Topdeck Travel Blog

Most people are familiar with at least a couple of the festivals the Spanish celebrate every year, whether it’s the carnage of Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or the tomato-throwing extravaganza of La Tomatina, the Spanish festivals are famously eccentric.

Only a handful of people are familiar with one of the most peculiar. The tiny town of Haro in the beautiful Rioja region of Northern Spain hosts something completely bizarre on 29^th June each year. To mark St Peter’s (San Pedro’s) day, thousands of locals come together to dump bucket-upon-bucket of red wine on each other!

The ‘wine battle’ as it’s known, originates from a dispute between Haro and neighbouring town Miranda De Ebro regarding who owned the mountains between them. Nobody knows who was the first to throw wine at their rival, but now locals from the entire region (along with a handful of tourists) come together in friendship instead of feud to celebrate, drink, dance, and last but not least, soak each other to the bone in red wine! Most of the local’s ‘weapon of choice’ is a bottle of wine, but those going for accuracy carry water pistols while those going for sheer volume carry buckets! When the once-white t-shirts have turned sufficiently pink, the drenched participants gather round bonfires to dry-off while eating tapas and drinking delicious Rioja wine. What could be better?!

One of the best things about the wine battle is that, for now, it remains a local affair. Tourists in Haro are still a novelty who are welcomed into the celebration with open arms. It’s only a matter of time before the festival booms in popularity in the same way as the other aforementioned Spanish festivals, but for now the wine battle is a unique and authentic taste of Spanish culture.

The Spanish reputation for partying late-into-the-night makes it one of the most hedonistic countries in Europe. While most tourists flock to the concrete seaside resorts of the Costa del Sol, the vibrant cities are where the genuine Spanish lust-for-life can be found.

Topdeck’s Spanish Sun and Fiesta trip combines a visit to the wine battle in Faro alongside four incredible cities. Vibrant Bilbao is first up – capital of the Basque region - followed by Madrid, the stunning and historic Spanish capital. A perfect trip is rounded-off with three nights in San Sebastian, a buzzing beachside city and surfer’s paradise, and finally a visit to Pamplona for the fireworks-filled San Fermin festival and the chaotic running of the bulls.

After an incredible twelve days, four cities and two mind-blowing festivals, we say a reluctant and exhausted adios to our amazing Spanish adventure!

Festivals are all about celebrating and living life to the full. They mark the change of seasons, religious occasions, royal coronations, harvests and birthdays. But then again, sometimes they’re just an excuse for a good old-fashioned knees-up.

It's Fiesta Time!

Europe’s festival circuit is one of the oldest, most famous and most diverse in the world. It includes food fights, lighting fires, running from animals, toasting with copious amounts of beer and celebrating the arts.

For visitors, festivals offer an invaluable opportunity to get up-close and personal with local cultures and share in a memorable travel experience by taking part in age old traditions.

The Fiesta de San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain (famous, or infamous, for Running of the Bulls) includes traditions that date back to 75BC.

Celebrations begin at midday on July 6 with a speech from the town’s mayor. After the speech, the mayor lets off a rocket signally the start of the festival.

For nine days, Pamplona is transformed into a loud, raucous non-stop street party with daily firework displays, bull runs (encierro) and the ever controversial bullfights.

Early Birds

If you’re looking to participate in one of the 8am bull runs, or just watch from the sidelines, you’re in for an early morning.

Spectators start claiming the best viewing spots from 5am and from 7am loud brass bands make their way through the crowd to make sure everyone stays awake!

Official San Fermin Uniform

What to Wear

One of the first things you’ll notice at the festival are the striking red scarves worn during the celebration in combination with white trousers and shirts. The scarves are worn in remembrance of Saint Fermin, the town’s first bishop, who became a martyr after he was beheaded in France.

So make sure you bring along a seat of white clothes (they wont stay white for long) or you can buy the complete outfit for €20-€50 once you get to the festival.

Closing Ceremony

Timing your trip to coincide with the festival’s Closing Ceremony you’re in for a treat!

After 204 hours of non-stop fiesta, the day begins with the daily bull-run at 8am followed by the usual parades and festivities in the lead up to final act - some of the finest evening street fiestas and fireworks you’ll ever witness!

Young & Old Celebrate Fiesta de San Fermin

Things officially wrap up at midnight on July 14, with party-goers each carrying a single candle and singing “Pobre de Mí, Pobre de Mí, que se han acabado las fiestas, de San Fermín” (“poor me, poor me, for the fiesta of San Fermín has come to a close”), but celebrations last well into the wee-small hours.

What next? Now it’s time for the locals to start counting down to next year’s festival!

Thinking of heading to Pamplona? Topdeck has several seats available on its 4 day trip leaving July 12.

Topdeck’s travel blogger, Liana Szwajlyk, relives her first-ever (and only!) Pamplona experience.

Singing erupts from a sea of white and red. Viva San Fermin!! It’s 8.00am. The first rocket focuses my attention, a second signals the bulls are on their way. The sea is now moving. Slow at first but running, turning, now faster as the hooves descend.

“Why am I here?” This was the thought going through my mind as I prepared for the enierro, the famous Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. The night before, I’d been cruising Pamplona’s bars, fuelled with Sangria induced bravado. “I’m a pretty fast runner” I thought. I could outrun a bull or two. “What the hell, I’ll give it a go.”

A few sleepless hours later, there I was standing – knees shaking – on Santo Domingo Road for what could have very well been the last day of my life. Waiting impatiently with a few hundred adrenaline seekers, my stomach churns and I now realise what actual fear feels like.

8.00 am: The sharp shot of the first cannon sounds. Some run already. Having absorbed the advice of every ‘expert’ I’ve talked to, I hold firm - until the second cannon. The crowd’s nervous tension is released as they take off.

People are yelling and hollering; it seems I’m one of them. As I start into a full-out sprint, I have a horrifying realisation: I can run only as fast as the people in front of me. At this moment, self-preservation takes over, and I switch from a running-in-sheer-terror tactic to a run-push, run-push strategy – focussing on nothing but the next step in front of me.

The roar of the crowd grows louder and the ground shakes as the bulls hurtle along the course. They’re coming. People manically scramble to save their skins. As I look to my left I realise I’m now running with the bulls, rather than away from them…

The next five minutes are a blur until the third rocket sounds.

The enceirro is over!

Happy to be alive and happy to be alive…did I say that twice?

As the bulls continued course (and are way out of sight), I decide that I’ve had enough adventure for one day and leave to share my war stories over many more glasses….well perhaps jugs, of Sangria!

Relief and celebration!!

Check out Topdeck’s 4 Day Pamplona Hotel trip and 7 Day Picador package.

The world famous Pamplona Running of the bulls festival has always attracted a lot of attention and it’s clear to see why! If you missed your chance to run with the bulls this year there’s always next year to look forward too! Here’s a little taster of what kind of adrenaline fueled mayhem you can expect!!

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For your chance to win 1 of 5 iPod shuffles, just book one of the following trips to Pamplona, and use promo code TDEUR09PAMPS in the online booking form!

Topdeck Pronto: 6-day Camping trip

Pamplona Hotel: 5-day trip ‘Make Your Own Way’

Pamplona Picador: 7-day Camping trip

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