Spain
El Camino de Santiago

In the year 814, according to legend, falling stars guided the Spanish hermit Pelayo to Santiago, where he discovered the long-forgotten tomb of the apostle St. James. Pilgrims and adventurers from all over the world have been drawn to "The Road to Santiago" ever since. As we add our tire tracks to the footprints of the millions who have come this way, we'll experience for ourselves a tradition that had its beginning in the Middle Ages.

The Camino is a remarkable slice of life, its scallop shell signposts pointing the way through abandoned hamlets and great cities, past Celtic stone huts, graceful Romanesque monasteries, and soaring Gothic cathedrals. The landscape changes dramatically as we bike cross the plains of Castile, wheat fields of León, and emerald mountains of Galicia. Along the way, we'll hear of miracles and mysteries, hardships and triumphs, and legends attached to El Cid, Charlemagne, St. Francis of Assisi, and yet-to-be-named cyclists! We'll share the trail with other travelers from around the world, all wearing the cockle shell symbolic of St. James.

While villages and road surfaces have changed, the way of the Camino has remained the same for over eleven centuries. Our cycling tour traces secondary roads, hardpack dirt lanes, mule cart paths, and famous medieval bridges to the great cities of Burgos, León, and finally, Santiago. On many days, a choice of route options allows you to pick your own combination of paved roads, off-road cycling, or even walking the most beautiful sections of the Camino.

Our historic accommodations feature an 11th-century Benedictine monastery, beautifully-appointed manor houses, and luxurious paradors, including the five-star Hostal de los Reyes Católicos. At journey's end, our celebration includes a whole day in Santiago to tour the Cathedral, mingle with fellow pilgrims, and bask in the energy and ambiance of this great medieval city.

To accommodate the varying schedules (and energy levels) of aspiring peregrinos, we offer our "Camino de Santiago" trip in two lengths: a 12-day itinerary beginning in Burgos, and a 9-day option which joins the tour en route in León. Whichever option you choose, the Road to Santiago is an adventure like no other in the world of cycling. Buen Camino!

Spain Bike Tours
Camino de Santiago Itinerary
Day 1: Mid-day van transfer from the train station to our hotel in Burgos. Afternoon walking tour of the Old Quarter and 13th-century cathedral where Castilian hero El Cid is buried. Receive your Pilgrim's Passport!

Day 2: Cycle through rustic limestone villages as we cross the great plains of León to Castrojeriz. (25 or 30 mi.)

Day 3: Our route is lined by lovely Romanesque relics: the bridge of Itero, the ornate Church of San Martín, and the towering Iglesia de Santa María la Blanca. Overnight at a Benedictine monastery-turned-inn in Carrión de Los Condes. (33 mi.)

Day 4: Cycle or van to Sahagún, where we'll follow a poplar-lined bicycle path through vast fields of wheat. Historic accommodations in León at the Parador San Marcos, built in 1168 to shelter knights bound for Santiago. Those joining us today will receive their Pilgrim's Passports. (22, 46, or 61 mi.)

Day 5: Free day to explore León's Old Quarter and Gothic cathedral. Afternoon bike ride to our 17th-century manor house in Carrizo de la Ribera, where you can hear Gregorian chant in the Cistercian Monastery next door! (15 mi.)

Day 6: Continue to Roman-walled Astorga, once famed for its 21 pilgrim hospitals, and now known for architect Gaudí's neo-Gothic Bishop's Palace. Our afternoon ride climbs Foncebadón Pass, the highest point on the Camino, en route to Ponferrada. (32, 51, or 56 mi.)

Day 7: Cycle to Villafranca del Bierzo, where pilgrims unable to continue were granted absolution. A choice of paved or dirt trail ascends to O Cebreiro, the site of many miracles. Welcome to Galicia! (20 or 33 mi.)

Day 8: Descend to Triacastela, where faithful pilgrims picked up a stone to carry all the way to Castañeda. Our cycling route to pretty Portomarín skirts Irish-green pasturelands lined by Celtic stone walls. (29 or 42 mi., or 13 mi. hike)

Day 9: Follow the authentic Camino through ancient forests of oak and chestnut, over stout Roman and medieval bridges, and past the church of Vilar de Donas, tomb of the Knights of Santiago. Overnight at a country estate in Castañeda. (32 mi.)

Day 10: Our forested biking route continues to Santiago de Compostela, following the final stage of a travel guide written by Picaud, a French monk in the 11th century! Two-night stay at the regal Hostal de los Reyes Católicos. (28 mi.)

Day 11: Free day for our guided tour of the Cathedral, sightseeing in Santiago, and visiting the Camino passport office to receive your compostela (certificate of completion)! Farewell celebration.

Day 12: Morning transfer to Santiago Airport.

		Best stained glass: Rosette window, León Cathedral
		Best "Soul Music": Plainchant of the Sisters of St. Mary, whose cloisters are next door to our inn.
		Highest elevation: Foncebadón: 4,662' (not counting the huge rock cairn)
		Best hands-on tradition: Carrying a stone to the top of Foncebadón Pass and throwing it onto the cairn, to symbolically cast away your sins.
		Best downhill: Nine-mile, 4000' descent to the Roman bridge in Molinaseca
		Best picnic spot: The medieval bridge of Ponte Aspera
		Stiffest drink: We recite Gallego incantations with our chef to ward off evil spirits, while he distills his special coffee-flavored "fire-water"!
		Best romance: (July 1434, Carrizo) Don Suero de Quinones required anyone desiring to cross the Rio Órbigo bridge to declare Suero's lady love the fairest woman in León. Three hundred lances were broken in the ensuing jousting matches!
		Best Medieval Moment: Watching the incense-bearing "botafumeiro" swing from the rafters of the Santiago Cathedral
		Best sunset view: The twin limestone towers of the Santiago Cathedral reflecting the setting sun, as viewed from our Parador's sidewalk café.

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