St-Jean-Pied-de-Port • Pamplona • Burgos • León • O Cebreiro • Lugo • Cantabria
The Camino de Santiago at a Glance
Map: Camino de Santiago Overview
Orientation to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Sights in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Sleeping and Eating in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
St-Jean-Pied-de-Port Connections
From St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona
Map: Camino de Santiago: Eastern Half
Map: Camino de Santiago: Western Half
Sleeping and Eating in O Cebreiro
The Camino de Santiago—the “Way of St. James”—is Europe’s ultimate pilgrimage route. Since the Middle Ages, humble pilgrims have trod hundreds of miles across the north of Spain to pay homage to the remains of St. James in his namesake city, Santiago de Compostela. After several lonely centuries, the route has been rediscovered, and more and more pilgrims are traveling—by foot, bike, and horse—along this ancient pathway.
While dedicating a month of your life to walk the Camino is admirable, you might not have that kind of time. But with a car (or public transportation), any traveler can use the Camino as a sightseeing spine—a string of worthwhile cities, towns, and countryside sights—and an opportunity to periodically “play pilgrim.”
There were many ancient pilgrimage routes across Europe to Santiago de Compostela, but the most popular one across Spain—and the route described here—has always been the so-called “French Road” (Camino Francés), which covers nearly 500 miles across northern Spain from the French border to Santiago.
The route begins in the French foothills of the Pyrenees, in the Basque village of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Twist up and over rugged Roncesvalles Pass into Spain, and on to Pamplona—the delightful Basque-flavored capital of Navarre, famous for its Running of the Bulls. From here, head west through the fertile hills of Navarre to the vineyards of La Rioja, then across the endless wheat fields and rough, arid plains of northern Castile to Burgos and León, with their beautiful dueling Gothic cathedrals—one a riot of architectural styles, the other gracefully simple but packed with stained glass.
As the path crosses into Galicia near the time-passed stony mountain village of O Cebreiro, the terrain changes, becoming lush and green. This last leg of the journey, in Galicia, is the most popular: Pilgrims pass simple farms, stone churches, moss-covered homes with slate roofs, apple orchards, flocks of sheep, dense forests of oak, sweet chestnut, and eucalyptus...and plenty of other pilgrims. Just before Santiago, the ancient walled Roman city of Lugo is a worthwhile detour for car travelers.
Whether undertaken for spiritual edification or sightseeing pleasure, the Camino de Santiago ties together some of Spain’s most appealing landscape, history, architecture, and people.
And if you’re traveling between the Basque Country (see previous chapter) and Galicia (Santiago de Compostela), consider several interesting stops in the province of Cantabria, along Spain’s northern coast. These include the appealing town of Santillana del Mar (close to the prehistoric Altamira Caves); Comillas, a beach town with fine examples of Modernista architecture (even a Gaudí); and the dramatic Picos de Europa mountains.
By Car: This chapter is geared for car pilgrims who want to trace the Camino and linger at the highlights. Italicized directions marked by a bullet point are designed for drivers (with specific route tips, road numbers, and directional signs). To supplement these instructions, it’s essential to get a good road map (most TIs can give you a free map covering just their province, or you can buy a better one by Michelin or Mapa Total for about €6). Driving the full Camino nonstop would take about 12 hours. Assuming you’re taking the most direct (expressway/autovía) route, figure these estimated times for specific legs of the Camino by car (these times don’t take into account stops or detours, such as the Rioja Wine Loop):
• St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona—1.5 hours
• Pamplona to Burgos—2.5-3 hours (depending on route)
• Burgos to León—2 hours
• León to Astorga—1 hour
• Astorga to O Cebreiro—1-1.5 hours (depending on route)
• O Cebreiro to Lugo—1 hour
• Lugo to Santiago—1.75 hours
Many freeways are marked Autovía Camino de Santiago to keep you on track. But be warned that Camino de Santiago directional signs in small towns can be misleading, since they’re sometimes intended for foot pilgrims, not drivers. Navigate by town names and road numbers instead.
By Public Transportation: Most of the Camino route can be done by bus and/or train. However, it can be difficult, or even impossible, to reach some of the out-of-the-way stops between the big cities (such as O Cebreiro). Where feasible, I’ve listed train and bus connections for each of the main stops. Trains cover all the major cities, and Alsa buses also link the main stops (www.alsa.es).
The Old-Fashioned Way: If you’re walking or biking the entire Camino, don’t rely exclusively on my coverage in this chapter (which describes the major towns and cities, but ignores so much more). Equip yourself with a good day-by-day guidebook with details on each leg, and get good advice about what to pack. For starters, see the sidebar on here.
Drivers begin in Basque Country (San Sebastián in Spain or St-Jean-de-Luz in France), where you can pick up your rental car. If you’re in a hurry or don’t plan to visit France, you can skip St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and connect easily to Pamplona from Spain’s Basque Country.
Day 1: Drive through the French Basque villages (see previous chapter) to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, then over Roncesvalles Pass to Pamplona. Sleep in Pamplona.
Day 2: Explore Pamplona, then drive westward to Burgos (stopping en route at Puente la Reina, and detouring for the Rioja Wine Loop if you have time and a healthy interest in wine). Sleep in Burgos.
Day 3: Sightsee Burgos this morning, then drive to León and dip into the cathedral there. Sleep in León—or, if you’re tired of big cities, continue an hour farther to sleep in Astorga.
Day 4: Continue westward to Galicia, stopping at O Cebreiro and Lugo before arriving at Santiago de Compostela.
The term “Camino de Santiago,” as mentioned earlier, actually refers to many different routes across Europe. All travel from east to west. For our description of the popular “French Road” (Camino Francés), we’ll begin in the French Basque town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, cross over the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles, then pass through three northern Spanish cities (Pamplona, Burgos, León), before climbing into green Galicia, ending at Santiago de Compostela.
Tourist Information: Pilgrims will find no shortage of helpful resources along the way. In addition to TIs in each town (listed in this chapter), you’ll also find “Pilgrim Friend” associations and other offices (often attached to an albergue or refugio) that offer kind advice to the weary traveler.
Holy Year: The Compostela Holy Year (Año Xacobeo) occurs when the Feast of St. James (July 25) falls on a Sunday (next in 2021); during a Holy Year, traffic on the trails doubles, and the pilgrim atmosphere is even more festive.
Tours: Iberian Adventures runs guided and self-guided walking and hiking tours in English for individuals and small groups along the Camino de Santiago and on Spain’s northern coast, as well as through major mountain ranges, such as the Pyrenees and Picos de Europa. Company owner Jeremy Dack highlights each area’s natural environment, history, culture, cuisine, and wine, and emphasizes environmental awareness and respect for local customs (mobile 620-939-116, www.iberianadventures.com, info@iberianadventures.com).
Just five miles from the Spanish border, the walled town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (san-zhahn-pee-ay-duh-por) is the most popular village in all the French Basque countryside (you may also see it labeled as Donibane Garazi, its Basque name). Traditionally, St-Jean-Pied-de-Port has been the final stopover in France for Santiago-bound pilgrims, who gather here to cross the Pyrenees together and continue their march through Spain. The scallop shell of “St. Jacques” (French for “James”) is etched on walls throughout the town.
About half the visitors to this town are pilgrims; the rest are mostly French tourists. Gift shops sell a strange combination of pilgrim gear (such as quick-drying shirts and shorts) and Basque souvenirs. This place is packed in the summer (so come early or late).
Tourist Information: The TI is on the main road along the outside of the walled old town (July-Aug Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sept-June Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sun year-round, free Wi-Fi, tel. 05 59 37 03 57). For Camino information, you’ll do better at the Pilgrim Friends Office (described later). Ask the TI about weekly pelota vasca games (usually Mon at 17:00 at the trinquet court on Place du Trinquet).
Arrival in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port: Parking is ample and well-signed from the main road. If arriving by train, exit the station to the left, then follow the first road to the right (Avenue Renaud). Signs for the TI and the Camino will lead you uphill to a gate in the city wall.
There’s little in the way of sightseeing here, other than pilgrim-spotting. But St-Jean-Pied-de-Port feels like the perfect “Welcome to the Camino” springboard for the upcoming journey. Many modern pilgrims begin their Camino in this traditional spot because of its easy train connection to Bayonne, and because—as its name implies (“St. John at the Foot of the Pass”)—it offers a very challenging but rewarding first leg: up, over, and into Spain.
After passing through the gate in the city wall, follow Rue de France to the main drag, Rue de la Citadelle. Head left, uphill, and stop at #39, the Pilgrim Friends Office (Les Amis du Chemin de Saint-Jacques, daily 8:00-13:00 & 14:30-20:00, Fri and Sun until 22:30, tel. 05 59 37 05 09). This is where pilgrims check in before their long journey to Santiago.
For €2, a pilgrim can buy the official credential (credenciel in French, credencial in Spanish) that she’ll get stamped at each stop between here and Santiago to prove she walked the whole way and thereby earn her compostela certificate. Pilgrims also receive a warm welcome, lots of advice (like a handy chart breaking down the walk into 34 stages, with valuable distance and elevation information), and help finding a bunk (the well-traveled staff swears that no pilgrim ever goes without a bed in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port).
A few more steps up, on the left, you’ll pass the skippable €3 Bishop’s Prison (Prison des Evêques). Continue on up to the citadel, dating from the mid-17th century—when this was a highly strategic location, keeping an eye on the easiest road over the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Although not open to the public (as it houses a school), the grounds around this stout fortress offer sweeping views over the French Basque countryside.
Now backtrack downhill toward the river. With rosy-pink buildings and ancient dates above doorways, this lane simply feels old. Notice lots of signs for chambres (rooms) and refuges—humble, hostel-like pilgrim bunkhouses. The Notre-Dame Gate, which was once a drawbridge, is straight ahead. Cross the old bridge over the Nive River (the same one that winds up in Bayonne) and head up Rue d’Espagne to restaurant row—Rue d’Uhart—for a break before your Camino begins.
Sleeping: Lots of humble pilgrim lodgings line the main drag, Rue de la Citadelle. If you’re looking for a bit more comfort, consider these options.
$ Hotel Ramuntcho** is the only real hotel option in the old town, located partway up Rue de la Citadelle. Its 18 rooms above a restaurant are straightforward but modern (buffet breakfast, 1 Rue de France, tel. 05 59 37 03 91, www.hotel-ramuntcho.com, hotel.ramuntcho@wanadoo.fr).
$ Itzalpea,** a café and tea house, rents five rooms along the main road just outside the old town (closed Sat off-season, air-con, 5 Place du Trinquet, tel. 05 59 37 03 66, www.hotel-itzalpea.com, itzalpea@wanadoo.fr).
$ Chambres Chez l’Habitant has five old-fashioned, pilgrim-perfect rooms along the main drag. Welcoming Maria and Jean Pierre speak limited English, but their daughter can help translate (15 Rue de la Citadelle, tel. 05 59 37 05 83, www.chambres-camino.com).
Eating: Tourists, pilgrims, and locals alike find plenty of $$ places to eat along Rue de la Citadelle (heading up to the citadel), Rue du Trinquet (the main traffic street into town), and Rue d’Uhart. Consider Café Navarre (1 Place Juan de Huarte, tel. 05 59 37 01 67) or Cafe Ttipia (2 Place Charles Floquet, tel. 05 59 37 11 96), both very popular with locals. If you’re lucky enough to land here on a Monday morning, shop at the weekly market, when farmers, cheesemakers, and winemakers bring their products in from the countryside.
A scenic train conveniently links St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Bayonne (4/day, 1 hour) and from there to St-Jean-de-Luz (about 25 minutes beyond Bayonne, www.sncf.fr). It’s about a 1.5-hour drive to St-Jean-de-Luz. There is also limited bus service from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona (bus stop at Place Juan de Huarte near Hôtel Les Remparts, 1-3/day depending on season, 2 hours, run by the Spanish line Alsa, www.alsa.es). NavarVIP offers taxi service to Pamplona for about €100 (Spain tel. 948-102-100, www.navarvipservicios.com, Luis).
The first stretch of the Camino, crossing the Pyrenees from France into Spain, is among the most dramatic. There’s little in the way of civilization, but this stretch from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona is a memorable start for the journey.
• From St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, look for green signs to Pamplona, then follow road signs to Arnéguy on road D-933. (But be warned that the road signs for Camino de Santiago take a much more roundabout high-mountain, one-lane road instead of the direct road to the border.)
As you go over the stone bridge in the village of Arnéguy, you’re passing from France into Spain. For centuries this bridge was the site of a delicate dance between nervous smugglers and customs police. Today you’ll barely notice you’ve crossed a border, except for the gigantic ventas—large duty-free malls catering to a mainly Spanish clientele. Along the drive, keep a watchful eye out for stone pillars with crosses—old trail markers for pilgrims.
The road meanders through a valley before twisting up to the pass called Puerto de Ibañeta (also known as the Roncesvalles Pass). This scrubby high-mountain pass is one of the Basque Country’s most historic spots. The most accessible gateway through the Pyrenees between France and Spain, this pass has been the site of several epic battles. According to a popular medieval legend, Charlemagne’s nephew Roland was killed fighting here. Vengeful Basque tribes, seeking retribution for Charlemagne’s sacking of Pamplona, followed the army as it began its return to France—and felled the mighty Roland along this very road. Several centuries later, Napoleon used the same road to invade Spain.
Coming down from the pass, you reach Roncesvalles/Orreaga (“Valley of Pines”), which gave this area its name. This jumble of buildings surrounding a monastery is sort of a pilgrim depot, where travelers can pause to catch their collective breath after clearing the first arduous leg of the Camino. The big building on the right is a simple refugio, filled with bunk beds. In the afternoon, you might see pilgrims washing their clothes at the spigots in front, then hanging them to dry amid the cows and knobby trees out back. The big church (on the left) has a tourable cloister and museum (€5 for both, cloister only-€2.50, daily 10:00-14:00 & 15:30-19:00, off-season until 18:00, includes audioguide, guided tours but no fixed times or guarantee of English). As you leave town, you pass the first sign for Santiago de Compostela...790 kilometers (490 miles) straight ahead.
From here to Pamplona, the Camino passes through some pretty rolling hills and meadows, and several appealing villages. The first after Roncesvalles, picture-perfect Auritz/Burguete, was supposedly Hemingway’s favorite place to fish for trout when he needed to recover from a Pamplona bender.
Zubiri marks the halfway point between the pass and Pamplona, with two powerful reminders of the old Basque Country: a Guardia Civil bunker built to withstand separatist bomb attacks, and a giant magnetite quarry mined for steel production.
• Around that next bend is the first big city on the Camino: Pamplona.
Proud Pamplona, with stout old walls standing guard in the Pyrenees foothills, is the capital of the province of Navarre (“Navarra” in Spanish). At its peak in the Middle Ages, Navarre was a grand kingdom that controlled parts of today’s Spain and France. (The king of Spain, Felipe VI, is a descendant of the French line of Navarre royalty.) After the French and Spanish parts split, Pamplona remained the capital of Spanish Navarre.
Today Pamplona—called “Iruña” in the Basque language—feels at once affluent (with the sleek new infrastructure of a town on the rise), claustrophobic (with its warren of narrow lanes), and fascinating (with its odd traditions, rich history, and ties to Hemingway). Culturally, the city is a lively hodgepodge of Basque and Navarro. Locals like to distinguish between Vascos (people of Basque citizenship—not them) and Vascones (people who identify culturally as Basques—as do many Navarros). Pamplona is also an important seat for a controversial wing of the Catholic Church, Opus Dei, founded in Spain in 1928 by the Catholic priest Josemaría Escrivá. He established the private Pamplona-based University of Navarra, and Opus Dei also runs a hospital and several schools in the city.
Of course, Pamplona is best known as the host of one of Spain’s (and Europe’s) most famous festivals: the Running of the Bulls (held in conjunction with the Fiesta de San Fermín, July 6-14). For latecomers, San Fermín Txikito (“Little San Fermín”) offers a less touristy alternative in late September. But there’s more to this town than bulls—and, in fact, visiting at other times is preferable to the crowds and 24/7 party atmosphere that seize Pamplona during the festival. Contrary to the chaotic or even backward image that its famous festival might suggest, Pamplona generally feels welcoming, sane, and enjoyable.
Pamplona has about 200,000 people. Most everything of interest is in the tight, twisting lanes of the old town (casco antiguo), centered on the main square, Plaza del Castillo. The newer Ensanche (“Expansion”) neighborhood just to the south—with a sensible grid plan—holds several good hotels and the bus station.
Pamplona’s TI is located next to City Hall (daily 10:00-14:00 & 15:00-19:00, closed Mon off-season and during Fiesta de San Fermín, on Plaza Consistorial at Calle San Saturnino 2, tel. 948-420-700, www.turismodepamplona.es).
You can store bags at the bus station, but not at the train station.
