• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

LIVE from the Camino My Via Serrana in a nutshell

Yoah

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances (Winter 2022)
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (December 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
 
Last edited:
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Me want more!!! It is just a couple of hours' drive for me, I have done Colmenar-Cortes de la Frontera and it is UNBELIEVABLE, with all the vultures flying above, around, and even below you at times!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Hi, @Yoah, welcome to the forum!

It is always great to have new perspectives on these untraveled caminos. This one has been on my list since @alansykes walked it several years ago, and first hand updates like yours are really a gift. Thanks so much, hoping to learn much more as you continue to post! Buen camino, Laurie
Hi Laurie, and thanks for the warm welcome! I've been a lurker for a few years (!) now but first time posting. I read Alan's report as well as the one you shared (Alex's) and found them both very valuable so thought I'd contribute!
 
Last edited:
Me want more!!! It is just a couple of hours' drive for me, I have done Colmenar-Cortes de la Frontera and it is UNBELIEVABLE, with all the vultures flying above, around, and even below you at times!
The vultures were absolutely incredible, indeed! A highlight for me was HEARING them glide past when they get close enough - very special!
 
Man, you were walking mighty stages, indeed, it is not a flat camino in the first days, and Jimena is worth a stop, definitely.
I will hope to be able to walk some part of this at least next year.
The bit from Tarifa to Algeciras is unique, and there is a stunning alternative over the mountains too, you do the first 15 km or so by the sea side with the views to Africa, then you go up the hill, cross the road, and climb into the most amazing primeval rain forest all the way to the outskirts of Algeciras. Not flat, not easy, not official "Camino", but some of the most beautiful forest in the south of Spain

It would be this route, but you would ideally split it in two, in El Pelayo

 
Last edited:
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Man, you were walking mighty stages, indeed, it is not a flat camino in the first days, and Jimena is worth a stop, definitely.
I will hope to be able to walk some part of this at least next year.
The bit from Tarifa to Algeciras is unique, and there is a stunning alternative over the mountains too, you do the first 15 km or so by the sea side with the views to Africa, then you go up the hill, cross the road, and climb into the most amazing primeval rain forest all the way to the outskirts of Algeciras. Not flat, not easy, not official "Camino", but some of the most beautiful forest in the south of Spain

It would be this route, but you would ideally split it in two, in El Pelayo

I was happy with most of the days, though I will grant you there were some long ones in there! Should have definitely split the day to Ronda in two but I'd probably organise the others the same way - not sure though! I like being out all day and am in reasonable shape at the moment. I'm also relatively young at 33, I suppose!

Something else I should have added: while more hours of daylight would definitely have been nice to have more time to cover the distances, some of these stretches would be *very* tough in blazing hot summer weather.

I did the bit along the sea from Tarifa and *loved* that, with views of Africa like you say, and the coastline feels rugged and wild and is, in short, quite spectacular. I would have loved to go up into the mountains! Another time, maybe! I passed by El Pelayo, but not close enough to warrant a stop.

You probably know this since you live close by, but the coast at Algeciras and onwards to Gibraltar is dominated by massive shipping containers and docking/loading facilities and isn't, in my opinion, very pretty as a result. The route I took to La Linea goes inland to avoid some of that industry, I think. It was still mostly on or along roads, so... yeah 😅
 
Last edited:
The vultures were absolutely incredible, indeed! A highlight for me was HEARING them glide past when they get close enough - very special!
@Yoah and @amancio, I am so happy to read your first-hand comments about this beautiful area. I think pilgrims who are looking for winter walking alternatives will often find parts of Andalucia to be doable.

I loved your comment about hearing the vultures glide past. In fact, we choose a rocky hillside as a lunch spot, and found the vultures were curious to see if we ourselves might make a tasty snack.
Screen Shot 2021-12-02 at 12.40.02 PM.png Screen Shot 2021-12-02 at 12.41.42 PM.png

For those thinking of walking the Via Serrana, there is a nice series of photos of the bridge and the tunnel leading to it in the Cañon de las Buitreras here.

