Camino Cities

[jungleboy]

Many of us, myself included, are eagerly awaiting our next camino. To pass the time before the spring pilgrimage season begins in earnest, I started a 'camino cities' series on Instagram this week. The idea is that every Monday-Wednesday-Friday this month, I'll highlight a different city on a camino route in Spain or Portugal and post three of my photos.

For those who don't use Instagram or who just prefer to hang out on the forum (and let's be honest, who doesn't prefer to hang out on the forum?), I thought it would be fun to repost the content here so we can chat about these cities.

So without further ado, let's get started!

 

[jungleboy]

Today we’re starting a series called Camino Cities, and the first city is … Toledo! Have you been to Toledo and, if so, what are your memories of it?

An easy day trip from Madrid, Toledo is also on the Camino Levante and is the end point of the short Camino Manchego. It was the capital of the Visigothic kingdom in the early Middle Ages and remained an important city for centuries under subsequent Muslim and Christian rule.


The Puerta del Sol, a 14th-century city gate built by the Knights Hospitaller.


Medieval Hebrew and Arabic inscriptions together in La Sinagoga del Transito.


Afternoon shadows creep up the city walls and the façade of one of Toledo’s churches.

 

[Former member 99290]

Wonderful/ fabulous photos from fabulous / wonderful Toledo!

We had just a day trip to Toledo from Madrid, before walking the Camino de Madrid in 2018. It was a fabulous day … so much to see and appreciate. Highly recommended!

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Zaragoza! The capital of Aragon is also one of the highlights of the Camino del Ebro, which begins on the Mediterranean coast at Deltebre and joins the Camino Francés in Logroño.

Zaragoza was founded by the Roman emperor Augustus and named for himself as Caesaraugusta, from which the modern name derives. Over the centuries it has been home to different religions and architectural styles, as these images show.


The 17th-century baroque church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar as night falls on Zaragoza.


The beautiful 11th-century Aljafería is Spain's finest Islamic monument outside Andalucía.


Mudéjar architecture from the 14th century on one of the outer walls of La Seo, the cathedral of Zaragoza.

Have you been to Zaragoza and if so, what are your memories of it?

 

[Former member 99290]

Oh, Zaragoza is on my list! And I like the sound of Camino del Ebro.

@jungleboy I can see already this camino cities exercise is going to make future choices even more difficult! The list in my head is getting very long!

 

[wayfarer]

Beautiful city, we stop there on our way south from Pamplona when we travel in the camper.
The old centre is beautiful.

 

[jungleboy]

Wonderful/ fabulous photos from fabulous / wonderful Toledo!

Thank you!

This is my Toledo story. When I was 21 and clueless and travelling around Europe for the first time, I had a pass for Busabout (a long-range, hop-on, hop-off travel service in Europe; basically an alternative to trains for mostly Australian backpackers). Leaving Madrid for Andalucía on the bus, there was a stop in Toledo, which most of us knew nothing about. Only one person, who was better researched than the rest of us, had pre-planned to get off the bus and spend a couple of nights there. Everyone else saw the jewels of Toledo from the bus window and we were all so jealous of that person!

Six years later, Wendy and I had our honeymoon in Andalucía and spent a lot more money than we usually would on accomodation, food etc (including some wedding gift donations from lovely friends and relatives). We knew the honeymoon part was well and truly over when we took a night bus from Seville to Toledo (via Madrid) and went back to our budget ways, but I finally made up for that previous mistake by visiting Toledo, and it was completely worth it!

That was 15 years ago now so maybe it's time I went back. Also I found out just today that a few years after my visit there, a large and very well preserved Romanesque wall fresco from about 1200 was discovered during restoration work on one of the churches. So it would be great to have something 'new' to see in addition to revisiting the places we enjoyed in 2007.

I wonder if I've just talked myself into going back to Toledo en route to the camino this year?!

 

[jungleboy]

Oh, Zaragoza is on my list! And I like the sound of Camino del Ebro.

@jungleboy I can see already this camino cities exercise is going to make future choices even more difficult! The list in my head is getting very long!

The more you travel, the more you realise how much more there is to see, right?

I must admit I know almost nothing about the Camino del Ebro but since it follows the river Ebro, I imagine there must be some nice scenery.

Wendy and I visited Zaragoza in 2016 as part of a really lovely jaunt through Aragon. In addition to seeing the regular attractions in the city, we were lucky to be there for Semana Santa as well, which is always such a wonderful thing to experience in Spain.

 

[palmah]

We will begin our Camino in Roncesvalles in about 10 days. Before we do we will visit Zaragoza:

Summary:
According to legend, in the early days of the Church on January 2, 40 AD, the Apostle James the Greater was proclaiming the Gospel in Caesaraugusta (present day Zaragoza) by the river Ebro, when he saw Mary miraculously appearing in the flesh on a pillar calling him to return to Jerusalem. The pillar, which was being carried by angels, is believed to be the same one venerated in Zaragoza, Spain today. Miraculous healings have been reported at the location.