By Bus: The sleek, user-friendly bus station is underground along the western edge of the Ensanche area, about a 10-minute walk from the old-town sightseeing zone. The station has pay Internet terminals and a multilingual information desk that makes trip planning a breeze (Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00 & 15:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:00). On arrival, go up the escalators, cross the street, turn left, and walk a half-block, where you can turn right down the busy Conde Oliveto street. Along this street, you’re near several of my recommended accommodations—or you can walk two blocks to the big traffic circle called Plaza Príncipe de Viana. From here, turn left up Avenida de San Ignacio to reach the old town.
By Train: The RENFE station is farther from the center, across the river to the northwest. It’s easiest to hop on public bus #9 (€1.35, every 15 minutes), which stops at the big Plaza Príncipe de Viana traffic circle south of the old town (described above)—look for a roundabout with a fountain in the center—as well as Paseo de Sarasate near Plaza del Castillo.
By Car: Everything is well-marked: Simply follow the bull’s-eyes to the center of town, where individual hotels are clearly signposted. There’s also handy parking right at Plaza del Castillo and Plaza de Toros, where the bullring is (close to several recommended hotels).
By Plane: Pamplona Airport is located about four miles outside the city (airport code: PNA, tel. 902-404-704, www.aena.es). A taxi from the airport to the city center costs around €12.
No Bull—There’s Another Fiesta: The last weekend in September, Pamplona celebrates San Fermín Txikito (“Little San Fermín”), a bull-free and practically tourist-free festival centered on the church of San Fermín de Aldapa (located behind the Mercado Santo Domingo on Calle Aldapa). Used only for Mass the rest of the year (and housing little of interest except a small statue of the saint), this church opens its doors each fall to become the heart of a celebration involving concerts, brass-band and food competitions, and parades of giant mannequins throughout the city.
Laundry: Txukun is conveniently located on the main square (daily 8:00-22:00, last wash at 21:00, Plaza del Castillo 10, mobile 608-333-450).
Local Guide: Francisco Glaría is a top-notch guide and simply a delight to be with (€140/half-day up to 4 hours, extra for San Fermín and holidays, mobile 629-661-604, www.novotur.com, francisco@novotur.com).
Even if you’re not in town for the famous San Fermín festival, you can still get a good flavor of the town by following in the foot- and hoof-steps of its participants. This self-guided walk takes you through the town center along the same route of the famous Running of the Bulls.
• Begin by the river, at the...
Bull Corral: During the San Fermín festival, the bulls are released from here at 8:00 each morning (the rest of the year, it’s a parked-car corral). They first run up Cuesta de Santo Domingo; signs labeled El Encierro mark their route. Follow them.
• A few blocks ahead on the right is the...
Museum of Navarre (Museo de Navarra): This museum, worth ▲, has four floors of artifacts and paintings celebrating the art of Navarre, from prehistoric to modern (€2, free Sat afternoons and all day Sun, open Tue-Sat 9:30-14:00 & 17:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-14:00, closed Mon, Santo Domingo 47, tel. 848-426-492, www.museodenavarra.navarra.es). Formerly a 16th-century hospital, the building retains its Neoclassical entrance. Art is displayed chronologically: prehistoric tools and pottery and Roman mosaics on the first floor, Gothic and Renaissance artifacts along with castle frescoes on the second floor, Baroque and 19th- and 20th-century works (including Goya’s painting Retrato de Marqués de San Adrián) on the third floor, and 20th- and 21st-century paintings by local artists on the top floor. The ground floor hosts free rotating exhibitions, often of modern art. Spacious and well-arranged, the museum can be toured within an hour—consider circling back here after our walk.
Check out the adjoining church (on the left as you exit, show museum ticket), with its impressive golden Baroque-Rococo altarpiece depicting the Annunciation.
• Continue along Cuesta de Santo Domingo. Embedded in the wall on your right, look for the small shrine containing an image of San Fermín. Farther up on your left is the food market of Santo Domingo, a handy spot to buy picnic supplies, including fine local cheeses (supermarket upstairs, market stalls downstairs). Ahead in the square is...
City Hall (Ayuntamiento): When Pamplona was just starting out, many Camino pilgrims who had been “just passing through” decided to stick around. They helped to build the city you’re enjoying today, but tended to cling to their own regional groups, which squabbled periodically. So in 1423, the king of Navarre (Charles III) tore down the internal walls and built a city hall here to unite the community. This version (late Baroque, from the 18th century) is highly symbolic: Hercules demonstrates the city’s strength, while the horn-blower trumpets Pamplona’s greatness.
The festival of San Fermín begins and ends on the balcony of this building (with the flags). Next to the TI are some of the barricades used during festivities. Look in the direction you just came (the route of the bulls), and find the line of metal squares in the pavement—used to secure barricades for the run. There are four rows on this square, creating two barriers on each side. The inner space is for journalists and emergency medical care; spectators line up along the outer barrier. This first stretch is uphill, allowing the bulls to use their strong hind legs to pick up speed.
• Follow the route of the bulls two blocks down Calle de Mercaderes to the intersection with Calle de la Estafeta. (Note that if you want to side-trip to the cathedral—described later, under “Sights in Pamplona”—it’s dead ahead, three blocks up the skinny lane called “Curia” from this corner.) Turn right onto...
Calle de la Estafeta: At this turn, the bulls—who are now going downhill—begin to lose their balance, often sliding into the barricade. Once the bulls regain their footing, they charge up the middle of La Estafeta. Notice how narrow the street is: No room for barricades...no escape for the daredevils trying to outrun the bulls.
On days that the bulls aren’t running, La Estafeta is one of the most appealing streets in Pamplona. It’s home to some of the best tapas bars in town (see “Eating in Pamplona,” later). Because the old town was walled right up until 1923, space in here was at a premium—making houses tall and streets narrow.
Partway down the first block on the right, look for the hole-in-the-wall Ultramarinos Beatriz shop (at #22)—most locals just call it “Beatriz”—makers of the best treats in Pamplona. Anything with chocolate is good, but the minicroissants are sensational. They come in three types: garrotes de chocolate, filled with milk chocolate; cabello de angel, filled with sweet pumpkin fibers; and manzana, apple (€3 for a box of six, also sold by weight). So simple...but oh so good.
Halfway down the street, notice the alley on the right leading to the main square (we’ll circle back to the square later). Farther down, near the very end of La Estafeta (on the right, at #76), look for the dark-green shop called Kukuxumusu—Basque for “the kiss of a flea.” These whimsical, locally designed cartoon T-shirts are popular with residents. The giant digital clock outside the shop counts down to the next Running of the Bulls.
• La Estafeta eventually leads you right to Pamplona’s...
Bullring: At the end of the run, the bulls charge down the ramp and through the red door. The bullring is used only nine days each summer (during the festival). The original arena from 1923 was expanded in the 1960s (see the extension at the top), doubling its capacity and halving its architectural charm. Bullfights start at 18:30, and tickets are expensive. But the price plummets if you buy tickets from scalpers after the first or second bull. The audience at most bullfights is silent, but Pamplona’s spectators are notorious for their raucous behavior. They’re known to intentionally spill things on tourists just to get a reaction...respond with a laugh and a positive attitude, and you’ll earn their respect—and you’ll probably have the time of your life.
The pilgrim route leading to Santiago de Compostela—and the city itself—are rife with symbolism. Here are a few of the key items you’ll see along the way.
St. James: The Camino’s namesake is also its single biggest symbol. St. James can be depicted three ways: as a pilgrim, as an apostle, and as a Crusader (slaughtering Moors). For more, see the sidebar on here.
Scallop Shell (Vieira): Figuratively, the various routes from Europe to Santiago come together like the lines of a scallop shell. And literally, scallops are abundant on the Galician coast. Though medieval pilgrims carried shells with them only on the return home—to prove they’d been here and to scoop water from wells—today’s pilgrims also carry them on the way to Santiago. The yellow sideways shell that looks like a starburst marks the route for bikers.
Gourd: Gourds were used by pilgrims to drink water and wine.
Yellow Arrow: These arrows direct pilgrims at every intersection from France to Santiago.
Red Cross: This long, skinny cross with curly ends at the top and sides, and ending in a sword blade at the bottom, represents the Knights of Santiago. This 12th-century Christian military order had a dual mission: to battle Muslim invaders while providing hospice and protection to pilgrims along the Camino de Santiago.
Tomb and Star: St. James’ tomb (usually depicted as a simple coffin or box), and the stars that led to its discovery, appear throughout the city of Santiago, either together or separately.
Look for the big bust of Ernest Hemingway, celebrated by Pamplona as if he were a native son. Hemingway came here for the first time during the 1923 Running of the Bulls. Inspired by the spectacle and the gore, he later wrote about the event in his classic The Sun Also Rises. He said that he enjoyed seeing two wild animals running together: one on two legs, and the other on four. This literary giant put Pamplona and its humble, obscure bullfighting festival on the world map; visitors come from far and wide even today, searching for adventure in Hemingway’s Pamplona. He came to his last Running of the Bulls in 1959 and reportedly regretted the attention his writing had brought to what had been a simple local festival. But the people of Pamplona appreciate “Papa” as one of their own. At the beginning of the annual festival, young people tie a red neckerchief around this statue so Hemingway can be properly outfitted for the occasion.
• If you feel like learning more about the city fortifications that define Pamplona, take a detour behind the bullring to see the Fortín de San Bartolomé (described on here). Otherwise, walk 20 yards while keeping the bullring on your left, then cross the busy street and walk a block into the pedestrian zone to the life-size...
Running of the Bulls Monument (Monumento al Encierro): This statue (pictured on here) shows 6 bulls, 2 steer, and 10 runners in action. Find the self-portrait of the sculptor (bald, lying down, and about to be gored). The statue has quickly become a local favorite, but is not without controversy: There are 10 mozos but no mozas—where are the female runners?
• Facing the monument, you can turn right and walk two blocks up the street to the main square...
Plaza del Castillo: While not as grand as Spain’s top squares, Pamplona’s has something particularly cozy and livable about it. It’s dominated by the Navarre government building (sort of like a state capitol). Several Hemingway sights surround this square. The recommended Gran Hotel La Perla, in the corner, was his favorite place to stay. It recently underwent a head-to-toe five-star renovation, but Hemingway’s room was kept exactly as he liked it, right down to the furniture he used while writing...and two balconies overlooking the bull action on La Estafeta street. He also was known to frequent Bar Txoko at the corner opposite La Perla (as well as pretty much every other bar in town) and the venerable Café Iruña. The recommended Café Iruña actually has a separate “Hemingway Corner” room, with a life-size statue of “Papa” to pose with.
• You’ve survived the run. Now enjoy the rest of Pamplona’s sights.
“A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro, dándonos su bendición.”
“We ask San Fermín, because he is our Patron, to guide us through the Running of the Bulls, giving us his blessing.”
-Song sung before the run
For nine days each July, a million visitors pack into Pamplona to watch a gang of reckless, sangria-fueled adventurers thrust themselves into the path of an oncoming herd of furious bulls. Locals call it El Encierro (literally, “the enclosing”—as in, taking the beasts to be enclosed in the bullring)...but everyone else knows it as the “Running of the Bulls.”
The festival begins at City Hall at noon on July 6, with various events filling the next nine days and nights. Originally celebrated as the feast of San Fermín—who is still honored by a religious procession through town on July 7—it has since evolved into a full slate of live music, fireworks, general revelry, and an excuse for debauchery. After dark the town erupts into a rollicking party scene. To beat the heat, participants chug refreshing sangria or kalimotxo (calimocho in Spanish)—half red wine, half cola. The town can’t accommodate the crowds, so some visitors day-trip in from elsewhere (such as San Sebastián), and many young tourists simply pass out in city parks overnight (public showers are on Calle Hilarión Eslava in the old town).
The Running of the Bulls takes place each morning of the festival and is broadcast nationwide on live TV. The bulls’ photos appear in the local paper beforehand, allowing runners to size up their opponents. If you’re here to watch, stake your claim at a vantage point along the outer barrier by 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning. Don’t try to stand along the inner barrier—reserved for press and medical personnel—or you’ll be evicted when the action begins.
Before the run starts, runners sing a song to San Fermín (see lyrics above) three times to ask for divine guidance. Soon the bulls will be released from their pen near Cuesta de Santo Domingo. From here they’ll stampede a half-mile through the town center...with thrill-seekers called mozos (and female mozas) running in front of the herd, trying to avoid a hoof or horn in the rear end.
Mozos traditionally wear white with strips of red tied around their necks and waists, and carry a newspaper to cover the bull’s eyes when they’re ready to jump out of the way. Two legends explain the red-and-white uniform: One says it’s to honor San Fermín, a saint (white) who was martyred (red); the other says that the runners dress like butchers, who began this tradition. (The bulls are color-blind, so they don’t care.)
At 8:00, six bulls are set loose. The beginning of the run is marked by two firecrackers—one for the first bull to leave the pen, and another for the last bull. The animals charge down the street, while the mozos try to run in front of them for as long as possible before diving out of the way. The bulls are kept on course by fencing off side-streets (with openings just big enough for mozos to escape). Shop windows and doors are boarded up.
A bull becomes most dangerous when separated from the herd. For this reason, a few steer—who are calmer, slower, have bigger horns, and wear a bell—are released with the bulls, and a few more trot behind them to absorb angry stragglers and clear the streets. (There’s no greater embarrassment in this muy macho culture than to think you’ve run with a bull...only to realize later that you actually ran with a steer.)
The bulls’ destination: the bullring...where they’ll be ceremonially slaughtered as the day’s entertainment. (For more on bullfighting, see here.)
If you’re considering running with the bulls, it’s essential to equip yourself with specific safety information not contained in this book. Locals suggest a few guidelines: First, understand that these are very dangerous animals, and running with them is entirely at your own risk. Be as sober as possible, and wear good shoes to protect your feet from broken glass and from being stepped on by bulls and people. (Runners wearing sandals might be ejected by police.) You’re not allowed to carry a backpack, as its motion could distract the bulls. If you fall, wait for the animals to pass before standing up—it’s better to be trampled by six bulls than to be gored by one. Ideally, try to get an experienced mozo to guide you on your first run.
Cruel as this all seems to the bulls—who scramble for footing on the uneven cobblestones as they rush toward their doom in the bullring—the human participants don’t come away unscathed, either. Each year, dozens of people are gored, trampled, or otherwise injured. Over the last century, 15 runners have been killed at the event. But far more people have died from overconsumption of alcohol.
The festival ends at midnight on July 14, when the townspeople congregate in front of the City Hall, light candles, and sing their sad song, “Pobre de Mí”: “Poor me, the Fiesta de San Fermín has ended.”
The Camino de Santiago is lined with great cathedrals, making Pamplona’s feel like an architectural also-ran. However, after an expensive makeover, it looks like new and holds an interesting museum with a thoughtful message for pilgrims and tourists alike.
Cost and Hours: Cathedral and museum—€5, daily 10:30-19:00, until 17:00 in winter, museum closed Sun and during church services, last entry one hour before closing, let ticket office know if you want to do the 11:30 bell tower climb, tel. 948-212-594.
Visiting the Cathedral: The cathedral—a Gothic core wrapped in a Neoclassical shell—is shiny and clean from the outside, but the interior is dark and mysterious. Follow signs for entrada at the left side of the main entrance, buy your ticket, and go inside.
The prominent tomb dominating the middle of the nave holds Charles III (the king of Navarre who united the disparate groups of Pamplona) and his wife. The blue fleur-de-lis pattern is a reminder that the kings of Navarre once controlled a large swath of France. Notice that Charles’ face is realistic, indicating that it was sculpted while he was still alive, whereas his wife’s face is idealized—done after she died. Around the base of the tomb, monks from various orders mourn the couple’s death.
In the choir, look for the silver and gold statue nicknamed “Mary of the Adopted Child.” The Baby Jesus was stolen from this statue in the 16th century and replaced with a different version...which looks nothing like his mother. (The mother, dating from the 13th century, is the only treasure surviving from the previous church that stood on this spot.)
In the back-left corner chapel, dedicated to San Juan Bautista, find the Renaissance crucifix—shockingly realistic for a no-name artist of the time (compare it with the more typical one in the next chapel). The accuracy of Christ’s musculature leads some to speculate that the artist had a model. (When you drive a nail through a foot, toes splay as you see here...but this is rarely seen on other crucifixes of the time.) It’s said that if the dangling lock of hair touches Jesus’ chest, the world will end.
Leave the cathedral and head to the museum, in the former cloister and attached buildings. The exhibits document the origins of Western thought and religion without focusing on one particular civilization or geographic area. Pass the spiral staircase into a room that chronicles the stages of cathedral construction. Next, wander through the Gothic cloister to the Archaeology Hall and the main exhibit.
