In the Middle Ages, the greatest Christian place of pilgrimage after Jerusalem and Rome was Santiago de Compostela. Here, early in the 9th century, King Alfonso II of Spain announced to the Pope that he had found the burial place of Saint James. Once, many thousands lost their lives making this perilous journey. Today, our 10 day journey is by plane and coach walking some of the most interesting segments of the route. We focus on the meaning of pilgrimage and for us the journey will be just as important as the arriving. We will visit cathedrals, monasteries, wayside chapels and bridges which all sprang up along this ancient Way.
We begin in Bilbao, with a visit to the architecturally superb Guggenheim museum, then join in the “Camino” route followed by pilgrims through the ages. We include a comprehensive programme of sightseeing and also fun touches such as a wine tasting in the Rioja and a traditional “Queimada” night out at the end of our journey.