Pamplona & Tolosa Day Trip Private Tour with Lunch

Follow the Encierro route and eat where locals do, all in one day from the coast

A private day trip from San Sebastián that starts in Pamplona's Old Town, follows the famous Running of the Bulls route, and visits the medieval Citadel before heading to Tolosa for its Saturday market and lunch at Elketa Jatetxea, a prize-winning local restaurant. The tour runs 6 to 9 hours depending on the option you choose. Hotel pickup and a bilingual guide in English or Spanish are included, and you can add lunch or book without it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Pamplona and Tolosa Market

• Visit Pamplona Old Town
• Walk Plaza del Castillo
• Follow Running of the Bulls route
• Explore medieval Citadel and gardens
• Visit replica of Estafeta Street
• Drive through Malloak mountains
• Tour Tolosa market and old town
• Enjoy lunch at Elketa Jatetxea

The experience

What makes this different from a bus-load tour is the private vehicle and the timing: you leave when your hotel does, not when a schedule says. The route itself follows Hemingway's path through Pamplona's Old Town and Plaza del Castillo, then takes you to the Encierro (the famous Running of the Bulls route), where you can stand on the actual street the bulls run down. The medieval Citadel and its gardens come next, and there's a stop at a full-scale replica of Estafeta Street with taxidermy bulls for photos that don't require a crowd around you.

After Pamplona, the drive cuts through the Malloak mountains and smaller Basque villages on the way to Tolosa. On Saturdays the market is open and the guide walks you through it. Other days you explore the old town instead. Lunch happens at Elketa Jatetxea, a restaurant that wins prizes for its Menu of the Day and serves the kind of food locals actually eat, not a tourist version of it. The views from the dining room are part of the meal.

Your guide speaks English or Spanish, the vehicle is air-conditioned, and bottled water is on board. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. If you book without lunch, the tour still covers Pamplona and Tolosa. Lunch is the option you add at checkout if you want it. The cathedral in Pamplona is not included in the tour itself, but your guide will leave time at the end if you want to visit it on your own.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from San Sebastián.
• bilingual guide in English or Spanish.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• access to the Encierro route, Pamplona's Old Town, Plaza del Castillo, and the medieval Citadel.
• guided market tour in Tolosa on Saturdays (or old town tour on other days).
• lunch at Elketa Jatetxea if you choose that option at checkout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese08:30 and 09:00

Guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese08:30 and 09:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 19 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by The good tour company

Is this one for you?Book this as a private tour if you want to move at your own pace without waiting for other groups: the guide adjusts the stops and timing to what interests you, and hotel pickup means no early arrival at a meeting point. Choose the option with lunch if you want to eat where locals do. Skip it if you'd rather keep the day shorter or eat elsewhere.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What exactly is the Encierro route I'll walk on?

The Encierro is the street where the Running of the Bulls happens during the San Fermín festival: the route the bulls run down before the bullfight. You'll walk the actual Estafeta Street and see the barriers and corners where the run takes place, and there's a replica street with full-scale taxidermy bulls for photos.

Does the tour include entry to the Pamplona Cathedral?

Cathedral entry is not included in the tour itself. Your guide will leave time at the end of the Pamplona portion so you can visit it on your own if you want to.

What happens in Tolosa if it's not Saturday and the market isn't open?

On days when the market is closed, the guide takes you through Tolosa's historic old town instead. Lunch at Elketa Jatetxea happens either way.

Is lunch included in every option?

Lunch is optional. You can book the private tour without it, or add lunch at checkout. If you include it, you eat at Elketa Jatetxea, a local restaurant known for its Menu of the Day.

How long does the whole day take?

The tour runs between 6 and 9 hours depending on whether you add lunch and how much time you spend at each stop. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included in that time.