Plaza del Castillo

Plaza del Castillo is the main square of Pamplona, Spain, and it sits on the border between the medieval old town and the nineteenth-century extension of the city. It takes its name from a castle that once stood in this area, and for centuries the open ground nearby was used for markets, public events and, before a bullring was built, for bullfights. The present square took shape in the nineteenth century, and its surrounding buildings, with their arcades, balconies and cafes, give it a spacious, slightly formal character. A bandstand stands in the centre, beneath trees, and the square is open on all sides to the streets of the old town.

The square’s best-known building is the Café Iruña, a cafe opened in the late 1880s that retains its Belle Époque decoration, with mirrors, painted ceilings, marble tables, and a long bar and ornate columns. It was the favourite haunt of Ernest Hemingway, who first came to Pamplona in 1923 for the San Fermín festival and made it the setting for his novel The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926. The novel brought the festival to the attention of the English-speaking world, and many visitors now come to sit in the same cafe. A statue of the writer in the building recalls his visits. The Hotel La Perla, on the same square, also hosted Hemingway, and it remains one of the best-known hotels in the city.

The square comes into its own during the San Fermín festival, held each July from the 6th to the 14th, when Pamplona fills with crowds dressed in white with red scarves. Although the famous running of the bulls takes place along a route through the old town, the Plaza del Castillo is one of the centres of the festival’s daily life, with bands, dancing, concerts, bars and groups of friends gathering throughout the day and night. Outside the festival, the square is a calmer but still lively place, where residents meet for coffee, a midday aperitif or an evening stroll, and street musicians and performers add to the atmosphere.

The plaza is a good base for exploring. The old town’s narrow streets lead from it towards the cathedral, the city walls and the Palacio de los Reyes de Navarra, and the Parque de la Taconera lies a short walk away. The Navarre Museum is within reach, and the streets nearby are known for their pintxo bars.

The square is free and open at all times. Early morning is the quietest period, and evenings are the liveliest. During San Fermín, accommodation and tables fill up very early, so book well ahead.