Camino Holiday - Pamplona to Logróno - August 2015

[RENSHAW]

My best mate and I plan to bus part of the Camino.( Pensioners misbehaving just a tad - Good rioga and food).
We do not want to take beds away from any deserving pilgrims at the traditional albergues. Any suggestions on Apartamentos, Hostals or Casa Ruals.
I have the pension Escaray in Pamplona where I always stay and the Asun in Viana.
I would have liked to have stayed at the San Andreas at Torres del Rio ........but the reports are not good ....I may as well give the old Casa Marie our support?
Any suggestions , experiences along this route - please share and suggest.
We will prefer two single rooms but a room with two single beds is also fine.

 

[basquelady]

My best mate and I plan to bus part of the Camino.( Pensioners misbehaving just a tad - Good rioga and food).
We do not want to take beds away from any deserving pilgrims at the traditional albergues. Any suggestions on Apartamentos, Hostals or Casa Ruals.
I have the pension Escaray in Pamplona where I always stay and the Asun in Viana.
I would have liked to have stayed at the San Andreas at Torres del Rio ........but the reports are not good ....I may as well give the old Casa Marie our support?
Any suggestions , experiences along this route - please share and suggest.
We will prefer two single rooms but a room with two single beds is also fine.

We had a lovely experience at Hostal San Andrés in Torres del Rio end of Aug last year. Clean, quiet room, excellent bathroom, for 30 euros. We arrived very early but were accomodated shortly after 11am. Stayed for 2 nights as we were in need of a good rest. Food was fine and we got on well with the staff, who worked very hard, especially as they were catering for an enormous baptismal party on the second night. This did make for frustration the next morning when no-one appeared to serve breakfast until 45 mins after the expected time; but we've just got used to accepting what comes along on the Camino and certainly didn't feel exploited or badly served overall. Incidentally, one of the family explained that the hotel was built on the footprint of 3 ruined houses; explains the interesting dimensions and inclines.

 

[RENSHAW]

We had a lovely experience at Hostal San Andrés in Torres del Rio .........

I have seen that family's growth over the past 12 years - on various occasions they have been more than helpful right from the early days when they only had the bar. Perhaps I WILL give it a shot - thanx for your positive feedback.

 

[naplesdon]

I had a nice stop in Uterga at Camino del Perdon, while you might be taking beds away from pilgrims, it wasn't crowded in early June (there were way too many people rushing by to be bothered by stopping there.) It's near the highway from Puenta la Reina to Pamplona so there has to be a bus stop.
It's also a short walk from Eunate which opens for tours around 10:30am most morning followed by another short walk to Puenta la Reina where you can stay at Jakue, this little detour is probably no more than 6 to 8 km.
There are some terrific places to eat in Viana.
Leave some of the Rioja for me!

 

[naplesdon]

I meant to add Villamayor de Monjardin which is pretty much a one horse town with one bar and one casa rurale.
I was the only guest in the Casa Rurale Montedeio and it has a well equipped kitchen. The lady who runs it leaves bread, butter, jam, coffee, milk, juice etc. in the fridge for making breakfast.
There is one tiendra in town so you could buy the fixings for dinner.
Bar Ilarria is the only bar in town and it runs on banker's hours, closing shortly after lunch for a siesta and then does not reopen until 17:30. The pilgrims lined up waiting for it to open in the afternoon is quite hilarious. The two men who run it do a very good job preparing lunch and dinner.
There was a government Navarra bus stop, so there must be some kind of local bus service through the town.

 

[mspath]

To add to the many restaurant choices in Viana try the dining room of the hotel Palacio de Pujadas .
Centrally located near the church ruins and the municipal albergue their menu del dia was a delicious bargain last autumn at 13 euros when many local vintners lunched there as well.

 

[naplesdon]

To add to the many restaurant choices in Viana try the dining room of the hotel Palacio de Pujadas .
Centrally located near the church ruins and the municipal albergue their menu del dia was a delicious bargain last autumn at 13 euros when many local vintners lunched there as well.

I only paid 50 euros for a room there but I was a walk-in with no reservation which may have been the reason. The rack rate was about twice the price.

 

[RENSHAW]

To add to the many restaurant choices in Viana try the dining room of the hotel Palacio de Pujadas .
Centrally located near the church ruins and the municipal albergue their menu del dia was a delicious bargain last autumn at 13 euros when many local vintners lunched there as well.

My No. 1 choice as well Margret - 2 of my best camino meals ever! .......... but a little more expensive than Casa Armendariz just down the road.

 

[RENSHAW]

I had a nice stop in Uterga at Camino del Perdon, while you might be taking beds away from pilgrims, it wasn't crowded in early June (there were way too many people rushing by to be bothered by stopping there.) It's near the highway from Puenta la Reina to Pamplona so there has to be a bus stop.
It's also a short walk from Eunate which opens for tours around 10:30am most morning followed by another short walk to Puenta la Reina where you can stay at Jakue, this little detour is probably no more than 6 to 8 km.
There are some terrific places to eat in Viana.
Leave some of the Rioja for me!

Thanx for your imput Don, I have had an ice cold beer at that albergue in Uterga - and last year I took the detour to Eunate - I also took a weeks holiday in Viana - one of my favourite towns.

 

[naplesdon]

Thanx for your imput Don, I have had an ice cold beer at that albergue in Uterga - and last year I took the detour to Eunate - I also took a weeks holiday in Viana - one of my favourite towns.

D'accord, mate!
Please consider my suggestion of a stop in Villamayor de Monjardin. There is a enormous bodega there but I have no idea when it is open.

 

[RENSHAW]

D'accord, mate!
Please consider my suggestion of a stop in Villamayor de Monjardin. There is a enormous bodega there but I have no idea when it is open.

Yes , Thanx for that info as well . The bus only stops there twice a week or so. I once slept at the Parroquiel Albergue (15march 2010) before the roof caved in. A group of us went and bought an assortment of 6 bottles from the Bodega - the town only really wakes up durring summer. On that occasion the Bar was shut - there was no Tienda. I have been to the bar a number of times for a meal and slept at the Dutch albergue - I must admit that I did not know of the Casa Rual - an ideal stop to explore the castle on top - I've always been so finished on arriving there - it IS a nice town - the new albergue is a bit pricey so your option is a good one - have a look at Casa Rual Olivo de Sansol - WOW! it looks great - thanx again Don.

 

[RENSHAW]

.......... thanx again Don.

Hey Don! I want to retire growing veggies in Azqueta - have you seen the carp in their water resevoirs?

 

[naplesdon]

Okay I saw some of the gardens and like my vegies but I don't eat carp! YUCK.
It is worse than the farm raised cat fish in the US by a 1000%.

 

[RENSHAW]

Okay I saw some of the gardens and like my vegies but I don't eat carp! YUCK.
It is worse than the farm raised cat fish in the US by a 1000%.

Waaaaaa!! bud! IT IS THE HEALTH OF THE NATUAL WATER - they don't chow them! Hehe.