Ramparts View: Exit to the left of the cathedral, walking through the tree-lined square and down picturesque Calle del Redín. Continue to the small viewpoint overlooking the Caballo Blanco ramparts. This is your best chance to see part of Pamplona’s imposing city walls—designed to defend against potential invaders from the Pyrenees, still 80 percent intact, and now an inviting parkland. Belly up to the overlook, with views across the city’s suburban sprawl. Beyond those hills on the horizon to the left are San Sebastián and the Bay of Biscay. Camino pilgrims enter town through the Puerta de Francia gate below and on the left. This area is popular with people who are in town for the Running of the Bulls but didn’t make hotel reservations. Sadly, it was not unusual for people to fall asleep on top of the wall...then roll off to their deaths. The hodgepodge fencing here is designed to prevent that from happening during the next festival.
As a prominent town on the Camino route, Pamplona has its share of other interesting pilgrim churches. This one, the most important of the bunch, is an architectural combination: a 15th-century Gothic body with an 18th-century Baroque altar. Duck inside: This is where pilgrims can get their credential stamped (someone’s usually on duty in the pews). At the end across from where you enter, you’ll see an altar with the silver-bodied, golden-haloed Holy Virgin of the Camino. As you continue your journey, you’ll notice that most churches along the Camino are dedicated to Mary. According to legend, when St. James himself came on a missionary trip through northern Spain, he suffered a crisis of faith around Zaragoza (not far from here). But, inspired by the Virgin, he managed to complete his journey to Galicia. Pilgrims following in his footsteps find similar inspiration from Mary today.
Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Sat 9:00-12:30 & 18:00-20:00, Sun 10:15-13:30 & 18:00-20:00, Calle San Saturnino 3 (just off City Hall Square).
San Fermín is a big name in town, and you’ll find him in a giant side-chapel of this church. Enter the church and turn right down the transept to find the statue of San Fermín, dressed in red and wearing a gold miter (tall hat). Pamplona was founded by the Roman Emperor Pompey (hence the name) in the first century B.C. Later, a Roman general here became the first in the empire to allow Christians to worship openly. The general’s son—Fermín—even preached the word himself...until he was martyred. Fermín has been the patron saint here ever since. Just below the statue’s Adam’s apple, squint to see a reliquary holding Fermín’s actual finger. The statue—gussied up in an even more over-the-top miter and staff—is paraded around on Fermín’s feast day, July 7, which was the origin of today’s bull festival. This chapel is the most popular place in town for weddings.
Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Sat 8:00-12:30 & 17:30-20:00, Sun 8:30-13:45 & 17:30-20:00, overlooking the ring road at the edge of the old town at Calle Mayor 74.
Pamplona is still defined by its remarkably preserved fortifications, considered some of the finest in Europe. A large citadel protects the hard-to-defend southwest corner of the old town and has become one of the city’s most enjoyed green spaces. Walls and gates often come into view while strolling through the city center. To understand such a complex defensive system, one of the remaining bastions serves as an interpretive center, explaining the evolution of Pamplona. Originally three separate towns, city walls were combined under the reign of Charles III. Centuries later, a constant threat from nearby France forced the city to adopt French defensive measures: a star-shaped wall inspired by France’s Vauban fortifications. Request the English-language video when purchasing tickets (only the first video is worth viewing), then climb the ramparts for stunning views of the surrounding area.
Cost and Hours: €3, Tue-Sun 11:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, shorter hours off-season, closed Mon, Calle Arrieta, tel. 948-211-554, www.murallasdepamplona.com.
Because Pamplona is a business-oriented town, prices go up during the week; on weekends, you can usually score a discount. All prices go way, way up for the San Fermín festival, when you must book as far in advance as possible.
$$$$ Gran Hotel La Perla is the town’s undisputed top splurge. Hemingway’s favorite hotel, sitting right on the main square, has recently undergone a top-to-bottom five-star renovation. Its 44 rooms offer luxury at Pamplona’s best address (air-con, elevator, restaurant, Plaza del Castillo 1, tel. 948-223-000, www.granhotellaperla.com, informacion@granhotellaperla.com). Well-heeled lit lovers can drop at least €600 for a night in the Hemingway room, still furnished as it was when “Papa” stayed there (with a brand-new bathroom grafted on the front).
$$$ At Palacio Guendulain, pander to your inner aristocrat; this hotel is owned by the Count of Guendulain. Currently living in Madrid, he had his mansion in Pamplona converted into a luxurious 25-room hotel decorated with family crests, antiques, Spanish Old Masters, and ultra-modern bathrooms. Check out the collection of carriages in the courtyard (air-con, elevator, restaurant open to non-guests, Zapateria 53, tel. 948-225-522, www.palacioguendulain.com).
$ Hostal Navarra is the best value in Pamplona, with 14 modern, well-maintained, clean rooms. Near the bus station, but an easy walk from the old town, it’s well-run by well-spoken Miguel (RS%, check-in from 14:00, reception closes at 22:00—notify if you’ll be arriving later, Calle Tudela 9, mobile 627-374-878, www.hostalnavarra.com, info@hostalnavarra.com).
$ Hotel Europa, a few blocks off the square, offers 25 rooms with reasonable prices for its green-marble elegance and ideal location (air-con, elevator, Calle Espoz y Mina 11, tel. 948-221-800, www.hoteleuropapamplona.com, europa@hreuropa.com). The ground-floor restaurant is a well-regarded splurge among locals.
$ Hotel Yoldi is a comfortable business-style hotel in a 19th-century building. Well-located just off Plaza Príncipe de Viana, its 50 modern rooms are handy for travelers arriving by bus from the train station (elevator, café, Avenida de San Ignacio 11, tel. 948-224-800, www.hotelyoldi.com, yoldi@hotelyoldi.com).
$ Hotel Castillo de Javier, right on the bustling San Nicolás bar street (request a quieter back room), rents 19 small, simple, yet lovely rooms (air-con, elevator, Calle San Nicolás 50, tel. 948-203-040, www.hotelcastillodejavier.com, info@hotelcastillodejavier.com). This is a step up from the several cheap hostales that line the same street.
All of these eateries are within a couple minutes’ walk of one another, and the tapas bars make a wonderful little pub crawl.
On Calle de la Estafeta: The best concentration of trendy tapas bars is on and near the skinny drag called La Estafeta. My favorites here are $$ Bar Cervecería La Estafeta (try the gulas—baby eels—stuffed in a red pepper, daily, at #54, tel. 948-222-157) and $$ Bodegón Sarria, where you’ll lick your lips for escombro, a hot sandwich with Iberian ham and chorizo (English menu, dining room to enjoy Navarre dishes, at #52, tel. 948-227-713).
Near Plaza del Castillo: A proud little prizewinning place, $$ Bar Gaucho serves gourmet tapas cooked to order. You could sit down, enjoy three tapas, and have an excellent meal. I never pass up the huevo con trufo—stir the truffle into the egg to get the full effect of the flavors (daily, just a few steps off the main square at Calle Espoz y Mina 7, tel. 948-225-073, ask for English menu).
$$ Café Roch is a time-warp eatery with a line of delightful tapas. Their most popular are the stuffed pepper and the fried Roquefort (find the tobacco shop at #35 on Plaza del Castillo—Café Roch is a block away on the left at Calle de las Comedias 6, tel. 948-222-390).
The narrow and slightly seedy Calle San Nicolás has more than its share of hole-in-the-wall tapas joints, with an older, more traditional clientele, and homier, more straightforward tapas. $$ La Mandarra de la Ramos (“Ramos’ Apron”), at #9, is a pork lover’s paradise, where cured legs dangle enticingly over your head. Ham it up with a couple of tostadas de jamón, best washed down with a glass of the local vino tinto (daily, just around the corner from Café Roch, tel. 948-212-654).
$$ Catachu serves ample portions in a simple but eclectic setting (menus more expensive on weekends, open Sun-Thu 13:00-17:00 & 20:00-24:00—except closed Mon for lunch, Fri-Sat 13:00-24:00, Indatxikia 16, tel. 948-226-028).
Near the Cathedral: Seafood lovers can go to $$ La Mejillonera, where they can enjoy a caña (small draft beer) and media (half-portion) de calamares bravos in its simple, homey atmosphere. The deep-fried mini calamari are the perfect vehicle for picking up all that mayo and hot sauce (open Tue-Sun, Calle Navarrería 12, tel. 948-229-184).
$$ La Capilla transformed a former chapel into a pristine, white dining space. Step into the restaurant to peek at the grand chandelier, but stay at the bar for some of the most innovative tapas in the city. Go early to grab a seat facing the plaza (tapas only April-Oct, open Thu-Fri evenings, all day Sat, and Sun lunch only, Calle Dos de Mayo 4, tel. 948-226-688).
$$$ Café Iruña, which clings to its venerable past and its connection to Hemingway (who loved the place), serves up drinks out on the main square and food in the delightful old 1888 interior. While the food is mediocre, the ambience is great. Find the little “Hemingway’s Corner” (El Rincón de Hemingway) side eatery in back, where the bearded one is still hanging out at the bar (accessible only on weekends). Enjoy black-and-white photos of Ernesto, young and old, in Pamplona (open daily, Plaza del Castillo 44, tel. 948-222-064, www.cafeiruna.com).
$$$ San Ignacio Restaurante is an excellent choice for a real restaurant, where Nuntxi serves local fare with an emphasis on seasonal products. Set in what was formerly a private home, this place is elegant and inviting (open daily for lunch 13:30-15:30, also for dinner Thu-Sat 20:30-22:30, reservations smart, facing the back of the Navarre government building at Avenida San Ignacio 4, tel. 948-221-874, www.restaurantesanignacio.com).
To satisfy a sugar craving, visit the Ultramarinos Beatriz shop on Calle de la Estafeta, which sells delicious mini croissants with various sweet fillings (closed Sun, Calle de la Estafeta 22, tel. 948-220-618; described on here of my self-guided walk). Or try one of these places:
Layana summons passersby with the thick scent of sugar and butter. A line of locals often spills out the doors because they know that both the pasta de nata and the pasta de mermelada (cream-filled and marmalade-filled cookies) are worth the wait (Calle Calceteros 12, tel. 948-221-124).
Churrero de Lerín serves the best churros y chocolate in Pamplona. The doughnut-like hoops are perfect with the thick, hot chocolate. Cleanse your palate with a free swig of sweet brandy from the porrón, a glass dispenser with a spout like a hummingbird’s beak. Be sure to pour from high up and avoid touching your mouth to the spout. You’re welcome to add graffiti to the walls...as long as you don’t write about politics or religion (Calle de la Estafeta 5).
Note that the bus station is closer to the old town than the train station, and that some connections are faster by bus.
From Pamplona by Bus to: Burgos (4/day with transfer or long stop in Vitoria, 3-4 hours), San Sebastián (10/day, 1 hour), Bilbao (6/day, 2 hours), Madrid (8/day—most with transfer, 6 hours), Madrid Barajas Airport (7/day, 5 hours—see www.alsa.es; buy ticket online). For bus schedules, call 948-203-566.
By Train to: Burgos (4/day, 2-3.5 hours, better option than bus—direct, faster trains in afternoon), San Sebastián (3/day, 2 hours), Madrid (6/day direct, 3.5 hours).
The stretch of the Camino between Pamplona and Burgos is particularly appealing, with several tempting stopovers. As you finish your descent from the rugged Pyrenees, you enter the flatter, more cultivated landscape that typifies the long middle stretch of the Camino (basically from here to Galicia). The two best stops along here are the small town of Puente la Reina (with an iconic old bridge and fun pilgrim vibes) and a potential detour for wine lovers through La Rioja wine country.
• Begin by taking the A-12 expressway west from Pamplona (toward Logroño). Consider stopping in Puente la Reina, as it’s a very easy detour—the exit (Puente la Reina norte) is well-marked from the expressway. Approaching town, watch for the first bell tower; parking is on the left.
The Camino de Santiago’s two French routes converge in this cozy sun-baked village, just one walking stage (about 12 miles) west of Pamplona. Named for a graceful 11th-century stone bridge at the far end of town, the village retains a pilgrims’ vibe. All the sights here fall on a straight axis: church, main street, and bridge with built-in TI (Tue-Sat 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-14:00; shorter hours off-season, closed Mon year-round; Calle Puente de los Peregrinos 1, tel. 948-341-301). Parking the car and wandering around here gives “car hikers” a whiff of Camino magic.
As you enter the town, watch for the Church of the Crucifixion (Iglesia del Crucifijo), with a stork’s nest on its steeple. The Knights of St. John, who came to protect pilgrims from the Moors, founded this church in the 12th century. Inside you’ll find a distinctive Y-shaped crucifix that shows a Christ who’s dead, yet still in pain (by a German craftsman—a reminder of the rich influx of pan-European culture the Camino enjoyed). It was likely carried by German pilgrims all the way across Europe to this spot. Across the street is a pilgrims’ refugio run by a contemporary religious order—Padres Reparadores—offering bunks and credential stamps to Camino walkers (daily 10:00-20:00, shorter hours in winter). The TI can also give pilgrims that coveted stamp.
The straight, wide Calle Mayor connects the church and refugio with the bridge. Classic Camino towns feature main drags like this one. They were born as a collection of services flanking the path. Pilgrims needed to eat, sleep, pray, and deal with health problems. The more stone a house showed off (rather than brick), the wealthier the owner. You may see modern flooring being stripped away to reveal now-trendy river-pebble cobbles inside.
The main street leads directly to the most interesting sight in town (and its namesake), the “Bridge of the Queen” (which you can also see on the right as you drive across the modern bridge near the end of town). With a graceful seven-arch Romanesque design (one arch is hidden) that peaks in the middle, the bridge represents a lifespan: You can’t quite see where you’re going until you get there. The extra holes were designed to let high water through, so that water pressure wouldn’t push the stone construction over—clever 11th-century engineering. Pilgrims enjoy congregating on the riverbank under the arches of this bridge (ramp on right side)—a great place to stop and stretch your legs. Ponder this scene: the bridge, pilgrims, the flowing river, the happy birdsong...it’s timeless.
• From here, hop immediately back on the A-12 expressway (toward Estella) to speed along. As you pass by Estella/Lizarra (home to the imposing Romanesque Palace of the Kings of Navarre), you’ll begin to notice that you’re entering wine country with scrubby vegetation, red soil, and hill towns dotting the landscape. Take exit 44, direction: Ayegui, and follow signs to Irache Monastery, a worthwhile, quick, and fun detour.
This monastery (Monasterio de Irache), immersed in vineyards, has a unique custom of offering free wine to pilgrims. From the parking lot near the monastery, consider briefly wandering through the large, barren church and odd, double-decker cloister (get your credential stamped inside). Then go inside the Museo del Vino to purchase a €1 cup (if you didn’t bring your own). Walk down, following signs for fuente de vino, to find a faucet that dispenses free wine (daily 8:00-20:00; also one for water). The Spanish poem on the sign explains, “To drink without abusing, we invite you happily; but to be able to take it along, you must pay for the wine.” In other words, pilgrims are allowed to drink as much wine as they like...provided they don’t take any with them. If you do want to bring some along, you’re in luck: The wine for sale inside the Museo del Vino is of much better quality and costs half as much as comparable wines elsewhere in Spain (€2-3 for an average red, €9 for the really good stuff). At the faucet, note the webcam—text friends to look for you at www.irache.com. Hi, Mom!
Serious wine lovers enjoy detouring off the Camino at Logroño to visit the wine village of Laguardia, tour some unique wineries, and sample Rioja wine.
For many lovers of Spanish wines, it just doesn’t get better than Rioja (ree-OH-hah). Rioja wine is a D.O.C. product, meaning that it can only be produced in the Rioja region. Protected from the elements by the Cantabrian Mountains to the north (which you’ll see from Laguardia), vineyards have thrived in the valley of the Ebro River since Roman times. Rioja wines, which can be red, white, or rosé, grow in a variety of soil types dominated by red clay and limestone. The reds, made primarily from the tempranillo grape (Spain’s “noble grape”), are medium- to full-bodied in the Bordeaux style and characterized by aging in oak barrels—infusing them with overtones of vanilla. You’ll see four types of Rioja wines, depending on how long they’ve been aged (from shortest to longest, and cheapest to most expensive): simply Rioja (or sometimes cosecha, “harvest”), crianza, reserva, and gran reserva.
Be warned that the Rioja region is not well set up for impromptu visitors. All wine-tasting experiences prefer reservations, and most require them, especially if you want a visit in English. If you’re serious about your Rioja, set up here for a day or two, pick your designated driver, do some homework (www.laguardia-alava.com is helpful), and reserve at the wineries of your choice. Although Laguardia is connected by bus to Pamplona (via Logroño), most of the experience here lies in the countryside—workable only by car.
• From Logroño follow A-124 northwest to Laguardia. Adventurous drivers should consider taking a small detour from A-124: Get off at A-4202 (toward Lapuebla de Labarca), then head north to Laguardia on A-3216. Your reward is pulling off and examining grapes that are planted up to the roadside. In Laguardia, follow signs to a pay parking garage or continue to the Navaridas lot for free parking outside the town wall.
