NAVARRA

(GPS-6 -- N 20º 48' 45" -- O 1º 38' 35")

The province of Navarra is in the north of Spain, between the Autonomous Communities of Aragon, La Rioja, Basque Country and it shares it northern border with France.

Many times Navarra is described as a miniature continent because in only 10,420 square kilometres there is such an immense variety of landscapes and peoples. The landscape varies from the valleys in the northeast with a mild climate and the Pyrenees Mountains, to the fertile flatlands in the south and the desert of Las Bardenas, which has an extremely dry, hot climate.

SAN FERMÍN

Forever immortalised by Hemmingway in his book "Fiesta," the Sanfermines or the Running of the Bulls are the universal celebration par excellence of Pamplona and all of Navarra. Every 6th of July at midday the chupinazo or rocket blasts off from the balcony of the City Hall and the festival explodes into life and goes non-stop until the sad goodbye with the traditional "Pobre de mí" ("Poor me") song that closes the celebration on the 14th.

The most famous part of this fiesta is undoubtedly the running of the bulls. Thousands of brave souls pack the streets of the old city to risk being caught by the charging bulls.

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