Running of the Bulls Blog
Expert insights on the encierro route, bull behavior, San Fermín culture, and Pamplona strategy from active bull runners who run every morning of Fiesta.
Written by Runners
Every post authored by active encierro participants
Route & Strategy
Section-by-section breakdowns of the 875-meter course
Updated for 2027
Current bull ranch analysis and San Fermín preparation
San Sebastián’s Tamborrada Wasn’t Born Mocking the French. It Started as Something Much Sillier.
Paella Isn’t a Pamplona Dish. Navarra Has Been Making Its Own Rice Dish Since the 1500s.
Six of Pamplona’s Bull Ranches Trace to the Same Root Bloodline. Two Don’t Share Any of It.
The Camino de Santiago Doesn’t Start at Roncesvalles. It Starts 25 Kilometers Away, in France.
La Rochapea Isn’t Where Pamplona Keeps Its Bulls. It’s the City’s Oldest Neighborhood Outside the Walls.
Jabugo Isn’t a Type of Ham. It’s a Place That Legally Can’t Sell You a Second-Best One.
You Can’t Join a Pamplona Peña. Here’s What’s Actually Open to You.
Gustavo de Maeztu Wasn’t Navarra’s Painter. He Arrived at 48 and Never Meant to Stay.
Navarra’s Semana Santa Has No Nazarenos. It Has a Rope-Suspended Angel, a Real Judas Chase, and a Dance That Used to Be Carnival
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Explore Our Running of the Bulls Coverage
Deep-dive articles written by the bull runners who run every morning of San Fermín.
Route & Strategy
Section-by-section breakdowns of the 875-meter encierro route from Santo Domingo to the Plaza de Toros.
The Encierro
Understanding bull behavior, the rocket system, herd dynamics, and what happens on the Pamplona bull run each morning.
History & Culture
The traditions, evolution, and cultural significance of San Fermín and the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.
History of the Bulls
The ganaderías (bull ranches), cabestros, and the animals that define each morning of the encierro.
About Encierro
Who we are, why we exist, and what drives Pamplona’s most dedicated team of bull runners.
Runner Stories
First-hand accounts from the streets of Pamplona — what it’s like to run with the bulls during San Fermín.
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