¡Viva San Fermín! It is the expression most often heard these days in Pamplona (Navarra, Spain).

Sanfermines is the most important festival in Pamplona that is during seven days, living day and night. The most popular activity of this festival is the running, a 849 meters race pursued by bulls and ends in the bullring. The race begins at 8.00 a.m. and lasts two or three minutes.

This is one of the most popular holidays in Spain, known internationally and that Ernest Hemingway himself wrote in his book Fiesta. To give you an idea of the amount of people visiting Pamplona these days, the usual population of the city is 190,000, but during this week will reach nearly 3 million people.

The origin is the Middle Ages and was a secular and commercial festival, but now has lost its religious component is a massive festival.

Sanfermines 2010 (Foto: AFP - Captura elpais.com)

The most typical Sanfermines’ moments

The chupinazo:
Every 6th July at 12:00 p.m. a rocket from the City Council starts the party.

The Riau-Riau:
It is a traditional event in which thousands of people in the Town Hall Square and Main Street then sing and dance the Riau-Riau, a song from the nineteenth century that was done to prevent the passage of the rulers who out of City Hall.

The closure:
It is also of medieval origin, when the shepherds brought the bulls to the Plaza Mayor of La Ribera de Navarra which made as bullring.

Songs:
Before running with the bulls, participants sing to the Saint in the Cuesta de Santo Domingo three times: 5, 3 and 1 minute before starting.

Do you want to know many things about Sanfermines? This is the official website, we are sure that you’ll want to visit Pamplona next year.