Each Pamplona bullfight is one of the most iconic parts of the San Fermín Festival, attracting the best bulls and most esteemed matadores from around Spain.
Most visitors to Pamplona know all about the human sea of red and white during the festival’s opening (also called El Chupinazo), the running of the bulls every morning, and the week-long party that takes place in the city’s cobblestone streets.
But most people are not aware of the key role that bullfighting plays in the San Fermín festival. As a matter of fact this spectacle is meant to be a celebration of the bull’s strength and passion. That’s how locals view it in Pamplona.
The bullfighter’s job is not to kill the animal but to show its courage and plead for his freedom at the end of the ritual.
And in Pamplona bullfighting is intrinsically linked to the spirit of the celebrations.
That’s why all those bulls that run in the old town from July 7th to July 14th end up being part of a Pamplona bullfight.
Attend a Spanish bullfight in Pamplona
At the impressive Plaza de Toros Monumental, the grandiose Pamplona bullfighting arena, a series of 10 bullfights take place every evening during the festival. Envision yourself seated amidst almost 20,000 enthusiastic aficionados, immersed in Spain’s third-largest bullring, witnessing a timeless clash of athleticism between man and beast.
Check out the full guide about purchasing bullfight tickets online. You’ll know which tickets are more expensive and why, what are the best locations in the bullring and a complete FAQ section with all the questions that you may still have.
How to buy your Pamplona bullfight tickets online »
Official 2023 Pamplona bullfight festival schedule
The San Fermín festival is the most important event of the city’s bullfighting schedule.
First, there’s a novice bullfight (novillada in Spanish) between younger bulls and bullfighters who are not fully trained on July 5th.
Then, the day after (July 6th), features bullfighters on horses. This type of bullfight is known as rejoneo in Spanish.
Finally, from July 7th to July 14th you can experience a Pamplona bullfight in full swing – the bulls that run in the old town early in the morning are then fought in the bullring in the afternoon.
Here is the complete list with all the corridas and novilladas of the 2023 Pamplona bullfight festival schedule.
The information currently displayed corresponds to the 2023 season official dates that have been released.
| Date & Time | Event & Toreros | Type & Bulls |
| Wednesday July, 5th 20:00 | Christian Parejo, Marcos Linares, Cristiano Torres | Novillada Pincha |
| Thursday July, 6th 18:30 | Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza, Roberto Armendáriz, Guillermo Hermoso de Mendoza | Rejones El Capea |
| Friday July, 7th 18:30 | Rafaelillo, Manuel Escribano, Leo Valadez | Toros La Palmosilla |
| Saturday July, 8th 18:30 | Fernando Robleño, Juan del Álamo, Borja Jiménez | Toros José Escolar Gil |
| Sunday July, 9th 18:30 | Adrián Torres, Román, Isaac Fonseca | Toros Hdros. de D. José Cebada Gago |
| Monday July, 10th 18:30 | Miguel Ángel Perera, Daniel Luque, Ginés Marín | Toros Fuente Ymbro |
| Tuesday July, 11th 18:30 | Morante de la Puebla, Alejandro Talavante, Roca Rey | Toros Núñez del Cuvillo |
| Wednesday July, 12th 18:30 | Antonio Ferrera, El Juli, Cayetano | Toros Jandilla |
| Thursday July, 13th 18:30 | Emilio de Justo, Roca Rey, Tomás Rufo | Toros Victoriano del Río |
| Friday July, 14th 18:30 | Rubén Pinar, Juan Leal, Jesús Enrique Colombo | Toros Miura |
Get your Pamplona bullfight tickets
If two events symbolize the San Fermín festival, it’s the running of the bulls and daily bullfights. The Pamplona bullfights have taken place for more than 500 years, and feature renowned matadors who duel with bulls from the most prestigious breeders.
Only local residents have access to season passes, which means that Pamplona bullfight tickets are in limited supply.