Levante or Plata ( from Seville ).

[CTreacy]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has done both the Levante and Seville-Zamora section of the Plata routes ?
Apart from the distances what are the major differences in terrain, availability of Alberges, annoyances , road vs path walking etc. between these ? While all routes are different ( I have done Norte, Portugese and Primitivo routes ). Any preferences ? Am thinking of starting just after Easter.

Thanks

 

[Kanga]

@peregrina2000 ?

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has done both the Levante and Seville-Zamora section of the Plata routes ?
Apart from the distances what are the major differences in terrain, availability of Alberges, annoyances , road vs path walking etc. between these ? While all routes are different ( I have done Norte, Portugese and Primitivo routes ). Any preferences ? Am thinking of starting just after Easter.

Thanks

Hi,

People say that the first days (week?) of the Levante is mostly road walking. I have done this Camino but I am not bothered by road walking so I didn't notice…

Another difference is that there are more people waking the Plata, although both routes are quite solitary of course. On the Plata you will surely meet other pilgrims, at least at the end of the stage where you stay. On the Levante, you might be alone all day long as well as in the albergues!

Both Caminos have quite good infrastructure when it comes to albergues!

/BP

 

[HeidiL]

I have walked from Seville to Zamora - mostly lots of infrastructure, occasionally other pilgrims, too. Some terrain, but not too bad for me, with my knee injury.

I have only walked the first week of the Levante - few albergues, no pilgrims, quite flat. Lots of cheap little hotels. Spanish a requirement.

 

[he.panpub]

Hi,
in 2019, I hiked el Camino de Levante and the Camino Sanabrès : Valencia-Zamora-Ourense-Santiago. Between Valencia and Zamora (>700 km), I only met one pilgrim, but I met the inhabitants of the villages!
Indeed, the first 3 stages are on small roads without much traffic, but then, when the road rises, the landscapes become magnificent: beware it is as if you were walking on several consecutive Meseta. These are very interesting moments facing yourself. I have always found accommodation.
I can provide my stages and my accommodation (and even my GPX tracks!).

To get an idea of my Way, see these 2 videos (2-3 mn each of them) on my youtube channel:
- Camino del Levante :

- Camino Sanabrès :

 

[LTfit]

I've done both: the Via de la Plata twice (and Sevilla-Merida a third time) and the Levante to Zamora.

As others have said. The first three-four days out of Valencia on the Levante are all concrete. This was an issue when I walked it at the end of June. Luckily it is then is followed by soft surfaces. The albergues are all very small (around 4 beds) and are adequate but basic.

I walked the Via de la Plata in July, October and February so not in the high season which is historically for the Plata in May and September. There were a handful of pilgrims and often you would see no one around. Many times we would only be 2 pilgrims in the albergues. Otherwise the infrastructure is good and the scenery beautiful (but then again I love arid landscapes). And you get to see Merida, Salamanca and Zamora!

The Levante was done late June - July from Valencia to Toledo. It was warm to say the least. I did it with a Camino buddy and we saw one other pilgrim during this stretch. I walked from Toledo to Zamora the following year by myself and I saw 2 people and slept every night minus 2 by myself.

 

[CTreacy]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will stick with the initial Plata route. Your descriptions match my expectations so it should work out.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has done both the Levante and Seville-Zamora section of the Plata routes ?
Apart from the distances what are the major differences in terrain, availability of Alberges, annoyances , road vs path walking etc. between these ? While all routes are different ( I have done Norte, Portugese and Primitivo routes ). Any preferences ? Am thinking of starting just after Easter.

Thanks

@peregrina2000 ?

Oops, just seeing this now, but I agree with what’s been said. I think I liked the Levante more than @LT did, but I agree that the Vdlp is probably a better fit for what you are looking for. The Levante is a camino of wide open spaces, beautiful expanses of shockingly bright green in springtime, which is definitely the best time to walk the Levante. Lots of castles on hilltops, a surprising number of towns with very interesting castles, plazas, churches, etc. Albergues on about half the stages, so fewer than on the Vdlp. The Levante has a few drop-dead-gorgeous mountain sections, which you won’t get on the Vdlp (I’m thinking mainly between Toledo and Ávila). But the Vdlp has about the best amalgamation of interesting cities of any camino (Sevilla, Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora, Ourense— wow!), but Toledo and Ávila on the Levante are very nice. The arrival point into Toledo, when you come up to the El Greco view over the river with the city in the background, is one of those moments that takes your breath away.

Probably my favorite terrain on the Vdlp is what they call “dehesa” in Spanish. Kind of a rocky, scrubby, marshy terrain, sounds awful but is spectacular in the springtime. Wikipedia has a good description of what it is

And while I am plugging the Vdlp, if you do go, and if you love ancient churches, one of my favorites is there, a slight detour between Aljucén and Alcuéscar— Santa Lucía de Trampal. Alan Sykes gave great info on how to get there on this thread

Starting just after Easter is perfect for either Camino. I would walk either happily. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Donna Sch]

I've done both with the Levante in Feb/Mar and the VDLP in June/July. I prefer the VDLP as there is more day to day variety.
Toledo and Ávila are lovely cities. My other half loved Toledo and we ended up spending an extra day there so we could check out the military museum. I thought the Levante was going to be flat but there are lots of rolling low hills in the agricultural areas and you are on the edge of the Meseta. The Levante would be great for cyclists apart from about 3 days in the middle where there are some decent elevations. The first 3 days is all footpath and road. At least it is through orchards but it is so nice to get onto proper dirt.
But both are great.

 

[CTreacy]

Emmm, thanks for the information. I guess I could take side trips from the VDLP to Medina del Campo by public transport. I have been to Toledo, Avila and Segovia on previous holidays. However the spring description of the Levante sounds attractive. Mentally I have probably decided on the VDLP but maybe a huge difference in flight prices could change my mind ! When doing the Portugese route we just switched from the inland to coast route on the first morning on a whim ( no planning for it ).