Enough to do in Leon? And a few other questions!!!

[GreatDane]

I've been working up my 15 day plan for my end of April 2016 CF2, Burgos to Leon version. I have already built in 1.5 days into the end in Madrid to visit places I missed in 2014. No extra time in Burgos (my end place last time) aside from any time I have after taking a train up from Madrid. Using godesaloc.com I have worked out 9 days on the trail with no days of over 23km. My full day in Leon is probably a Saturday. Questions below:

1. Aside from visiting the Santa Maria de Regla cathedral, the Museo Pantheon Sand Isidora de Leon, the contemporary art museum and a few others, is a day and a half in Leon too little or too much and is there anything else not to be missed?
2. If I needed to make up time/a day anywhere on the Meseta, what section would you skip and is there a way to do it?
3. I still need to look at albergues to make sure most are open by mid-April. Hopefully this isn't a problem!?!?
4. Are any of the little villages problematic if I land there on a Sunday? (nothing open kind of problems)

With only 2 weeks this time instead of 3, I feel like I can't just go with the flow like I did last time. And I don't want to feel rushed in Madrid. Thanks!!

 

[MTtoCamino]

I am not the person for sights, I moved along too fast to smell those roses. Concerning alburgues, you will not have any issues in the small towns. If you are in a big city over Easter it is a hunt to find a place. I never had any issues on Sunday finding either a market or a bar to get food. If one is closed, the other was open, as long as it was not before 1pm I found something to eat. I can honestly say I walked every step to the Ocean & if you have to move ahead do it, but I liked every step. But with the time you have, walk as you have all the time in the world, taxis as you know are every were so basically before Sarria.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, GreatDane,

I think a day and a half in Leon will be easily filled. There is so much life in the old part of town and it is fun to just soak it up. Great market, wonderful fruit! I also enjoyed the Museo de Leon, which has artifacts from the Stone AGe on up. I had been walking the Camino Vadiniense and there were lots of stone carvings from the tribe of that name, which inhabited the area between Leon and the mountains. It was a great way to spend an hour or two, I thought. You can see more of their collection here: http://www.museodeleon.com/cgi-bin/zdoc30/index.pl?s=2

I'm not sure what your average daily kms are, but I think most people walk Burgos to Leon in 8 or 9 days. Sounds like you will have plenty of time to do all you want to do! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Besides the tourist and historic sites (and sights), Leon is a great town for wandering. Parts only come alive after 7 to 9 p.m. I was there once on a Palm Sunday, and the parades were spectacular. A bed is pretty easy to find in albergues or reasonably priced hotels. I don't like the convent albergue (other choices are available), so I usually stay at Hostal Guzman el Bueno near the cathedral. The Parador is always a good option!

The train from Sahagun to Leon will save you at least two days of very flat, treeless walking. You can get off that train at El Burgo Ranero if you just need to skip a day. Buen camino!

 

[Sherrie]

I had to spend 3 unplanned days in Burgos to heal a terribly blistered foot. As a result had to use public transport on part of the Meseta. For us it worked well to take a bus from Carrión de Los Condes to León. Tickets should be purchased in advance and are available in the Bar España which is also the bus stop for the ALSA bus. As you enter town from Frómista, the Bar España is on your left at the first plaza. We bought our bus tickets there for the next day's bus (11:50a departure) to León. Lots of peregrinos on the bus with us, so this is apparently a common part of the Meseta to bypass on foot. Hope this helps & Buen Camino,
Sherrie & Doug

I've been working up my 15 day plan for my end of April 2016 CF2, Burgos to Leon version. I have already built in 1.5 days into the end in Madrid to visit places I missed in 2014. No extra time in Burgos (my end place last time) aside from any time I have after taking a train up from Madrid. Using godesaloc.com I have worked out 9 days on the trail with no days of over 23km. My full day in Leon is probably a Saturday. Questions below:

1. Aside from visiting the Santa Maria de Regla cathedral, the Museo Pantheon Sand Isidora de Leon, the contemporary art museum and a few others, is a day and a half in Leon too little or too much and is there anything else not to be missed?
2. If I needed to make up time/a day anywhere on the Meseta, what section would you skip and is there a way to do it?
3. I still need to look at albergues to make sure most are open by mid-April. Hopefully this isn't a problem!?!?
4. Are any of the little villages problematic if I land there on a Sunday? (nothing open kind of problems)

With only 2 weeks this time instead of 3, I feel like I can't just go with the flow like I did last time. And I don't want to feel rushed in Madrid. Thanks!!