 

[linkster]

I would like to experience Semana Santa in Seville sometime. I thought this type of dress etc. was only in the south ~Andalucia. What regions celebrate with the pasos and capirote?

 

[JerryStroebele]

Because of the Mary on the pillar legend the name Pilar became very popular for Spanish girls. Buen Camino

 

[Holly Mitchem]

Thanks, just started following you on IG!

 

[NadineK]

In 2019 I had just started my Camino Aragones in Oloron St Marie (well, technically that's on the Chemin d'Arles, but it was my warmup to the Aragones). I met a Spanish pilgrim in the albergue there, who had to unexpectedly quit her walk, and I tried to help support her because she was very emotional. As she was saying goodbye, she handed me a blue ribbon that she received at Our Lady of Pilar Church in Zaragoza; she wanted me to have it, and thought that it might help me on my journey.

I've tied the ribbon to my Camino pack and it will stay there until it falls off (or, until I need to retire the pack!), so now, even though I've never been to Zaragoza, I carry a piece of it with me when I walk my Camino.

 

[Former member 99290]

I wonder if I've just talked myself into going back to Toledo en route to the camino this year?!

Ah … that would be a ‘YES’ I think.

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Girona! This historic city in Catalunya is a popular tourist destination, often visited as a day trip from Barcelona. It’s also on the Camí de Sant Jaume, which begins in the easternmost part of Spain and eventually meets up with the Camino Francés in Puenta la Reina (via the Camino Aragonés) or Logroño (via the Camino del Ebro).

Here are a few of the jewels of Girona:


The fabulous 12th-century Banys Àrabs (Arab Baths - although it’s actually a Christian building) in Girona are the ‘best preserved Romanesque public baths currently known’.


A tower of Girona’s city walls. The walls date from the ninth century and have been described as the ‘longest Carolingian walls in Europe’. To my (amateur) eye, the black and white arches in this photo do indeed resemble those at the Carolingian Palace Chapel in Aachen, Germany.


The 12th-century cloister of the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants.

 

[Former member 99290]

Oh, there you go again @jungleboy

Love love love. Girona, one of my all time favourite Spanish towns.

Thé French on ‘the wall’

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Granada! One of the most famous places in Andalucía and all of Spain, Granada can be reached on pilgrimage on the Almería branch of the Camino Mozárabe.

For visitors, Granada is dominated by Spain’s most visited attraction: the fabulous 13th-14th century Alhambra palace-fortress. The Alhambra is also the subject of all three photos in this post. For those who have visited Granada, what are your memories apart from the Alhambra?

And now, on to the photos!


The incredibly intricate halls of the Court of the Lions. According to Wikipedia, ‘the halls feature some of the most elaborate and sophisticated muqarnas vaults in the Islamic world.’


The famous Fountain of the Lions. The first time I visited the Alhambra, in 2007, the lions had been removed for restoration. The second time I visited, in 2018, the restoration was complete and it was great to have something ‘new’ to see and to be able to take this photo.


The fabulous view of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolas.

 

[Former member 99290]

Ah you’ve done it again @jungleboy We began our Camino Mozarabe in Granada in April 2015 Would love to walk that path again.

 

[jungleboy]

Ah you’ve done it again @jungleboy We began our Camino Mozarabe in Granada in April 2015 Would love to walk that path again.

I have been ‘threatening’ to walk the Mozárabe for a few years now but it hasn’t worked out yet. Maybe next year!

 

[linkster]

On a non-Camino related visit to Granada, my wife and I had a wonderful dinner overlooking the Alahambra (like the view from the last picture). We sat on the terrace watched the sunset, ate, and drank. It was a perfect last night of our trip. I think they call these houses with restaurants "Carmens".

 

[jungleboy]

On a non-Camino related visit to Granada, my wife and I had a wonderful dinner overlooking the Alahambra (like the view from the last picture). We sat on the terrace watched the sunset, ate, and drank. It was a perfect last night of our trip. I think they call these houses with restaurants "Carmens".

Sounds magical! I didn’t include this photo in the series because I’d put it on Instagram before but I remember similar views and indulgences!

 

[jungleboy]

Staying in Andalucía, today’s camino city is Seville! The capital of the region and the fourth largest city in Spain is the starting point for one of the most famous camino routes, the Vía de la Plata.

Seville is also my favourite city in Spain for its combination of historical sites and magical atmosphere! Do you agree or, if not, what is your favourite Spanish city?


The walls and towers of the Real Alcázar, the one-time Muslim fortress that became a Christian palace.


Underneath the Real Alcázar, the atmospheric 12th-century Baths of Doña María de Padilla are actually medieval rainwater tanks.


