Burgos to Santo Domingo de Silos

[Humbertico]

My wife and I will be doing the CF Sept - Oct and are planning to leave Burgoas to Santo Domingo de Silos. Would appreciate recommendations as to best transportation to and from Burgos. Also best place to stay. Is it worth a day trip to get back to Burgos and stay the night in Burgos to continue El Camino the next morning or stay the night in Santo Domingo and return early next am. Times of buses? Cab?

Gracias Peregrinos,
Humbertico

 

[peregrina2000]

A little off topic, but one marvelous way to do this is to walk on the Camino San Olav (there is a subforum here https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...an-olav-between-burgos-and-santo-domingo.173/ with Alex's guide and a lot of detail from others who have walked). It is a great little walk.

As far as public transportation, I think there is only one bus a day, and if you want to attend services, you will need to spent the night. There are several hotels, etc, it is quite the touristed place, booking would be a good way to start.

 

[mspath]

Here are other useful tips re Santo Domingo de Silos/Burgos.

Santo Domingo de Silos is definitely worth a visit!
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...thic-jewel-south-of-burgos.36974/#post-359147

There and back from Burgos would be a 4-6 day journey on foot.But you can take the bus from Burgos in the late afternoon and be back the next morning to either continue your walk or to stay in Burgos for a rest day.
I took the bus from Burgos and walked back (in 3 days):
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lost-and-found-on-the-lana-and-st-olav.39244/
@Peregrino2000 recently walked through SDdS coming up the Ebro and describes the journey:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/posts/419092/

Post # 3 on this thread lists several options:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...domingo-de-silos-to-burgos.38896/#post-385902

www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/planning-to-walk-from-santo-domingo-de-silos-to-burgos.38896/

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is one bus a day weekdays. It leaves Burgos about 1730 and arrives just in time to attend vespers. It leaves the next morning to return to Burgos at about 0810. That means you will not be able to tour the cloisters unless you stay a second day.

Pick any hotel from a site like booking.com. They all are good (I have stayed in three different ones). If you decide to stay the second day, there is a nice loop hiking trail behind the church for a day hike (to keep your legs in shape!!).

http://www.aytoburgos.es/movilidad-...on-de-autobuses/burgos-santo-domingo-de-silos

 

[VNwalking]

Is it worth a day trip to get back to Burgos and stay the night in Burgos to continue El Camino the next morning or stay the night in Santo Domingo and return early next am.

As others have said, stay the night. You won't regret it. Or stay longer!

If you decide to stay the second day, there is a nice loop hiking trail behind the church for a day hike

Another option is to take the GR82 to the top of the ridge between SDdS and Contreras - there are beautiful views all around from up there!
View media item 4869From there, you can even follow it a bit farther down to the set of the Sad Hill Cemetery from the movie The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. A nice 'day walk.'

 

[scruffy1]

 

[scruffy1]

Don't skip the visit to the cloister there, magnificent Romanesque sculpture.

 

[VNwalking]

Don't skip the visit to the cloister there, magnificent Romanesque sculpture.

 

[Bala]

Definitely stay two nights. That will give you time to experience the full prayer cycle, tour the cloister and museum, and get a sense of the timelessness of the monastery and the prayers. Otherwise you're basically going to just get there and turn around and leave.

I was there in April and things were pretty quiet, but I understand it gets quite busy during the summer. There must have been a dozen places to stay in the little town.

I stayed at the Hostel Santo Domingo de Silos, right across from the monastery walls, 26€ for a single with private bath. I reserved online before I left the States. Nice room, really nice people.

The bus is easy and a very pleasant ride. Falcon posted the link above. The ticket window opens at 5 pm. The same man who sold the tickets also drove the bus. All pretty low-key!

I can sum up my experience of my visit in one sentence. Worth the trip to Spain.

I've spent time with the Trappist monks here on the States, and prayed the entire, chanted, Liturgy of the Hours with them. But Santo Domingo de Silos took it to a whole new level. Maybe it's the Latin, maybe it's the setting, maybe the 1,000-year history. Or all that and more. It's a very special place.

