Pamplona – Cafés, pinchos, history and Hemingway’s inspiration

Pamplona has a very special sound to me. When I visited with Zuky in early 2025, I didn’t just want to see the city – I wanted to follow the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway, who made Pamplona world-famous with his stories. From the first walk, it was clear how much literature and reality merge here.

We started in one of the many small cafés, where I enjoyed a café con leche and a selection of pinchos – almost little works of art – while watching the city’s bustle. On the counters, plates of seafood, ham, cheese or vegetables are stacked high. Each stop is a culinary discovery and a taste of local culture.

What fascinated me most was the San Fermín bull run route cutting through the old town. I stood at the famous curve where the bulls race every year and felt the energy of the place. Hemingway captured exactly this tension and drama in his writing – and I found myself almost seeing the scenes before my eyes. It was as if his literature had guided me there decades later.

Yet Pamplona is more than tradition. Between narrow alleys with old palaces, modern squares open up, decorated with sculptures and vibrant city life. This contrast between history and modernity makes the city inspiring and alive.

For me, Pamplona was more than a visit. It was an immersion into culture, history and an atmosphere that reminded me of Hemingway’s words – full of life, intensity and personal impressions.

FAQ

• Why is Pamplona world-famous? Pamplona is world-renowned for the San Fermín festival with its bull run and through Ernest Hemingway’s books.

• What food specialty should you try in Pamplona? Pinchos in small bars and cafés are a must – they are an essential part of local culture.

• What are Pamplona’s main sights? The bull run route, the old town with its palaces, the cathedral and the modern squares with sculptures.

Rainer Schmitz