Any recommendations for where to stop for days of rest?

[MaritaSanchez]

We are starting the Camino in mid-April and would like to stop along the way and take a day off every now and then to get some rest, do a little sightseeing, etc. We are thinking we'll probably stop at the cities of Pamplona, Burgos and Leon. Any other recommendations for where to stop and stay? Also, what sites to see and what restaurants to visit? Will it be necessary this year to reserve a room in advance? We will be as flexible as we can be. Our only constraint is that we need to meet my teenage son in Sarria so he can join us for the last leg of the walk. He will be arriving from Barcelona in mid-May. Thanks for your help!

 

[Arn]

Marita,

Welcome to the Forum. It appears you may be a new member and haven't had an opportunity to really acquaint yourself with the bounty of great info and insight contained in the Forum.

I am very sure that many members will shortly flood this thread with recommendations and tid bits that will both inspire and pull you and your family in many directions.

Some suggestions for your own research: Take a look at the entries for the Camino Frances that outline the many attractions in each large, and not so large, citie you will journey thru. Here are two examples of the threads on the Forum that speak to good food:

post45944.html?hilit=good%20food#p45944

post45607.html?hilit=good%20food#p45607

This site takes you step by step thru each leg of the CF and provides many solid pieces of info on all topics. Just work your way thru it:

http://www.mundicamino.com/

Hope that gets you on your Way.
Buen “eating and sleeping” Camino,

Arn

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Burgos, Logrono, and Leon are popular stopping points for cathedrals, tourism, and food. Atapuerca is interesting because of the archeological dig nearby.

 

[oursonpolaire]

For smaller centres, I would note Estella and Navarrete, both of which have artistic and historical aspects which repay a day of leisure.

 

[lynnejohn]

If you are looking for somewhere to stop after Leon, I think Astorga is a great choice. Wonderful church, architecture, great plaza to meet people, restaurants, hostals.

lynne

 

[William Marques]

And if you are looking for somewhere to stop after Astorga - Villafranca is a lovely town.

 

[annakappa]

Depends what you are interested in seeing. If you stop over in Ponferrada, you could visit Las Médulas, a World Heritage site (check it out on the web). This area had been exploited by the Romans looking for gold. It looks like a miniture Grand Canyon and you really need a half day to visit it. I guess that there are guided tours leaving from Ponferrada (we went with my brother who had met up with us in Ponferrada and who took us by car). Also visiting the excavations near Atapuerca are worth the while. There are guided tours leaving from the village of Atapuerca (check this one too on the web) and it takes about half an hour by bus to arrive at the site. Anne

 

[MaritaSanchez]

Thank you for all the suggestions! I have been looking at the many entries on this site for while now. At first it was casual interest, but now that I have made the decision to make the pilgrimage I am paying more attention to what people write. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with new pilgrims!

Marita

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Marita,
We stopped off in Santo Domingo de la Calzada so we could detour to Suso, Yuso and Cana. The little hermitage at Suso turned out to be one of my very favourite places on the Camino. Santo Domingo is a lively and beautiful town with 2 great albergues.
Nell

 

[skilsaw]

Some other pilgrims took a side trip by bus from Burgos to Silos to hear gregorian chanting by monks. I think it is about 40 km off the camino.

Judging from the range of answers given, a dedicated pilgrim/tourist would take about 2 months to do the camino.

David, Victoria, Canada

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It takes two days to visit Santo Domingo de Silos by bus for vespers and the cloisters. The only bus to Santo Domingo is in the evening after the cloisters close, and the only bus back is in the morning before the cloisters open. A rental car can solve the transportation problem. When you return, the bus arrives early enough to get a good day of walking in from Burgos.

Alternatively, you can head straight to the bus station when you arrive in Burgos, take the 1730 bus to Santo Domingo (several affordable hostals), take in the vespers, sleep, visit the cloisters, take a marked day hike from Sto. Dom., visit the vespers again, return the next morning and spend the day in Burgos (expect some grief from hospitaleros for arriving on a bus), and set out the following day.

 

[ramble-on]

I'm new to this forum so perhaps this question has been answered elsewhere. My wife and I are starting our camino in mid-April in SJPP and are thinking of stopping over in Burgos for a rest day. Does anybody have suggestions or personal favourites of good but inexpensive hotels/hostals there, especially ones close to the city centre?

 

[Sagalouts]

hi ramble-on
from memory albergue jacobeo is good (3 euros) and santiago y santa catalina (donativo) both near the Cathedral.I stayed in one and met people who had one night in each.
if stuck the information centre (2) also both close to the cathedral will help.
if all else fails just head for the main square-buy a large beer and ask one of the 100 pilgrims sitting there.
Ian

 

[anniethenurse]

I'm new to this forum so perhaps this question has been answered elsewhere. My wife and I are starting our camino in mid-April in SJPP and are thinking of stopping over in Burgos for a rest day. Does anybody have suggestions or personal favourites of good but inexpensive hotels/hostals there, especially ones close to the city centre?

The Municipal albergue in Burgos is one of the best ones on the whole camino. La Casa del Cubo is newly opened and in a beautifully restored building very close to the catedral right on the camino just before the catedral on 28, Fernal Gonzalez, € 3 but we left some extra euros in the donativo box. I spent the last days of May in Burgos last year. The municipal is very popular, to be able to stay there you should plan your walk carefully. Arriving in Burgos can be hard walking if the sun is hot, there is a lot of road side walking and no shadow. The last albergue before Burgos in Cardenuela Riopico was closed, despite the info in the guide book (Brierley`s latest) and we ended up walking all the way from Villafranca de Oca (IRL we didn´t we took a cap to Burgos)

For the second night some friends stayed at the Hotel Norte Y Londres (947-264-125 Plaza Alonso), very cosy and with breakfast. There you can sit on your wooden porch and watch your fellow pilgrims when they arrive in Burgos.
You can try the second albergue Divina Pastora for the second night - some fellow pilgrims did stay there foer the second night.
annie

PS If you want some night life stay the first night (book in beforehand, so no stress in walking the long boring camino to Burgos) in a hotel (no curfew) and the second in a albergue.

 

[ramble-on]

Thanks for your thoughts, Ian and Annie,
We'll probably stop at one of the aubergues (the municipal sounds great) and get a hotel the second night. I wasn't sure about the etiquette of staying in a different aubergue in the same city for the second night. It sounds like it can be done but perhaps depends on the particular hospitaliero and the crowd they have to deal with that day. We'll "play it by ear" and I'm sure we'll find something that suits us.
Dick

 

[Rebekah Scott]

While in Burgos check out the Vinoteca across from the Hotel Cordon. Very good restaurant, a departure from the usual run of lomo, lomo, lomo.... goat-cheese salads, and Prado Rey! A bit outside the Menu del Dia budget, but worth it!

Reb.