The stained glass rose window in Seville’s 15th-16th century cathedral, taken out of focus for effect. The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in the world.

 

[SabsP]

@jungleboy : what a wonderful thread! Thanks for sharing.

I love all your suggestions till now but I did not particularly like Zaragoza. Gorgeous old part indeed but one way or another the general vibe in this town seemed rather cold to me. Very subjective of course, I realise that. Was the start of my short Camino del Ebro.

I want to add Caceres as a travel suggestion.
On the Via de la Plata but we visited the town as regular tourists.

https://turismo.caceres.es/

 

[jungleboy]

@jungleboy : what a wonderful thread! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you!

I want to add Caceres as a travel suggestion.
On the Via de la Plata but we visited the town as regular tourists.

It's coming to this series next week!

 

[Former member 99290]

what is your favourite Spanish city?

Now there’s a question. So many wonderful cities to choose from. I don’t know that I can settle on just one. I’ll have to get back to you. With a few photos as well. Sevilla Muchas gracias @jungleboy

 

[Anne&Pat]

Great thread Nick, thank you for sharing your wonderful photos again. There are so many amazing Spanish and Portuguese Camino cities that it would be so difficult to choose a favourite. We have visited all the ones you have mentioned so far, except Girona, looking forward to the rest you show us.

 

[linkster]

I really liked Seville and would like to go back. There are a lot of things to see and do. For movie lovers Plaza de Espana was a backdrop in Star Wars and GOT. Flamenco in a small small theater adjacent to our hotel ... I think they flipped some sweat in our direction. La catedral is one of the largest in the world. Christopher Columbus is entombed there. I thought the rooftop tour was very interesting. There was also an exhibition of Murillo paintings on display ... The Guardian Angel really spoke to me. The Alcazar was like a mini Alahambra. I do not remember seeing the baths pictured above ... next time. Plaza de Torros is rich in history. There were some rooftop bars across from the catedral with nice views. Tapas and tinto de verano ...

Thank you @jungleboy your posts. It has been a nice start to my day.

 

[palmah]

Yes, I love Seville. So many favorites, but the top of my list is San Sebastian.

 

[jungleboy]

Thank you all for your nice comments!

I do not remember seeing the baths pictured above ... next time.

Access is from the garden. We stumbled across them by accident and were glad that we did!

 

[AJGuillaume]

Thank you all for your nice comments!


Access is from the garden. We stumbled across them by accident and were glad that we did!

Your photo, @jungleboy , is better than mine

 

[Former member 99290]

Sevilla

Not exactly in focus ... but what memories.

 

[jungleboy]

Your photo, @jungleboy , is better than mine View attachment 120116

Yours probably more accurately represents the colours though! I zoomed in to capture the lit up parts and this created the orange effect that is a bit surreal. But I really like it anyway

 

[jungleboy]

Sevilla .

Your shot of the red tower reminded me that I almost included this one in the final three:

 

[Former member 99290]

this created the orange effect that is a bit surreal. But I really like it anyway

Me too. I'm all for a touch of surrealism. Why not! With my small camera, I'm a point and shoot kinda gal - so focus can be a challenge!!

 

[Former member 99290]

Well @jungleboy I was in a camino frame of mind today as The French I and spent much of the day preparing our backpacks for our Chemin du Piemont. His was made in quick order, in a logical and efficient way as usual. By contrast, the proposed contents of mine are still strewn across the dining table. Good thing thing we have another place to eat. This could take a while.

While I was supposed to be making decisions about what would make the cut in my backpack, I regularly distracted myself by considering your question - what is your favourite Spanish city? The shortlist - and I’m only counting large towns or cities - Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Merida, Cadiz, Girona, Toledo, Barcelona - I think it’s impossible for me to choose. Edit - how did I forget Oviedo

If I’d been to Salamanca, Zamora and a few others I have a feeling they may make the cut too. And there are so many villages, towns and cities on the Frances, the Primitivo, the Norte, the Aragones and the Madrid ways that I like very much. But it seems that the rich history, culture and architecture on display in the south and the colour and vibrancy of day to day life has left the most vivid memories.

Thank you for the series. I’m excited to see which city you will feature next

 

[AJGuillaume]

Seville is also my favourite city in Spain for its combination of historical sites and magical atmosphere! Do you agree or, if not, what is your favourite Spanish city?

Seville is definitely in my list of favourite Spanish cities, and as @anamcara wrote, I would add many more. In particular Oviedo and San Sebastian.

 

[Corned Beef]

Seville oddly has access to the sea, which explains its wealth. Centre for trade to the Americas.

 

[Former member 99290]

Si, si @AJGuillaume Love Oviedo too - how could I leave that off my favourites list. And expect we will make a short visit to San Sebastian from Pamplona after the Baztan in early May.

