One day in Pamplona on the Camino de Santiago

When I first arrived in Pamplona, to spend no more than one night, I had no idea whatsoever that just two years later I would be living here. But that's the effect that Pamplona had on me. I instantly fell in love with the place. Whether it was down to its narrow and often colourful streets, its gothic churches and cathedrals, its g[reen spaces](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/the-citadel-of-pamplona-the-most-impressive-fortress-in-spain-fl32) and p[arks](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/pamplona-s-secret-garden-parque-de-la-media-luna-r5no) that feel like gardens belonging to royalty, its views of surrounding mountains or its culture which combines B[asque tradition](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/basque-pelota-the-fastest-ball-game-in-the-world-2k84) with Spanish fervour, perhaps I'll never know. But one thing I can be sure of is that my day in Pamplona was a day well spent; a pit-stop on the Ca[mino de Santiago](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/camino-de-santiago-the-french-way-rt24) that would end up leaving such a mark on me that it would change my life. Here is what I did.

After having checked in at the Albergue Jesús y Maria, I left my belongings inside and stepped out into the narrow street for a walk. At that moment, I realised how nice and light it all of a sudden felt to be walking without a heavy b[ackpack](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/hiking-from-saint-jean-pied-de-port-to-roncesvalles-2ald) on my back with all its weight on my shoulders. I took a right and walked straight to the nearby Plaza de la Compañía and then to the similar Plaza San Francisco where I got my first feel for l[ocal life in Pamplona](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/el-sadar-the-stadium-and-culture-of-osasuna-i8ox), seeing local residents hang out in the square, some at the nearby cafes and terraces and others simply on benches as their children played in the small playground. I could see a real sense of community in these residential squares only they were right in the heart of the historical centre, amid the narrow cobbled streets and centuries-old houses painted in different colours, each with their own balconies overlooking their patches of the neighbourhood.

The Plaza del Castillo was only a stones-throw away and is a must for anyone dropping by Pamplona for the day. As the city's main and largest square, it is full of bars, restaurants, cafes and a lively atmosphere. The place I gravitated towards was the square's largest and I would say most beautiful restaurant/café known as Café Iruña. Its luxurious interior seems as if it has barely changed since it was designed in 1888. After ordering a cold beer, I sat in the terrace outside and realised that I was in a place labelled Hemingway's corner, where the writer himself used to drink during the ru[nning of the bulls festivals.](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/i-jumped-into-the-bullring-in-pamplona-117z) There is a small enclosure there with its own little bar where a statue of the legendary American writer stands as he used to.

The natural thing people seem to do is visit Pamplona's main cathedral but I would say that some of the smaller churches nearby have an arguably even more beautiful interior, such as the Iglesia de San Saturnino. But as I left the Plaza del Castillo and wandered past the stunning town hall building and then down the Calle Mayor, I ended up at the Taconera, Pamplona's oldest and most charming park. From here I would walk along the old city walls, only to stop and look on in awe as the sun began to set behind the distant mountains.

“I had only spent a day in Pamplona but it already felt like home and I knew that I would have to come back.”