Reasons to study Spanish in Pamplona
THE CITY:
- Population: 200,000.
- Location: capital of the Navarra region in Northern Spain
- The city is famous for its annual (July 7th-14th) San Fermin celebrations: the “Runnings of the Bulls” attracts thousands of people from all over the world
- Excellent motorways link Pamplona with the cities of Zaragoza, San Sebastian and Vitoria where there are international airports.
More information about Pamplona
The city of Pamplona is a typical Spanish interior city, full of history and culture as well as one of the greenest cities in Europe: it has many gardens, parks, and is almost completely surrounded by the Arga River on one side and lush alpine valley of the Pyrenees on the other. As the historical capital of the Basque Country, Pamplona also maintains a very youthful feel as a university town. It is very easy for foreigners to mix and make friends with the locals because the Spanish student population is so large.
Pamplona's main sights are dispersed throughout the "old town", which is divided into three parts: La Navarrería, the oldest part of the city, and the 12th century boroughs of once rivaling towns of San Cernin and San Nicolás.
The city center is a pleasure to wander through, as it's full of unexpected places, wonderful architecture, unique museums and more. And while the spirit of the old town (and where a flurry of constant activity takes place) is in the Plaza del Castillo, the remaining stretches of Pamplona's formidable defensive walls, the magnificent Romanesque Gothic cathedral (which has seen many archeological excavations), and the Ciudadela are also intriguing places that cannot be left unexplored.
The 11th century marked Pamplona’s “golden years” as the city’s location along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route brought it economic development and success. This religious pilgrimage to the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, which is still completed by thousands of pilgrims each year, sparked commercial and cultural exchanges with the countries and cultures of Europe on the other side of the Pyrenees. During the 16th century Pamplona became a key defensive outpost against France, and by the 18th century Pamplona had become a wealthy city and its infrastructure was improved.
Pamplona offers a vibrant nightlife adventure to all students of Spanish by always getting started in the old quarter with pintxos (tapas) and drinks and then continuing onto the bars and clubs. The Basque country and Navarra are known for having one of the healthiest gastronomies in Spain thanks to their locations near the sea, river, fertile valleys, and mountains.
One thing that Pamplona is definitely famous for are the San Fermines festivals where hundreds of Spaniards and foreigners gather together to take part in the famous Corrida, or running of the bulls. The streets fill with men and sometimes women who run through Pamplona while being pursued by bulls that take them to the Plaza de Toros (bullring). Overall, Pamplona has one of the best standards of living in Spain. Its inhabitants enjoy parks and leisure areas, a high level of industry, good education and health systems, low crime rates and a beautiful, tranquil and friendly city..