Laguardia is the scenic center of the Rioja wine-tasting country. This walled town—literally “The Guard,” for its position watching out for potential invaders coming in from the mountains—is perched on a promontory with fine views of the surrounding region. There’s not much in the way of sightseeing, but poke around a bit. Under your feet are more than 200 wine cellars (bodegas) where Rioja quietly ages. Only two in town are open for visitors: El Fabulista (€7 for two tastes and a one-hour guided visit, Plaza San Juan, tel. 945-621-192, www.bodegaelfabulista.com, Alonso) and Carlos San Pedro (€4 for one taste, Calle Páganos 44, mobile 605-033-043, www.bodegascarlossanpedro.com); for both, you can try just dropping in (each offers 1-2 scheduled visits/day in English), but it’s better to call ahead. Laguardia’s TI can give you information on wine-tastings in town and nearby, but they’ll warn you that most wineries require reservations (TI open Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-14:00 & 17:00-19:00, Sun 10:45-14:00, Calle Mayor 52, tel. 945-600-845, www.laguardia-alava.com).
The countryside around Laguardia is blanketed with vineyards. For those just passing through, three wine-related attractions are worth considering. All are within a few minutes’ drive of Laguardia. Note that Ysios and Marqués de Riscal are architectural gems worth dropping by to see even if you couldn’t care less about the wine.
Villa Lucía is a sort of wine museum about La Rioja’s favorite product, as well as its traditional architecture. Call ahead if you want to join a tour (various programs for €11-20, Tue-Sun 10:00-14:00 & 16:30-20:00, closed Mon, on the right as you reach the edge of town, tel. 945-600-032, www.villa-lucia.com).
Ysios is a modern winery with an undulating silver roof designed by the bold and prolific Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Wine lovers enjoy the one-hour tours of the cellar, in which countless casks age under the wavy ceiling (€12, includes two tastes; daily at 11:00 and 13:00, Mon-Sat also at 16:00; call first to ensure a space in an English tour, if available; tel. 902-239-773, www.bodegasysios.com). But even from the outside, it’s a worthwhile photo op for anyone (just a three-minute drive behind Laguardia, toward the mountains—behind the town, look for Ysios signs; you’ll see the building from far off).
• From the Laguardia area, follow signs south to Elciego (on A-3210, pull off into town and walk up to the church for a great photo op), then head to...
Marqués de Riscal, in the village of Elciego, was one of the pioneer winemakers of the Rioja wine industry. Its winery features a distinctive hotel designed by Frank Gehry (of Bilbao Guggenheim fame). The wine cellar is tourable (€12, includes two tastes, call or book online first to request an English tour, tel. 945-180-888, www.marquesderiscal.com). The hotel (a double room costs €400-1,000), with its colorful, wavy design, seems out of place in this otherwise humble village.
• If you’re ready to move along, you can head south from Elciego toward Cenicero. In Cenicero, you can rejoin the AP-68 expressway, or continue down (following signs for Nájera) to highway N-120 (turn off at A-12, which is also confusingly called N-120; avoid signs to N-120a) to rejoin the Camino road into Burgos.
• Continuing south, you can choose your route: To save time, zip on the A-12 expressway right to Logroño. But for a scenic and only slightly slower meander through some cute villages (El Busto, Sansol) and larger towns (Los Arcos and Viana, with its ornate cathedral), take the expressway only as far as Los Arcos, then follow N-111 (sometimes written as N-1110) from there. Either way, you’ll end up at...
Just before the skippable big city of Logroño, you’ll cross the Ebro River. Today, as in centuries past, this river marks the end of the Basque territory (and Navarre) and the beginning of the rest of Spain. With more than 150,000 residents, Logroño is the largest city in La Rioja. Renowned for its robust wines, the Rioja region has historically served as a buffer between the Basques and the powerful forces to the south and east (the Moors or the Castilian Spaniards).
• Again, choose your route from here. If you have time and a healthy interest in wine (and vineyard scenery), detour off the Camino by heading north on A-124 to the village of Laguardia, rejoining the expressway—and the Camino—later (see “La Rioja Wine Loop” sidebar). Otherwise, stick with the expressway to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
Note that west of Logroño, the expressway does a big jog to the north (AP-68, then AP-1). You’ll save miles (though not necessarily time) and stick closer to the Camino if instead you take the N-120 highway from here to Burgos. Along the way is...
This Rioja town, a larger version of Puente la Reina, has a fine cathedral, oodles of historic buildings, tranquil squares, and all the trappings of a pilgrim zone (seashells in the pavement, refugios, vending machines, and launderettes). You’ll see images of a rooster and a hen everywhere in town, thanks to a colorful local legend: A chaste pilgrim refused to be seduced by the amorous daughter of an innkeeper. For revenge she hid a silver cup in his bed and accused him of theft. The judge, eager to hang the lad, proclaimed that the pilgrim was as dead as the roasted rooster and hen the judge was about to eat. The charred birds suddenly stood up and began to crow and cluck, saving the pilgrim from certain death.
• Soon after Santo Domingo de la Calzada, you pass into the region of...
Welcome to Spain’s largest “state” (about the size of Indiana). If you’ve always wanted to see the famous plains of Spain...this is it. This vast, arid high-altitude Meseta Central (“Inner Plateau”) stretches to hilly, rainy Galicia in the northwest and all the way past Madrid to the south coast. Those walking the entire Camino find this flat, dry stretch to be either the best part (getting away from it all with a pensive stroll) or the worst part (boring and potentially blistering-hot).
• The next big city on the Camino is just around the bend: Burgos.
Burgos (BOOR-gohs) is a pedestrian-friendly city lined up along its pretty river. Apart from its epic history and urban bustle, Burgos has one major claim to touristic fame: its glorious Gothic-style cathedral, packed to the gills with centuries’ worth of elaborate decorations.
Like so many towns in the north of Spain, the burg of Burgos was founded during the Reconquista to hold on to land that had been won back from the Moors. Its position on the Camino de Santiago, and the flourishing trade in wool (sent to the Low Countries to become Flemish tapestries), helped it to thrive. Beginning in 1230, it became the capital of the kingdom of Castile for half a millennium (having usurped the title from León). The town’s favorite son is the great 11th-century Spanish hero El Cid (locals say “el theeth”), who valiantly fought against the Moors. The 20th century saw the town decline, even as it briefly became the capital of Franco’s forces during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Later the dictator industrialized Burgos to even out the playing field (Catalunya and the Basque Country—on the political and geographical fringes of Spain—had previously been the centers of industry).
Today the outskirts of Burgos still feel workaday, but the old town gleams with a hint of elegance. The city constantly tries to improve itself—new public sculpture decorates nearly every plaza, greeting strollers on their evening paseo. Old architecture blends with the new (for example, find the public library at the end of Calle San Juan). Wealthy, well-dressed locals fill Burgos’ churches on weekends for weddings, christenings, and first communions. Stately plane trees line up along the riverside promenade. And watching over everything is that grand cathedral.
With about 180,000 inhabitants, Burgos is bisected by the Arlanzón River. The old town is centered on the huge cathedral. The city center is mostly pedestrianized and very manageable.
Burgos’ TI is on Plaza del Rey, close to the cathedral (June-Sept daily 9:00-20:00; Oct-May Mon-Sat 9:30-14:00 & 16:00-19:00, Sun 9:30-17:00; Calle Nuño Rasura 7, tel. 947-288-874, www.aytoburgos.es).
By Bus: The bus station is just across the river from the cathedral. Exit the station to the left, then turn right at the busy street and cross the bridge (you’ll see the large arch and spires).
By Train: Burgos’ Rosa de Lima station is a long 40-minute walk from town, and the bus service into town isn’t much help to tourists (€1, bus #25 or #43, direction: Plaza de España, then a 10-minute walk to cathedral, 2/hour Mon-Fri, 1/hour Sat-Sun). Unless you’re poor or a pilgrim, catch a taxi for €11. The bus stop and taxi stand are both at the station’s main entrance. The RENFE office at Calle Moneda 21 sells train tickets (Mon-Fri 9:30-13:30 & 17:00-20:00, closed Sat-Sun).
By Car: Burgos is easy and well-signed. Simply follow signs to the city center (centro ciudad), then look for a pay garage when you see the cathedral spires. Plaza Mayor and Plaza de España are the most central garage locations.
This little train runs both by day and by night (day-€4.60, night-€5.70, departs from the cathedral, buy tickets from shop across from cathedral’s side entrance on Plaza del Rey, reserve tickets by email in off-season, tel. 947-101-888, www.chuchutren.com, info@chuchutren.com). The shorter 45-minute day tour is worth taking only if you want to get a good shot of the cathedral from the best viewpoint in town—the Mirador, up by the ruins of the castle (2/hour, daily 11:00-21:00, shorter hours Oct-Dec and March-June, does not run Jan-Feb). I prefer the one-hour night tour for an enjoyable view of Burgos after dark, when its monuments are illuminated (departure times vary with the sunset, check at shop or TI).
Burgos is rightfully famous for its showpiece Gothic cathedral (Catedral de Burgos). With its soaring, frilly spires and an interior that’s been augmented across the centuries, Burgos’ cathedral is an impressive sight. Unfortunately, the church’s cultural and spiritual significance is badly presented; what precious English information it provides is stilted and boring. Use this self-guided tour to make the place meaningful.
Cost and Hours: €7, or €3.50 for pilgrims, daily mid-March-Oct 9:30-19:30, Nov-mid-March 10:00-19:00 except closed Tue 16:00-16:30 then free entry 16:30-18:30, last entry one hour before closing, includes audioguide, free lockers, tel. 947-204-712, www.catedraldeburgos.es.
Self-Guided Tour: Begin by facing the main facade of the grand church, which was built over the course of a century. You can read the building’s history in its architecture: It was started in the 13th century by French architects, who used a simple, graceful style similar to Paris’ famous Notre-Dame (mentally erase the tops of the spires and you’ll recognize that famous cathedral). In the 14th century, German cathedral-builders took over, adding the flamboyant fringe to the tops of the towers (similar to the cathedral in Cologne, Germany).
The entrance on this side is open only for worshippers, who have access to two chapels at the back of the cathedral (where hourly Mass takes place). Tourists head around the right side of the church to buy tickets and enter. As you walk there, you’ll realize that this “front door” facade is only one small part of the vast complex—more spires and frills lie beyond.
Buy your ticket and enter through the side door. After you show your ticket and pick up the audioguide, you’ll turn left and do a clockwise spin around the church, stopping at many of the 18 chapels. These chapels were added over many centuries, in different styles, and were decorated in creative ways by a wide range of benefactors. (To aid with navigation for certain stops, I’ve listed the numbers that are posted for audioguide users.) The first few chapels are just a warm-up: The Chapel of St. John of Sahagún (#6) features Baroque relic altars and some frescoes (unusual in this church), while the Chapel of the Presentation (#8) features a painting by an Italian Renaissance master, Il Piombo.
At the back of the church, the barriers separate the worship area from the tourist zone. But look high up, just to the right of the rose window, to see the church mascot: The “Fly-Catcher” clock (El Papamoscas), which rings out every quarter-hour. Above the clock is a whimsical statue of its German maker, whose mouth opens and closes when the bell rings at the top of each hour. (The tourists who congregate here and crane their necks to gape up at the show seem to be imitating the clockmaker.)
Continue to the chapel dedicated to St. Anne (Santa Ana, #12). Here you’ll find a spectacular Gothic altar, showing the family tree of Jesus springing out of a reclining Jesse. (The sculptor included his self-portrait as one of the evangelists—find the bespectacled guy, the second from left in the bottom row.) Facing the altar is a Flemish tapestry and some original 15th-century vestments.
You’ve now circled back around to the transept. On your left are the sumptuous Golden Stairs (#13, designed by a Flemish Renaissance master who had studied under Michelangelo) and an ornate, silver processional stand. Opposite the stairs you can enter the choir area. Step into the very center of the choir—also the very center of the cathedral—and place yourself directly under the sumptuous Plateresque-style dome, then look up and spin. Look back down again to see the tomb of El Cid (Rodericus Didaci Campidoctor) and his wife (#15). El Cid’s well-traveled remains were interred in Valencia, then in various points in Burgos, before being brought here in the early 20th century.
Take a look at the main altar, with a fine statue of Mary slathered in silver. Also poke around the carved wooden choir—much like the choir in Toledo’s cathedral—with a giant 16th-century songbook for Gregorian chants and two organs (used only for special occasions).
Directly behind the main altar, enter the cathedral’s best chapel, the Chapel of the High Constable (#22). Because it has its own altar, two side naves, and a choir and organ (in the back), it’s been called “the cathedral within the cathedral.” A high constable is a knight who won a crown in battle for his king or queen—the highest of VIPs in the Middle Ages. And yet, this chapel shows the influence not of a powerful man, but of a powerful woman. It was commissioned by the high constable’s wife (who’s entombed with him at the center of the chapel). She wanted the chapel decorations to demonstrate equality of the sexes (a bold statement in the late 15th century). Notice that most of the decorations on “his” side (left) are male-oriented, including the two brutes holding the coat of arms and the figures on the side altar. But “her” decorations (right) are more feminine—damsels holding the coat of arms, and mostly women decorating the side altar. The yin and yang of the sexes is even suggested by the black-and-white flooring. Also notice a pair of grand paintings here (unrelated to the sexual politics): on “his” side a beautiful Flemish depiction of a woman in a red dress (likely from the school of Hans Memling); and on “her” side Mary Magdalene, by a favorite pupil of Leonardo da Vinci (who probably put his own touches on the work as well).
Continuing around, you’ll walk past the beautifully carved main sacristy (#23), then enter the upper cloister (#24). The tour route takes you counterclockwise around this cloister, to a few more chapels and museum exhibits: The Corpus Christi Chapel (#26) features stairs up to the library (closed to the public) and access to the chapter house (#27), where the monks would meet. The next chapel (Santa Catalina’s Chapel, #28) displays a remarkable copy of a 10th-century Bible. In the same case is a copy of El Cid’s prenup. (To protect his assets, he found a clever legal loophole to transfer ownership of all he had to his wife.) Around the top of this room are dozens of paintings depicting centuries’ worth of bishops.
Continuing to the Chapel of St. John the Baptist and St. James (#29), you find the cathedral’s museum collection, including ecclesiastical items (such as some exquisitely detailed crosses and chalices), an emotive statue of Christ being whipped, and an altar depicting St. James the Moor-Slayer (see here).
Finally you’ll head downstairs to the lower cloister (#33). At the foot of the stairs is a schmaltzy portrait of El Cid, and straight ahead is a series of three chambers leading off to the right. In the first is a model of the original Romanesque church (with the current Gothic footprint around it for comparison), Romanesque capitals from cathedral columns, and a sarcophagus. The second chamber emphasizes the Gothic aspects of the cathedral and contains a large model of the entire cathedral complex. Farther down the cloister, Renaissance exhibits include a restored heraldic stained-glass window and a carved nativity scene. The third chamber on the right is a cinema showing a 15-minute film documenting the history of the cathedral and its recent restorations (Spanish only, 2/hour).
Backtrack to El Cid, and then continue around the cloister to see glass cases displaying several original statues and carvings retrieved during the restoration work (and replaced with copies). The patio often houses contemporary art exhibitions (open May-Sept only). Exit through the ticket office, which also contains the gift shop and the lockers. Go in peace—and if you’re carrying a pilgrim’s credential, stamp it yourself here. You’ve earned it.
On a short visit, the cathedral is the main sight. But if you have the time, a few other attractions might be worth a look.
This museum was inspired by discoveries of Pleistocene-era remains in the nearby Atapuerca Mountains, about nine miles east of Burgos. The Atapuerca find constitutes one of the most important settlements of the first Europeans. Housed in a glass building by the river, the museum displays these remains. Flanking the museum are a research center and a large conference center. In front of the museum is a sculpture of a naked man walking hand-in-hand with a child, surrounded by various metal tubes symbolizing their evolution...a surprising topic for a city with such a conservative religious history.
Begin on the museum’s lowest level with its re-creations of the Atapuerca sites, making you feel like part of the discovery. Ponder the 400,000-year-old skull of “Miguelón” and learn how modern archaeology works. Climb the stairs to accompany Darwin in a full-size mock-up of the HMS Beagle, learn about the theory of evolution, visit our ancestors, and see why our brains are so unique. The next levels highlight the development of early technology and artistic expression through cave paintings, as well as the evolution of ecosystems.
Cost and Hours: €6, free on Wed afternoon, Tue-Fri 10:00-14:30 & 16:30-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-20:00, closed Mon, Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca, tel. 902-024-246, www.museoevolucionhumana.com. Keep your ticket for free entry to the Museo de Burgos described below.
