A Spiritual Walking Journey through Spain Along the Camino Plus Madrid, Leon, Salamanca, Alba de Tormes & Avila 14-Day Sample Itinerary Want to customize? We’ll gladly customize an itinerary according to your preferences and budget. DAY 1: DEPART THE USA: We depart the USA en route to Then we are on the road to León, capital city of the old Madrid with complimentary meals and beverages served aloft. kingdom bearing its name. The city’s Royal Pantheon serves as the resting place to more than 20 monarchs! This his- DAY 2: ARRIVE MADRID: We arrive in Madrid and are torical city had its foundation in the year 68 BC when the met by our representative of Catholic Travel Centre. Board- Romans built a fortified camp here. Today it is wealthy city ing our waiting motor coach, we transfer to our hotel to rest with wide avenues blending with the half-timbered old city. from our journey. Dinner tonight is at our hotel. (D) León was the capital of Christian Spain in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and for hundreds of years it has been a DAY 3: MADRID: VISIT OF THE CITY / TRANSFER major stop along the Camino de Santiago. The Camino goes TO LEON: Today, we begin our tour at the heart of the city, over the nearby 13th century Orbigo Bridge, and we enter at the Plaza Mayor, the Main Square of the city, and one of the city through the Puerta Moneda, the very gate through the most striking which the medieval pilgrims entered. We check in to our central squares hotel for dinner and the evening. (B, D) of any city in Eu- rope, and prob- DAY 4: LEON :VISIT OF THE CITY SARRIA: WALK ably the world. SARRIA TO MOUZÓS (9.3km or 5.77 Miles) / PORTO- Over the centu- MARIN: This morning, after breakfast, we enjoy a morning ries this square visit of Leon. Some of the Roman ramparts are still evident has been a venue in León, but its chief treasures are the Basilica of San Isidoro for tournaments, with its exquisite crypt, the adjoining Royal Pantheon, the weddings, and Gothic Santa María Cathedral and the Monastery of San bullfights! TheMarcos, former home of the Knights of Santiago. ground floor of most buildings is full of cafes, restaurants, After lunch, we transfer to Sarria,It is head of the region and shops which are all appealing to the tourists. You may and a popular starting point for the Camino de Santiago. It see street vendors or local artists as well. was in Sarria where King Alphonse IX died in 1230 while Our city tour continues to the modern Cathedral, making a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Besides, which is actually quite modern as Spanish churches go. We it represents the visit as well, another famous plaza, the Plaza del Sol, a bus- point of entry tling hub that marks the former location of the eastern wall to the beautiful of the city in the 15th century. Our tour passes through the landscapes on Parco de Buen Retiro, one of the most magnificent public the oriental side parks in all of Europe. of Galicia. We begin our journey “I am so very impressed by what you all which consti- do, and how very well you do it!” tutes the last stretch of the - Ms. C.R. - North Carolina Camino Frances, following in the footsteps of pilgrims for over a thousand years, with a walk from Sarria to the village of Mouzos (9.3 km or 5.77 Miles). After our walk, we trans- building that used to be the pilgrim hospital named “La fer to our hotel in Portomarin for dinner and the evening. Casa de la Enfermería” founded by the noble Ulloa family, (B, D) whose coat of arms can be seen on the wall. On the top of its entrance you will see the image of St. Maria. Opposite DAY 5: PORTOMARIN: WALK MOUZÓS TO PORTO- to the church, there is a traditional Cabaceiro (a very big MARIN (15.6 km or 9.69 Miles) / LUGO: Today, after basket that, like Horreos, was used to preserve the corn, let- breakfast, we take up our path as we begin day 2 of our ting it dry and preventing it from being eaten by animals). Camino journey. We also see the The Furelos Bridge that dates from the 12th We transfer by motor century. coach to yesterday’s stopping The history of Melide, since its foundation in the 10th point at Mouzo’s. Today we century, is deeply linked with the pilgrimage to Santiago as will walk Mouzo’s to Portoma- it is on the path of the Camino. rin. (15.6km or 9.69 Miles). At In 1320 