Best Places to Buy Souvenirs in Pamplona

One of the most traditional things you can bring back from Pamplona is a pair of espadrilles. A type of sandal made with a straw base and a canvas top, these are typically worn during the famous San Fermín Festival or Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. One of the best places to pick some up is Alpargatas de Mil Colores … de mil colores meaning of a thousand colours. Located on the lively Estafeta Street in the Old Town, lined with many souvenir shops, you can indeed buy almost any colour of espadrilles here, all 100 per cent handmade. They also sell specially designed ones for San Fermín, as well as artisanal chocolates.

Owing to the fact that Navarra is located so close to Spain’s famous wine country – La Rioja, you can buy many of the local bottles here. Vinoteca Murillo is one of the best wine stores in the city, and has been open since 1890. A family-run establishment, it is dedicated to the marketing of local wines, spirits and gourmet food products from around the region. It’s the ideal place to pick up a few bottles, that you won’t be able to find back home.

Another one on Estafeta Street, Olentzero is a great spot to buy some San Fermín related merchandise. Most typical are the pañuelos and fajas. Pañuelos are scarfs, tied around the neck during the bull runs, and the fajasare waistbands, tied around the middle. Both are traditionally red, and contrast with the white clothing worn by the runners. Other typical souvenirs from Olentzero include botas del vino – wine carriers made from sheep skin, San Fermín posters and bull merchandise.

The shop that sells everything to do with the Camino de Santiago, Caminoteca is located in the centre of the Old Town, not far from the cathedral. Being the first major city along the Camino, Pamplona is an important stop for pilgrims hoping to walk all the way to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Caminoteca not only sells useful items for pilgrims such as backpacks, sunglasses and hiking sticks, but also Camino souvenirs such as jewellery, t-shirts and books, as well as the iconic pilgrim scallop shell – the symbol of the Camino.

Kukuxumusu is a quirky chain store, which started in Pamplona in 1989 and now has branches all over Spain. They print their iconic fun cartoony designs on everything from t-shirts to shoes, umbrellas, flasks and suitcases. The shop is especially busy during the San Fermín festival as its mascot is a blue bull, and it has been closely associated with the festival for many years. The designers at Kukuxumusu also created the artwork for the San Fermín website.

Souvenir Estafeta, as the name suggests, is located on Estafeta Street. The oldest souvenir shop in Pamplona, it has been around for over 50 years, and sells all manner of traditional products and souvenirs from the region of Navarra. As well as the pañuelosand botas del vino, you can also buy dolls in traditional dress, branded t-shirts, products made from hand-carved wood, ceramic items, bulls heads and txapelas – Basque hats.