Itinerary

1. 

   Travel to Bilbao

   We meet at Gatwick airport for Vueling flight VY6304 departing at 10:10 arriving in Bilbao at 13:10. We transfer to Pamplona, the town that inspired Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises”.  Two night stay at the four star Hotel Iruna Park in Pamplona.

2. 

   Pamplona and Roncesvalles

   We visit gothic Pamplona Cathedral then drive along the Pyrenees to the mountain village of Ibaneta.  2 km walk to Roncesvalles (lunch break) where we visit the sanctuary.  Then the possibility of a further 4 km walk from Roncesvalles to Burguete, legendary setting of the battles of Charlemagne and Roland against the Moslems. We return to Pamplona.

3. 

   Santo Domingo de la Calzada

   We visit the funerary church at Eunate continuing to Puente de la Reine where the different ways of St James converge as one route.  We continue our journey to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, one of the most evocative towns on the Pilgrim Way, and walk 6 km from the Ermita de  Valdefuentes to the church of San Juan de Ortega.  We continue to Burgos for an overnight stay in the four-star Hotel Corona de Castilla.

4. 

   Burgos

   Our featured visit today is to Burgos Cathedral with its mighty gothic façade and the Monastery of Huelgas Reales. On towards Leon with a 4 km walk from Iglesias to Hontanas. We continue through the flat landscape of the Tierra de Campos to Fromista visiting the beautiful Romanesque church of San Martin. Two nights in León at the Silken Hotel Luis de Leon.

5. 

   León 

   Sightseeing in León includes the Romanesque church and Royal crypt of Saint Isidoro, the fabulous cathedral with its colourful stained-glass windows and the Hostal of San Marcos in Renaissance-style.  Afternoon at leisure.  We meet at the Cathedral at 1800 for the evening Mass.

6. 

   Mountain Top Experiences

   Mountain top experiences
   We visit the Gaudi designed Pilgrim museum and cathedral in the small town of Astorga then have the possibility of a walk from the deserted spot of Foncebadon up to Cruz de Hierro (Iron Cross) the Way’s highest point.  Continue via Villafranca del Bierzo (where we have a break for lunch) to the mountain pass of O Cebreiro where we see a mountain village with celtic-like round huts and the 9th C Sanctuary of Santa Maria de O Cebreiro. In the afternoon we continue to Sarria for an overnight stay at the Hotel Alfonso IX.

7. 

   The Heavenly City

   We cross the Mino river and visit the church of San Nicolas in Portomarin then walk a 6 km stretch of the Way from Melide to Boente through eucalyptus woods.  We arrive in Santiago de Compostela via the viewpoint at “Monte del Gozo” where pilgrims first saw the spires of the “heavenly” city.  We all walk the last 500 metres to the magnificent cathedral of Saint James and our journey’s climax. Two night stay in Santiago at the Compostela Hotel.

8. 

   Santiago de Compostela

   This morning we visit the Shrine of St James.  We have a guided tour of the cathedral.  The cathedral has an amazing Baroque façade hiding the much earlier Romanesque building set on the site where in the 8th century the tomb of St James was discovered.  This is the culmination of the ‘pilgrim route’ and the traditional climax is touching the great figure of the Saint behind the altar. We join the Pilgrim Mass at noon.  We also see the Botafumeiro swing.  Free afternoon. This evening we go out to enjoy a traditional farewell dinner in a local restaurant (including the ‘Quiemada’ drink ceremony).

9. 

   Homeward Bound

   trip to Finisterre.  Fly back to Gatwick on VY7108 Departing Santiago 1920 – Arrive Gatwick 2025.

10. Alternative Ideas

    The walking sections are carefully chosen so that most party members are able to participate and the guide will use his discretion to make the walks fit the walkers.

    There will also be quite a lot walking around the towns and cities that we will be visiting, some of which will be over irregular surfaces such as cobblestones and badly maintained areas. 

Essential Information

Practical information

Dates