Cultural high points

[bisondust]

Which section(s) of La Plata are the most interesting for architecture, history and local culture? We only have 3-5 weeks to walk. Thank you.

 

[bsewall]

Merida. Merida. Merida. I'd start there and pass through Salamanca. The two most interesting and beautiful cities on the VdLP.

 

[AlanB]

If you've got 5 weeks then do the whole thing.It's a great walk with loads of highlights

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Caceres, Merida, Salamanca, Zamora, with a variant hike over to Toro!

 

[alansykes]

Not forgetting other delights like the walled village of Galisteo with its church spire (formerly a minaret) visible from 8km or more, the Arco de Cáparra, the Visigothic church of Santa Lucía del Trampal, serene in its pre-christian solitude in the dehesa, Santa Marta de Tera, with its earliest known statue of Santiago peregrino, the lively bustle of lovely Zafra, Oseira, an ancient monastery still kept alive by a handful of (mostly) ancient monks, Baños de Montemayor, where you can have a Roman bath where the Romans bathed, Seville itself, oh and there's more, there's more.

 

[bisondust]

Which section(s) of La Plata are the most interesting for architecture, history and local culture? We only have 3-5 weeks to walk. Thank you.

Thank you so much for your replies - keep them coming! We have walked Frances and Le Puy (so perhaps don't need to do Galicia again) but, as "older" walkers, we think about some of the longer stage distances. Altho there seem to be increasingly more refugios, La Plata is more isolated so one must be more familiar with conditions. We love the Camino lifestyle! Cheers, Liz.

 

[alexwalker]

Merida. The Roman cultural footprints/ruins are spectacular.

https://www.google.no/search?q=merida spain&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1CHMO_noNO563NO563&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=36YxYVsZjsc6GM%3A%3BBkyGdRtlfiHkfM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftheredlist.com%252Fwiki-2-19-878-1075-1085-view-roman-empire-profile-circus-maximus-merida-spain.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=36YxYVsZjsc6GM%3A%2CBkyGdRtlfiHkfM%2C_&usg=__B6cOYANcodj2Kb7DnMGDBigjspg=&biw=1137&bih=693&dpr=0.9&ved=0CDQQyjc&ei=qhF1VNyLJILkaprsgNgO#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=36YxYVsZjsc6GM%3A;BkyGdRtlfiHkfM;http%3A%2F%2Ftheredlist.com%2Fmedia%2Fdatabase%2Farchitecture%2Fhistory%2Farchitecture-romaine%2Ftheatre-et-cirque-maxime-de-merida%2F005_theatre-et-cirque-maxime-de-merida_theredlist.jpg;http%3A%2F%2Ftheredlist.com%2Fwiki-2-19-878-1075-1085-view-roman-empire-profile-circus-maximus-merida-spain.html;1250;817

Merida has the most impressive Roman ruins outside Italy/Turkey, and it was a city for retired Roman legionairs in ancient history. The bridge on your way into town is the longest Roman bridge...

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Liz, For me the Vdlp is really a great combination of the big cities worth a long visit (those Reb and others mentioned) and all those little out of the way places Alan mentions. I don't know if you think you will be coming back to finish up the Vdlp in a later year, but if you have five weeks to walk, I would just start in Sevilla and see how far you get (if you haven't been there, there's a lot of wonderful things to see). I don't know what is a comfortable distance for you, but the beginning of the Vdlp is mainly flat or rolling with a few short steep inclines like on the way into Almaden.

I wouldn't dismiss Galicia, because you will be coming in from the south rather than the east, so you will see a whole different, and also very beautiful part. No one has yet mentioned the natural hot springs in Ourense or its lovely romanesque doorway. There is a lot of information on the forum, I posted my stages a few years back and that might give you some guidance. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-stages-on-the-vdlp.8961/ I had a lot of time and didn't push myself and I think the stages are pretty manageable. Good luck with the planning, I also would cast my vote for spring. I've started in Sevilla twice, once in mid April and once in early May, and the countryside is beautiful at that time of year. Wild flowers galore, green rocky fields with streams running through them, just beautiful. Good luck with your planning. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Al the optimist]

for architecture, history and local culture

Maybe an important part of a country's culture is it's people? Especially the encounters in the small villages.

 

[peregrina2000]

Great point, Al. Sometimes on the more travelled routes, it's hard to find that contact and those encounters, though. When pilgrims are a dime a dozen and often an irritation to the locals, it may not be easy to make real contact with the local community. And being able to communicate in Spanish is really important for anything less than a superficial encounter, so we're both lucky on that front (those superficial interactions can be a lot of fun and give a good insight, too, but I think to really be able to delve into it all, you need at least conversational Spanish). But I agree wholeheartedly -- for me, the people side of things, in larger towns as well as in small villages, was as important as any monument or any stunning mountain climb on caminos like the Invierno and Olvidado. Like the two cleaning women in the town hall in Guardo, who spent a long time helping me find a place to stay-- I entered the open building on a Saturday after hours and almost scared them to death, but they wouldn't give up till they found me a hotel and negotiated a good price for me. Incidents like this are so reaffirming of the goodness of humankind-- I always get so much more than I give to so many people on the Camino!

 

[ranthr]

Do not forget Santiponce just outside Sevilla, nice cheap hotel near the entrance to the roman Italica.
Merida - a must. Always wanted to come back to all those beautiful towns on VdlP. Museums in Merida are closed on Mondays as they often are in Spain, had to stay to nights to get it all.

 

[bisondust]

Which section(s) of La Plata are the most interesting for architecture, history and local culture? We only have 3-5 weeks to walk. Thank you.

This forum has been really fun for me. For our two previous caminos I checked over everyone's Q&A but asking my own questions and getting such caring answers is so rewarding! As far as distances, we usually only walk 20-23 K. From the 2014 accommodation listing, many stages are within our comfort, but some are quite a bit longer.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

For our two previous caminos ... As far as distances, we usually only walk 20-23 K.

If you are past the purity requirement of walking every step of the route, you can begin each day with a short taxi ride that makes the distances suitable. It sounds like you are out for some variety, so focus on that, and solve the long stages with some creativity.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Caceres, Merida, Salamanca, Zamora, with a variant hike over to Toro!

I agree Rebekah. I loved little Zamora