Things to do in Cuenca de Pamplona

Plaza del Castillo (Castle Square) is the lively central square of Pamplona’s Old Town. It boasts an ensemble of striking architecture, tapas bars and a charming mix of locals, tourists and street performers. Throughout its existence, Plaza del Castillo has hosted concerts, markets, military parades and religious festivals. Today it’s a popular meeting place among friends, who come to dine, shop and watch the world pass by.

Pamplona City Hall (Casa Consistorial de Pamplona) is an administrative headquarters instantly recognizable for the decoration on its exterior. It’s also known throughout the world as the starting point for Pamplona’s biggest annual celebration. Visit Pamplona Town Hall to appreciate its artwork, join revelers at the Running of the Bulls and enjoy its picturesque surroundings.

Pamplona Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María) looms over a cluster of narrow alleys in the northeastern corner of the Old Town. Marvel at the austere yet majestic beauty of its neoclassical exterior, which makes way for a vastly decorated Gothic interior. Constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries, Pamplona Cathedral stands on the grounds of the Roman settlement of Pompaelo. It forms part of a complex that includes a cloister and Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano).

Café Iruña is a Pamplona institution that has been serving customers for more than 100 years. This city center café first opened its doors in 1888 and was a popular haunt of the Nobel Prize-winning American writer Ernest Hemingway. Visit Café Iruña for tapas, drinks and meals and for a glimpse of the Pamplona of yesteryear.

In a city blessed with gorgeous green spaces, Yamaguchi Park stands out as one of Pamplona’s most striking. Visit Yamaguchi Park to experience the serenity of its Japanese garden and to enjoy space-themed programs at Pamplona Planetarium. The park celebrates the twinning of Pamplona with the city of Yamaguchi, an event that honors St. Francis Xavier’s visit to Japan in the 1500s.