Pamplona on the Camino de Santiago: Rest Day Guide
I rested my knee in Pamplona for three nights, and I ate tortilla de patata four times in three days (no regrets, only seconds). Ryan and I planned three nights here for work days, and my knee needed every one of them. The city rewards anyone who gives it more than a quick sleep and a stamp.
This guide covers where we stayed, what we saw, what it cost, and what you should add to your own list. I flagged the extras I researched but never tried, so you always know which tips came from our legs and which came from the internet.
The First Big City on the Camino
Pamplona is the first major city on the Camino Francés, and it once served as the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre. The city grew up around the Arga River, the same river you follow for most of Stage 3. Writers and artists have loved the place for centuries, including Ernest Hemingway.
Today the city is best known for the San Fermín festival and its famous (and controversial) running of the bulls. The festival runs July 6 to 14, and we visited in spring 2023, well outside bull season. We found an explosion of color, culture, and tasty food, and I wouldn't mind going back to explore more.
Our Old Quarter Apartment
We booked an apartment called El Rincón de Lali through Booking.com, just off Plaza de San Nicolás. The owner was friendly, and the place had everything we needed (if you lose something, they probably have a spare).
The apartment sat about a 10-minute walk from where my bus dropped me off, which felt generous for my knee. It also gave us a perk that albergues can't match. Albergues often wake you around six and expect you out by eight, but our apartment didn't make us leave until noon, and we used that time to dawdle with total commitment.
What To Do in Pamplona
I was still sore on our sightseeing day, so we took what I called a "little bitty baby tour" and kept the walking to a minimum. The first three stops below come straight from our time there. The last one is a researched extra that earned a spot on this list.
Getting Your Pilgrim Passport Stamped
Collecting stamps topped our to-do list on tour day. The city's official list names eleven places that stamp pilgrim passports, including the tourist office on Calle San Saturnino, the Jesús y María pilgrim hostel on Calle Compañía, and the cathedral sacristy on Calle Curia. Most of them will stamp your credential even if you don't sleep there.
Touring the Cathedral and Museo Diocesano
The Museo Diocesano sits inside the Cathedral of Pamplona, and we found it one of the most comprehensive and impressive museums on the entire Camino. It's easily worth the €5 entry fee.
The cathedral's cloister dates to 1280 through 1330 and counts among the best-preserved cloisters in Europe. The cathedral also holds the royal tomb of Charles III the Noble and his wife, Eleanor of Castile.
- Open Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday
- Autumn and winter hours run 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Spring and summer hours run 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Last entry comes one hour before closing
Those hours come from the museum's website, which hasn't been updated recently, so check before you go.
The museum closes on Sundays, so don't schedule your rest day for the one day the door says no.
Wandering the Old Quarter
Pamplona was the first city we visited on this trip, and it's seriously beautiful. Narrow alleyways shoot off in every direction between tall, colorful buildings, and wrought iron balconies hang over pots of flowers. Everything felt clean and lovely, and I still couldn't capture it on camera, so you'll have to trust me.
"Everything's colorful and clean and lovely."
Walking the Citadel and City Walls
researched, not triedSore legs kept us off the walls, but they belong on your list. The walls and Citadel stretch for more than 5 km and count among the best-preserved Renaissance military complexes in Europe. Taconera Park, Pamplona's oldest park, sits inside one of the bastions and makes a pleasant spot for a picnic.
Where To Eat in Pamplona
Food shaped our rest days as much as the sights did. One dish and one famous café ran the show, and one researched street rounds out the list.
Our Tortilla de Patata Habit
I ate tortilla de patata four times in three days, and most of them came from Heladería Elizaide, which sat right outside our apartment and made repeat visits dangerously easy. Spanish potato omelet (we lovingly called it "potato patata") makes a perfect rest day meal because it's cheap, filling, and impossible to mess up.
