Bullrunning is another popular draw for foreign tourists and locals alike. The most famous of all these festivals, or fiestas, takes place in the northern city of Pamplona over a week in mid-July. Popularised by Ernest Hemingway, the San Fermin fiesta sees colossal fighting bulls let loose along a narrow street. Thrill-seeking runners run ahead of the bull, attempting to get as close as possible without getting gored by the horns.

Bullrunning is another popular draw for foreign tourists and locals alike. The most famous of all these festivals, or fiestas, takes place in the northern city of Pamplona over a week in mid-July. Popularised by Ernest Hemingway, the San Fermin fiesta sees colossal fighting bulls let loose along a narrow street. Thrill-seeking runners run ahead of the bull, attempting to get as close as possible without getting gored by the horns.

The festival itself is in honour of the city’s patron saint, San Fermin, and began simply as a way to get the bulls to the ring for the evening bullfight. Spontaneously over time, residents began to get involved with the herding, with some eventually plucking up the courage to run in front of the herd of fighting bulls.

Traditionally the bulls would eventually reach a bullring at the end of the cobbled road, where they would be killed in the evening bullfight, but these days it is commonplace for them to be merely herded back through the streets.

Virtually anyone can take part in the running, but it goes without saying that such an experience is only recommended for the very fit and the exceedingly brave. There are however a set of rules in place to ensure the relative safety of the event. Only adults are allowed to take part in the event- anyone under eighteen will be turned away. Furthermore, runners are only allowed to join at the beginning of the race- joining halfway through is forbidden.

Using drugs before or during the bull-run is strictly outlawed, and rightly so- when half a dozen muscular angry beasts are bearing down on you, you really need to have your wits about you.

Other rules should be mostly commonsense- only appropriate footwear and clothes suitable for running should be worn, and under no circumstances should you attempt to touch the animals. Few people are foolish enough to attempt to break this latter rule.

If you don’t quite fancy being chased by an angry herd of bulls in the early morning, spectating can be equally thrilling, though to get a good view you’ll have to arrive early or secure yourself a spot on a terrace.

The Pamplona bull-run begins with the firing of two rockets, signalling the release of the bulls and warning runners and spectators that they are loose. The run traditionally consists of six fighting bulls, and a group of oxen whose purpose it is to herd the bulls along the road.

As the bulls run out of the corral, the runners brace themselves for an exhilarating death defying chase through the streets of Pamplona. Young and old alike hang out of windows and crowd side streets to cheer and watch the brave runners attempt to keep ahead of the bulls. As the bulls increase in speed and begin to catch up with the crowd of locals and young hung-over tourists, the runners dodge to the side, some throwing themselves over protective barriers to escape the bull’s fury.

Eventually a third rocket signals that the bulls have reached the end of the run, yet it is not yet safe on the streets, until a final fourth rockets announces that all the bulls are safely in the pen and the celebrations can begin.

Aside from the run itself, the festival is one of Spain’s largest and most popular. In addition to the local crowd, hordes of tourists from around the world descend on Pamplona for a week of endless partying, vibrant music and spectacular festivities.

Injuries are commonplace and usually result from falls whilst trying to avoid the bulls, though surprisingly only 13 people have died running since the early twentieth century. As Hemingway once put it, if you think “it is sound and logical to see how close you can come to being killed by bulls for fun and for free,” then why not give it a go?

Other such bull running festivals are held in locations throughout Spain, including the night-time run through Navalcarnero, the fiesta in San Sebastián de los Reyes, and the oldest bull running festival on record, in Cuellar, where it has been a tradition since the 13th century.