On my July trip to Pamplona, I had time to explore the city as well as enjoy the bull-running festival. Here are a few of my other favorite memories from the city:

• Dining at two of Pamplona’s Michelin-starred restaurants, Restaurante Rodero and Restaurant Europa. One of my favorite aspects of any trip to Spain is lingering over a slowly paced meal, savoring the yummy food and delicious wines. I can’t forget to mention sampling Pamplona’s traditional pinchos at a local pinchos bar.
• Viewing the festival fireworks from the upstairs terrace of Baluarte, one of Spain’s biggest congress centers. Seriously, these were the best fireworks I’ve ever witnessed. I also liked the lemon sorbet and Cava treat I enjoyed at Restaurante El Café del Baluarte.
• Discovering Ernest Hemingway’s Pamplona, from his balcony at Hotel La Perla (the spot for visiting VIPs to this day) to the statue in his memory at Café Iruna. Hemingway first visited Pamplona in 1922 at the urging of Gertrude Stein while both were based in Paris. Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises put Pamplona on the international must-see list.
• Learning more about the tradition of bull fighting, even though it can be a hot-button issue. It’s part of the country’s tradition, and watching the bullfighter dance with the bull is actually quite beautiful. The moves of both the man and the animal are so elegant and meaningful. During my visit, I watched bullfighter Juan José Padilla in the ring; He famously lost his eye to a bull and now fights wearing an eye patch.

— Kim Krol, managing editor