Pamplona

[cosan]

We walk to Pamplona on Monday July 4th. I have heard that is a festival week. Will we have difficulty getting beds in the refuge if we don't arrive until late afternoon?

 

[Tincatinker]

@cosan, regrettably you may have considerable difficulty finding beds in Pamplona even if you arrived at crack-of-dawn; never mind late afternoon. Although San Fermin does not commence until the 6th July the city will be filling and there will be considerable pressure on bed space.

I suggest that you adjust your planning to place yourselves well beyond Pamplona that day. Beds are more likely to be available at Cizur Menor or Zaraquiegui.

 

[Flatcat]

Or book a pension or hotel on
Booking.com for that time

 

[countycork]

We booked Hotel Eslava, Pamplona on Booking.com. for €35 each including breakfast. Its convenient and on the Camino route

 

[Anniesantiago]

I suggest you get on www.booking.com TODAY and book a room in either Pamplona or Trinidad de Arre.

 

[Tincatinker]

There is advertised availability at between €50 - 100 today

 

[peregrina2000]

I just wanted to add some information that LT and I learned about this past summer while walking the Aragonés. The albergue at Tiebas, http://mundicamino.com/fichaalbergue.cfm?id=163&xname=Tiebas, like most albergues on the Aragonés, is under-utilized. The hospitalero told us that there are frequent buses for the short ride to Pamplona, and that he would let pilgrims walking the Aragonés spend a few days there to enjoy the party in Pamplona. This seems like the best of both worlds, because I for one would not enjoy trying to sleep in Pamplona during the festival of San Fermín.

Movelia shows a lot of daily buses, in the range of 15 or 16.

 

[scruffy1]

I love the albergue in Cizur Menor, I also love Pamplona. Usually I spent a good day wandering about Pamplona and set out the short distance to CM after 1400. Contact Maribel Roncal concerning reservations here: maribelroncal@jacobeo.net
then confirm just before you leave for Spain or from SJPP or Roncevalles by phone here: 670 323 271

 

[mspath]

Like Scrufy I, too, love Maribel Roncal's albergue at Cizur Menor having stayed there more than 10 times. It is open every month except November when Maribel takes her well-earned vacation. Nearby is the Asador El Tremendo, a fine spot for a tasty Menu del Dia. See more here http://www.asadoreltremendo.com/

 

[GreatDane]

Count me in the group that loves Maribel Roncal's albergue!! She's famous for tending to tender toes (she worked about 4 hours straight on this when I stayed there) and "lecturing" about the correct method of fitting and tieing boot laces. And if you are really lucky she'll let you feed the turtles!!

 

[t2andreo]

Hotel Eslava is one of the best places to stay in Pamplona, IMHO. I stay there every time I do the Camino Frances. It is clean, cheap, and well run by a very friendly family. While on the western edge of the old city, it is a a hidden jewel. The included breakfast is excellent. The hotel is just off (maybe 150 meters) the marked Camino route, just before it departs the ancient part of the city at the green ring that surrounds "old Pamplona."

At the intersection where you turn right to go to the hotel, instead of proceeding straight to exit Pamplona to the West, via the new section of the city, is St. Lorenzo Church. This is named for St Lawrence (Lorenzo in Spanish), who was broiled (grilled on a barbie) alive for his faith. His is the legendary story that has him, seemingly unaffected by the horrible death being visited upon him, telling his tormentors to turn him over as he was not yet done on the other side.

See the "official" Catholic story here: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=366

Inside the church, above the altar, there is a remarkable larger than life-size statue of San Lorenzo, robed, holding a palm frond in one arm and what appear to be a grill in the other. My first time there, I invited a woman I encountered earlier that day as we were both checking into Hotel Eslava, to attend the Mass. She was entranced by the several gold and silver statues, but could not comprehend that statue above the crucifix atop the altar.

After the Mass, she pointed up at the statue of San Lorenzo, and asked me politely what "that was all about." I explained the palm frond and the grill by telling her the short story...saints on the barbie... She was a tad less confused but at least a bit more entertained.

Also, the Chapel of San Fermin, patron of Pamplona, and the fellow for whom the bulls run, is in the Church of San Lorenzo. So, this church is a very popular tourist attraction and is worth visiting, even if not for the Catholic Mass.

Funny thing, last summer, while working as volunteer at the Pilgrim office in Santiago,, I heard several of the locals on the Rua do Vilar comment on a particularly warm and sunny day that "Lorenzo was busy today." When I asked them what they were talking about, one of them laughingly explained that "Lorenzo" was a colloquial name for the bright sun. Ah HA! Now I understood, and the dots aligned...

Final point, every night at the Hotel Eslava, you may think you are hearing legions - hoards of female cats in heat, all night. I am a cat person and it distressed me the first year. The second year, after a two-night stay, I finally asked the owner what that noise was all about, was it cats? He laughed, really hard, and said: "No, there is a zoo across the street in the green belt space. The zoo has a number of peacocks. The peacocks make the sound - all night." Okay, memo to self; the next time I plan on staying there, and there will be a next time, ask for room in the back.

I hope this helps.

 

[cosan]

I just wanted to add some information that LT and I learned about this past summer while walking the Aragonés. The albergue at Tiebas, http://mundicamino.com/fichaalbergue.cfm?id=163&xname=Tiebas, like most albergues on the Aragonés, is under-utilized. The hospitalero told us that there are frequent buses for the short ride to Pamplona, and that he would let pilgrims walking the Aragonés spend a few days there to enjoy the party in Pamplona. This seems like the best of both worlds, because I for one would not enjoy trying to sleep in Pamplona during the festival of San Fermín.