@amancio, is this the Tarifa - Ageciras route you are talking about?
 
@Yoah and @amancio, I am so happy to read your first-hand comments about this beautiful area. I think pilgrims who are looking for winter walking alternatives will often find parts of Andalucia to be doable.

I loved your comment about hearing the vultures glide past. In fact, we choose a rocky hillside as a lunch spot, and found the vultures were curious to see if we ourselves might make a tasty snack.
View attachment 114300 View attachment 114301

For those thinking of walking the Via Serrano, there is a nice series of photos of the bridge and the tunnel leading to it in the Cañon de las Buitreras here.

@amancio, is this the Tarifa - Ageciras route you are talking about?
I contemplated playing dead to get a closer look at the vultures at Zaframagon (home to the largest colony of griffon vultures in Andalusia) but decided to leave them to the floaty-twirling thing they do in the end. You've now made me second-guess that decision! 😁

I think I read somewhere that they use columns of hot air to sort of circle up and manoeuvre through the air, which is why you don't see them flap their wings a lot. Such magnificent creatures.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I contemplated playing dead to get a closer look at the vultures at Zaframagon...
Wow! I didn't know about Zaframagon - it looks like a great spot to spend some time. Thanks for posting that. Did you stop at the Information Center and Observatory? It sounds like a wonderful experience:
"A highly sensitive digital camera, with a rotation of 360º allows us to know in real time how griffon vultures fly, feed their young and reach their nests. The camera is camouflaged between the rocks in an area difficult to get to on the other side of the Guadalporcún canyon, only 200 metres away from where the vultures nest on the steepest slope of the Peñón."
 
Wow! I didn't know about Zaframagon - it looks like a great spot to spend some time. Thanks for posting that. Did you stop at the Information Center and Observatory? It sounds like a wonderful experience:
"A highly sensitive digital camera, with a rotation of 360º allows us to know in real time how griffon vultures fly, feed their young and reach their nests. The camera is camouflaged between the rocks in an area difficult to get to on the other side of the Guadalporcún canyon, only 200 metres away from where the vultures nest on the steepest slope of the Peñón."
I didn't stop at the observatory but now wish I had! Thanks for sharing the link to their page.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.
Yes please! Absolutely.
Less for info than for feeling.

Wow! I didn't know about Zaframagon - it looks like a great spot to spend some time. Thanks for posting that. Did you stop at the Information Center and Observatory? It sounds like a wonderful experience:
Sign me up! From their website:
Screenshot_20211203-103925_Opera.jpg
We are lucky most vultures rely on olfaction rather than vision. Otherwise lie down at your own risk. 😁
 
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
Yoah gracias for your comment ,it was like reading a book for the Camino wonderful written Ronda is one of my favourite places in Spain.Buen camino amigo.
 
Hi Yoah, did you book your accommodation in advance? I'm hoping to walk this in February (fingers crossed it will still be possible!).
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I agree with you that Ronda is a beautiful historic town, although with many wars and tragic events. When I stood on top of the cliff, I couldn't help imagining the execution scene, described in Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" where Fascist sympathizers were thrown off the cliff. I couldn't look down without hearing screams in my head.

I look forward to reading your post more as I too am considering VdP in March of 2022. If you could, please do tell us about a particularly good or bad lodging along the way. Buen camino!
 
Welcome @Yoah
Please do continue to narrate your journey along the VDP, partly for fun, but also I hope to learn stuff before my own Camino from Seville, beginning at the end of March (COVID restrictions permitting).
Buen Camino!
 
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
really great blogging and detail. I need to take a lesson from you. do you do it as you go or after the walk while eating dinner?
Dude, you are logging some impressive miles sorry kilometers. wow, are you on a tight schedule, or do you just have long legs and lots of cafes ;-).
Keep up the nice blogging and enjoy your camino.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Hi Yoah, did you book your accommodation in advance? I'm hoping to walk this in February (fingers crossed it will still be possible!).
Hi Ali,

I booked everything ahead, yes, but not in one big go. I booked the first two nights the day before arriving in Spain, then the third night on day two, and then booked the rest in two batches, so like 3/4 nights on day 3 and then again 3/4 nights on day 7 or 8 or so - I don't remember exactly! But I never just 'turned up' on the day without having made a prior reservation.