 

[jungleboy]

After featuring Granada and Seville earlier this week, today’s camino city can be none other than Córdoba. This city, famous for its extraordinary 8th-10th century Mezquita (Great Mosque), is on all three branches of the Camino Mozárabe and is a must-see for all visitors to Andalucía.


A forest of columns and arches inside the Mezquita, my favourite historic site in all of Spain.


The beautifully decorated mihrab (prayer niche) is one of the highlights of the Mezquita.


Light and shadow on the walls of Córdoba’s 13th-century Alcázar.

 

[Former member 99290]

Cordoba

 

[AJGuillaume]

It's when you climb the Torre Campanario, previously a minaret, that you see how the cathedral bursts out of the mezquita.

 

[jungleboy]

It's when you climb the Torre Campanario, previously a minaret, that you see how the cathedral bursts out of the mezquita.

View attachment 120232

That's a wonderful view and one that I don't think I've seen myself. Usually I tend to just 'think away' the cathedral part of the Mezquita!

 

[Former member 99290]

Usually I tend to just 'think away' the cathedral part of the Mezquita!

As I wandered around this extraordinary interior, I recall feeling awestruck and sad all at the same time. The things we do …

 

[VNwalking]

I just stumbled into this thread - wow, @jungleboy!
You may be changing some camino plans with these wonderful posts.

Here are a few of the jewels of Girona:

There I had talked myself out of visiting Girona if I ever walk the Cami Catalan, thinking to go off piste straight west between Figueres and Olot, then onward to Vic. Hmmm. This post gives me serious second thoughts.

Here are some requests for future travels: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Oviedo, A Coruña, Lugo, and ... Soria. I have bever been to Soria, but several people whose opinions I admire sing its praises.

 

[jungleboy]

I just stumbled into this thread - wow, @jungleboy!
You may be changing some camino plans with these wonderful posts.

Thank you!

(It seems to me that the thread is in the wrong sub-forum, so that might be part of the reason you didn't see it earlier. I must have accidentally put it here and if any moderators feel that it makes more sense to move it elsewhere, please do.)

There I had talked myself out of visiting Girona if I ever walk the Cami Catalan, thinking to go off piste straight west between Figueres and Olot, then onward to Vic. Hmmm. This post gives me serious second thoughts.

I just spent a day there once while staying in Barcelona and it was 10+ years ago now so I don't remember a huge amount, but the Banys Àrabs were worth the visit all by themselves.

 

[jungleboy]

Here are some requests for future travels: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Oviedo, A Coruña, Lugo, and ... Soria. I have bever been to Soria, but several people whose opinions I admire sing its praises.

I considered Oviedo and Lugo for this series but I don't feel as though I have a good enough selection of photos of either place. I haven't been to the other three yet, but maybe one day there'll be a part 2 of this series and I will have seen them by then!

 

[jungleboy]

What started as a bit of a throw-away line way upthread about revisiting Toledo on the way to our camino this year has expanded into something more. While Wendy is leading a tour in Portugal in late April and early May, I have a window to do a bit of travel nearby. I flirted with the idea of a short camino but since we're going to do one shortly afterwards, a cultural-historical trip sounds like the better option.

My current plan is to spend roughly 10-14 days in central Spain. Basically, the idea is to mostly revisit places that I feel are worth another look so as not to go to too many new destinations without Wendy, and to stay within a reasonably small area to minimise travel / maximise sightseeing.

My ideas are:

• Revisit Toledo (as discussed!), and arrange a visit to the early medieval church of Santa María de Melanie nearby.
• Revisit Ávila, as we were only there for one (cloudy) day 15 years ago and I would like to see the very impressive city walls again and photograph them properly for the first time.
• Revisit Segovia, as it was snowing (!) the last time we were there and there's so much to see and do. From here, I could try to enter the Iglesia de la Vera Cruz just outside the city, because it was closed when we walked past on the Camino de Madrid. I could also try to do a day trip to Coca, because it poured all afternoon when we were there on camino and we never got to go into the castle.
• Revisit Salamanca, as we just spent a few hours there on the way home from the Camino de Madrid, which was not long enough and we were too tired to appreciate it anyway.
• Visit Ciudad Rodrigo, because it sounds nice and is on the way home.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for places to visit in this region that are accessible by public transport?

 

[peregrina2000]

Wow, jungleboy, what a wonderful idea. Zamora may be too far out of the way, but it’s a quick jump from Salamanca. How can you pass up a city with 24 romanesque churches? But if Wendy hasn’t been there, then save it for later. It’s really a beautiful little city.

The monastery of San Frutos is one of those spectacular monasteries on a cliff over a horseshoe bend on a river, but unlikely to be on any sort of public transportation from Segovia. It’s very close to the well-preserved/somewhat touristy town of Sepúlveda, which must have public transit from Segovia (so you could probably get to San Frutos from there). Sepúlveda is very nice and has its share of romanesque and pretty plazas and preserved buildings, but it’s not in the category of monumental cities like those you have listed.

