Luxury holidays in Pamplona

When to go

If you don’t like crowds, don’t go between 7 and 14 July, when they come in their droves for the annual bull runs. Summer can get hot and busy, so May and June or September and October are best for clear, sunny days. It’s cold and often wet from late October until April.

Getting there

• Planes

  Pamplona has its own airport, but it’s more a hub for regional flights. International travellers can change in Madrid and connect to Pamplona, or fly to Bilbao, Biarritz or Zaragoza. Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) flies to Bilbao from London Stansted, and Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) will get you to Biarritz or Zaragoza.

• Trains

  There’s a station just off Avenida de San George in the city centre. Renfe (www.renfe.com) trains run directly to Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastián and Zaragoza.

• Automobiles

  The city is easy to conquer on foot, but a car is essential for getting up into the scenic mountain surrounds and the pretty villages along the way. To reach Pamplona from Biarritz or Bilbao, allow an hour and 40 minutes. From San Sebastián, it’s an hour and a half, and it’s just under two hours in the car from Zaragoza.

• Taxis

  There are ranks at Plaza del Vinculo, Plaza de las Merindades and close to the main square, Plaza del Castillo, or you can flag one in the street. To book, try Taxi Pamplona (+34 948 351 335; www.taxipamplona.com) or Logi Taxi (+34 606 833 522; www.logitaxi.com).