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Where to Stay in Pamplona for San Fermín (2027): The Best Areas, 12 Hotels and the Tax

By Casey, Gently Yonder editor

Where to stay in Pamplona for San Fermín 2027: Casco Antiguo on and off the run route, Ensanche and the calmer north, 12 hotels, and 10% VAT with no tax.

Last updated · 15 min read

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In this guide12 sections
  1. The short answer
  2. The dates, and what we do not know yet
  3. Casco Antiguo, on the route: the squares and Estafeta
  4. Casco Antiguo, away from the route: walls and side streets
  5. Ensanche: wider streets, still walkable
  6. Iturrama, San Juan and the station side: calmer, with a walk or a bus
  7. Getting in, and around
  8. The tax: 10% VAT and no tourist tax found
  9. How to book Pamplona for San Fermín
  10. All 12 at a glance
  11. Before you go
  12. Frequently asked questions

San Fermín turns the Old Town into the loudest neighbourhood in Navarre, so your hotel choice is mostly a choice about sleep. The city says the festival takes place between 6 and 14 July, and the daily bull run starts at 8:00. Spain charges 10% VAT on hotel stays, and we found no tourist tax in force in Navarra or Pamplona, though a council committee voted in September 2026 to push for one.

This guide covers four areas, from the Casco Antiguo on the run route to the calmer districts to the north, 12 hotels, what the city has published about the run, and the bus link to San Sebastián. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in November 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

If you want… Stay in Why
to be inside the festival Casco Antiguo, on the route Plaza del Castillo, Plaza Consistorial and Estafeta Street are on your doorstep, and so is the noise
the old town with fewer crowds at the door Casco Antiguo, away from the route Three hotels on streets that the city’s rules do not list as part of the run
a central base with wider streets Ensanche Two hotels, one beside the Taconera gardens, one on Avenida de San Ignacio
quieter nights and a walk or bus in Iturrama, San Juan and the station side Four hotels in the residential north and west, two of them stating parking

Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.

A crowded street between tall buildings with balconies, filled with people in white clothes and red neckerchiefs
A packed street during San Fermín. Photo: Leif Bergerson / Pexels

The dates, and what we do not know yet

The city’s own route page says the San Fermín festival takes place between the 6th and 14th July. Its 2027 working calendar lists 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14 July as the festival’s municipal holidays. The council has not yet published the 2027 programme or the 2027 bando, the annual rulebook for the fiesta, so where this guide describes rules and timings, it describes the 2026 bando and says so. Hotel Pompaelo’s own page puts the opening rocket, the Chupinazo, at noon on 6 July, and the 2026 bando shut every business facing Plaza Consistorial from 10:00 to 13:00 that day. The closing ceremony is the Pobre de mí on 14 July.

The run, as the city describes it

The 2026 bando says every bull run starts at 8:00, barring force majeure, and that the route goes through Santo Domingo, Plaza Consistorial, Mercaderes and Estafeta streets. Anyone under 18 may not take part. After 07:15 only people who are running, or authorised, may stay on the route, and runners may not enter after that time. Bars and shops with access to the route must be shut by 06:00, and doorways must be closed from 07:15. The bando also bans carrying objects that could cause trouble, listing rucksacks, bags, bottles, cameras and recording devices.

The independent fiesta guide sanfermin.com, which is run with the Navarra travel agency Destino Navarra and sells balcony bookings itself, says the course is 875 metres, that runs usually last two to three minutes, and that nobody runs the whole course. It also says spectators must stay behind the second line of fencing. It describes the streets as hosed down in the early hours to remove the litter left over from the previous night, so expect the Old Town to be busy well before the run.

On balconies, the city’s bando makes owners responsible for the safety of facades and balconies, and says they must not let more people stand on one than is sensible. Some hotels also offer balcony viewing for the Chupinazo; Hotel Pompaelo’s page says so but gives no price or terms. The city does not publish a rental price list, and neither do we.

The criticism

Animal-rights groups oppose the bull run and the bullfights held during the fiesta. Euronews reported that a protest in 2022 was organised by the Spanish group AnimaNaturalis and PETA, and said it was the 18th year in a row that demonstrations had taken place ahead of San Fermín. The city’s tourism page traces records of the festival back to the 12th century. We note the criticism because it shapes the mood around the city, and we take no side.

A bronze sculpture of running figures and bulls on a stone base, with a pale city building behind
A bronze sculpture of the run in Pamplona. Photo: Michel Meuleman / Pexels

Casco Antiguo, on the route: the squares and Estafeta

This is the festival at full volume. Estafeta Street is on the run route, Plaza del Castillo is the social centre, and the town hall square hosts the Chupinazo. By the city’s own account some 12,500 people gather there on 6 July. If you want to step out of the door and into the crowd, this is the place. If you want to sleep before 4 a.m., it is not, and our advice is to ask for a soundproofed room at the back.

Where to stay in the Casco Antiguo, on the route

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

A narrow paved street between rows of tall, colourful residential buildings with balconies and window boxes
A street in the old part of Pamplona. Photo: Entdecker Fuchs / Pexels

Casco Antiguo, away from the route: walls and side streets

The three hotels here stand on streets that the bando’s route list does not include, which gives you the old town on foot with one fewer layer of crowd. It is still the Old Town: music and bars run late, and the run’s morning closures still affect how you leave.