I’ve got lots of little favorites in and around the Gredos mountains, but those are places that would require a car.

 

[jungleboy]

Wow, jungleboy, what a wonderful idea. Zamora may be too far out of the way, but it’s a quick jump from Salamanca. How can you pass up a city with 24 romanesque churches? But if Wendy hasn’t been there, then save it for later. It’s really a beautiful little city.

Zamora is definitely on the 'save' list. We've been to several of the highlight destinations on the VdlP (Sevilla, Mérida, Cáceres) but not Zamora, so we need to save something for if/when we walk it!

The monastery of San Frutos is one of those spectacular monasteries on a cliff over a horseshoe bend on a river, but unlikely to be on any sort of public transportation from Segovia. It’s very close to the well-preserved/somewhat touristy town of Sepúlveda, which must have public transit from Segovia (so you could probably get to San Frutos from there). Sepúlveda is very nice and has its share of romanesque and pretty plazas and preserved buildings, but it’s not in the category of monumental cities like those you have listed.

I hadn't heard of either place but I'll look into it, thanks!

 

[bernhugo]

One of my favourite cities..... Toledo. Another...Oviedo
Photos from 2011.

 

[VNwalking]

Does anyone have any other suggestions for places to visit in this region that are accessible by public transport?

Soria is way out of tbe way, but easy to get to from Madrid. I'd love to know what you make of it. You could make a grand arc, starting there.

 

[jungleboy]

Soria is way out of tbe way, but easy to get to from Madrid. I'd love to know what you make of it. You could make a grand arc, starting there.

Unfortunately that is a bit too far out of the way for this time! And we'll save it for the Castellano-Aragonés, which we almost managed to fit in this year but it wasn't to be.

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Mérida! Famous for having the most impressive set of Roman ruins on the Iberian peninsula, Mérida is also one of the highlights of the Vía de la Plata and absolutely deserves a rest day (or two!) for pilgrims on that route.


Late afternoon at Mérida’s 1st century AD Acueducto de los Milagros (‘Miraculous Aqueduct’), with the moon rising in the background.


Mérida’s 1st century BC Roman theatre. This is one of only a few extant Roman theatres to retain a significant amount of the stage backing. I have been fortunate enough to see several others, including the theatre in Orange, France, and two in Syria, pre-war (Bosra and Palmyra).


Mérida’s bullring, dating from 1914. I’m not a fan of bullfighting but bullrings in Spain like this one can be quite handsome on the outside.

 

[wayfarer]

Haven't been there since 2018, beautiful city.

 

[Former member 99290]

Was hoping Merida would be next. We knew nothing about Merida before arriving there at the end of the Mozarabe. Wow! What a fabulous town. We stayed two nights there - at The Parador. Look forward to returning when we eventually walk the VdelP Gracias @jungleboy

 

[Corned Beef]

Merida's Temple of Diana and the inside of the excellent museum there (free on Saturday afternoons)

 

[Mikel Olivares]

I would like to experience Semana Santa in Seville sometime. I thought this type of dress etc. was only in the south ~Andalucia. What regions celebrate with the pasos and capirote?

In all Spain.

 

[jungleboy]

As we continue up the Vía de la Plata, today’s camino city is Cáceres! This city in the Extremadura region of Spain is famous for its ‘Ciudad Monumental’, the historic quarter filled with churches, convents and towers.

When I was in the Extremadura, a local woman summed up the region by saying, simply and deliberately: ‘La Extremadura … es extrema … y dura.’ But I thought it was magnificent. What are your memories of Cáceres and the Extremadura?


The view over the Ciudad Monumental from one of the towers of the Iglesia de San Jorge.


A couple shading themselves from the sun in front of the Church of San Mateo.


A busker in the Ciudad Monumental.

 

[jungleboy]

Video of the busker:

View attachment trim.970A25D2-0CC2-497A-8D5B-B95D75605180.MOV

 

[Former member 99290]

Wow! Look forward to Caceres and the VdelP … some day. Gracias @jungleboy

 

[Former member 99290]

Your picture of the busker is extraordinary. The composition, the colours … there is great beauty in simplicity.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

I always want to see more o’ Zamora.

 

[jungleboy]

Your picture of the busker is extraordinary. The composition, the colours … there is great beauty in simplicity.

Thank you!

It's always tricky to take a still photo of someone singing (or talking) because you often get them mid-word when their facial expressions might be unusual and not that attractive. But this one turned out well!

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Segovia! Famous for the Roman aqueduct that runs through the centre of town, Segovia is also a highlight of the Camino de Madrid and a great place to end the long stage that takes pilgrims over the Fuenfría mountain pass. It’s well worth a rest day to take in the enormity of the aqueduct and to explore the city’s fairytale Alcázar, late Gothic cathedral and Romanesque churches.