Movelia shows a lot of daily buses, in the range of 15 or 16.

if we are walking from zubric how far is this albergue located?

 

[mspath]

From Zubiri to Tiebas is roughly 33 k.

 

[peregrina2000]

if we are walking from zubric how far is this albergue located?

But just to be clear, Tiebas is not on the Camino Frances, it is on the Camino Aragones, which goes from the Somport Pass on the French border through Jaca, and meets up with the Frances near Puente la Reina.

There's no camino that would take you from Zubiri to Tiebas. Tiebas is about 16 km south of Pamplona.

 

[Priscilla NC]

Hotel Eslava is one of the best places to stay in Pamplona, IMHO. I stay there every time I do the Camino Frances. It is clean, cheap, and well run by a very friendly family. While on the western edge of the old city, it is a a hidden jewel. The included breakfast is excellent. The hotel is just off (maybe 150 meters) the marked Camino route, just before it departs the ancient part of the city at the green ring that surrounds "old Pamplona."

At the intersection where you turn right to go to the hotel, instead of proceeding straight to exit Pamplona to the West, via the new section of the city, is St. Lorenzo Church. This is named for St Lawrence (Lorenzo in Spanish), who was broiled (grilled on a barbie) alive for his faith. His is the legendary story that has him, seemingly unaffected by the horrible death being visited upon him, telling his tormentors to turn him over as he was not yet done on the other side.

See the "official" Catholic story here: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=366

Inside the church, above the altar, there is a remarkable larger than life-size statue of San Lorenzo, robed, holding a palm frond in one arm and what appear to be a grill in the other. My first time there, I invited a woman I encountered earlier that day as we were both checking into Hotel Eslava, to attend the Mass. She was entranced by the several gold and silver statues, but could not comprehend that statue above the crucifix atop the altar.

After the Mass, she pointed up at the statue of San Lorenzo, and asked me politely what "that was all about." I explained the palm frond and the grill by telling her the short story...saints on the barbie... She was a tad less confused but at least a bit more entertained.

Also, the Chapel of San Fermin, patron of Pamplona, and the fellow for whom the bulls run, is in the Church of San Lorenzo. So, this church is a very popular tourist attraction and is worth visiting, even if not for the Catholic Mass.

Funny thing, last summer, while working as volunteer at the Pilgrim office in Santiago,, I heard several of the locals on the Rua do Vilar comment on a particularly warm and sunny day that "Lorenzo was busy today." When I asked them what they were talking about, one of them laughingly explained that "Lorenzo" was a colloquial name for the bright sun. Ah HA! Now I understood, and the dots aligned...

Final point, every night at the Hotel Eslava, you may think you are hearing legions - hoards of female cats in heat, all night. I am a cat person and it distressed me the first year. The second year, after a two-night stay, I finally asked the owner what that noise was all about, was it cats? He laughed, really hard, and said: "No, there is a zoo across the street in the green belt space. The zoo has a number of peacocks. The peacocks make the sound - all night." Okay, memo to self; the next time I plan on staying there, and there will be a next time, ask for room in the back.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for this, t2andreo, I attend a basilica where St. Lawrence is the patron saint -- he's one of my favorites, I love what he did to be martyred -- he was in charge of financial affairs and giving alms to the poor, sick, etc. When they arrested and killed his confreres, the officials told him they wanted the wealth of the church. He said it would take a few days to get it together. So he gave the money to the poor, and showed up at the appointed time with the sick, the disabled, the poor... and said, 'here's the wealth of the church'. Which is why he 'merited' a slow torture.

I will be sure to check out this church for sure!

 

[Flatcat]

How big is Pamplona ?
I booked a hotel ( catedral ) and have no idea how off the Camino it is
Thanks
Clint
Day 1 April 23 SJDP

 

[peregrina2000]

How big is Pamplona ?
I booked a hotel ( catedral ) and have no idea how off the Camino it is
Thanks
Clint
Day 1 April 23 SJDP

Hi, Clint,
This hotel is very close to the Camino, off in a little square. It's right next to the big Navarra Archives and just a few minutes walk down to the market. I have stayed here, it's fine, nothing special, but the beds are comfy.

 

[Caminofácil]

At the intersection where you turn right to go to the hotel, instead of proceeding straight to exit Pamplona to the West, via the new section of the city, is St. Lorenzo Church. This is named for St Lawrence (Lorenzo in Spanish), who was broiled (grilled on a barbie) alive for his faith. His is the legendary story that has him, seemingly unaffected by the horrible death being visited upon him, telling his tormentors to turn him over as he was not yet done on the other side.

Off-topic trivia: this is also the reason why the famous monastery of San Lorenzo de el Escorial, close to Madrid, has the floor plan similar to that of a grill.

 

[Flatcat]

Hi, Clint,
This hotel is very close to the Camino, off in a little square. It's right next to the big Navarra Archives and just a few minutes walk down to the market. I have stayed here, it's fine, nothing special, but the beds are comfy.

Thanks for the info, hotel is rated very well

 

[cosan]

Thank you all for the advice. We have booked Hotel Eslava for the night. It will be a treat to have a private bathroom after staying in dormitories from SJPP!

 

[marjude]

Thanks t2andreo, i decided to stay in Pamplona to recover from my flight before starting the Aragones in April and saw a recommendation for the Hotel Eslava on the forum so i booked a room for 3 nights, its also a chance to wander around Pamplona not having been there before. Thanks for the tip about the peacocks, hopefully i can also get a room out the back. Buen Camino Judy.