Hard Choice...Camino de Madrid or Via de La Plata

[Andrius11]

Time has come to do my second Camino,on monday i will be in Madrid,a litttle problem is, i torn between two Caminos,so the question is where to start Madrid or Seville?

 

[HeidiL]

I have walked from Seville to Merida on the Via de la Plata and from Madrid to Valdestillas on the Camino de Madrid. Someone who has FINISHED either of them will have more information!

Via de la Plata had nicer albergues, lots of converted old monasteries, and in general better food, especially if you like jamón. But distances are longer, and there is more climbing. Several walks through hilly terrain with lots and lots of pigs.

Camino de Madrid has less road walking, lots of sandy paths through woods, and apart from the day before Segovia, is much flatter. Since you're flying to Madrid, it's easier to get to, of course. The first three days, nobody has heard of pilgrims, then you suddenly turn into a superstar, and the locals are overjoyed to see you.

Next Easter, we're starting out in Valdestillas.

Several people have put their camoni photos online. Perhaps you could have a look around and see what kind of terrain you prefer?

 

[Castilian]

A point to bear in mind is that Vía de la Plata is much longer than Camino de Madrid so a relevant question would be How much time do you have available?

 

[alansykes]

Both have their points. If you have the time, I'd plump for the Via de la Plata, especially if you want to avoid the crowds that you'd encounter on the Francés after Sahagún if you take the Madrid (I skipped over onto the Levante a few days after lovely Segovia, mainly to avoid them). As you've done the Francés before you'll know if you enjoy its camaraderie, or if you'd rather relish the relative solitude of Extremadura. Zafra, Mérida, Cáceres, Galisteo, the arch of Cáparra, Salamanca, Zamora, the monastery of Oseira, the Roman baths at Montemayor and Ourense, and Seville itself, of course, are all wonderful places on the Plata that I look forward to visiting again, dv.

 

[Andrius11]

i have learned my lesson from Frances,where i have a plane to catch,which cost me a couple of nails and a lot of pain,great memories)...now i have all time in the world,after 6 years in London i need a proper pilgrimage in wilderness),if i decide on Madrid,then will continue on Salvador and Primitivo,so no big crowds for me...though would love to see those black pigs),a bit concerned about my ability to survive the heat on VDLP,next week up to 36 C in Seville

 

[Peregrinopaul]

a bit concerned about my ability to survive the heat on VDLP,next week up to 36 C in Seville

That is a problem I agree, but bear in mind that the temp maximum is reached late in the afternoon. The mornings are fine, and often surprisingly cool. (My experience was the beginning of June). Of course as you move north it gets progressively cooler. I found Galicia a bit of a shock.

 

[KinkyOne]

i have learned my lesson from Frances,where i have a plane to catch,which cost me a couple of nails and a lot of pain,great memories)...now i have all time in the world,after 6 years in London i need a proper pilgrimage in wilderness),if i decide on Madrid,then will continue on Salvador and Primitivo,so no big crowds for me...though would love to see those black pigs),a bit concerned about my ability to survive the heat on VDLP,next week up to 36 C in Seville

The temperatures on Madrid and VdlP are similar in the summer, at least on the flat section of Madrid. On Salvador & Primitivo might be lower.

 

[Andrius11]

in Belarus now is raining,make me wishing for a lot of sun,seems to me soon i will have more than fare share of it) one day in Madrid,one day in Seville and i am ready for a nice long Camino) maybe somebody knows where in Seville i can buy a VDLP guide?

 

[Peregrinopaul]

in Belarus now is raining,make me wishing for a lot of sun,seems to me soon i will have more than fare share of it) one day in Madrid,one day in Seville and i am ready for a nice long Camino) maybe somebody knows where in Seville i can buy a VDLP guide?

There is a pilgrim office just across the river from the old city, in Triana. You can walk it. They have a guide which got me to Santiago. You can get a pilgrim passport there too, and lots of advice. I'll find the address and post it, if no-one beats me to it.
When you go to the Cathedral to get your first sello, there will probably be an enormous queue of tourists waiting for the guided tour. Go to the front and ask at the door, as they stamp your credential at a different desk.

 

[Andrius11]

thank you Peregrinopaul,actually it is my plan to stay in Triana hostel,glad that they have a guide too,hopefully on 28 of may i will be on my way to Guillena,one step at a time)

 

[KinkyOne]

in Belarus now is raining,make me wishing for a lot of sun,seems to me soon i will have more than fare share of it) one day in Madrid,one day in Seville and i am ready for a nice long Camino) maybe somebody knows where in Seville i can buy a VDLP guide?

You'll start approx. 10 days ahead of me but I'll walk Levante and connected to VdlP in Zamora before turning on to Sanabres. What lenght of stages do you expect to walk?

Regards from rainy Slovenia

 

[Peregrinopaul]

actually it is my plan to stay in Triana hostel

If you mean Triana Backpackers, I enjoyed it there. Great evening meal on the roof terrace, and my introduction to Sevillian sangria! They'll direct you to the pilgrim office, which is only a couple of hundred metres away.

 

[Andrius11]

hi KinkyOne) i will go with a flow and according to gronze.com/camino flow will get me there in 20 days if all is well,checked Levante Camino,its quite a walk...

 

[Andrius11]

Sevillian sangria sounds as a great way to start,just sent an email to Triana Backpackers asking to save some for me)

 

[Bernice M]

Andrius11:
Don't waste your money on a paper guide if you have a smart phone. Buy the VDLP app by Melanie McManus for the route, and Gerald Kelly's for accommodation. Or use the accommodation list available on this website. Otherwise rely on the yellow arrows.

In combination they worked just fine all the way from Seville to Santiago September-November last year.

 

[LauraK]

Andrius11:
Don't waste your money on a paper guide if you have a smart phone. Buy the VDLP app by Melanie McManus for the route, and Gerald Kelly's for accommodation. Or use the accommodation list available on this website. Otherwise rely on the yellow arrows.

In combination they worked just fine all the way from Seville to Santiago September-November last year.

Yes, but not if you drop your phone in the toilet like I did on the VdlP...glad I had brought Gerald Kelly's guide in paperback! Don't know how I would have made it through all the AVE train construction detours without it since a lot of the yellow arrows weren't reliable. Of course I am directionally challenged even with arrows...

 

[Andrius11]

i am not going to take phone with me,so my feet should be ready for extra weight of a paper guide),we see for how long..last time,after Burgos i threw away my 2 kg sleeping bag in a bin,you should have seen faces of spanish peregrinos))

 

[Undermanager]

Your phone can be very useful, as a GPS unit, to hold half a dozen different guides, to call in an emergency, as a torch, to check emails, for Skype, for reading, blogging, posting to forums and keeping a diary. Just a thought

 

[Anniesantiago]

They're both awesome routes with lots to see.
Personally, I'd choose the Madrid route because of the construction going on on the VDLP (not sure it that's sorted out) and then continue on to another route, maybe the Aragones?

 

[Andrius11]

well,i am off will make my final decision in Madrid itself) buen camino to all)

 

[HeidiL]

Where are you now, then?