The spires of the late Gothic 16th-century cathedral of Segovia. By the time this church was built, this style had already gone out of fashion in most of Europe.


The beautiful 12th-century Romanesque church of San Martín.


Nightfall over Segovia and the spectacular 1st-century AD Roman aqueduct that still dominates the city.

 

[Former member 99290]

Superbe! We could see Segovia in the distance for what seemed like forever. But what a treat when we arrived after a long hot walk.

 

[jungleboy]

Superbe! We could see Segovia in the distance for what seemed like forever. But what a treat when we arrived after a long hot walk.

We arrived to a snowstorm!

 

[VNwalking]

Beautiful photos, as usual @jungleboy! Especially the one you just posted.

We arrived to a snowstorm!

You were walking down into the snowstorm?!
Eek. The pass must have been Antarctic.

 

[jungleboy]

Beautiful photos, as usual @jungleboy! Especially the one you just posted.


You were walking down into the snowstorm?!
Eek. The pass must have been Antarctic.

Thank you, and not quite, I took some ‘artistic license’ with that sentence. It was clear, but cold, on the day we walked into Segovia and the snow came during our rest day the next day. The mountain pass:

 

[VNwalking]

It was clear, but cold, on the day we walked into Segovia and the snow came during our rest day the next day.

It sounds absolutely wonderful.

 

[jungleboy]

It sounds absolutely wonderful.

One of my top 5 all-time days on camino!

 

[jungleboy]

As our camino cities series moves from Spain to Portugal, where else could I possibly start than my adopted home city of Lisbon?! Apart from being a fantastic city in its own right, Lisbon is also the starting point for the full-length Caminho Português. I have already shared some of my favourite Lisbon photos here, but here are three new ones showing the city’s medieval heritage.


The late afternoon sunlight transforms the 12th-century façade of Lisbon’s Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, turning it golden. It can be hard to take a clean photo of the front of the cathedral because of the tram wires but this angle offers an unobstructed view.


Amidst the rooftops and hodgepodge architecture of Lisbon and its hills, the ruins of the 14th-15th century Convento do Carmo still dominate the landscape. The roof of the convent was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake and never rebuilt.


The late Gothic (very early 16th century) Manueline cloister of the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, just outside Lisbon. This monastery is the best surviving example of this unique form of Portuguese architecture, inspired (and funded) by the Age of Discovery.

What are your Lisbon highlights? Here are mine!

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Tomar! This charming town on the Caminho Português is known, above all, for its magnificent 12th-century castle-convent, the Convento do Cristo, the one-time Portuguese headquarters of the Knights Templar and its successor order, the Order of Christ.

In my view, the Convento do Cristo is the single most impressive historic site on the entire camino from Lisbon to Santiago. What do you think?


The Window of the Chapter House is an early 16th-century addition to the convent in the late Gothic Manueline style in vogue at the time.


Sunlight pours into the 12th-century round church, known as the Charola and redecorated in Manueline style, inside the convent. The church was modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.


The 16-sided exterior of the Charola, showing the fortified nature of the convent.

 

[Camembert]

This is a nice initiative from you boy of the jungle
it is hardly possible to make a choice .
Spain has such beautiful places . Most of them I recognize on your pictures
i can’t say this or this city.
Toledo, Sevilla ,Cáceres Salamanca Avila Madrid Lisboa Tomar etc etc
I love this thread

 

[mspath]

Indeed it is hard to choose as I wrote almost one year ago re the Alhambra in Granada.

 

[AJGuillaume]

In my view, the Convento do Cristo is the single most impressive historic site on the entire camino from Lisbon to Santiago. What do you think

We'll find out next year when we walk from Lisbon to Santiago, hopefully! Thank you @jungleboy !

 

[jungleboy]

We'll find out next year when we walk from Lisbon to Santiago, hopefully! Thank you @jungleboy !

Oh that's great! Hopefully we can meet in Lisbon if the dates work out.

 

[jungleboy]

This is a nice initiative from you boy of the jungle
it is hardly possible to make a choice .
Spain has such beautiful places . Most of them I recognize on your pictures
i can’t say this or this city.
Toledo, Sevilla ,Cáceres Salamanca Avila Madrid Lisboa Tomar etc etc
I love this thread

Obrigadíssimo Albertinho!

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Coimbra! This one-time capital of Portugal is still the country’s main university town and is an important pilgrim stop on the Caminho Português, with several impressive medieval monuments.


The magnificent Romanesque Sé Velha (Old Cathedral) dates from the 12th century, when Coimbra was the capital of the nascent kingdom of Portugal.


A Gothic arch in the 14th-century Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha. This monastery was founded by Queen Isabel, herself a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago.