On the hill behind the cathedral, Centro de Arte Caja Burgos is a contemporary art museum with temporary exhibits (free, Tue-Fri 11:00-14:00 & 17:30-20:00, Sat until 21:00, Sun until 14:30, closed Mon, tel. 947-256-550, www.cabdeburgos.com). Just across the river, near the bus station, the Museo de Burgos celebrates the cultural heritage of Burgos province. Its five floors of painting and sculpture and two floors of archaeological exhibits ring the gorgeous courtyard of a fine old 1540 convent. The somewhat-hard-to-appreciate museum features La Tizona, the famous sword of El Cid (€1, free entry with Museum of Human Evolution ticket; Tue-Sat 10:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, Oct-June until 19:00; Sun 10:00-14:00, closed Mon year-round; Calle Miranda 13, tel. 947-265-875, www.museodeburgos.com).
Burgos’ main square, a long block from the cathedral, is urban-feeling and strangely uninviting, with long marble benches. The stone building with two clock towers is the Town Hall; if you walk under here you’ll emerge at the city’s delightful riverside promenade. Lined with knobby plane trees and outdoor cafés, it has an almost Provençal ambience. Going left along the promenade takes you to Plaza del Mío Cid, with an equestrian statue celebrating Burgos’ favorite son, “My El Cid.” Going right along the promenade leads you to the impressive Arco de Santa María (Virgin Mary’s Gate), one of 12 original gates to this stout-walled city, six of which survive. Built in the 13th century and decorated in 16th-century Renaissance style, the gate’s interior is open to the public. Although there isn’t much to see inside—temporary art exhibits and old pharmacy artifacts—it’s free (Tue-Sat 11:00-13:50 & 17:00-21:00, Sun 11:00-14:00, closed Mon). After climbing through, go outside to look up at the gate, and in a deep, strong voice, declare: “Burgos.” Passing through this gate takes you directly to the cathedral.
In addition to its grand cathedral, Burgos has a pair of impressive monasteries. The Cistercian monastery of Huelgas is the easiest to reach (though still a bit of a walk from the cathedral). Entrance is by one-hour tour only, and English tours are rare. Inside you’ll see a “pantheon” of royal tombs, a Gothic cloister with Mudejar details, a chapter house with 13th-century stained glass, and a Romanesque cloister. The highlight is a statue of St. James with an arm that could be moved to symbolically “knight” the king by placing a sword on his shoulders (since only a “saint”—or statue of a saint—was worthy of knighting royalty). Finally, you’ll tour a museum of rare surviving clothes from common people (not just religious vestments) from the 13th and 14th centuries.
Cost and Hours: €6, free all day Wed and Thu afternoons, open Tue-Sat 10:00-13:00 & 16:00-17:30, Sun 10:30-14:00, closed Mon, required tours (most in Spanish) depart about every 20 minutes, tel. 947-201-630, www.monasteriodelashuelgas.org.
Getting There: It’s about a 20-minute walk west of the city center, or you can take bus #5, #7, or #39 (catch the bus across the bridge from the cathedral).
Unless you adore monasteries, seeing both Huelgas and Cartuja is probably redundant—and Cartuja is farther out of town. However, the Cartuja Monastery is a nice destination for a pleasant two-mile walk. (Bring a picnic.) To get there, cross the river by Plaza del Mío Cid and turn left, following the river until you reach the monastery. Or take a €10 taxi ride there (or bus #26 or #27) and walk back.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:15-15:00 & 16:00-18:00, Sun from 11:00, closed Wed in winter, tel. 947-258-686, www.cartuja.org.
Nine miles out of Burgos sit the Sierra de Atapuerca Mountains, home to the site where archaeologists have discovered human remains dating back over a million years. Scholars are drooling over the find, which offers significant new insights into the lives of prehistoric humans—well-explained by the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos (see here). To visit Atapuerca, go by car or taxi from Burgos to the village of Ibeas de Juarros, where a shuttle bus will transfer you to the site (advance reservations essential, get details at TI or the Museum of Human Evolution, or call tel. 947-421-000, www.atapuerca.org, informacion@fundacionatapuerca.es).
This unassuming village—about 40 miles (an hour’s drive) south of Burgos—has a fine Benedictine monastery that’s become a quirky footnote in popular music. The monastery’s monks are famous for their melodic Gregorian chants, which were recorded and released as the hugely popular album Chant in 1994. (It went on to sell six million copies.) Although the monks don’t perform concerts, some of their daily services—which are free and open to the public—include chanting. The lengthy vespers (visperas) service is entirely chanted (daily at 19:00, 2.5 hours); there’s also some chanting at the shorter Eucharist service (Mon-Sat at 9:00, Sun at 11:00). You can also tour the cloister and museum (€3.50, open to the public Tue-Sat 10:00-13:00 & 16:30-18:00, Sun 12:00-13:00 & 16:00-18:00, closed Mon). Call to confirm before making the trip (tel. 947-390-049, www.abadiadesilos.es).
$$ Hotel Silken Gran Teatro is comfortable, modern, and well-located beside the river (connected by a footbridge to the Museum of Human Evolution complex). Prices for its 117 rooms vary wildly depending on season and view—book well in advance for a good deal (air-con, elevator, café, restaurant, free gym, pay parking, Avenida del Arlanzón 8, tel. 947-253-900, www.hotelgranteatro.com, recepcion.granteatro@hoteles-silken.com).
$ Mesón del Cid enjoys Burgos’ best location, gazing across a quiet square at the cathedral’s front facade (full-frontal cathedral views are worth the extra euros). The 49 rooms in two buildings come with classy tile floors and old-fashioned furniture (air-con, elevator, Plaza de Santa María 8, tel. 947-208-715, www.mesondelcid.es, mesondelcid@mesondelcid.es).
$ Hotel Centro Burgos Los Braseros, set back a little from the street, offers modern class for reasonable prices. Its lobby and 59 rooms are slick and stylish (air-con, elevator, request quiet room, restaurant, café, Avenida del Cid 2, tel. 947-252-958, www.hotelcentroburgos.com, reservas@hotelcentroburgos.com).
$ El Hotel Jacobeo is a cheaper option, with 14 modern rooms along a lively pedestrian street (all rooms face the back—so it’s quiet, Calle de San Juan 24, tel. 947-260-102, www.hoteljacobeo.com, hoteljacobeo@hoteljacobeo.com).
¢ Pensión Peña is Burgos’ best budget option. Lively Loli, who speaks no English, rents eight simple but bright and well-maintained rooms (sharing three bathrooms) on the second floor of an old apartment building with a new elevator. Loli takes no advance reservations, but you can call in the morning to see if she has a room (La Puebla 18, no Wi-Fi, tel. 947-206-323, mobile 639-067-089).
Several good eateries are on this street near the cathedral. $$ Bar Gaona Jardin, at #29 (tel. 947-206-191), has a leafy interior and cooks up nice, hot tapas. Across the street, $$ Cervecería Morito offers a more chaotic ambience—one tight room with tables and a bar, or pay a little more to eat at the terrace across the road (handy photo menu, daily, Calle Sombrerería 27, tel. 947-267-555). At the end of the street, $$ Pecaditos is a local favorite for its tasty tapas and bargain prices (daily, Calle Sombrerería 3, tel. 947-267-633), and $$ Rimbombín at #6 wins awards for their tortilla española and speedy service (daily, tel. 947-261-200).
Calle Sombrerería may feel a little touristy, but Calle San Lorenzo has charm and a more diverse tapas scene. Begin your crawl from the narrow access to the street on Plaza Mayor, working your way from traditional to modern cuisine. To sample a good Spanish wine with your tapas, try a glass of the strong local red, Ribera del Duero, or a refreshing, white Albariño from Galicia.
$$ Casa Pancho has a long, inviting bar and friendly staff who churn out tapas as old-school as many of their clientele (the menu’s photos of dishes are described in English). Their specialty is cojonuda—quail egg, blood sausage, and red pepper on bread (table service extra, daily, at #13, tel. 947-203-405). Next, cross the street to $$ Mesón Los Herreros with an excellent wine selection, larger tapas than most and a cojonuda that’s the spiciest thing I’ve eaten in Spain. Do a comparison taste test (daily, at #20, tel. 947-202-448). When you’re finished, continue up to the brighter, whiter $$ La Quinta del Monje. Choose between the tapas on display under glass or pick up a picture menu for something made to order. Their chef offers playful variations on tried-and-true favorites (daily, at #21, tel. 947-208-768). To wet your whistle, $$ El Pez de San Lorenzo makes great mint-orange vermouths (daily, at #31, mobile 673-374-304). Finally, if you need a little something extra, step into the ultra-modern $$ Cuchillo de Palo for good-size, tasty tapas stylishly presented on slate or bamboo plates (daily, at #35, tel. 947-200-992).
$$$ Casa Ojeda is a venerable institution that’s a reliable choice for a real restaurant meal. Specializing in Burgos cuisine, they offer seating at the bar downstairs (only tapas and raciones served here) or in the upstairs dining room (meals served 21:00-24:00). Relax and enjoy the subdued, rapidly aging ambience (closed Sun evening, Calle Vitoria 5, tel. 947-209-052).
$$$ Rincón de España has a great location on Plaza del Rey, close to the cathedral. It’s popular with locals for its regional dishes, including cochinillo (roast suckling pig) and cordero (roast lamb) cooked in a wood-fired oven. The restaurant’s two indoor rooms often are full with wedding parties on weekends, and its outdoor terrace sports views of the cathedral spires. Brothers Javi and Fernando (who speaks English) are sommeliers and have a good local wine list. Try their morcilla (blood sausage, an area specialty) and, for dessert, the traditional leche frita—fried milk (daily 12:30-15:45 & 19:30-23:30, closed Mon-Tue afternoons in Oct-April, Calle Nuño Rasura 11, tel. 947-205-955).
The Camino by car? Purists cringe at the thought—arguably, it contradicts the whole point of the Camino to do it in a rush. If you have a month of your life to devote to the trek, consider following the Camino the intended and traditional way.
As walking the Camino is in vogue, there’s no shortage of good Camino guidebooks and maps. Try Walking the Camino de Santiago by Bethan Davies and Ben Cole, A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago by John Brierly, or Buen Camino by Jim and Eleanor Clem. For a more philosophical take, check out Following the Milky Way by Elyn Aviva and On Pilgrimage by Jennifer Lash. The Spanish national tourism office has posted good online resources at http://bit.ly/d1mjax.
Get a good book. Read and study it. Pack carefully. Solicit advice from people who’ve done it. Then enjoy the journey.
The procedure for walking the Camino has remained the same throughout history. The gear includes a cloak; a pointy, floppy hat; a walking stick; and a gourd (for drinking from wells). The route of the Camino is marked with yellow arrows or scallop shells at every intersection. (For more on the significance of these items and others, see sidebar on here.)
Early in the journey, pilgrims buy their “credential” (credencial)—a sort of passport, which they get stamped and dated at churches and lodgings along the way. (They can also show it to stay at cheap refugios and to get a reduced pilgrim’s rate at many museums and churches en route.) At the end, they present their stamped credential in Santiago and receive a special certificate called a compostela. Only those who meet the two principal criteria qualify: You must do the pilgrimage for “spiritual” reasons, and you must walk at least the last 100 kilometers (about 62 miles, roughly from Sarria) or ride your bike or horse the last 200 kilometers (124 miles) into Santiago.
Doing the entire French Road from the border to Santiago takes about four to six weeks on foot (averaging 12-15 miles per day, with an occasional rest day—32 days is a typical Camino). Bikers can do it in about two weeks. Many of the trails, originally dirt paths, are now being paved. The journey itself is a type of hut-hopping: At regular intervals along the route (about every 5-10 miles), pilgrims can get a bunk for the night at humble little hostels called albergues (ahl-BEHR-gehs), refugios (reh-FOO-hee-ohs), or hospitales (oh-spee-TAH-lehs). Some of these are run by the government (€5-10/bunk, closer to €3 in Galicia, even if they’re “free” a donation is requested; no reservations taken—first-come, first-served, with priority given to credential-holding pilgrims arriving on foot). Others are privately run (typically a bit more expensive—€10-20—and sometimes take reservations). A wide variety of other accommodations are available for those who prefer more comfort, ranging from simple hostales to grand hotels and paradores (I’ve listed my favorites in this chapter).
What began as a religious trek to atone for one’s sins has evolved into a journey undertaken by anyone—spiritual or secular—who just wants some time to think. Although some pilgrims do the trip for “fun,” those who take it seriously caution that it’s one of the most wrenching things you can do. After a few weeks on the Camino, many pilgrims begin to develop a telltale limp...you’ll notice it getting more pronounced as you move west. (There’s a reason old pilgrim hostels are sometimes called “hospitals.”)
But there are worse things than blisters and sore muscles. The Camino can take a psychological toll on pilgrims. Trudging step after step across endless plains toward an ever-receding horizon, you’re forced to introspection. Religious or not, you can’t help but come to terms with your regrets, demons, “sins,” or anything else that’s on your conscience.
This process of self-reflection is symbolized by picking up a small stone somewhere early on the Camino, then depositing it at the Iron Cross near the end of the trek—releasing yourself from whatever’s been weighing you down. The absolution of sins that awaited medieval pilgrims isn’t so different from the “find myself” motives of today’s smartphone-toting tourists. Whether you’re pardoned by the Church, or simply unburdened of what’s been nagging you, it’s liberating all the same.
A wonderful pilgrim camaraderie percolates along the length of the Camino, as a United Nations of vagabonds—young and old—swap stories and tips. Driving, on foot, or on bike, you’ll keep crossing paths with the same pilgrims again and again...the guy who checked in before you at the hotel last night is at the cathedral with you the next morning. Along the way, the standard greeting (like a Jacobean “Happy Travels”) is “Buen Camino!”
No matter how you get to Santiago, you’ll share in the jubilation pilgrims have felt through the ages when—four miles out of town—the spires of the cathedral come into view.
From Burgos by Bus to: Pamplona (4/day, 3-4 hours, transfer or long stop in Vitoria), León (3/day, 2-3 hours), Bilbao (12/day, fewer on weekends, 2-3 hours), Santiago de Compostela (1/day, 8 hours), San Sebastián (8/day, 3-4 hours), Salamanca (3/day, 3.5 hours), Madrid (hourly, 10/day go directly to T4 at Barajas Airport, 3 hours, Alsa). Keep in mind that Sunday connections are very sparse.
By Train to: Pamplona (4/day, 2-3.5 hours, better option than bus), León (4/day, 2 hours), Bilbao (3/day, 3 hours), San Sebastián (6/day, 3 hours), Salamanca (7/day, 2.5-5 hours), Madrid (6/day, 2.5-4.5 hours).
While there are some worthwhile stops between Burgos and León, this is a good place to put some serious miles under your belt: Follow signs for the A-231 expressway and zip between the cities in less than two hours. Sticking with the true Camino—a confusing spaghetti of roads without a single straight highway to keep you on track—takes you through a poorer, very humble countryside with few sights. Some travelers enjoy dipping into towns along here such as Castrojeriz, Frómista, and Carrión de los Condes—or the slightly larger town of Sahagún, with its impressive monastery and massive bell tower—but on a tight itinerary, your time is better spent in Burgos or our next stop, León.
With a delightfully compact old town (surrounded by ugly sprawl), León (lay-OWN) has an enjoyable small-town atmosphere. But most importantly, it has a pair of sights that serve as a textbook for medieval European art styles: Romanesque (the San Isidoro Monastery, with astonishingly well-preserved frescoes) and Gothic (the cathedral, with the best stained glass outside of France).
León means “lion” in Spanish—but in this case, the name derives from Rome’s seventh legion, which was stationed here. Founded as a Roman camp at the confluence of two rivers in A.D. 68, León gradually grew prosperous because of the gold trade that passed through here (mined in the Las Médulas hillsides to the west). Later, as the Moors were pushed ever southward, the capital of the Reconquista moved from Oviedo to here in 910, and for three centuries León was the capital of a vast kingdom (until it was supplanted by Burgos). Today’s León has relatively little industry, but is the capital of one of Spain’s biggest provinces, making it an administrative and business center. It’s also a major university town, with some 15,000 students who imbue it with an enjoyable vitality.
The big city of León, with 130,000 people (200,000 in the metro area), sits along the Bernesga River. On a short visit tourists can ignore everything outside the rectangular old town, which is set a few blocks up from the river.
León’s TI is on the square facing the cathedral (Mon-Sat 9:30-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, mid-Sept-June 9:30-14:00 & 16:00-19:00; Sun 9:30-17:00 year-round; Plaza de la Regla 2, tel. 987-237-082).
Local Guide: Blanca Lobete is an excellent, energetic teacher who shares León’s architectural gems with travelers (€100/3 hours, mobile 669-276-335, guiaslegio@hotmail.com).
By Train or Bus: The train and bus stations are almost next to each other along the river, about a 15-minute walk from the town center. To reach the old town from the stations, cross the big bridge, continue in the same direction through a roundabout, and walk straight up Avenida Ordoño II. You’ll hit the turreted Gaudí building, marking the start of the old town. From here the San Isidoro Museum is to the left, and the cathedral is straight ahead (up Calle Ancha).
