Spain’s Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela Walk
2007 Itinerary
After the discovering of the remains of St. James on northwest Spain in 813, pilgrims from all over Europe made this pilgrimage route until the XVIth century. Originally crossing through France, arriving to Spain by the Pyrenees Mountains and walking through towns such us Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos or Leon, among others.
Millions of Pilgrims who visited the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela contributed to the long history of this ancient trail which is full of old resting places for Pilgrims, ancient bridges, impressive Monasteries and Cathedrals and towns where you can still today evoke the history and life of the middle ages.
Your tour will cover one section of this trail; from Astorga (near León) to Santiago de Compostela. Everyday you will walk from 9 to 12 miles and have either a van or a mini-coach at your disposal for carrying the luggage and helping in case anyone needs a shorter day.
The terrain will be a combination of rolling hills, mountain trails and even paths. Since we cross from the area known as the “Plain” (Meseta) to Galicia the scenery will be radically different day by day, from a flat countryside full of wheat and grain fields to the Atlantic corner of Spain where the lush valleys, green pastures and dense forests remind you that you are in the Celtic section of Spain.
Day 1: Arrive in Astorga. You will meet your guide in the lobby of the hotel around 7:00 PM and enjoy and aperitif and discussion of the walk. You will be given a “Credencial” (a passport to collect the stamps in order to achieve the “Compostela”).
This town was a strategic Roman crossroad and one of the most important Pilgrim towns. Both the Roman days and the Middle Ages left many reminders in this town such as the defensive walls and the Cathedral or the Bishop’s Palace designed by the world’s famous architect Gaudi (one of the few projects he designed outside of Barcelona).
Day 2: The walk today begins in the abandoned village of Foncebadón and ascends to “Cruz de Ferro” (Iron´s Cross), one of the most symbolic sites of the Camino. At the base of the cross there is a huge pile of rocks, and pilgrims often leave their own stones repeating this old ritual. Afterwards you’ll descend to the village of Acebo and finish at the riverside town of Molinaseca.
Before being transferred to the hotel you will have the opportunity of stopping at the impressive Templar´s Castle of Ponferrada.
Day 3: Starting at the village of Herrerias you ascend by an old stone pathway among old chestnut trees. At the top of the mountain you’ll discover the incredible village of Cebreiro, one of the earliest sites related to the pilgrims. This hamlet still preserves the old “Pallozas” (pre-Roman constructions that were in use until recent days) and the interesting pre-Romanesque church of Santa Maria.
Continuing to Alto do Poio, you will finish your walking journey for today. Before arriving to the hotel you will stop at the magnificent Benedictine Monastery of Samos, an interesting combination of baroque and renaissance style architecture located in a lush valley.
Day 4: Today you leave straight from the hotel and since you entered Galicia yesterday the scenery will continue to show you oak tree forests, pasture lands and small dairy and cattle farms. This part of the region is very rural and life is largely agricultural. You will finish at Portomarín where the church of San Nicolás is a perfect example of Church-fortress, as it was built by the Knights of St. James, a military and religious order that originally came out of the Templars.
Day 5: The walk begins at the Church of San Tirso in Palas de Rey and finishes at Melide. Today is an easy day because the journey is not long and there are not any hills. Your walk will take you through many rustic villages presided by their Parish Churches; of particular interest are the remains of a Roman Way as you arrive to Leboreiro, and the bridge over the river Furelos.
Day 6: You start today outside Melide and finish at Calle, still on easy terrain surrounded by a lush and very aromatic eucalyptus forest. It is your last leg of the “country” journey before arriving to Santiago de Compostela.
Day 7: Starting in Arca and finishing in Santiago, you will stop in “Monte do Gozo” where you will first view your ultimate destination. You will enter Santiago by following the street of San Pedro until arriving to the Cathedral. Lunch will be at a local restaurant and you will have ample free time to rest or explore Santiago in the afternoon. Before dinner you will have a guided walk of the main sites of the town.
Day 8: Breakfast and depart.
Without any doubt this pilgrimage walk to Santiago is an incredible combination of life, history and charm.
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