Leaving Coimbra at dawn and passing the 12th-13th century church of Santiago.

 

[AJGuillaume]

an important pilgrim stop on the Caminho Português

I would definitely stay more than one night here!

 

[jungleboy]

I would definitely stay more than one night here!

I highly recommend it! There is really a lot to see. The monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova (which contains Queen Isabel's tomb) is outside the city on the way into town right on the camino, so you can visit that while walking. Two other religious complexes I recommend visiting are Santa Clara-a-Velha and Santa Cruz, as well as the university library (Biblioteca Joanina), the most famous library in Portugal. And the churches, and wandering around the old town, and eating and drinking...

 

[VNwalking]

It sounds like a fabulous place!

 

[peregrina2000]

The monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova (which contains Queen Isabel's tomb) is outside the city on the way into town right on the camino,

That monastery also has an albergue in it. But it seems to have taken a marked downward turn on gronze. Consistently good evaluations in 2018 turned into negative ones in 2019, though the sampling is small. Nothing recent, but it does seem to be open.

Even if it is open, Coimbra is one place I would spring for a private room, though Gronze does list several youth hostels. The Santa Clara albergue is on the other side of the river and high up so it wouldn’t necessarily be the best place to get back to after enjoying the city.

The river walk/park has been greatly enhanced since I first went to Coimbra in 2004. It is a very nice place for an afternoon stroll or café lounging.

@jungleboy, I am really enjoying these photos. Here is my suggestion for a new thread once you are done with this one — Camino Cities part 2. Go back through the same cities in the same order and post “normal people” photos (like the busker photo from Cáceres). I am sure they will be just as wow-inducing as these more monumental shots.

Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying all of them, but I just wanted to make sure you know you have plenty of other options to while away the time.

 

[jungleboy]

@jungleboy, I am really enjoying these photos. Here is my suggestion for a new thread once you are done with this one — Camino Cities part 2. Go back through the same cities in the same order and post “normal people” photos (like the busker photo from Cáceres). I am sure they will be just as wow-inducing as these more monumental shots.

Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying all of them, but I just wanted to make sure you know you have plenty of other options to while away the time.

Thank you for your kind words! Unfortunately I don't have many people photos from these places, as in Europe I focus more on architecture/nature - the busker was a bit of an exception.

 

[jungleboy]

Today’s camino city is Braga! This elegant city in northern Portugal retains a significant medieval cultural heritage. It’s on the Camino Torres and is the starting point for the Camino da Geira e dos Arrieiros.


The 14th-15th century Archbishop's Court is one of the most picturesque places in Braga.


São Frutuoso is a funerary chapel that was built in AD 660 by the eponymous bishop of Braga. The remaining original Visigothic aspects make it the most important pre-Romanesque Christian building in Portugal.


The 12th-century tomb of Theresa, the mother of Portugal's first king Afonso Henriques, in one of the chapels of the cathedral in Braga. From ‘A Short History of Portugal’: Theresa's ‘great aim was to make the Portuguese nobles regard themselves as Portuguese, and not as Galicians’.

That’s the end of our camino cities series for now. Later this week a new adventure begins!

 

[AJGuillaume]

That’s the end of our camino cities series for now. Later this week a new adventure begins!

Thank you @jungleboy !
I'm looking forward to reading about your new adventure!

 

[linkster]

Thanks for sharing the pictures. They have all been great!

 

[VNwalking]

That’s the end of our camino cities series for now. Later this week a new adventure begins!

Thank you.
The photo of São Frutuoso is wonderful (the older the building, the more I like it).

I guess we will have to wait to see where you have decided to begin your adventure!
Wherever it is...bom caminho, buen camino, and bon chemin!

 

[jungleboy]

The photo of São Frutuoso is wonderful (the older the building, the more I like it).

Thank you! And me too

I guess we will have to wait to see where you have decided to begin your adventure!
Wherever it is...bom caminho, buen camino, and bon chemin!

It’s just a little taster walk

 

[Anne&Pat]

Thank you again for sharing your beautiful photos with us. Best wishes for your next new adventure.

 

[jungleboy]

Thank you again for sharing your beautiful photos with us. Best wishes for your next new adventure.

Thank you! And the new adventure is underway - the Rota Vicentina!

 

[LavanyaLea]

Today’s camino city is Granada! One of the most famous places in Andalucía and all of Spain, Granada can be reached on pilgrimage on the Almería branch of the Camino Mozárabe.

For visitors, Granada is dominated by Spain’s most visited attraction: the fabulous 13th-14th century Alhambra palace-fortress. The Alhambra is also the subject of all three photos in this post. For those who have visited Granada, what are your memories apart from the Alhambra?

And now, on to the photos!

View attachment 119921
The incredibly intricate halls of the Court of the Lions. According to Wikipedia, ‘the halls feature some of the most elaborate and sophisticated muqarnas vaults in the Islamic world.’