By Car: Compared with the other cities in this chapter, León is not well-signed. Do your best to follow directions to the city center (centro ciudad); once there, you can park in a very convenient underground parking garage at Plaza Santo Domingo, right at the start of the old town (and within a three-minute walk of all my recommended accommodations). Nearby Plaza Mayor also has a parking garage.
León’s two most worthwhile sights complement each other perfectly: the remarkable Romanesque frescoes at San Isidoro, and the gorgeous stained glass of the cathedral. To connect these major sights, follow this self-guided walk through León’s city center. (If you’re rushed, head straight for the cathedral.)
• Start at...
Plaza San Marcelo: The old City Hall (Casa Consistorial) sports a variety of flags, from national to provincial. Next to the column in the plaza’s small park (at the north end of the square), you’ll find a relief map depicting León’s development during three major periods. León began as a Roman military camp nearly 2,000 years ago—we’ll see some Roman defensive walls later in this walk. After the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, the city fell into decline, but later reemerged as the capital of a Christian kingdom. Medieval walls enlarged the city, and as evidenced by the modern street plan, León continues to prosper to this day.
• From the park, head left to the Plaza Santo Domingo roundabout. Walk up Calle Ramón y Cajal (checking out the modern cityscape and keeping the church tower in sight), then head to the base of the bell tower and up the stairs to...
Plaza San Isidoro: On this square, you’ll find the 11th-century San Isidoro Church and its excellent museum. The church is free, so go into the entrance facing the plaza and take a peek. If you want to visit the museum—with its gorgeous Romanesque frescoes (described later)—turn right as you exit the church.
Continue this walk from Plaza San Isidoro down Calle Cid. At the big portico, look for the plaque dedicated to León’s favorite son, Guzmán el Bueno. This hero of the Reconquista was born in this mansion (for more on Guzmán, see here).
• Follow Calle Cid to the end of the gardens and turn right to the...
Casa de Botines: This is one of few works by Antoni Gaudí outside of Catalunya (another is the Bishop’s Palace in Astorga, described later in this chapter). Now the Casa de Botines is a bank and generally not open to visitors unless there’s a special exhibition. Gaudí preferred to use local materials, such as the slate roof (typical in León province). The rough stone exterior is intended to hang on to falling snow to create an atmospheric effect. Over the door is St. George, the patron saint of Gaudí’s native Catalunya. Notice the architect himself on the bench across the square, designing his work.
• At the end of the square, you reach an important thoroughfare. Turn left onto...
Calle Ancha: This “Wide Street” cuts through the heart of the old town. It was widened in the mid-19th century to create an appropriate pathway to the cathedral and is lined with grand mansions of local wealthy people who wanted to live close to God. It’s only been pedestrianized for the last decade, creating a much-enjoyed people zone.
As you walk up Calle Ancha toward the cathedral, the neighborhood to the left is called Barrio del Cid (for a supposed former resident). The area to the right is known as the Barrio Húmedo, or “Wet Quarter,” for all the bars that speckle its streets (see “Eating in León,” later). Deep in the Barrio Húmedo is the appealing main square, Plaza Mayor (which transforms into a market every Wed and Sat morning), overshadowed by the cathedral a few blocks away.
• The end of Calle Ancha is also the end of your walk—at León’s monumental cathedral (described next).
León’s 13th-century Gothic cathedral (Catedral de León) is filled with some of the finest stained glass in all of Europe. Pray for a sunny day when you can see their gorgeous colors scattered across this monumental space.
Cost and Hours: Cathedral-€6 (includes audioguide), cloister and museum-€3; June-Sept Mon-Fri 9:30-13:30 & 16:00-20:00, Sat 9:30-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sun 9:30-11:00 & 14:00-20:00; Oct-May Mon-Sat 9:30-13:30 & 16:00-19:00, Sun 9:30-14:00; tel. 987-875-767, www.catedraldeleon.org.
Self-Guided Tour: Before going inside, stop and take a look at the facade.
Exterior: If you’ve just seen Burgos’ cathedral, León’s—while impressive—might seem a letdown. But reserve judgment until you get inside. León’s cathedral was actually built in response to the one in Burgos, to keep León on the map after Burgos wrested capital status from León in 1230. But, whereas Burgos’ was built over two centuries, this cathedral took only about 50 years to complete. The focus was on creating a simple, purely Gothic cathedral to showcase its grand stained-glass windows. The three porticos (doorways with pointed arches) are textbook Gothic. Notice the gap between the two towers and the main facade, which allows even more light to reach those windows. This also gives the cathedral a feeling of lightness. The one exception to the pure-Gothic construction: Notice the tower on the right is a bit taller—it was capped in the 15th century with a frilly spire to keep up with what was going on in Burgos.
Now approach the main door, above which is a carving of the Last Judgment. Above Mary, St. Michael weighs souls to determine who is going to party with the musicians of heaven (left; his scale bar is missing) or burn with the cauldrons and demons of hell (right). If you look carefully you’ll see that all of those kicking back in heaven are members of the clergy or royalty. This subtle message made the Camino de Santiago even more appealing to pilgrims: If you weren’t a priest or an aristocrat, completing the Camino was your only ticket to eternal bliss.
Before entering, ponder the crucial role that light plays in this house of holy glass. Like all cathedrals, the main door faces the west, and the altar (at the far end) faces east—toward Jerusalem. But that also means that the sun rises behind the altar (where Jesus symbolically resides) and sets at the Last Judgment. This theme is continued again and again inside.
Speaking of which, go on in and let your eyes adjust to the light.
Interior: Notice how the purely Gothic structure—extremely high, with columns and pointed arches to direct your gaze ever heavenward—really allows the stained glass to take center stage. Of all this glass (the second-most glass in any European cathedral, after Chartres in France), 70 percent is original, from the 13th to the 16th centuries.
Imagine how the light in here changes, like living inside a kaleidoscope, as the sun moves across the sky each day. Notice that the colors differ thematically in various parts of the cathedral. Above the main door, the rose window (dedicated, like the cathedral itself, to the Virgin Mary, with 12 angels playing instruments around her) is the most colorful, as it receives the most light at the end of the day. Turning to face the front altar, notice that the glass on the left (north) side of the church, which gets less light, symbolizes darkness and obscurity—blue dominates this side. The glass on the right (south) side of the church, which is bathed in light much of the day, symbolizes brightness and has a greater variety of colors.
Now trace the layers of Gothic cathedral construction from the bottom up, as the building (like your eyes) stretches ever higher, closer to God. The lowest level is the stone foundation (with pointed archways embedded in the walls), symbolic of the mineral world. The first windows show flowers, trees, and animals—the natural world. At the top of each nature window are three medallions showing the human world: common people doing their thing—demonstrating both vices and virtues.
Above this first row of windows, notice the stone gallery (used for window maintenance). The tall windows at the very top show biblical characters. On the left (north) side—the “darkness” side, before Christ—is the Old Testament; on the right (south) side—the “light” side, after Christ—is the New Testament. The two sides meet at the window (above the main altar) of Jesus—who is illuminated by the rising sun each morning, enlightening the entire cathedral.
Head for the transept. Unfortunately, this part of the cathedral almost didn’t survive a well-intended but botched Baroque-era reconstruction. A heavy dome placed over the transept proved too heavy for the four graceful main pillars, causing a significant chunk of the church to collapse. The transept’s blue (north) rose window, featuring Christ, survives from the 13th century, while the red (south) one, with Mary, is from the 19th century.
Walk into the carved wooden choir at the center of the nave. The curved wooden part over the top of the chair is a “sounding board” (tornavóz), helping voices to carry. The giant glass door replaced a solid wooden one in the early 20th century—opening up the church even more to God’s light.
Circling back directly behind the main altar, you’ll find a chapel with the “White Virgin” on the right, the original 13th-century statue (whose face was painted white) from the front facade of the church. Note the differences between the 16th-century stained glass above the Virgin (with one large, multipaneled scene) and the 13th- and 14th-century glass in the flanking chapels (with one scene per panel—and even tinier bits of glass).
Cloister and Museum: For a close-up look at all the decorative bits missing from the cathedral’s interior, visit the cloister and museum (entrance at left side of main facade, separate €3 admission).
The cloister offers a good view of the flying buttresses that make the stained glass structurally possible. By removing the weight from the walls and transferring it to these buttresses, medieval engineers could build higher and make larger and larger windows. Also on display are some giant discarded Baroque elements (such as turret-tops) that were added to the facade in the 16th century and later removed because they cluttered up the architectural harmony.
Confusingly, the museum is divided into two parts; the staff will open the door to each section, and then lock you in—supposedly to preserve temperature and humidity conditions. Don’t worry. When finished with the first part, return to the door and wait patiently. Security cameras show them you need to be released. You’ll let yourself out of the second section.
The first room you’ll see is the Stone Room (Sala de Piedra), with sculpted objects from the cathedral and around town. Find the unique Jewish tombstones and early tiles in the display case. Continue upstairs to the Ivory Room, then head to the Torreón to see one of the more interesting pieces—a Visigothic antiphonary, the most complete surviving liturgical book of chants from Spain’s early-Christian days. How the chants sound remains a mystery since it wasn’t written in a specific key, and modern musicians cannot transcribe any of it. In the second section of the museum, other interesting items include a Mudejar armoire from the 13th century, studies of the cathedral’s stained glass, textiles, and some modern-day artwork.
Window Restoration: The cathedral’s 737 stained-glass panels recently underwent a painstaking restoration. Each window was carefully removed from its old lead frame, dry-cleaned (with minimal use of liquid solvents), and reset. Restoring the 20,450 square feet of glass included preventive steps. A solid, clear pane of glass was set in the original’s place, so that the freshly cleaned stained glass could sit inside, protected from the elements. A mesh metal panel was also installed on the exterior for an added layer of protection. Historians created an extensive photographic record of the process—which is of vital importance since the last restoration from the 19th century misplaced some panels.
This nondescript house facing the cathedral contains the well-preserved living quarters of a 19th-century businessman and some fascinating reminders of early education in Spain. Those interested in 19th- and 20th-century decorative arts must pay to tour the rooms, but the education exhibit is free.
At the age of 60, Francisco Blanco y Sierra Pambley created a foundation to educate students; classes were to be free of religious or political dogma. Several schools were founded, and the students thrived in this environment, supported by the latest technological innovations. You’ll see a Kodak movie projector and a typewriter used to instruct girls—as this was one of the very few places in Spain where girls could receive any kind of formal education.
Unfortunately, Sierra Pambley was ahead of his time. When the Second Republic gained control of Spain in 1931, the foundation’s humanist views came under suspicion. In 1936, all funds and property were confiscated; one director was even executed by a firing squad. The schools eventually came under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. After the death of Franco, the foundation was reinstituted, and its remaining funds returned to the organization.
Cost and Hours: Apartment-€3, education exhibit-free, Wed-Sun 11:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, closed Mon-Tue, no English descriptions, Calle Sierra Pambley 2, tel. 987-229-369, www.sierrapambley.org/museo.
San Isidoro is an 11th-century Romanesque church that’s been gradually added on to over the centuries. The church itself is free and always open to worshippers, but the attached museum is the real attraction. Inside you’ll see a library, a cloister, a chapter house, and a “pantheon” of royal tombs featuring some of the most exquisite Romanesque frescoes in Spain.
Cost and Hours: €5; July-Sept Mon-Sat 9:00-21:00, Sun 9:00-15:00; Oct-June Mon-Sat 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-14:00; Plaza de San Isidoro 4, tel. 987-876-161, www.museosanisidorodeleon.com.
Visiting the Museum: After buying your ticket, staff will escort you up the tight spiral staircase to the chapter house. This is a showcase for a glittering assortment of Romanesque reliquary chests and Asian silk embroidery—an amazing luxury for medieval kings. The frescoes here are more recent than those in the Royal Pantheon you’ll visit later.
Next you’ll be led to the evocative old library (an interesting mix of Gothic design and Renaissance decoration). Marvel at the size of all those Gregorian chant books as well as a giant Mozarabic Bible from 960—you can page through a facsimile in the gift shop.
In the tower alongside the library sits one solitary piece—an agate chalice decorated with gold and assorted gemstones. Some believe this to be the vessel used by Jesus at the Last Supper.
Now, descend the stairs and enter the Royal Pantheon (Pantéon Real). This area, enclosed in the middle of the complex, was once the portico in front of the west door of the church. In 2002, historians discovered the tombs of 23 medieval kings and queens (which are now held in the stone tombs), 12 infantes (children of the monarch), and 9 counts. But who’s buried here pales in comparison to the beautiful, vivid frescoes on the vaulting above them. Created in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, these frescoes have never been repainted—they’re incredibly well-preserved. While most Romanesque frescoes have been moved to museums, this is a rare opportunity to see some in situ (where the artist and patrons originally intended).
Follow along as the frescoes trace the life of Christ (go clockwise, starting on the wall in the front right corner with the cloister on your left). In the scene of the Annunciation, you’ll notice a sense of motion (Mary’s billowing clothes) that’s unusual for typically stiff and unlifelike Romanesque art. Above that, on the ceiling in the corner, an angel appears to shepherds dressed in traditional 11th-century Leonese clothing. There’s even a Leonese mastiff dog, lapping at his master’s milk (while he’s distracted by the angel).
In the next ceiling section (closer to the entry), Roman soldiers carry out the gruesome slaughter of the innocents. Then it’s time for the Last Supper (middle section of the ceiling). As you take in the bold colors, notice that only 11 of the Apostles have halos...all but Judas (under the table). In this fresco’s corner, find the black rooster (gallus), a symbol of Jesus, who harkened the dawn of a new day for God’s people. But in the next section we see the rooster used as a different symbol—as Peter denies Christ three times before the cock crows. Also see Jesus’ arrest, Simon helping Jesus carry the cross, and Pontius Pilate washing his hands of the whole business. Finally (on wall, left of main altar) we see Jesus nailed to the cross.
The final panel, in the middle of the room, is the most artistically and thematically impressive: Jesus returning triumphant to judge the living and the dead. He’s depicted here as Pantocrator (“all-powerful”). Over his shoulders are the symbols for alpha and omega, and he’s surrounded by the four evangelists, depicted—according to the prophecy of Ezekiel—as winged creatures: angel, bull, eagle, and lion. The most interesting detail is the calendar running along the archway near Jesus’ right hand. The 12 medallions—one for each month (labeled in Latin)—are symbolized by people’s activities during that month. In January, the man closes one door (or year) while he opens the next. He proceeds to warm himself by the fire (February), prune (March), plant his crops (April), harvest (July), forage (September), slaughter the fattened pig (October), and bless his bread by the fire at Christmas (December). The message: Jesus is present for this entire cycle of life.
There’s more to the museum. Continue left into the cloister, with its spectacular ceiling tracery. You’ll find a small room with a giant 12th-century rooster weathervane that used to top the nearby tower (now replaced by a replica)—a symbol of the city.
All of these listings are inside the old town.
$$ La Posada Regia is a creaky little hotel with 36 rooms in two buildings just off the main walking street. The old-fashioned, pleasant decor is a combination of wood beams and patches of stone (Regidores 9, tel. 987-213-173, www.regialeon.com, marquitos@regialeon.com).
$$ NH Plaza Mayor is the old town splurge, with 51 rooms right on Plaza Mayor (some with views for no extra charge—request one). Part of a classy chain, this place offers modern four-star comfort at reasonable prices (air-con, elevator, Plaza Mayor 15, tel. 987-344-357, www.nh-hotels.com, nhplazamayor@nh-hotels.com).
$ Hostal Albany offers 19 very mod rooms at a good price, just a few steps off the main walking street and cathedral square (air-con, elevator, Calle La Paloma 13, tel. 987-264-600, www.hostalalbanylastermas.com, info@albanyleon.com).
$ Hostal Boccalino, spacious and practical, rents 35 good rooms at a good price on a stately square facing the monastery (elevator, free drinks from cooler, pay parking, Plaza de San Isidoro 1, tel. 987-223-060, www.hotelboccalino.es, info@hotelboccalino.es). They also have 10 comparable rooms above their restaurant in a nearby building (similar prices, same reception, no elevator).
¢ Hostal San Martín is a good budget option. Popular with pilgrims, it has 11 rooms; some quiet ones overlook a small square in the old town (request quiet room in back, cozy lounge; Plaza Torres de Omaña 1—located up the stairs on the right as you enter, second floor; tel. 987-875-187, www.sanmartinhostales.es, sanmartinhostal@hotmail.com).
León is one of few Spanish cities whose bars still honor the old tradition of giving a free (if modest) tapa to anyone buying a drink. Your best bet for finding eats in León is to stroll the Barrio Húmedo area, south of Calle Ancha. This zone is packed with restaurants and bars offering good food and ambience.
