Founder’s Grand Cruise: Day 9

Scouting Pamplona, Spain: Day 9’s Exploration of Pamplona

​On Day Nine of our Founder’s Grand Cruise scouting trip, we immersed ourselves in multiple aspects of Pamplona’s incredible culture. As the city awaits the next Festival of San Fermin, it stays lively and colorful, with a friendly populace that fills the streets from dawn to dusk. Our first full day in Pamplona, we took full advantage of the opportunity we had in visiting one of Ernest Hemingway's favorite cities.

View from Hotel Castillo de Gorraiz

We began our day at the luxurious Hotel Castillo de Gorraiz, where we’d slept off the previous day’s adventures. Once we were ready, we visited the Catedral de Santa María la Real – also known as Pamplona Cathedral. With magnificent stained glass windows and towers reaching to the sky, the working cathedral is significant to the medieval Kings of Navarre. Next, we visited the Plaza de Toros de Pamplona, where guests of the Founder’s Grand Cruise will watch the famed San Fermin bullfights. After we’d worked up quite the appetite, we were treated to the tasting menu at Trastienda del Colmado, one of the brightest new stars in Pamplona’s restaurant scene. With a day full of excursions, the Authentic Voyages team was able to get a glimpse of the city as it geared up for San Fermin.

A Welcome to the Pamplona Cathedral

First up after breakfast at our hotel, we made our way to visit the Pamplona Cathedral. An awe-inspiring church located in Old Town with a neoclassical exterior and gothic interior, we entered as a set of priests finished their morning prayer. From the stained glass windows to the golden-hued features, the church was a sight to behold. We made our way through the main church and into the 13th century cloister, which runs alongside a courtyard, giving access to the numerous chapels and rooms. We were silent as we walked through the cathedral’s facilities, amazed by the history and beauty of each space. 

Inside Pamplona Cathedral

Stained glass light in the Pamplona Cathedral

Cloister of Pamplona Cathedral

During the San Fermin Festival, the church hosts a welcome tapas event for guests of Running of the Bulls. Gathered with other travelers, you’ll have the opportunity of a lifetime to sample the delicious food of Spain in the same building where the Kings of Navarre were crowned and later laid to rest.

Inside the Plaza de Toros de Pamplona

Next on our scouting journey through Pamplona, we visited the most famous destination of San Fermin. The Plaza de Toros de Pamplona is the final destination of the bulls after their guided run through the streets. Once the bulls arrive, they’ll be guided into the ring to fight one of the toreros. The Plaza de Toros is one of the most famous Ernest Hemingway destinations in the world -- a place he returned to again and again to watch the bullfights himself. Out front of the arena, a statue of Hemingway exists paying tribute to his love of San Fermin.

Inside the Plaza de Toros de Pamplona

Seats in the Plaza de Toros de Pamplona

Once again silent when we visited – awe-inspired as we were at the cathedral – we could immediately sense the importance of the arena. Filled with seats, we could spot where the chairman of San Fermin would sit beside a number of other important figures to judge the bullfights below. With bull barricades that looked like they could stop an army, the arena had an air of intensity even while empty.

With the Founder’s Grand Cruise, guests will have the opportunity to visit the arena during San Fermin. Crowded with spectators as they glimpse one of the world’s oldest traditions, the legendary battles between toreros and their bulls are not to be missed.

A Bright Future for Pamplona Dining

After our day of earlier expeditions, a good bit of meetings, and a lot of walking around Pamplona, we’d worked up quite an appetite. Joined by some of our Pamplona friends, we visited the Trastienda del Colmado, a newly re-opened spot just outside of Old Town. The space was tucked away, a popular joint for locals. As if to prove that point, we found out later on that a famous fútbol player and his friends were occupying the table next to us. 

The menu of Trastienda del Colmado was an inspired assembly of traditional recipes with a twist. Our team ordered several appetizers and a good portion of the tasting menu. As each dish came to our table, the meal became more and more adventurous. After our late lunch, which quickly turned into dinner, Chef Israel came out to greet us. A young man, he had immersed himself in the culinary world from an early age, and was currently studying under a Michelin-starred chef in Pamplona. No doubt a talented fellow, we were more than happy to sample the food at his new restaurant -- a place that Hemingway would've certainly enjoyed.

Foie Gras at the Trastienda del Colmado

Our team dining at the Trastienda del Colmado

Our founder, Mark, and Chef Israel of Trastienda del Colmado

A Retrospective of Day Nine’s Excursions

​Day Nine of our Founder’s Grand Cruise scouting trip proved to be the perfect crash course on Pamplona. Learning about its traditions, culture, and food, we fell in love with the historic city. We could hardly wait to see it during San Fermin, when it filled with even more visitors, all seeking the same spirit of adventure that brought Hemingway so many years ago. With one final day in Pamplona ahead of us in our scouting trip, we could hardly wait to see what was next in store.