I hope your walk can go ahead in February - probably a great time to go! Buen camino!
 
Thank you for sharing your experience. I agree with you that Ronda is a beautiful historic town, although with many wars and tragic events. When I stood on top of the cliff, I couldn't help imagining the execution scene, described in Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" where Fascist sympathizers were thrown off the cliff. I couldn't look down without hearing screams in my head.

I look forward to reading your post more as I too am considering VdP in March of 2022. If you could, please do tell us about a particularly good or bad lodging along the way. Buen camino!
Ooh! I had no idea about Ronda's history. I will add For Whom the Bell Tolls to my to-read list, where it can sit neatly alongside The Sun Also Rises. 🙂

I'll be sure to keep track of lodgings good and bad on the VdlP! Wishing you an early 'buen camino' in return!
 
really great blogging and detail. I need to take a lesson from you. do you do it as you go or after the walk while eating dinner?
Dude, you are logging some impressive miles sorry kilometers. wow, are you on a tight schedule, or do you just have long legs and lots of cafes ;-).
Keep up the nice blogging and enjoy your camino.
Ha! Thanks Keith! I jotted down a few basic impressions at the end of each day - gotta do something when it's dark out and there's no other pilgrims around!

The big days were in part to keep the costs down a little, but also because I prefer to just walk for most of the day if I can. With that said, I wouldn't have minded a longer lunch break here and there. 😅

Many thanks for your words of encouragement!
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I couldn't help imagining the execution scene, described in Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" where Fascist sympathizers were thrown off the cliff.

Ooh! I had no idea about Ronda's history. I will add For Whom the Bell Tolls to my to-read list,

I know that discussons about the Spanish Civil War generally end badly, and tend to veer quickly out of the factual historical lane and into politics, so I am not suggesting that we discuss this topic. But I did want to point out that as a book of fiction, For Whom the Bell Tolls does not purport to tell history. Historians do not agree whether this actually happened and I don’t think there has ever been any conclusive documentation or other evidence found. There is, however, confirmation of some sinister uses of rooms in the bridge structure that spans the gorge.
 
And for those of you who get to Ronda, @islandwalker has recorded a number of walks in and near the city. Here are just a few of them, but they are easy to find on wikiloc.



 
I know that discussons about the Spanish Civil War generally end badly, and tend to veer quickly out of the factual historical lane and into politics, so I am not suggesting that we discuss this topic. But I did want to point out that as a book of fiction, For Whom the Bell Tolls does not purport to tell history. Historians do not agree whether this actually happened and I don’t think there has ever been any conclusive documentation or other evidence found. There is, however, confirmation of some sinister uses of rooms in the bridge structure that spans the gorge.

Obviously this is not the place to talk about those events and I will not do that.
But it happens that I was born in Ronda, like my parents and grandparents.
I´ve heard about Civil War stories all my life till my father dies, ten years ago. If you want to know about those horrors narrated by Hemingway, feel free to ask me privately, I´ll tell you what they said.
Since both my mother´s and father´s families had members in both side of the conflict, I think I have a enbiased point of view, maybe a little bit afeccted by my own experience, but fairly balanced.
Wish you well.
 
Last edited:
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
If you want to know about those horrors narrated by Hemingway, feel free to ask me privately,


Several of us have already contacted @Pingüigrino privately, and if you would like to be added to the private discussion, just let him or me know.

Many thanks to @Pingüigrino for being willing to share these painful personal family stories.
 
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
Hi Yoah,

I would be very much interested in your VdlP Camino, so please keep us informed.

All the best,

Laszlo
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
It sure was a nutshell! I have just found your thread and it was a lovely read with my morning coffee. Via de la Plata? Have I missed that account?
 
