.
Delta Airlines flights from Indianapolis Indiana —> Atlanta Georgia —> Barcelona Spain
Renfe trains from Barcelona-Sants —> Zaragoza-Delici —> Pamplona/Iruna
Lodging at the Tres Reyes hotel
Festival logistics were provided by Bucketlist Events. I purchased the Mid-Festival Experience (July 8th to July 12th)
My return travel was a bit different as I elected to leave Pamplona on the evening of July 10th so I could spend an extra day in Barcelona before heading out on an adventure in Italy that involved Milan, Venice, and Rome.
HELPFUL LINKS & INFORMATION
2023 festival days are July 6, 2023 to July 14, 2023