How can you get your Pamplona bullfight tickets? You have several options to purchase them, but the easiest one is to do it online.
Don’t wait until the last minute. Purchase your Pamplona bullfight tickets online now.
Tip: If you are travelling around Spain and happen to spend some time in Madrid, have a look at the official schedule to check if some date fits your itinerary. If they don’t, you can always check the bullfighting season in Seville.
Follow this complete step by step tutorial and purchase your tickets in just a few seconds.
What is the best option to get your Pamplona bullfight tickets?
You can purchase your bullfight tickets from 3 different sellers:
- The easiest and fastest option is to get your Pamplona bullfight tickets online. You’ll avoid long lines and there’s no need to speak Spanish (the sales staff won’t speak English).
- You can also get them at La Monumental box office. The ticket offices at the bullring usually open at 20:30 on the eve of the bullfight. However, you risk not having tickets at all or ending with not-so-good bullfight tickets (the ones no one wanted before you). Not to mention the language barrier that you’ll have to overcome with the bullring staff members.
- You can try to buy them through a reseller who will ask for a much higher price. And while scalpers have been officially banned during the San Fermín festival, some still sell tickets (oftentimes counterfeit!) to unsuspecting visitors. I strongly advise you against this option.
You should definitely purchase your tickets online as soon as you know the dates in which you will be in Pamplona.
Pamplona bullfight tickets availability
Around 90% of the tickets for the bullfights are season-tickets (abonos in Spanish), which are renewed each year by the season ticket-holders by mid-June.
This means that only 10% (just 1,950 tickets!) of these are put up for sale to the general public the day before the bullfight takes place. And this happens only because it’s mandated by legal requirements.
These tickets are exclusively for the highest portion of the bullring known as andanada, which means that these are the cheapest tickets available.
Pamplona bullfight tickets for the novillada (young bulls and matadores) and for the rejoneo (the bullfight with matadores on horseback) events are handled in a different way. These take place on the two and one day respectively before the classic bullfights open on July 7th.
Before getting your tickets, have a look at the official schedule to check if some date fits your itinerary.
Considering all this information, my advice is to buy your tickets as soon as possible. Fortunately, you can now get yours online.
How hard is it to get Pamplona bullfight tickets at the bullring?
The majority of seats in the bullring are reserved for members who pay an annual fee in exchange for season-tickets (abonos in Spanish), covering the seven consecutive days of bullfights. These members have the option to automatically renew their season-tickets each year, and this renovation often passes from father to son. Consequently, even local residents face a lengthy waiting list that typically only opens upon the death of a member.
The Peñas de San Fermín also enjoy lifelong membership privileges. They receive bulk tickets each year, reserving their seating on the sunny side of the bullring. A peña is a specific type of group of people, generally from areas or neighborhoods of Pamplona, whose main activity is to support, entertain, collaborate and sponsor the San Fermín festival.
Officially, only 10% of the total tickets are available for sale – approximately 1,950 tickets. They are sold one day before each bullfight at specialized box offices situated directly in front of the bullring. The box offices open at 20:30. In theory, you could obtain tickets by waiting in line.
Unfortunately, in practice, the black marketeers tend to dominate the line. They strategically position themselves hours before the box office opens, purchasing a significant number of bullfight tickets with the intention of reselling them at a much higher price.
Although each person can only purchase 4 tickets, this restriction doesn’t usually deter the black marketeers. They enlist the help of friends and relatives to control the line and acquire as many tickets as possible. As a result, you may spend a considerable amount of time waiting in line only to find the “sold out” sign displayed before even reaching the ticket window.
Avoid this risk by purchasing your Pamplona bullfight tickets online.
Pamplona bullfight tickets prices
The price of a ticket varies depending on several factors. And as you have probably guessed, the better the seat, the more expensive it is.
Seats in the bullring are priced based on 2 main factors:
- Visibility, that is proximity to the arena.
- Comfort, that is whether they’re in the sun or the shade.
Therefore, prices for corridas can go from less than 20€ to several hundreds depending on where and when you buy it.
Get your tickets for a Pamplona bullfighting online.
Type of seats at the Pamplona bullring
The excitement extends beyond the sandy arena of the Monumental, as the local peñas create their own spectacle on the sunny side (sol) of the bullring, featuring sangría battles and throwing food to other spectators. On the other hand, more serious spectators prefer the shaded side (sombra), where a calmer demeanor is anticipated, if not the standard.
It’s important to note that shade (sombra) seats are highly sought after by foreigners for 2 reasons:
- They provide shelter from the scorching summer sun.
- These seats keep you away from the exuberant activities of the peñas, ensuring a more relaxed experience.
What are the best seats at La Monumental?
In La Monumental de Pamplona, the best seats are situated in the tendidos 1, 2, and 3 because those tendidos are located on the shade area (sombra).
As you may have guessed, the closer to the arena, the better the seat (and the more expensive).
So the best rows in these sections are:
- Barrera.
- Contrabarrera.
- Delantera.
- Tendido bajo (rows 1 to 7).
These are the seats in La Monumental that I recommend you, in order of preference.
- Barrera. The best and most expensive seats are located in the barrera, which are directly behind the wooden wall surrounding the arena. The second row right behind the barrera is the contrabarrera. Both offer the best views.
- Tendidos 1, 2 or 3 (sombra). They provide the best value for money – you will benefit from the shade and you will have a good view.
Reserve your tickets for a Pamplona bullfighting now.
Plaza de toros Monumental de Pamplona seating capacity
The Plaza de toros Monumental de Pamplona has a seating capacity of almost 20,000 and it is divided into 3 different areas. Each of these areas is divided into several sections or tendidos. In other words, a tendido is a “slice” of the bullring.
- Shade area (sombra): tendidos 1, 2 and 3. The best seats are always in this area. But they are also the most expensive.
- Sun and shade area (sol y sombra): tendidos 4 and 9. As the fight goes on seats become shaded. If you seat here you will be exposed to the sun first and, depending on its location, you will then be in the shade.
- Sun area (sol): tendidos 5, 6, 7 and 8. These are seats are the most uncomfortable because you will be dazzled by sunlight. They are the cheapest ones, and the easiest to get.
Moreover, the Monumental has different types of seats depending on their location and how close to the arena they are:
- Barrera.
- Contrabarrera.
- Delantera.
- Tendido bajo (rows 1 to 7).
- Tendido alto (rows 8 to 15).
- Gradas.
- Andanadas.
How to get your Pamplona bullfight tickets online easily
The process to purchase your bullfight tickets online is extremely simple. All you have to do is follow these steps and you will be done in a couple of minutes.
1. First, select the bullfight you want to go to according to your travel dates.
2. Then, have a look at the seating chart and select the area you would like to seat in (sombra, sol y sombra or sol). If you have not done it yet, read the previous section regarding the seating capacity and my preferred seats.
3. Select your seats. Remember that the closer to the arena the better you see the action, but also the more expensive the price is.
4. Fill out your personal details. At this point, you can also register (which is something that I recommend you to do) so that all your personal information is saved for future purchases. Confirm that all your personal information, and your email address in particular, is correct. Otherwise, you will not get the confirmation email.
5. Select your payment method and fill out your payment details.
As soon as you receive the confirmation email, you are done!