 

[Lord Longpath]

At your time of year the meseta will be green, with plenty of wild flowers along the way, ideal walking weather. When you stop, you will feel cold if the sun isn't shining - it's quite high up. The bars, and albergues, leave their doors wide open to the wind. Take a fleece.

The early part of the meseta is more beautiful. If you have to miss out anything it should be the last two days before Leon. But we walked every step.

There's much more to see in Leon than Burgos. I recommend the Hotel Boccalino on the Plaza San Isidro opposite the Pantheon and the San Isidro church. There are buildings by Gaudi and miles of old city to explore

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I've been working up my 15 day plan for my end of April 2016 CF2, Burgos to Leon version. I have already built in 1.5 days into the end in Madrid to visit places I missed in 2014. No extra time in Burgos (my end place last time) aside from any time I have after taking a train up from Madrid. Using godesaloc.com I have worked out 9 days on the trail with no days of over 23km. My full day in Leon is probably a Saturday. Questions below:

1. Aside from visiting the Santa Maria de Regla cathedral, the Museo Pantheon Sand Isidora de Leon, the contemporary art museum and a few others, is a day and a half in Leon too little or too much and is there anything else not to be missed?
2. If I needed to make up time/a day anywhere on the Meseta, what section would you skip and is there a way to do it?
3. I still need to look at albergues to make sure most are open by mid-April. Hopefully this isn't a problem!?!?
4. Are any of the little villages problematic if I land there on a Sunday? (nothing open kind of problems)

With only 2 weeks this time instead of 3, I feel like I can't just go with the flow like I did last time. And I don't want to feel rushed in Madrid. Thanks!!

Hi, everything is already said. The only thing I will say to you is, to wish you well and have a great time along your journey, Peter.

 

[november_moon]

In case you need more ideas:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...s-Leon_Province_of_Leon_Castile_and_Leon.html

 

[Jetgirl]

Best meals on the Meseta were in Moratinos, calzadilla de Los Hermanos at Casa la cura, and manzanilla de las Mulas. I still drool over the eggplant, squid, and vegetable soup I had in these three towns!

 

[VNwalking]

I've not said anything here because I'm much more fond of the Meseta and the little towns along the way than the big cities. But you could easily fill a day and a half in Leon--others have already given you ideas. I was there in Semana Santa this year and the parades were amazing.
What jetgirl just said, though, jogged my memory...Casa la Cura in Calzadilla de los Hermanos was very special. It was my first 'CR' break along the way and I was so happy to have stayed at this very friendly and lovely place. And the food is very very good. Worth the walk...
As is the Meseta.
Miss it if you must. But it is sublime.
There were parts that were not my favorite...perhaps the last half after Sahagun, especially from Reliegos to Leon...but to bus into the city from all that quiet would be a kind of inner whiplash. Too sudden a transition.

 

[GreatDane]

Thanks all for the great suggestions and comments!!! The area I live in is very Meseta like so I'll feel right at home. Rolling, treeless, windy, wildflowers only a few weeks of the year. We average about 12.5-15cm of precipitation a year. Once you leave my area it's mostly tiny farming towns with a larger town every hour or so (by car). I train by walking the 16km to the next town to the west. And by walking the 16km round trip to a Starbucks in the next town to the east, stopping in for a bad coffee and stale croissant. I've done the trips when it's well over 40C and below 0C. All paved. For treeless hill climbs on dirt paths I do Badger Mountain just to the south of me. Go to http://friendsofbadger.org and flip through the header slideshow and you'll see what I mean!!