WALKERS’
WORLD Camino de Santiago (St James Way) Guided walk across Northern Spain |
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15 night Itinerary:
Day 2 - ST JEAN TO RONCESVALLES This morning we travel a short distance by bus across the border to the lively French village of St Jean-Pied-de-Port. After a chance to sip a cafe-au-lait or perhaps buy a souvenir walking stick we are taken by mini-bus up into the Pyrenees (weather permitting) and from here we begin our walk following the high route through the mountain pass. The walking is easy with only a few short ascents and after a few km the path gradually descends to Roncesvalles. On a clear day the views are stunning with snow-capped peaks in the distance and it is a spectacular start to our Camino walk. (If the weather is inclement we walk the lower route from St Jean to Roncesvalles). In medieval times the high route was considered safer than the low road where ambushes by robbers were frequent. We spend the night again at Roncesvalles. You may wish to visit the Collegiata whose construction is thought to have begun in the 900's. Its museum contains artifacts and paintings associated with many legends including the tomb of the legendary King Sancho El Fuerte (Sancho the Strong) whose broken chains are part of the today’s symbol of the region of Navarre. Distance 12 km Dinner included
Day 3
-
PAMPLONA TO PUENTE LA REINA
Today we continue to Pamplona through rolling
countryside. From Pamplona we continue to the village of Puente
la Reina where we stay in a small inn located on a narrow,
cobble-stoned street which is still part of the pilgrim's path
that has scarcely changed for the past thousand years. At the end of the street is
the Puente La Reina (Queen's Bridge) built in the 1100’s and
still used today. In medieval times this was a strategic bridge
with a toll so whether the queen built the bridge to aid
pilgrims or to collect revenue is unknown. Legend says that an image of the Virgin Mary
used to adorn the bridge was cared for by a small bird (txori)
and year after year when the bird washed the statue the
villagers deemed it a miracle and celebrated by ringing church
bells. As you cross the bridge (there is no toll charge) think
about the many notables
in whose foot-steps you are following including St Francis of Assisi, Lorenzo de Medici, Pope John
Paul II, German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they made
their way on foot to Santiago.
Distance 20 km or
12 km (you
choose) Day
4
- PUENTE LA REINA TO ESTELLA Our walk
continues through gentle countryside filled with vineyards and
tranquil villages of the La Rioja wine district. La Rioja wine
is the most famous in Spain but the region is also known for its
wonderful white asparagus and for a variety of fruit. Our walk
ends at the interesting town of Estella which sits astride a
craggy bend in a rushing river. There is time to explore and
perhaps indulge in an ice-cream cone before
we continue by bus to our accommodation, an amazing four-star
hotel inside a four-hundred year old monastery at Santo Domingo
de la Calzada. Distance
20 km or 12 km (you choose) Dinner
included
Day 7
- CARRION DE LOS CONDES TO
VILLACAZAR TO LEON
Today our walk is through more of Castile’s
golden meseta that is easy walking.
On a clear day mountains are
visible in the distance but this part of the Camino follows an
ancient Roman road that is mostly flat. The breeze ripples
fields of grain as we walk alongside a small river. We stop at
the town of Villacazar which, in the 1200's, belonged to the
Knights Templar who defended holy places and patrolled the
Camino protecting pilgrims from bandits. There is a fascinating
Templar church called the "Church of the White Virgin" which is
associated with many legends and miracles. King Alfonso X
insisted the White Virgin cured pilgrim ailments although
perhaps he didn’t give enough credit to the hospitals in the
town .From here, late in the day, we continue by bus into Leon,
a remarkable city of soaring stone.
Our hotel in Leon is a lovely restored Posada in the heart of
the historic quarter.
Distance 15 km or
10 km (you choose) Dinner included Day 8 - LEON Morning walking tou in Leon to explore the old quarter - the magnificent cathedral with stained glass windows preserved from the 13th century, the Basilica de San Isidoro with its Pantheon of Kings filled with golden treasures, the Hostal de San Marcos, the 16th century Palace of Los Guzmanes and the Casa de Botines, a 19th century building by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. You may also want to shop and to sample Leon’s many restaurants.
Day 9 -
ORBIGO TO
ASTORGA This morning we
drive from Leon to start our walk at Orbigo. It was here, on the
bridge at Orbigo, in 1434, that a knight, Suero, held what may
have been the last great medieval tournament. Having been
scorned by his lady love, Suero challenged other knights to a
joust. Today, if you stand on the bridge and use a little
imagination, you can almost hear the horses whinny and the clash
of steel. The tournament is still re-enacted each year by the
people of Orbigo. As we start to walk, the terrain changes from
flat plains to low foothills. The clouds ahead soon reveal
themselves to be chains of mountains in the distance but the
walking is still quite easy. In the afternoon we reach Astorga
with its Cathedral built in 1471 and a fairytale Bishop's Palace
designed by the eccentric architect Antoni Gaudi which now holds
an interesting "Museum of the Camino". There is a baroque Town
Hall and a Museum of Chocolate. The museum tells the tale of the
local chocolate industry which flourished when cocoa was first
brought to Spain from the New World. The town still prides
itself in its great chocolate and there are many mouth-watering
window displays.
Distance 20 km or 12 km (you choose) Dinner included Day 12
-
PORTOMARIN TO PALAS DE REI
We follow a tranquil, hamlet-laden
trail through gently rolling countryside to Palas de Rei. The trail
winds alongside jewel-like green fields and between stone fences covered
with blackberries and wild-flowers. In
spring
the gorse is brilliant yellow and beautifully scented. In the
surrounding fields one sees "horreos" (granaries) and farmers using
agricultural methods that have changed little for centuries. On reaching Palas de Rei our bus takes us on a
short side-trip to the interesting town of
Lugo where we stay. Lugo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Roman
walls surrounding the town.
23 km or 12 km (you choose)
Dinner included Day 15 -
RUA TO SANTIAGO Almost there! We are now on the
last stage of the Camino from Rua to Santiago. The Galician
countryside is fragrant with forests of eucalyptus and pine. By
mid-afternoon we approach Santiago and the Camino leads us to
the "Mount of Joy" where pilgrims first caught a glimpse of
Santiago Cathedral’s bell towers.
Day 16 - Our Camino experience ends after breakfast. Optional extra nights in Santiago can be booked so you can explore the city’s historic sites and narrow medieval streets filled with shops and cafes. Galician cuisine is known for its wonderful sea-food and its many varieties of local cheeses. You might want to take a local bus to Finisterre (end of the earth) which was the traditional sea-side end to the Camino. Here, pilgrims of old picked up a shell as a souvenir before they began the long walk home. Fortunately in the 21st century you don't need to walk home - there are planes or trains from Santiago to Madrid or buses to Porto. . |
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