Dinner at Café Iruña
We ate dinner at Café Iruña with our friends, and we sat outside with other pilgrims on Plaza del Castillo. The plaza is the big, tree-lined central square of the city, and eating al fresco there was gorgeous. Inside, the café goes full Art Deco fancy and pays tribute to Hemingway with a statue of the author. Café Iruña has served customers on that square since 1888.
Pintxos on Calle Estafeta
researched, not triedCalle Estafeta is a narrow street packed with bars that serve pintxos (Basque-style small bites), and it stays lively all year. It's also the main stretch of the San Fermín bull run, so you can eat where the bulls sprint. Plan to hop between a few bars rather than sit down at one.
A One-Day Pamplona Plan
Short on time? Here's how I'd line up the best of the city in a single day, mixing what we did with the researched extras.
- morningGet your pilgrim passport stamped at the tourist office on Calle San Saturnino or at the Jesús y María hostel on Calle Compañía.
- late morningTour the Cathedral and Museo Diocesano. The museum opens at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and stays closed on Sundays.
- lunchOrder tortilla de patata (or a few) and refuel.
- afternoonWander the Old Quarter, then walk the city walls and Taconera Park if your legs agree.
- dinnerGrab a table outside at Café Iruña on Plaza del Castillo and eat al fresco with other pilgrims.
- after darkHop between pintxos bars on Calle Estafeta.
Saying Goodbye to Camino Friends
The Camino teaches you quickly that you meet incredible people and then you have to say goodbye, which stinks. Since we planned three nights in Pamplona, the friends we had walked with for the past three days started moving on without us. Nicholas and Christian, who we'd grown really close with, left the next morning, and Scott stayed one extra night so we kept one friend a little longer.
We're used to this with our lifestyle, and we keep in touch through social media. Still, it hits differently here. When you share the Camino with someone, it creates a bond.
Leaving Pamplona on Foot
Day six was my first day walking after three days of rest. My knee no longer hurt, but my hip flexors screamed all morning. Our noon checkout also meant we dawdled, and we probably left an hour later than we should have.
Camino signs appear so often through the city that getting lost takes real talent. Brass scallop shells sit in the sidewalk, and the markers seemed to show up every five paces or so. We still managed a wrong turn, and a friendly local woman walking her dog called out "peregrino, that way" before we had gone 15 feet. Locals along the Camino really are welcoming and helpful, even elderly strangers on the street.
If you do get turned around, look confused and say "peregrino." A local will take it from there.
I felt sad to leave such a gorgeous city. The walk onward to Puente la Reina covers about 23 km, and it turned out to be one of the prettiest stretches of the trail.
Pamplona Spending Breakdown
Our three days here cost $334.84 for two people, which averages out to roughly $112 per day. The apartment made up most of that, and the rest went to food and the museum. A pilgrim who stays in an albergue can spend far less.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you get your pilgrim passport stamped in Pamplona?
You can get your pilgrim passport stamped at the tourist office on Calle San Saturnino, the Jesús y María pilgrim hostel on Calle Compañía, the cathedral sacristy, and several pilgrim shops. The city's list names eleven locations, and most will stamp your credential even if you don't stay overnight.
How much does the Pamplona Cathedral Museum cost?
The cathedral museum costs €5 per person, which is what we paid in spring 2023. It's open Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays, so plan your rest day around that. Check current prices and hours before you go.
Is Pamplona worth a rest day on the Camino?
A rest day here is worth it if you can spare one. We stayed three nights for work days and recovery, and my knee healed completely while we toured the cathedral museum and ate our way through the Old Quarter. It's also the first major city on the Camino Francés, which makes it a natural place to slow down.
When is the San Fermín festival in Pamplona?
The San Fermín festival runs July 6 to 14 each year, and the bull runs start on July 7 at 8 a.m. The city fills up fast during those dates, so book your bed well ahead if your Camino lands in that window.
Next up, we hike from Pamplona to Puente la Reina, with a famous pilgrim monument waiting on the Alto del Perdón. If you missed the start of our journey, read our Day 1 guide, check the Camino prep guide, or see our packing list.
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