It sure was a nutshell! I have just found your thread and it was a lovely read with my morning coffee. Via de la Plata? Have I missed that account?
I'm on the VdlP now, writing to you from Almaden de la Plata. I was going to do the same as in this thread and share all of the info in one go at the end, so that it's all in one place and easy to find for future readers, but I've just realised I could just edit the 'root' post of the thread as I go along - I'll do that instead! Probably this evening, from Monasterio. Perhaps @peregrina2000 can link the two threads somehow once I've created the second one?

Alternatively, I could edit this one to include the VdlP comments, but I'll resort to the moderators' wisdom in terms of what the better way to go about it is.
 
I'm on the VdlP now, writing to you from Almaden de la Plata. I was going to do the same as in this thread and share all of the info in one go at the end, so that it's all in one place and easy to find for future readers, but I've just realised I could just edit the 'root' post of the thread as I go along - I'll do that instead! Probably this evening, from Monasterio. Perhaps @peregrina2000 can link the two threads somehow once I've created the second one?

Alternatively, I could edit this one to include the VdlP comments, but I'll resort to the moderators' wisdom in terms of what the better way to go about it is.
Yoah, I’m reallu keen to see how your VDLP experience turns out during winter. Anything you post is of great interest to many. Enjoy. BC.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I've just realised I could just edit the 'root' post of the thread as I go along - I'll do that instead!
You have a limited time to edit your post - I think it is one week. (Moderators can do it longer.) You can link your own threads, but let us know if you need help. You can also post normally in the thread, in chrono order of posting, but add bold words at the top of the post to announce each new day/stage and end points. Then readers can scan easily for the information.

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (November 3rd)
Do you mean November or December?

In any case, I'm looking forward to your account of the VDLP. 🙂
 
You have a limited time to edit your post - I think it is one week. (Moderators can do it longer.) You can link your own threads, but let us know if you need help. You can also post normally in the thread, in chrono order of posting, but add bold words at the top of the post to announce each new day/stage and end points. Then readers can scan easily for the information.


Do you mean November or December?

In any case, I'm looking forward to your account of the VDLP. 🙂
Ah, okay - thanks! The very attentive @Doughnut NZ said the same thing re editing your posts. I'll have a look at the bold font thing you mention - I hadn't thought of doing something like that.

Luckily still able to edit the original post here, so have corrected the error you pointed out - thanks! 😁
 
Hi everyone,

I've just arrived in Seville and thought I'd share some basic info from my trip along the Via Serrana, in the hope it may prove useful.

I started in Tarifa instead of La Linea (thought that would be cool), so ignore the first three days if you're curious about the 'official' Via Serrana only.

Day 1: ~36k from Tarifa to Algeciras. First ~10k gorgeous, then a little monotonous along dirt roads. No services the entire way until you get to the Algeciras area. Accomodation: Pension Versalles (€22).

Day 2: ~38k from Algeciras to La Linea. Had to climb through a few fences and I avoided going via San Roque because that's on the Via Serrana. No facilities until Venta Juan Carlos, but they offer a fantastic 3-course meal which includes a drink for €9. Accomodation: La Esteponera (€16).

Day 3: ~20k to and around Gibraltar, then back to La Linea (where accomodation is much cheaper). Had a lovely day climbing the Rock! Accomodation: Small Room Close to Border (€14). Very mixed reviews on booking.com but I thought it was fine - I'm not super demanding.

Day 4: ~29k from La Linea to San Martin del Tesorillo. Bought a credential from the church of Santiago in La Linea from the kind priest who wished me a buen camino - the first one! Lots of yellow arrows - feels like a camino from La Linea onwards (in many though not all ways). Nice trail to San Roque and then quite a bit of road to San Martin. Accomodation: Ochomin Hostel (€25; not actually in San Martin but the village right next to it, Secadero).

Day 5: ~38km to El Colmenar (but add 1-2 to go into Jimena de la Frontera about halfway). I loved the climb out of Jimena - I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the top of the hills/mountains. Because I lingered and took photos/video, the descent into El Colmenar was in the dark - fine with a headtorch. Accomodation: Las Buitreras (€40) - beautifully rustic and a bit castle-like. Couldn't find anything cheaper, which I would have preferred.

