Making plans in Pamplona can be challenging for exchange students. The weather can change in the blink of an eye, and travel websites believe that all students want to enjoy some pintxos in the Estafeta. However, if that’s not your case, there are activities and places that don’t appear on those sites and that could make up for great night or day plans.

Here are some ideas for these months that could help you in either scenario: some plans for when you feel like staying up later, and some others for when you need to rest.

→ For early birds

While going to the cinema is universal (you’ve probably seen more than one movie transmission), finding movies that aren’t in Spanish can be challenging. In Pamplona, there are three cinemas: Golem Baiona, Golem La Morea, and Cine Yelmo Itaroa. The three are distances from one another; Funnily enough, all three places are scattered across the city. Golem Baiona is the only one in the actual Pamplona, whereas Golem La Morea and Yelmo Itaroa are in their respective shopping malls.

The Golem cinemas show multiple movies in VOSE (Versión Original Subtitulada al Español) most days, and Cine Yelmo does every Tuesday night and some weekends. This means that most movies whose original language is English are showcased in that original language with Spanish subtitles. So, if you understand the original language the film is in, there you’ll find some trending movies to keep you entertained; and, if you want to practice your Spanish, there are lots of options in each cinema.

Also, Cine Yelmo Itaroa showcases other types of movies or audiovisual content each month. During October, you can find screenings of movies like Ghostbusters, operas like Cinderella, and ballets like The Nutcracker. Either way, going to the cinema could be a great plan for those weekends when the clouds fall over Pamplona.

Moreover, another interesting activity that fits the city’s weather is having long talks over coffee. Pamplona is full of cafes, but finding those where you can spend hours talking or working is not that easy. Though, cafeterias near the University of Navarra are often crowded with students, so they tend to accommodate their long stays.

Some places, such as Macchiato or the Horno Artesano, allow young people to stay in the shop for a few hours. In addition, cafeterias like the Tabernas or Tahonas also permit students to work at their tables for long periods of time. If you want to do this near the city centre, Fika and Gosaria are your best options, where you can find good-quality coffee and a tranquil space for working. And last but not least, Starbucks is a great choice if you’re going alone, since their tables are small and it’s difficult to find a place for multiple people.

 

→ For night owls

As you probably know, October 31st is the famous Halloween. While there are thousands of activities you can try during this festivity, locals have their own way of celebrating, and it’s basically reduced to two factors: alcohol and costumes.

As in any Halloween celebration, people dress up as popular characters, from funky outfits to really scary and realistic ones. If you want a DIY costume, there are Super Bazaars stores across Pamplona. There, you can buy affordable clothing pieces to assemble a good look, as well as many accessories that could elevate it.

Once you’ve found a good costume, some locals decide to spend the night walking through the city centre, going from bar to bar. One of the most famous streets for students is Jarauta, located in the Casco Antiguo, where multiple bars line the narrow street. There are also many parties happening around the city, so, instead of going de bares, you could go to clubs like Canalla, Zentral, or Indara. However, since Halloween is so popular, and quite near, expect that it may be difficult to get tickets.

Another incoming activity that you could do with friends is The Champions Burger festival from October 22nd to November 2nd, where you can try 16 different burgers and vote for the best one based on five categories: bread, meat, combination, originality, and montage. There are also some picoteo options and desserts, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free food.

This event takes place on the Parque de la Runa in the Rochapea, so you can get there by taking the L04 Villavesa or walking through Pamplona’s centre. From Monday to Thursday, The Champions Burger opens from 6 pm to 12 am; and from Friday to Sunday, it’s open from 12 pm to 12 am.

 

Whether the sun shines or the clouds take over the sky, Pamplona has great activities to offer to exchange students. From simple things like going to the cinema or trying out some cafeterias, to going out at night for Halloween or The Champions Burger festival, there are many simple activities that don’t appear in any tourist guide. If you want to have a normal day in the city, feeling like a local, consider trying out any of these four different plans.

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Oh, and don’t go without checking the map with all the places mentioned in this article!