San Sebastián de los Reyes hosts the second-largest running with the bulls festival in Spain, officially called the Fiestas en Honor al Santísimo Cristo de los Remedios, but for locals and regular attendees, we simply call it SANSE. (Jack Rogers)
Please don’t run right here. It is very difficult.
That is what you will hear from the Spanish police if you are at the intersection of San Sebastián de los Reyes’s Calles de Leopoldo Gimeno and Real Vieja around 10:45 A.M. in later August, because at 11:00 A.M, the bulls are released into the streets. The city hosts the second-largest running with the bulls festival in Spain, officially called the Fiestas en Honor al Santísimo Cristo de los Remedios, but for locals and regular attendees, we simply call it SANSE. The festival lasts an entire week and attracts thousands of visitors. Most of foreigners come for the bull runs, but there is much more to this Spanish fiesta.
Most of foreigners come for the bull runs, but there is much more to this Spanish fiesta. (Jack Rogers)
Located just outside of Madrid, SANSE provides one of the best opportunities for vacationing service members stationed in Europe to have a well-rounded Spanish adventure. Because SANSE takes place in one of Madrid’s suburbs, anyone taking a long weekend in the Spanish capital can enjoy all that the essence of what Spain has to offer.
Madrid is the best place to stay if visiting SANSE for the first time. There is much to see in the historic city centre, from the Plaza Mayor to the Royal Palace to the Almudena Cathedral and taking even a single day to explore Spain’s capital will delight history and culture lovers alike. There are many walking tours available, such as Tour & Friends’ tip-based tours and Rick Steves’ Audio Europe.
Connecting to San Sebastián de los Reyes is easy. Just take the #1 metro line to the Chamartín station to connect with the #10 line to Reyes Católicos. When you emerge from Reyes Católicos, you will be right beside the city’s bullring and at the heart of the fiesta. For the easiest experience, buy a Zone T metro card with unlimited travel. You can get them for one to seven days at any card dispenser for about €10 per day.
From the instant you see them for the first time, you will understand why people return year after year to engage in their most dangerous obsession. (Jack Rogers)
For those interested, running with the bulls is the main event in what is called the encierro. Just be on the official route by about 10:45 a.m., wear the proper attire (running shoes, no bags or water bottles, no sunglasses and definitely no cameras), be 16 years of age or older, and have the mental fortitude to run (which includes being totally sober!). There is no more grounding an experience than running with the bulls. From the instant you see them for the first time, you will understand why people return year after year to engage in their most dangerous obsession.
The encierro is dangerous. The bulls’ horns aren’t shaved, and they will run at full speed. Service members should consult their command if they are interested in running the encierro. It is a high-risk activity, and the last thing you want is to have to explain how you ended up in the hospital on your family vacation in Madrid.
There are also bullfights. (Jack Rogers )
There are also bullfights. They aren’t for everyone, but for those interested, they occur each night from the 28th to the 31st of August (with the 28th featuring horse-mounted bullfighting). For the uninitiated, it can be quite confronting, and I recommend reading a bit about them from pro-bullfighting sources so that you can understand what you are seeing.
The fiesta isn’t all about bulls, however. Free concerts occur throughout the week, with the official line-up containing up-and-coming as well as popular artists. Spain is famous for its late nights, so the biggest names will perform at 11 p.m. or later. For those with children, that might be a bit late, so checking the official program for midday concerts is the safest bet.
Free concerts occur throughout the week, with the official line-up containing up-and-coming as well as popular artists. (Jack Rogers)
Speaking of children, there is plenty for them to enjoy as well! One of my favourite traditions is the children’s encierro. This is a “fake” running with the bulls where men from town wheel bull mock-ups through the streets. Hundreds of kids show up to run as they emulate the runs their parents and siblings performed earlier in the day. The dates and times are still to be announced as the festival program is being finalized, but they will take place on the Calle Real. Outside of the children’s encierro, there are also puppet theatre and other activities which vary day to day. I have seen everything from inflatable bounce houses to an electronic bucking bull outside of the parish church.
I’ll be there, too. I’m a bull runner and will run every encierro, including my 40th. If you’re around and want tips on how to have a successful, safer run, there are plenty of us about to help you along. And if you just want to enjoy Madrid, I’ll be taking my own advice, staying in the city and commuting to the fiesta every morning.
In 2026, SANSE takes place August 24-31.
In 2026, SANSE takes place August 24-31. (Jack Rogers)
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of War.
