Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Pamplona?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Pamplona?

Not sure how much time you'll need in Pamplona, Spain? Most people spend one to two days in Pamplona during their visit. After all, the elegant city will let you take a hike, enjoy a meal at a restaurant, take advantage of the local nightlife, and tour the famous sights and museums.

Pamplona is the capital of the Navarre province in Spain. Tourists flock to the city for the Running of the Bulls festival in July, but it's also a stop along the Camino de Santiago. There are grand plazas and beautiful churches in town as well as a great restaurant scene.

Do you have one or two days to visit Pamplona? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in Pamplona?

One day is usually not enough time to experience the elegant city of Pamplona, so you may find yourself somewhat rushed. You don't want to miss the chance to take a hike, enjoy a meal at a restaurant, take advantage of the local nightlife, and tour the famous sights and museums. So, you'll likely want more than one day, as many tourists set aside around one to two days for their visit. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations to make the most of your journey.

How to spend a day in Pamplona

When visiting Pamplona, you absolutely can't miss the Running of the Bulls Festival as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to fully experience it.

The restaurant and food scene here is top notch, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine. Local cuisine includes lots of fresh vegetables like mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus, and onion. You'll find many unique dishes in the area, and you shouldn't leave without trying the txistorra (sausage), revuelto de setas (eggs and mushrooms), and ajoarriero (cod).


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Logroño ($241)
  • Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries From Pamplona ($241)

Pamplona is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. It's a stop off on the Camino de Santiago, so many people arrive on foot. It's also an easy city to explore on foot.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Pamplona?

Many visitors choose to spend around a weekend in Pamplona. This would give you the chance to experience the city's most popular activities such as the hiking, the cuisine, and the nightlife. Since many visitors prefer to spend around one to two days here, we have a few suggestions of things to do in the elegant destination.

Pamplona, Spain Pamplona, Spain

How to spend 2 days in Pamplona

Having a weekend (two to three days) in Pamplona will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the city.

Known for it's hiking, Pamplona sees plenty of visitors looking to get outdoors. Spend a day exploring the natural beauty and scenery on a nearby hike. It's a stop off on the famed Camino de Santiago, so if you want to walk part of the route, this is a nice place to explore.

The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. There's a good sized university population that keeps the nightlife active around town. The Old Quarter is likely where you'll find the most going on, particularly around Calle San Nicolás and Calle Estafeta. Earlier in the evening the crowd is pretty young, but as the evening passes you'll find the crowd matures a bit.

The public transit in Pamplona is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the city quite easily and affordably. There's a comprehensive bus system around town.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Pamplona, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.