Plaza de San Martín Pub Crawl: In the “Wet Quarter,” locals head for Plaza de San Martín to eat and drink. Survey the many little bars on or near the square, noting how locals know each bar’s specialty and generally stick to that dish when ordering. Consider these joints: $$ La Bicha is a dirty little hole-in-the-wall where Paco works hard to maintain his reputation for making León’s best morcilla (blood sausage with rice, spreadable and served without the skin) and for being a colorful local character. He’ll fry up a plateful and serve it with some buttered toast and a nice crianza wine (tel. 987-256-518). Next door, $$ Tabierna Los Cazurros offers a stylish hangout with delicious meat pies, called empanadas (tel. 987-252-233). $$ Bar Rebote serves six different croquettes—one free with each drink (tel. 987-213-510). If you’re still hungry, $$ Mesón el Tizón fills one tight room with a bar in front and seating in back—order hot raciones from its chalkboard menu (Calle de las Carnicerías 1, tel. 987-256-049). Just off Plaza San Martín are two more options offering tasty local cured meats and hearty regional stews: $$ La Bodega del Húmedo (Calle Plegarias 8, tel. 987-076-128) and $$ Bar El Altar (Calle Plegarias 7, mobile 665-655-140).
From León by Bus to: Astorga (hourly, 50 minutes), Burgos (3/day, 2-3 hours), Santiago de Compostela (1/day, 6 hours), Madrid (10/day to Estación Sur, 4 hours; 6/day direct to Moncloa and Madrid Barajas Airport, 3.5-4.5 hours). Buses are run by Alsa (tel. 902-422-242, www.alsa.es).
By Train to: Burgos (4/day, 2 hours), San Sebastián (4/day, 5-6 hours), Pamplona (2/day, 4.5 hours), Santiago de Compostela (3/day, 5 hours), Madrid (8/day, 2.5-4.5 hours).
This section, arguably the most diverse stretch of the Camino, begins in the flatness of the Meseta Central around León. Then, around Astorga, the landscape gradually becomes more varied and lush, as the Camino approaches the mountainous El Bierzo region (the northwest fringe of Castile and León).
In its final stretch, the Camino leaves the broad expanse of the Meseta Central and climbs steeply into Galicia (gah-LEE-thee-ah). Green and hilly, Galicia shatters visitors’ preconceptions about Spain. There’s something vaguely Irish about Galicia—and it’s not just the mossy stonework and green, rolling hills. The region actually shares a strain of Celtic heritage with its cousins across the Cantabrian Sea. People here are friendly, and if you listen hard enough, you might just hear the sound of bagpipes.
• Begin by making your way west, to Astorga. You can stay on the N-120 highway, or pay a €5 toll to zip there more quickly on the AP-71 expressway.
Astorga (ah-STOR-gah) sits at the intersection of two ancient roads: the Camino and a north-south trade route from Sevilla to the north coast. When León was a humble Roman camp, “Asturica” was the provincial capital. But today the fortunes are reversed, as welcoming, laid-back, sleepy Astorga (with about 12,000 people)—just big enough to have some interesting sightseeing and good hotels and restaurants—is a nice small-town alternative to the big city of León. The main attraction here is the memorable Bishop’s Palace by Antoni Gaudí.
Tourist Information: Astorga’s TI shares a square with the Bishop’s Palace and cathedral (daily in summer 10:00-14:00 & 16:30-19:00, shorter hours off-season and closed Sun and Mon afternoons, Plaza Eduardo de Castro 5, tel. 987-618-222).
Arrival in Astorga: The bus station is just outside the old town, behind the Bishop’s Palace. Drivers follow signs for Centro Ciudad and Centro Urbano, drive through the middle of town, and park in front of the TI and cathedral (to park in a blue-painted spot, prepay at the meter and put the ticket on your dashboard). Or park below the cathedral outside the Roman wall for free.
Sights in Astorga: The striking Bishop’s Palace (Palacio Episcopal), rated ▲, is a fanciful Gothic-style castle, similar to Gaudí’s Casa de Botines in León. Inside you’ll see Gaudí’s genius in the bishop’s fine rooms, decorated with frescoes. The palace hosts a museum that describes the Camino and the history of Astorga, and provides a safe place for some of the region’s fine medieval church art. You’ll see a 17th-century statue of Pilgrim James, a few historical Camino documents, ecclesiastical gear, and a gallery of contemporary Spanish art from the surrounding region. Not as good as it should be, with little posted information (and none in English), the museum is worthwhile mostly for a chance to see a medieval-inspired Gaudí interior (€4, €6 combo-ticket with cathedral museum—see next; Tue-Sat 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-14:00, shorter hours off-season and closed Mon year-round, tel. 987-616-882).
Next to (and upstaged by) the palace is Astorga’s light-filled Gothic cathedral, with a marvelously carved choir and a chapel to St. James that is popular with pilgrims. It’s free to enter in the morning (9:00-10:30), but after 10:30 you can get in only by paying for the attached museum, which shows off a treasury collection of paintings, altarpieces, and vestments (€4, €6 combo-ticket with Bishop’s Palace, same hours as the palace).
Sleeping in Astorga: If you prefer to sleep in a small town, Astorga is a good alternative to the big city of León (though values here are no better than in the city).
$ Hotel Gaudí has 35 woody rooms over a restaurant across from the cathedral; some have views of the Bishop’s Palace (air-con in most rooms, elevator, pay parking, Plaza Eduardo de Castro 6, tel. 987-615-654, www.gaudihotel.es, reservas@gaudihotel.es).
$ Hotel Astur Plaza, which feels more business-class, has 37 rooms right on the main square. Choose between a room overlooking the square—with a clock tower that clangs every 15 minutes—or a quieter back room. They offer spa facilities at their sister hotel for weary pilgrims (air-con, Plaza de España 2, tel. 987-617-665, www.hotelasturplaza.es, info@hotelasturplaza.es).
$ Ciudad de Astorga Hotel has 33 business-class rooms with contemporary decor, a pleasant patio, and a spa with garden terrace. It’s about three blocks from the cathedral (air-con, pay parking, Calle de los Sitios 7, tel. 987-603-001, www.hotelciudaddeastorga.com, reservas@hotelciudaddeastorga.com).
Eating in Astorga: A couple of blocks from the cathedral right along the Camino, $$ Restaurante Las Termas is well-regarded for its food—especially the traditional stew, cocido maragato (open for lunch only—13:00-16:00, closed Mon, Calle Santiago 1, tel. 987-602-212). $$ Hotel Gaudí, listed earlier, has an atmospheric bar with tapas and raciones, as well as a restaurant (open daily).
Connections: Astorga is well-connected by bus to León (hourly, 50 minutes), Ponferrada (hourly, 1 hour), Villafranca del Bierzo (6/day, 2 hours), Lugo (9/day, 2-3 hours), and Santiago de Compostela (5/day, 5 hours).
• After Astorga, you can either zip up to Galicia on the A-6 expressway (toward Ponferrada), or stick with the Camino a bit farther south on much slower regional roads (LE-142). These two routes converge again at the small city of Ponferrada. Soon after, A-6 climbs up into the hills and to the town of Villafranca del Bierzo (described later).
If you’re sticking with the Camino, you’ll be near the...
Near the top of Mount Irago is an iron cross atop a tall wooden pole, set in a huge pile of stones built up over the years by pilgrims unloading their “sins” brought from home (or picked up en route). It’s a major landmark for Camino pilgrims, but difficult to reach for drivers (figure an hour’s hike off the main road). From the cross it’s a 30-minute walk to the nearly ruined stone village of Foncebadón.
Villafranca is the capital of the westernmost part of León, El Bierzo, which is trying to build a good reputation for its wine and culinary specialties. Dubbed “Little Compostela” for its array of historical buildings, this town is set in an attractive hilly terrain strewn with grapevines, cherry trees, and vegetable patches. Though hardly thrilling, Villafranca del Bierzo is worth a quick stop for its pilgrim ambience.
Tourist Information: The TI is at Avenida Díaz Ovelar 10 (daily 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-20:00, off-season until 19:00 and closed Mon, tel. 987-540-028, www.villafrancadelbierzo.org). Plenty of free parking is available near the TI, just past the large church on the right when entering town.
Sights in Villafranca: To play pilgrim, hike from the main square up to the town’s stout 14th-century castle (not open to the public). Then follow signs for Iglesia Románica, the Romanesque 12th-century Church of St. James (Santiago). The church has a “gate of forgiveness” (puerta del perdón, on the side facing the town). Thanks to a 16th-century papal ruling, if a pilgrim had come this far, fell ill, and couldn’t continue over the rugged terrain to Santiago, he or she was pardoned anyway. (Handy loophole.)
Next to the church is the Villafranca ¢ albergue, a funky pilgrims’ dorm with oodles of pilgrims bonding. It was built on the site of a medieval clinic that cared for those who needed to take advantage of the puerta del perdón (at the time, the clinic here was the only source of medical aid for 300 miles). Today this 80-bed albergue provides bunks to 10,000 pilgrims a year. They even have a separate room for snorers. If you’d like to learn about the system (or buy a scallop shell), stop in. It’s run by Jesús, whose father began helping pilgrims here in the 1930s. Jesús welcomes curious nonpilgrims, albeit with the motto “The tourist demands, the pilgrim thanks” (you can reserve a bed here ahead of time, tel. 987-540-260, www.alberguedelapiedra.com, amigos@alberguedelapiedra.com).
Sleeping and Eating in Villafranca: $ Hotel La Puerta del Perdón is just the place for fancy pilgrims or anyone needing a comfortable and economical place to sleep and eat in Villafranca. Warmly run by Herminio, a couple of the seven rooms have low, angled ceilings (taller travelers may need to duck). The fine little restaurant is open to the public for lunch, but only to hotel guests for dinner (facing the castle on the uphill side a block below the Church of St. James at Plaza de Prim 4, tel. 987-540-614, www.lapuertadelperdon.com, info@lapuertadelperdon.com).
• Just after Villafranca del Bierzo on the A-6 expressway, you cross into the final region on the Camino: Galicia.
Shortly after entering Galicia, take the freeway exit and follow signs to Pedrafita do Cebreiro. From Pedrafita, a well-maintained mountain road (LU-633) twists its way up to the classic Galician pilgrim village of O Cebreiro. The road has plenty of pullouts for photo ops. The town itself is not well-marked; turn off at Conxunto Histórico-Artístico for parking.
An impossibly quaint hobbit hamlet perched on a ridge high above nothing, O Cebreiro (oh theh-BRAY-roh) whispers, “Welcome to Galicia.” This rustic village evokes an uncomplicated, almost prehistoric past, when people lived very close to nature, in stone igloos with thatched roofs. With sweeping views across the verdant but harsh Galician landscape, O Cebreiro is constantly pummeled by some of the fiercest weather in Spain. And it’s all within a five-minute drive of the freeway.
Wander around. Enjoy the remoteness. O Cebreiro smells like wood fires, manure, and pilgrim B.O. Get a snack or drink at a bar, or browse through a gift shop. A few townspeople (who jabber at each other in Galego—see here—and cock their heads quizzically when asked about newfangled inventions like email) share the town with weary pilgrims on an adrenaline high after finally reaching Galicia. The town’s dogs, who’ve known each other their whole lives, still bark at each other territorially from across the street, completely ignoring the backpackers who regularly trudge through town.
From Celtic times 1,500 years ago, right up until the 1960s, the villagers of O Cebreiro lived in humble round stone huts with peaked thatched roofs, called pallozas. One of the nine surviving pallozas has been turned into a loosely run museum, where an attendant is paid by the government to welcome visitors and answer questions.
Cost and Hours: Free; mid-July-mid-Sept Tue-Sat 8:00-15:00, mid-Sept-mid-July Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, closed Sun-Mon year-round. Hours may vary according to the hut caretaker’s schedule. If a door of a round hut is open, poke inside.
Visiting the Huts: Here visitors can learn about the lifestyle of the people who lived in pallozas until not so long ago. Upon entering a palloza, you’ll find the only “private” room in the house, belonging to the parents. Beyond that is a living area around a humble fire. (Notice there’s no chimney—smoke seeps out through the thatch.) Ponder the ancient furniture. Surrounding the fire are clever benches (which were also used, by the kids, as very hard beds) with pull-down counters so they could double as a table at mealtime. The big beam with the chain could be swung over the fire for cooking. Looking up, you’ll see the remains of a wooden ceiling that prevented sparks from igniting the thatch. The giant black-metal spirals suspended from the ceiling were used to smoke chorizo sausage—very efficient.
Attached to this living area is a miniature “barn.” Animals lived on the lower level, while people slept on the upper level (which has been removed, but you can still see on the wall where the floor was once supported)—kept warm by all that livestock body heat. About a dozen people (and their animals) lived in one small hut. But thanks to the ideal insulation provided by the thatch, and the warmth from the fire and animals, it was toasty even through the difficult winter.
All roads lead to the village church. Founded in the year 836—not long after the remains of St. James were found in Santiago—this pre-Romanesque building is supposedly the oldest church on the entire French Road of the Camino.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 9:00-21:00.
Visiting the Church: The interior is surprisingly spacious, but very simple. Notice the sunken floor: The building is actually embedded into the ground for added protection against winter storms. At the desk inside they stamp pilgrims’ credentials and sell votive candles. (I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving your guidebook an O Cebreiro stamp—I did.)
The baptistery, in a tiny side room near the entrance, is separate from the main part of the church, as dictated by ancient tradition. It has a giant and very rough font used for immersion baptisms.
In the chapel to the right of the main altar is a much-revered 12th-century golden chalice and reliquary, which holds items relating to a popular local miracle: A peasant from a nearby village braved a fierce winter snowstorm to come to this church for the Eucharist. The priest scoffed at his devotion, only to find that the host and wine had physically turned into the body and blood of Christ, staining the linens beneath them, which are now in the silver box.
The only businesses in town are a half-dozen very humble pub-restaurants, which feed pilgrims and other visitors hearty Galician cuisine in a communal atmosphere. You’ll see signs offering a stick-to-your-ribs €10 “pilgrim menu.” Many of these places also rent a few rooms upstairs. With inclement weather, doors are often closed—don’t be shy; just walk right in. Be warned that these rooms are very rustic, English can be tricky, and reservations are only by phone. Try $ Hospedería San Giraldo de Aurillac (17 rooms in 3 buildings, tel. 982-367-125); ¢ Casa Carolo (tel. 982-367-168); or ¢ Mesón Antón (tel. 982-151-336). The ¢ albergue, which is open only to pilgrims, is perched on a hill at the edge of town.
From O Cebreiro you’ve got another route decision to make.
To stick with the Camino, you’ll continue on LU-633, along twisty roads, toward Santiago. Along the way you’ll pass through some interesting larger towns. Samos has a gigantic monastery and perfectly manicured cloister garden. Sarria is forgettable, but it’s just over 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Santiago, making it a popular place to begin a truncated pilgrimage (since you need to walk at least that far to earn your compostela certificate). Portomarín is a relatively new town, built only after the River Miño was flooded to create a reservoir in the 1950s. The stout and blocky late-Romanesque Church of San Juan was moved to a new site, stone by stone—and if you look closely enough you can see how the stones were numbered to keep track of where they fit.
I prefer the faster expressway route (backtrack to A-6, which you’ll take north, following signs for A Coruña), which offers the opportunity to dip into the appealing walled city of Lugo.
While not technically on the French Road of the Camino de Santiago, the midsized city of Lugo (pop. 98,000) warrants a detour for car travelers. Boasting what are arguably the best-preserved Roman walls in Spain—a mile and a third long, completely encircling the town, draped with moss, and receding into the misty horizon—Lugo offers an ideal place for an evocative stroll. Lugo feels like a poor man’s Santiago, with a patina of poverty and atmospherically crumbling buildings. Evocative chimneys thrust up through rickety old slate roofs. And yet there’s something proud and welcoming about the town. Aside from the walls, Lugo has a cathedral and gregarious Galician charm, making it a fine place to spend some time.
Tourist Information: The TI is a few steps up a pedestrian street off the main square, Plaza Maior—look for the yellow signs (Mon-Wed 11:00-13:30 & 17:00-19:30, Thu-Sun 11:00-18:00; Praza do Campo 11, tel. 982-251-658, www.lugo.gal, lugoturismo@concellodelugo.org). Inside the TI is an interpretation center describing the city’s history and Roman walls.
Arrival in Lugo: The bus station is just outside the town walls; once inside the old town, the main square and TI are a block away. The train station is two blocks east of the town walls. Drivers follow signs to Centro Ciudad and Centro Urbano. Once you enter the town walls, parking garages are signed for Plaza de Santo Domingo or Anxel Fole—both are centrally located.
Lugo has a provincial museum, a Roman museum, and the following sights.
The town’s walls provide a kind of circular park where locals and visitors can stroll at rooftop level. You can access the walls at various points around town (you’ll find stairs near most of the gates where traffic enters the old town), and it takes about 45 minutes to walk the entire way around. With less time the most interesting stretch is along the west side of town: Walk up the ramp behind the cathedral and turn right, watching behind you for tingly views of the walls and cathedral spires.