 

[Humbertico]

Definitely stay two nights. That will give you time to experience the full prayer cycle, tour the cloister and museum, and get a sense of the timelessness of the monastery and the prayers. Otherwise you're basically going to just get there and turn around and leave.

I was there in April and things were pretty quiet, but I understand it gets quite busy during the summer. There must have been a dozen places to stay in the little town.

I stayed at the Hostel Santo Domingo de Silos, right across from the monastery walls, 26€ for a single with private bath. I reserved online before I left the States. Nice room, really nice people.

The bus is easy and a very pleasant ride. Falcon posted the link above. The ticket window opens at 5 pm. The same man who sold the tickets also drove the bus. All pretty low-key!

I can sum up my experience of my visit in one sentence. Worth the trip to Spain.

I've spent time with the Trappist monks here on the States, and prayed the entire, chanted, Liturgy of the Hours with them. But Santo Domingo de Silos took it to a whole new level. Maybe it's the Latin, maybe it's the setting, maybe the 1,000-year history. Or all that and more. It's a very special place.

Thank you! We are doing the CF Sep-Oct and planning on getting a taxi ride from Burgos around noon to spend afternoon and night in Sto Domingo because if we leave by bus at 5:30 we might miss the Gregoria Chant . This would give us time to visit monestary if we left by taxi and spend the night and get back to Burgos in am and connect with CF. What are your thoughts with these plans? Thanks for your input

 

[VNwalking]

This would give us time to visit monestary if we left by taxi and spend the night and get back to Burgos in am and connect with CF. What are your thoughts with these plans? Thanks for your input

Good, to spend the night.
And if when you get there you think you'd like to stay an extra night, you can.
Would you think to walk out of Burgos the morning you get there?
That might feel a bit rushed.

 

[CaminoKentucky]

As others have said, it is SO worth it to visit Santo Domingo. Taking the bus from Burgos is easy and inexpensive. Any of the places near the monastery are good options for staying the night. I spent 2 nights and loved my visit there.

 

[Bala]

@Humbertico, the bus took about an hour and a half, so I would definitely check the price of a taxi. There are probably faster roads, but it's still a bit of a drive. The price would really be the only drawback.

The bus gets you there in time for Vespers at 7pm. I checked into my hotel and then walked over to the church, no problem. It took about 3 minutes. Night Prayer is at 9:30pm.

All services are in chant, 5 from the Office of the Hours, and mass. I will post of photo of the schedule as soon as I take one.

The bus gets back to Burgos around 9:30 am and I headed right out to the Camino. Since my day before was about as relaxing as it gets, I could easily have walked a full day.

If you are in Burgos the morning you head to Santo Domingo, consider going to 9 am mass in the Cathedral. Morning prayer is chanted in Spanish at the start. There must have been 20+ fully-vested clergy in the entrance procession and participating at altar.

The chapel is baroque opulence at its finest and is only accessible during liturgical services. The contrast with the monastery couldn't be more striking. Both beautiful, but both very different.

 

[Bala]

 

[Bala]

From there, you can even follow it a bit farther down to the set of the Sad Hill Cemetery from the hollywood western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. A nice 'day walk.'

Sad to say, I didn't get there.

 

[Albertagirl]

@Humbertico
Santo Domingo de Silos is a popular place for residents of Burgos to go for a weekend away. It is a good idea to book your room well in advance, as otherwise there may be very limited, and more expensive, accommodation. I was there on a weekend and had to pay more than I had anticipated for one of the few remaining rooms available on Booking.com. Furthermore, a couple was energetically enjoying the neighbouring room on the Saturday night [the key word here is "enjoying"]. As I had planned my time in Santo Domingo de Silos as a retreat, I found this rather noisy, if also funny: I couldn't resist giggling. It was a ridiculous example of that famous Robbie Burns quote: "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men [and pious pilgrims] gang aft agley." I hope that your plans for your pilgrimage go well. Buen camino.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

For more on the Sad Hill Cemetery see this thread:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/50840/

 

[Walking Lover]

My wife and I will be doing the CF Sept - Oct and are planning to leave Burgoas to Santo Domingo de Silos. Would appreciate recommendations as to best transportation to and from Burgos. Also best place to stay. Is it worth a day trip to get back to Burgos and stay the night in Burgos to continue El Camino the next morning or stay the night in Santo Domingo de la Caldaza and return early next am. Times of buses? Cab?