Where to stay in the Casco Antiguo, away from the route

Ensanche: wider streets, still walkable

The Ensanche is the district beside the old town. Our reading of the map is that the streets are wider and the Casco Antiguo is a short walk away, and that neither hotel here faces a route street.

A stone bandstand with columns and a lit ceiling at dusk, in a square lined with pale buildings
A bandstand in a Pamplona square at dusk. Photo: Daciana Cristina Visan / Pexels

Where to stay in the Ensanche

Iturrama, San Juan and the station side: calmer, with a walk or a bus

North and west of the Ensanche are residential districts away from the route, and two of the four hotels here state parking. The price is distance: you will walk, take a villavesa (the city bus) or a taxi to the Old Town. Noticias de Navarra reported in 2026 that most villavesa lines ran 24 hours during the fiesta, with changes around the fireworks and concerts, so check the 2027 plan when it is published.

Where to stay in Iturrama, San Juan and the station side

Getting in, and around

The tax: 10% VAT and no tourist tax found

Charge Rate in 2026-27
VAT on hotel stays (IVA) 10%, the reduced rate for hospitality
Spain’s general VAT rate, for comparison 21%
Navarra or Pamplona tourist tax None found

The Agencia Tributaria says the general rate is 21%, and that the 10% rate applies to hospitality services. For a room quoted at €200 including VAT, VAT is €18.18 and the room before VAT is €181.82 (our arithmetic from the 10% rate). We could not confirm from every hotel’s site whether its rates include VAT, so check the total at the payment step. We found no tourist tax in force in Navarra. On 29 September 2026 the Pamplona council’s Presidency Committee approved a declaration urging the Government of Navarra to let local councils charge a tourist tax, and saying the council will study a tourist-ecological tax for San Fermín. That is a political position, not a rule, and we found no law or decree creating a charge.

How to book Pamplona for San Fermín

All 12 at a glance

Hotel Area Tier Best for Watch out for
Gran Hotel La Perla Casco Antiguo Splurge The grandest address on the square Balconies face the loud streets
Hotel Pompaelo Plaza del Ayuntamiento & Spa Casco Antiguo Comfortable Being on the Chupinazo square No balcony price shown
Hostal Arriazu Casco Antiguo Budget The lowest price in the centre Compact rooms
Pamplona Catedral Hotel Casco Antiguo Comfortable A quieter corner by the walls No festival rates shown
Maisonnave Casco Antiguo Comfortable A central four-star on a side street Discount is not a festival rate
Alda Centro Pamplona Casco Antiguo Budget A cheap bed near the walls 20 minutes to the station
Hotel Tres Reyes Ensanche Splurge A pool and garden views No festival terms
Hotel Yoldi Ensanche Good value A plain, central three-star Late check-out is on request
Hotel Albret Iturrama Good value A stated San Fermín 2027 offer Read the offer’s conditions
Hotel Blanca de Navarra Iturrama Comfortable A calm base near a park Further from the Old Town
Hotel Sancho Ramírez San Juan Good value Easy parking close to town General terms only
Hotel Pamplona Plaza Station side Good value Arriving by train or car Distances disagree

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

When is San Fermín in 2027?

The city of Pamplona says the San Fermín festival takes place between 6 and 14 July, and its 2027 calendar lists 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14 July as San Fermín holidays. The council had not published the 2027 programme when we checked. The 2026 bando started every bull run at 8:00.

Where is the best area to stay for San Fermín?

It depends on how much noise you want. The Casco Antiguo puts you on the run route and the squares, with the most noise. The side streets of the old town are a few steps away, the Ensanche is beside it, and Iturrama, San Juan and the station side are calmer but a walk or a bus from the festival.

Does Pamplona charge a tourist tax?

We found no tourist tax in force in Navarra or Pamplona. On 29 September 2026 the Pamplona council's Presidency Committee approved a declaration urging the Government of Navarra to regulate a local tourist tax, and saying the council would study a tourist-ecological tax for San Fermín. That is a political position, not a rule, and we found no law or decree creating a charge.

How much VAT is charged on a Pamplona hotel room?

Spain applies 10% VAT to hospitality services, including hotels, and the general rate is 21%, according to the Agencia Tributaria. On a room quoted at 200 euros including VAT, the VAT is 18.18 euros, our arithmetic from the 10% rate. Check whether each hotel's rate includes VAT.

What are the rules for the bull run?

The 2026 bando, the council's rulebook for last year, said each run starts at 8:00 and goes through Santo Domingo, Plaza Consistorial, Mercaderes and Estafeta streets. It bars anyone under 18, limits the route to runners and authorised people from 07:15, and bans objects such as rucksacks, bags and bottles. The 2027 rules had not been published when we checked.

Can I stay outside Pamplona and travel in?

Yes. Alsa's published timetable for Pamplona to San Sebastián shows coaches such as 09:45 to 11:00, with first departures at 06:55, though the page does not say whether extra services run during San Fermín. We could not confirm Logroño times from an operator. Pamplona's villavesas, the city buses, ran 24 hours on most lines during the 2026 fiesta.

Sources & further reading

Dates, rules, rates and hotel terms change, and the council had not published the 2027 programme or bando when we checked; where we describe 2026 rules we say so. Every hotel detail here was checked in November 2026; confirm minimum stays, rates and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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