View attachment 119922
The famous Fountain of the Lions. The first time I visited the Alhambra, in 2007, the lions had been removed for restoration. The second time I visited, in 2018, the restoration was complete and it was great to have something ‘new’ to see and to be able to take this photo.

View attachment 119923
The fabulous view of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolas.

Granada was so beautiful. Apart from the Alhambra, the other highlights for me was the baths (3 different water temperature and the best Turkish massage ever, my skin had never felt so smooth afterwards), and the dinner with flamenco dance…

 

[LavanyaLea]

Today’s camino city is Coimbra! This one-time capital of Portugal is still the country’s main university town and is an important pilgrim stop on the Caminho Português, with several impressive medieval monuments.

View attachment 121192
The magnificent Romanesque Sé Velha (Old Cathedral) dates from the 12th century, when Coimbra was the capital of the nascent kingdom of Portugal.

View attachment 121193
A Gothic arch in the 14th-century Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha. This monastery was founded by Queen Isabel, herself a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago.

View attachment 121194
Leaving Coimbra at dawn and passing the 12th-13th century church of Santiago.

Love Coimbra so much. They have a different kind of Fado than Lisbon and I actually prefer this! Went to watch a performance by Fado Ao Centro and later that evening, outside this building, the streets and steps became a stage! People would sit on restaurant/bar tables or on the steps and watch beautiful music in beautiful setting.

 

[peregrina2000]

Revisit Salamanca, as we just spent a few hours there on the way home from the Camino de Madrid, which was not long enough and we were too tired to appreciate it anyway.

I can’t find that you went to Salamanca, am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[jungleboy]

I can’t find that you went to Salamanca, am I looking in the wrong place?

That proposed trip in Spain this spring was a bit frivolous so I didn’t end up doing it. Making up for it with more walking now though!

 

[Mycroft]

Today’s camino city is Zaragoza! The capital of Aragon is also one of the highlights of the Camino del Ebro, which begins on the Mediterranean coast at Deltebre and joins the Camino Francés in Logroño.

Zaragoza was founded by the Roman emperor Augustus and named for himself as Caesaraugusta, from which the modern name derives. Over the centuries it has been home to different religions and architectural styles, as these images show.

View attachment 119639
The 17th-century baroque church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar as night falls on Zaragoza.

View attachment 119640
The beautiful 11th-century Aljafería is Spain's finest Islamic monument outside Andalucía.

View attachment 119638
Mudéjar architecture from the 14th century on one of the outer walls of La Seo, the cathedral of Zaragoza.

Have you been to Zaragoza and if so, what are your memories of it?

My question: If this was started back in March, how am I just seeing this thread now??!
My Zaragoza story (bear with me): Many years ago I was walking the Arles route in March just before Easter. As I approached the foothills of the Pyrenees, it began to rain. And it rained and rained and rained. And rained. Even things inside plastic bags inside my lined pack were soaked. Can't remember the name of the town I stayed in Saturday before Easter, but a woman at the previous day's tourist office arranged for me to stay there at a hostel in a church complex. The elderly priest answered my knock, and said they weren't opened because it wasn't yet Easter. Then he welcomed me in. He turned on the heating system and showed me where to sleep. In the dining area he had me empty my pack and dry out my things on the radiator. My guide booklet was smooshed together from the rain, despite the plastic wrapping it had been in. The priest picked it up, and saying "tut tut" every few seconds, carefully separated each page, sometimes having to gently blow them apart. He then set it near the radiator to dry. He was so worried about me catching cold when he found out I had only flip flops with me, and no warm slippers.
He explained to me the next day being Easter Sunday and because he covered 3 churches, he would be gone when I arose, but that he would have some breakfast left for me on the table. He invited me to their traditional candlelit walk around the courtyard of the church, and to the service that evening. A gentler soul I have yet to find.
The next morning there was not only breakfast, but some candy to celebrate Easter.
Up, up, up I walked to Canfranc. That night, I stayed at the hostel, and the next morning awoke to 3 feet of snow outside. The hospitalera said no one was allowed to walk the Way with this much snow; people had died in the past because they couldn't see the trail. The only thing to do was to take the little bus down to Huesca, and start walking from there. This I did--along with scores of others who were vacationing over the long Easter Weekend! There was lots of waiting as the company brought in more buses to accommodate us all. The news was replete with stories and videos of flooding all over the area, and how so many people were stranded, unable to get home and back to work.
In Huesca I found it would be the next day before I could leave because there were so many people trying to return home. In frustration, I jumped on a bus to Zaragoza. Spent a few delightful (and dry!) days there before backtracking to Pamplona.

 

[jungleboy]

My Zaragoza story (bear with me)

And you call this your Zaragoza story!

Thanks for sharing, what an adventure!