Day 6: ~40km to Ronda. Absolutely stunning day that I should have split in two to be able to really savour this stretch. The gorge just out of Colmenar was one of the highlights of this route. The climb out is steep and not short, but *views*. Very beautiful again along the river Guadiaro on the side of the hill/mountain later on. Ronda is absolutely stunning, in case you were not already aware!

Day 7: ~30k to Olvera. Mostly along agricultural tracks - a little monotonous but the last 10k to Olvera is through beautiful undulating farmland - kind of what I imagined Andalusia to look like, but prettier! Accomodation: Olvera B&B (€34). Bad experience - they didn't seem to know I was coming. Locked door, nobody there, no answer when I phoned. Got hold of them in the end and received instructions to let myself in. Don't expect much of breakfast either!

Day 8: ~25k to Coripe, all along a greenway punctuated by lots of tunnels through the hillsides. Very nice (necessary?!) to have a shorter day. The only bar/cafe along the way was closed (for winter, presumably), so no services along the way. There was water available from a fountain at the place that was closed, though. Accomodation: Pension Coripe (€25). Thanks @alansykes - I knew about this place from reading your report. The only other place I could find on booking.com was more than twice as expensive. Juan, the owner, was very kind and treated me to a cup of tea in the morning.

Day 9: ~30k to El Coronil, through more lovely, undulating Andalusian countryside. Amenities available in Montellano at ~19k from Coripe. Unpleasant (heavy with speeding traffic) road walk for most of the last ~10k into El Coronil. Accomodation: Hostal Don Juan (€31).

Day 10: ~40k to Dos Hermanas. Pleasant because varied; flat for the most part. Accomodation: El Emigrante (€36).

Day 11: ~16k to Seville. Almost entirely along roads, but once you hit Parque de Maria Luisa you're in the beautiful parts of Seville. Accomodation: Hostal San Isidoro (€14) - nice little place from where I am now writing!

And that's it! A few concluding thoughts: I wouldn't recommend the bit between Tarifa and La Linea - probably only worth doing if you want the 'I walked to Santiago from the southernmost point of Spain' street cred. I did this in late November and the weather was absolutely fine. The mornings and evenings are chilly, particularly up high (Ronda and the days leading up to it). I did not meet any other pilgrims. There were no real (municipal) albergues - that is, no pilgrim-oriented accomodation and, therefore, a more expensive camino than your mainstream ones (for most people). If you walk with a partner, it probably works out a bit cheaper since, most of the time, I was given a double room because there were no single-room options.

Happy to answer questions if you have any!

I'm moving on to the Via de la Plata tomorrow (December 3rd) - I could keep you lovely forum dwellers up to date on my progress if this might be of interest, although there's already quite a bit of info about the VdlP out there, obviously. Let me know.

Buen camino!
Can't you please attach a map of this path?
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Can't you please attach a map of this path?
Yoah's walking so that's a pretty big ask. But fortunately that's what the search function is for. 😉
Here you go:

Also, another summary:
 
Last edited:
Can't you please attach a map of this path?
I'm unable to generate a map based on my own data/walking from my phone, but the attached image hopefully gives you an impression of the stretch between La Linea and Seville.

If you want a closer look, maybe head over to my page on Strava (although I'm not sure what you're able to see without having an account yourself and/or following me): https://www.strava.com/athletes/21410390
 

Attachments

  • download.jpeg
    download.jpeg
    8.9 KB · Views: 27
I'm unable to generate a map based on my own data/walking from my phone, but the attached image hopefully gives you an impression of the stretch between La Linea and Seville.

If you want a closer look, maybe head over to my page on Strava (although I'm not sure what you're able to see without having an account yourself and/or following me): https://www.strava.com/athletes/21410390
Thanks, it makes a difference!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Only just caught up with this thread. I lived near Jimena de la Frontera for 5 years. Your walk has brought many happy memories flooding back. Thank you.
 

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top