What to see in Pamplona: the city's top-rated attractions

 

Founded by the Romans and on the Camino de Santiago, Pamplona is a modern, welcoming city boasting a wide range of cultural and gastronomic options.

Considering a visit to the city? Read on to discover the must-see attractions in Pamplona!

Pamplona and its history

In the fertile plains of the River Arga is Pamplona, a city steeped in history and deep-rooted traditions. The streets and squares of its old town is home to an important monumental complex overlooked by churches and mediaeval walls.

A visit to the capital of Navarre begins with a visit to a series of neighbourhoods dating back to mediaeval origin at the heart of the current urban hub. The central Plaza Consistorial is home to the stately baroque façade of the Town Hall. The building, erected in 1752, provides a reminder of the union of the boroughs of San Cernín, San Nicolás and Navarrería.

Next to Pamplona town hall is the church of San Saturnino or San Cernín, Gothic in style and constructed in the thirteenth century. Its two towers, formerly crowned by battlements, pay testament to its former defensive function. Meanwhile, on the old cloister stands the baroque chapel of the Virgen del Camino, the co-patron saint of the city.

The neighbouring Cámara de Comptos (18th century), the oldest building in the capital, was the Tribunal de Cuentas (Court of Auditors) of Navarre between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries. Heading down Calle Mayor, you come across the church of San Lorenzo (19th century), which is home to the baroque chapel of San Fermín.

Continue your journey along Cuesta Santo Domingo, the starting point for the bull run during the Festival of San Fermín festivities, where the bulls sleep the night before.

From here, you can see other buildings in old Iruña. The plateresque façade of the interesting Museum of Navarre, home to an important collection of archaeological pieces and works of art, and the Gothic church of Santo Domingo, dating back to the sixteenth century. Opposite this museum is the Royal Palace, a twelfth-century building where the Royal and General Archive of Navarre is currently kept.

The must-sees

  • Another point that you cannot miss is the famous Calle Estafeta. As well as being on the Pamplona bull run route, this street is full of bars where visitors can sample excellent pintxos.
  • Parque de la Taconera is the oldest, most beautiful and emblematic park in Pamplona. It has a small zoo with deer, goats, ducks, peacocks, roosters, etc., which coexist in semi-freedom, a great option for children.
  • Make sure not to miss the works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Rothko, Chillida, Palazuelo, Oteiza or Tàpies at the University of Navarre Museum.
  • Plaza del Castillo is in the nerve centre of the city. This imperfect quadrangle measures 14,000 square meters and has been and continues to be the scene of some of Pamplona's main events: bull runs until 1844, battles, tournaments, markets, military parades, political and popular rallies... Make sure to visit the famous Iruña café, where Ernest Hemingway set his novel The Sun Also Rises.
  • Make sure not to miss a visit to Pamplona cathedral. This temple boasts a neoclassical façade and is home to a Gothic interior.
  • The Mirador del Caballo Blanco is undoubtedly one of the most charming corners of the city, a wonderful place to go for a stroll next to the Plaza de San José and the cathedral. This is the highest part of the Bastion of Redín, where a palace formerly stood; today, only the Cruz del Mentidero remains, where executions were held around 1500 AD.

Looking beyond Pamplona

Pamplona is just a stone's throw from enclaves that boast great natural beauty. To the west is Urbasa and Andía Natural Park. To the north, the villages and valleys of the Pyrenees of Navarre, home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire province. The Atlantic Pyrenees, in the westernmost part of the province, is home to important natural spaces including Bertiz Natural Park.

How to get to Pamplona by train?

Convinced that Pamplona is worth a visit? Then what are you waiting for? It's time to visit the city that is home to the Festival of San Fermin with Renfe. Travel with us in the fastest, most comfortable sustainable way. Check out our routes!