It’s a big world out there, and in this section, we aim to teleport you to an intriguing location, hoping to inspire some travel ideas along the way. The Running of the Bulls, a centuries-old event for those either fearless or not as quick as they imagine, kicked off again this week. As expected, it featured the usual stompings and injuries that come with humans attempting to outrun 1,300-pound animals through narrow, winding streets.
This tradition, dating back to the 14th century, annually results in 200 to 300 injuries, according to Pamplona officials, and has caused 16 deaths since record-keeping began in 1910. On the first day this year, six people were injured, and one was gored. The event takes place from July 7 to July 14 as part of the San Fermín Festival. Each morning, six bulls are released to gallop alongside, and sometimes through, runners, who number around 2,000 on weekdays and about 3,500 on weekends. The bulls cover a distance of 875 meters—more than eight football fields—to a bullfighting ring where matadors eventually kill them.
Animal rights activists have condemned the event as “medieval cruelty,” arguing that the runs amount to nothing more than panicked bulls trapped in a sea of adrenaline-seeking humans. Despite these criticisms, the event continues to draw significant crowds and maintain its popularity.
Ernest Hemingway significantly contributed to the event’s global fame. The author wrote about the Running of the Bulls in his 1926 novel, “The Sun Also Rises,” and attended the festival eight times between 1924 and 1959, making him one of the original celebrity travel influencers. Through his vivid descriptions and personal fascination, Hemingway brought international attention to this dramatic and perilous spectacle.