Gracias Peregrinos,
Humbertico

We just did this. We loved Santo Domingo de la Caldaza and walked to Belorado. We took a taxi to Villafranca then walked to Ages. From there we took a taxi to Burgos. I hope this helps.

 

[Humbertico]

@Humbertico, the bus took about an hour and a half, so I would definitely check the price of a taxi. There are probably faster roads, but it's still a bit of a drive. The price would really be the only drawback.

The bus gets you there in time for Vespers at 7pm. I checked into my hotel and then walked over to the church, no problem. It took about 3 minutes. Night Prayer is at 9:30pm.

All services are in chant, 5 from the Office of the Hours, and mass. I will post of photo of the schedule as soon as I take one.

The bus gets back to Burgos around 9:30 am and I headed right out to the Camino. Since my day before was about as relaxing as it gets, I could easily have walked a full day.

If you are in Burgos the morning you head to Santo Domingo, consider going to 9 am mass in the Cathedral. Morning prayer is chanted in Spanish at the start. There must have been 20+ fully-vested clergy in the entrance procession and participating at altar.

The chapel is baroque opulence at its finest and is only accessible during liturgical services. The contrast with the monastery couldn't be more striking. Both beautiful, but both very different.

Thank you soooo much. Valuable info !!!!!

 

[Bala]

Thank you soooo much. Valuable info !!!!!

You're most welcome!

 

[Kanga]

We just did this. We loved Santo Domingo de la Caldaza and walked to Belorado. We took a taxi to Villafranca then walked to Ages. From there we took a taxi to Burgos. I hope this helps.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a town on the Camino Frances. Santo Domingo de Silos is a different place - a Benedictine monastery off the route - a monastery with a long tradition of singing Gregorian Chants. You will find lots of the music on YouTube.

Well worth a visit on your next Camino!

 

[mary_mh]

This is such an inspiring thread, thank you all for this great information. Definitely putting a couple of nights here into my plan.

 

[VNwalking]

Definitely putting a couple of nights here into my plan.

You won't regret it, Mary! If you have the time, bus there and walk back (check out threads here about the Camino San Olav).

 

[Humbertico]

Good, to spend the night.
And if when you get there you think you'd like to stay an extra night, you can.
Would you think to walk out of Burgos the morning you get there?
That might feel a bit rushed.

Yes

 

[Humbertico]

View attachment 43671

Thank you!

 

[Humbertico]

@Humbertico
Santo Domingo de Silos is a popular place for residents of Burgos to go for a weekend away. It is a good idea to book your room well in advance, as otherwise there may be very limited, and more expensive, accommodation. I was there on a weekend and had to pay more than I had anticipated for one of the few remaining rooms available on Booking.com. Furthermore, a couple was energetically enjoying the neighbouring room on the Saturday night [the key word here is "enjoying"]. As I had planned my time in Santo Domingo de Silos as a retreat, I found this rather noisy, if also funny: I couldn't resist giggling. It was a ridiculous example of that famous Robbie Burns quote: "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men [and pious pilgrims] gang aft agley." I hope that your plans for your pilgrimage go well. Buen camino.

Thank you

 

[Humbertico]

We just did this. We loved Santo Domingo de la Caldaza and walked to Belorado. We took a taxi to Villafranca then walked to Ages. From there we took a taxi to Burgos. I hope this helps.

Thanks

 

[mary_mh]

You won't regret it, Mary! If you have the time, bus there and walk back (check out threads here about the Camino San Olav).

Thanks for the tips VN! Will definitely look into those options.