Cost and Hours: Free and always open.
Lugo’s cathedral is vast, dark, and dusty, with an unexpected Rococo altarpiece glittering with silver. While it’s a lovely cathedral, it pales in comparison to Santiago’s.
Cost and Hours: Cathedral-free, cloister-€2, daily 8:30-20:45.
Sleeping in Lugo is worth considering to break up the long journey to Santiago from Cantabria or León. Budget hostales cluster just southeast of the town walls (near the bus station). The following two hotels are the only ones inside the old town. They may be willing to deal—ask for their best price.
$$ Pazo Orban e Sangro is the town splurge, renting 12 rooms with hardwood floors, flat-screen TVs, slippery rates, and luxurious furnishings. It’s just inside the town walls near the cathedral (air-con, elevator, pay parking, Travesía do Miño, tel. 982-240-217, www.pazodeorban.es, info@pazodeorban.es).
$ Hotel Méndez Núñez, right in the heart of the old town, has a classy old lobby, a medieval-feeling lounge, and 70 renovated rooms (air-con, elevator, Rúa da Raiña 1, tel. 982-230-711, www.hotelmendeznunez.com, hotel@hotelmendeznunez.com).
Lugo is connected by Alsa bus to Santiago de Compostela (5/day, 2.5 hours), Astorga (9/day, 2-3 hours), and León (8/day, 3.5 hours).
• After Lugo, the end is in sight. You have one final route decision to make: The fastest way (about 1.5 hours to Santiago) is to stick with the A-6 expressway north to A Coruña, then pay €5 to take the AP-9 tollway back south to Santiago. But if you’d like to rejoin the Camino for the last stretch—following in the footsteps (or tire treads) of a millennium of pilgrims—follow signs from Lugo toward Ourense (on N-540/N-640, about 20-30 minutes longer than expressway option). In Guntín, split off on N-547 and head for Santiago de Compostela (covered in the next chapter). Buen Camino!
If you’re connecting the Basque Country and Galicia (Santiago de Compostela) along the coast, you’ll go through the provinces of Cantabria and Asturias. Both are interesting, but Cantabria (kahn-TAH-bree-ah) has a few villages and sights that are especially worth a visit. A drive through the Cantabrian countryside comes with endless glimpses of charming stone homes. And a night or two in this region is a good way to break up the long drive between Santiago and Bilbao (figure over seven hours straight through).
The dramatic peaks of the Picos de Europa and their rolling, green foothills define this region, giving it a more rugged feel than the “Northern Riviera” ambience of the Basque region. The quaint town of Santillana del Mar makes a fine home base for visiting the prehistoric Altamira Caves. Comillas is a pleasant beach town with a surprising abundance of Modernista architecture.
Though it’s largely undiscovered by Americans, Cantabria is heavily touristed by Europeans in July and August, when it can be very crowded. For information on the area and PDFs of brochures and maps, go to www.turismodecantabria.com, select English, click on “Discover It,” and choose “Tourist Brochures.”
Every guidebook imparts the same two tidbits about Santillana del Mar: One is that it’s known as the “town of three lies,” as it’s neither holy (santi), nor flat (llana), nor on the ocean (del Mar). The other is that the existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once called it the “prettiest village in Spain.”
The town is worth the fuss—it’s what Spaniards would call preciosa. The proud little stone village consists of three cobbled streets and a collection of squares, climbing up over mild hills from where the village meets the main road.
Tourist Information: The modern TI is right at the entrance to the town (open daily, Jesús Otero 20, tel. 942-818-251). Only residents (and guests of hotels that offer parking) are allowed to drive in the center; instead, leave your car in one of the two big parking lots (pay in-season, free off-season)—one by the TI, and the other just to the south, at Plaza del Rey.
Sleeping in Santillana: Two swanky, arrogant paradores hold court on the main square—$$$ Parador de Santillana and $$$ Parador de Santillana Gil Blas (www.parador.es for both). Other options include $$ Hotel Altamira (www.hotelaltamira.com) and ¢ Hospedaje Octavio (www.hospedajeoctavio.com).
Not far from Santillana del Mar, the Altamira Caves (Cuevas de Altamira) contain some of the best examples of prehistoric art anywhere (and are worth ▲▲▲ for those who love prehistoric caves). In 1879, the young daughter of a local archaeologist discovered several 14,000-year-old paintings in a limestone cave. By the 1960s and 1970s, it became a tremendously popular tourist destination. The number of visitors became too much for the delicate paintings, and the cave was closed. Now a replica cave and museum sit near the original site, allowing visitors to experience these facsimiles of prehistoric artwork in something approximating the original setting.
Cost and Hours: €3, free Sat after 14:00 and all day Sun; open Tue-Sat 9:30-20:00, Nov-April until 18:00; Sun 9:30-15:00; closed Mon year-round; tel. 942-818-005, http://museodealtamira.mcu.es.
Reservations: During July and August, consider making an advance reservation for the replica cave (no extra charge) through Banco Santander. To book ahead, you can drop by any Santander bank branch; reserve by phone (toll tel. 902-242-424, wait through recording and ask for English speaker); or book online (in Spanish only, no online reservations possible for free Saturday afternoon and Sunday visits, find advanced ticket link at website listed above). Request a specific date and time (one-hour window) for your visit. Take your ticket or confirmation number to the information counter, where you can schedule a guided tour (explained next).
Tours: You can visit the caves on your own or ask to join a free 30-minute guided tour when you purchase your ticket. Note that spaces are limited and the tours fill up fast in the busy summer season (get there when it opens to schedule a tour). The last tour departs 30 minutes before closing.
Getting There: The caves are on a ridge in the countryside a little over a mile southwest of Santillana del Mar. There’s no public transportation to the site. To get from Santillana del Mar to the caves without a car, it’s either a 30-minute walk or a cheap taxi ride.
Visiting the Caves: Your visit starts at the museum and then moves on to the replica cave. The fine museum (to the right of the information desk) has good English descriptions, featuring models and reproductions of the cave dwellers who made these drawings (and their clothes, tools, and remains). The exhibit also has an account of the cave’s discovery and its eventual acceptance by the scientific community (who were initially skeptical that “primitive” people were capable of such sophisticated art).
Next, you’ll visit the highly detailed replica cave (either on your own or with a tour). You’ll see an excavation site with the implements used by modern scientists to dig up ancient relics from three layers: On the bottom are hunting tools and chips of flint from Solutrean cavemen (18,500 years ago); above that is mostly clay, with the remains of a cave bear; and the top layer holds hearths and tools from the Magdalenian period (14,000 years ago). A workshop area demonstrates the techniques and tools of the prehistoric artists. Finally, you’ll reach the great cave, decorated with 16 bison, a few running boars, some horses, and a giant deer—plus a few handprints and several mysterious symbols.
What’s amazing about these paintings is simply that they were made by Cro-Magnon cave people. And yet the artists had an incredible grasp of delicate composition, depicting these animals with such true-to-life simplicity. Some of them are mere outlines, a couple of curvy lines—masterful abstraction that could make Picasso jealous.
So why did they make these paintings? Nobody knows for sure. The general agreement is that it wasn’t simply for decoration and that the paintings must have served some religious or shamanistic purpose.
Just 15 minutes west of Santillana del Mar, perched on a hill overlooking the Atlantic, you’ll find quirky Comillas. Comillas presides over a sandy beach, but feels more like a hill town, with twisty lanes clambering up away from the sea. Comillas makes a good home base if you prefer beach access, fascinating architecture, and a more lived-in feel to the touristy quaintness of Santillana del Mar.
Tourist Information: The TI is in Plaza Joaquín de Piélagos, the town’s westernmost square (daily 9:00-14:00 & 16:00-18:00, closed Sun afternoons, Calle Aldea 6, tel. 942-722-591).
Sights in Comillas: Comillas enjoys a surprising abundance of striking Modernista architecture. (For more on this unique, Barcelona-born take on Art Nouveau, see here.) There are three biggies: El Capricho and Palacio de Sobrellano line up along a ridge at the west end of town (just beyond the town center and parking lot, over the big park), while Universidad Pontificia faces them from a parallel ridge.
El Capricho was designed by the great Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. As one of Gaudí’s very first creations, the house attracts architecture fans from around the world. The building’s sunflower-dappled exterior alludes to Gaudí’s plan for it: His “sunflower design” attempted to maximize exposure to light by arranging rooms to get sun during the part of the day they were most used (€5, daily July-Sept 10:30-21:00, shorter hours off-season, tel. 942-720-365, www.elcaprichodegaudi.com).
Designed by Gaudí’s mentor, Joan Martorell i Montells, the Palacio de Sobrellano hints at early Barcelona-style Modernisme. Guided tours in Spanish are the only way to visit the spectacular home, but it’s worth an hour to see how the other half lived (€3, grounds open at 9:30, one-hour guided visits leave on the half-hour Tue-Sun, June-Sept 10:30-18:30, shorter hours off-season, last tour one hour before closing, closed Mon, tel. 942-720-339, http://centros.culturadecantabria.com).
The huge building of the Universidad Pontificia was also designed by Joan Martorell i Montells. Originally built as a Jesuit seminary in 1883, today the building is used by the Fundación Comillas to teach Spanish and Hispanic culture along with business and law (€3.50, guided visits—Spanish only—at the top of each hour, daily 10:00-13:00, June-Sept also 17:00-20:00, mobile 630-256-767).
The beachside road below the Universidad Pontificia, lined with a few hotels, is worth a stroll, especially to get a glimpse of a guardian angel. Famed Modernisme architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner converted old church ruins into an interesting cemetery with one spectacular tomb: His vault for the Piélago family depicts an angel riding the surf atop a giant wave.
On the opposite hill, look for an Art Nouveau statue, donated by the town, portraying the First Marquis of Comillas. He proudly stands atop a column, carried by one of his ships.
The town center, a two-minute walk inland, is just as pleasant—with an odd jumble of squares surrounding the big Parochial Church. A final bit of Modernisme is the Domènech i Montaner lamppost/fountain (near the TI), which commemorates Comillas as the first town in Spain to have electricity.
Sleeping in Comillas: In the town center, south of the big Parochial Church, near the long, skinny, restaurant-lined Plaza de Primo de Rivera (also known as “El Corro”), try $ Hotel Marina de Campíos (www.marinadecampios.com) or $ Pasaje San Jorge (www.pasajesanjorge.com).
The Picos de Europa—comprising one of Spain’s most popular national parks—are a relatively small stretch of cut-glass mountain peaks (the steepest in Spain, some taller than 8,500 feet) just 15 miles inland from the ocean. These dramatic mountains are home to goats, brown bears, eagles, vultures, wallcreepers (rare birds), and happy hikers. Outdoorsy types could spend days exploring this dramatic patch of Spain, which is packed with visitors in the summer.
The Picos de Europa cover an area of about 25 miles by 25 miles. They’re located where three of Spain’s regions converge: Cantabria, Asturias, and León. (Frustratingly, each region’s tourist office pretends that the parts of the park in the other regions don’t exist—so it’s very hard to get information, say, about Asturias’ Cares Gorge when you’re in Potes, Cantabria.) In addition to three regions, the park contains three different limestone massifs—large masses of rock—separated by rivers.
I’ll focus on the Cantabrian part of the Picos, which contains the region’s most accessible and enjoyable bits: the scenic drive through La Hermida Gorge, the charming mountain town of Potes, and the ride on the Fuente Dé cable car up to sky-high mountaintop views. This part of the Picos is doable as a long day trip from Santillana del Mar or Comillas (but is easier if you stay in Potes). The next best activity is to hike the yawning chasm of the Cares Gorge, which is deeper in the park and requires another full day.
The Picos de Europa are best with a car. If you don’t have wheels, skip them, because bus connections are sparse, time-consuming, and frustrating.
The A-8 expressway squeezes between the Picos and the north coast of Spain; roads branch into and around the Picos, but beware: Many of them traverse high-mountain passes—often on bad roads—and can take longer to drive through than you expect. Puerto means “pass” (slow going) and desfiladero means “gorge” (quicker but often still twisty).
Assuming you’re most interested in Potes and Fuente Dé, you’ll focus on the eastern part of the park, approaching from the A-8 expressway (or from Santillana del Mar and Comillas). You’ll go through Unquera and catch N-621 into the park (follow signs for Potes). Wind your way through La Hermida Gorge (Desfiladero de la Hermida) and stop for a photo en route to Potes (about one hour, depending on traffic). The road crisscrosses between both banks of the Río Deva for spectacular scenery. Count on 30 more minutes to arrive at Fuente Dé.
The Cares Gorge, officially in Asturias, can be approached from either the south (the village of Caín, deep in the mountains beyond Potes) or the north (Puente Poncebos, with easier access)—but note that there’s no direct road between the gorge and Potes.
I’ve arranged these sights as you’ll come to them if you approach from the coast (that is, from the expressway, Santillana del Mar, or Comillas).
This quaint mountain village, at the intersection of four valleys, is the hub of Cantabria’s Picos de Europa tourist facilities. It’s got an impressive old convent and a picturesque stone bridge spanning the Río Deva. It’s a good place to buy maps and books, mainly geared toward UK tourists who arrive by ferry in Santander. Free parking can be found all around the church. Check in at the TI with any travel questions (unpredictable hours, but generally July-Sept daily 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-18:00; shorter hours off-season; Plaza de las Serna, tel. 942-732-188).
Sleeping in Potes: Overlooking the river, $ Casa Cayo has 17 cozy rooms and a fine restaurant (closed Christmas-mid-March, Calle Cántabra 6, tel. 942-730-150, www.casacayo.com, informacion@casacayo.com).
Perhaps the single most thrilling activity in the Picos de Europa is to take the cable car at Fuente Dé. The longest single-span cable car in Europe zips you up 2,600 feet in just four ear-popping minutes. Once at the top (altitude 6,000 feet), you’re rewarded with a breathtaking panorama of the Picos de Europa. The huge, pointy, Matterhorn-like peak on your right is Peña Remoña (7,350 feet). The cable-car station on top has WCs, a cafeteria (commanding views, miserable food), and a gift shop (limited hiking guides—equip yourself before you ascend).
Cost and Hours: €17 round-trip, €11 one-way (if you’re hiking down—explained later), runs every 30 minutes (or more frequently with demand); daily July-mid-Sept 9:00-20:00, mid-Sept-Dec and Feb-June 10:00-18:00—until 19:00 or 20:00 on June weekends, closed Jan unless weather is unseasonably good. Every 100 hours, the cable car must be closed briefly for maintenance, so it’s a good idea to check ahead before making the drive. In summer, you may have to wait in long lines both to ascend and to descend since it only carries 20 people (if you’re concerned, call ahead to find out how long the wait is before making the 14-mile drive from Potes).
Information: Cable car tel. 942-736-610; you’ll find links to teleférico hours at www.cantur.com. The Picos de Europa National Park runs a helpful information kiosk in the parking lot during peak season (July-Aug), with handouts and advice on hikes (including the one listed below). Even better, stop at the bigger National Park office on the way to Fuente Dé from Potes; about a mile after you leave Potes, look on the right for the green Picos de Europa signs (daily 9:00-18:00, in summer may be open until 20:00, tel. 942-730-555).
Hiking Back Down: Once you’re up there, those with enough time and strong knees should consider hiking back down. From the cable-car station at the top, follow the yellow-and-white signs to Espinama, always bearing to the right. You’ll hike gradually uphill (gain about 300 feet), then down (3,500 feet) the back side of the mountain, with totally different views than the cable-car ride up: green, rolling hills instead of sharp, white peaks. Once in Espinama, you’ll continue down along the main road back to the parking lot at the base of the cable car (signs to Fuente Dé). Figure about four hours total (nine miles) at a brisk pace from the top back to the bottom. Note that the trails are covered by snow into April and sometimes even May; ask at the ranger station near Potes about conditions before you hike (see “Information,” earlier).
This impressive gorge hike—surrounded on both sides by sheer cliff walls, with a long-distance drop running parallel to (and sometimes under) the trail—is ideal for hardy hikers. The trail was built in the 1940s to maintain the hydroelectric canal that runs through the mountains, but today it has become a very popular summer hiking destination. The trail follows the Río Cares seven miles between the towns of Caín (in the south) and Camarmeña (near Puente Poncebos, in the north). Along the way, you’ll cross harrowing bridges and take trails burrowed into the rock face. Because it’s deeper in the mountains and requires a good six hours (13 miles round-trip, with some ups and downs), it’s best left to those who are really up for a hike and not simply passing through the Picos.
Getting There: To reach Caín from Potes, you’ll drive on rough, twisty roads (N-621) over the stunning Puerto de San Gloria pass (5,250 feet, watched over by a sweet bronze deer), into a green, moss-covered gorge. Just past the village of Portilla de la Reina, turn right (following signs for Santa Marina de Valdeón) to reach Caín. Note that this is a very long day trip from Potes, and almost brutal if home-basing in Comillas or Santillana del Mar.