Melide obtained from the Archbishop of San- the end of our day we transfer tiago the privilege of building up a castle, fortressing the to our accommodations in village, and charging taxes. In 1467 “os irmandiños” op- Lugo. Lugo is the only city in posed the Archbishop and started a series of fights against the world to be surrounded its power. During this riot the walls of the village were by completely intact Roman destroyed as well as the castle. After this, the Catholic Walls that are protected as Monarchs banned the construction of any fortress in the a UNESCO World Heritage village. Site. Dinner this evening is at our accommodations. (B, D) Melide is very well-known for being the village located in the interior that serves the best Galician Octopus, prob- DAY 6: LUGO: WALK PORTOMARÍN TO PALAS DE ably the most traditional dish in Galicia. The village is also REI (23.9 km or14.85 Miles) /LUGO: After breakfast, we famous for its sweets. Tonight we enjoy dinner at our hotel transfer to Portomarin to begin our walk from Portomarin in Melide. (B, D) to Palas de Rei (23.9 km or 14.85 Miles) Along the way we will see several ancient sites, including Castromaior, named DAY 8: MELIDE: WALK MELIDE TO ARZUA (19.6km for the Castro (Celtic fort). People have probably lived un- or 12.17 Miles) / A CORUÑA: After breakfast at our hotel til the Romanesque period in the Celtic Fort. Castromaior we begin our walk from Melide to Arzua (19.6km or 12.17 also has a Romanesque church from the XVI Century. We Miles). Today our forests of oak and chestnut change to also see Ventas de Naron: the last village of the area of Por- eucalyptus and pine as we walk through the area of tra- tomarin. It is a medieval village where in 820 A.D. there was ditional farms, filled with “Blond Cows” known for their a fierce battle between Christians and Moors. In this hamlet fine veal. Because Melide and Arzua connect with the you can find the Madalena Chapel, an ancient Pilgrim Hos- Primitive and North Caminos, we will see more pilgrims pital. Its curious wooden door has a carved scallop showing from now on. welcome to Camino Pilgrims. In Arzua we see the Church of Santa Maria Magdale- The history of Palas de Rei appears closely linked to na It dates from the 14th century . and is located near the military culture, which retains many of the archaeological ruins of an ancient convent. Mass will be celebrated. remains (dolmens and forts) from a remote settlement. Ac- We transfer to our hotel in the port city of A Coruña cording to tradition, the city owes its name “Pallatium re- for dinner and the evening. The city is the site of the Ro- gis” to the palace of the Visigothic king Witiza, who reigned man Tower of Hercules, a lighthouse which has been in between 702 and 710. In Palas de Rei we will see Castillo continuous operation since possibly the 2nd century AD. de Pambre the most complete Medieval Fort in Galicia. It It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B, D) dates from the 14th century and has survived all the fights between the feudal lordships. Later, we transfer to our hotel DAY 9: / A CORUÑA: WALK ARZUA TO ARCA O in Lugo for dinner and the evening. (B, D) PINO (19.4 km or 12.05) / A CORUÑA: After breakfast at our hotel in A Coruña,we transfer to today’s starting point DAY 7: LUGO: WALK PALAS DE REI TO MELIDE (22.1 in Arzua for our walk to Arca O Pino (19.4 km or 12.05 km or 13.73 Miles): Today, after breakfast, we return to Pa- Miles). Again today,we we walk through meadows, forests las de Rei for our and farm land with more beautiful scenery and small vil- walk that takes lages. us from Palas de In Arca we visit the medieval shrine of Santa Irene Rei to Melide. from Portugal. The shrine’s fountain is believed to have (22.1km 13.73 healing waters and its properties killed pests. Tradition has Miles). Along it that St. Irene was murdered where the shrine stands. And the way we will if children who were sick or unhappy they could find relief see the Church by walking them under the image of the saint. of St. Maria of We return to our hotel in A Coruña for dinner and the Leboreiro, the evening. (B, D) DAY 10: A CORUÑA: WALK ARCA O PINO TO SANTI- journey at Cape Finisterre. We return to our hotel for din- AGO (19.0 km or 11.80 Miles): This morning, after break- ner and the evening.