Pamplona is the capital of Navarre. For Basque nationalism, Pamplona is the historical capital of the Basque Country. The city is famous for the San Fermín festival, on July 7, in which the running of the bulls or encierro is one of the main attractions. Everyone is dressed in white clothes and a red scarf. Ernest Hemingway made this local fiesta of Pamplona world-famous in "The Sun Also Rises". He was honored by having a street in the city named after him, Avenida de Hemingway.

Every year thousands of pilgrims of all nationalities cross the city in a walk that will finish in 30 days and more than 800 km later.