Extra days, where to spend them, suggestions.

[ShellsG]

I have a few extra days while I am on the Camino, meaning that I have 44 days from the day I leave SJPdP to when I have a flight booked from SDC to Paris. I want to spend an extra day here or there and my initial thought is that I want to spend an extra day in Pamplona, just strikes me as a place where I would enjoy the city. I like museums and art galleries but mostly in Spain I like the people and the cultural activities.

Is there a special spot, doesn't have to be a city or larger place, that you would spend an extra day (or two or three) if you could. I also plan on an extra day in SDC (or two). I realize I could also carry on to Finesterre or Muxia and may have time to do all of it if I choose.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, ShellsG,
There are so many options, and you have plenty of time. I think one of the best things to do is to try to "save" four or five days for a walk to Muxia and/or Finisterre at the end. I haven´t met anyone who regrets doing that walk. And a couple of days in Santiago (I would say at least one full day after your arrival day). You can use those days for rest days if you need them, but not if you don't.

If you look at the map, you'll see obvious cities for stopping on the Francés, with lots to see and do -- Pamplona, Burgos, León. There are little detours to be made if you're into that sort of thing -- Ponferrada, for instance is near the World Heritage site of As Médulas and also very near the extraordinarily beautiful little town of Peñalba de Santiago. That´s just one example.

But I think that probably the best thing to do is leave your options open and go with the flow. If you´ve formed tight bonds with a group and they very much don´t want to stop at a certain place, you may decide to stick with them. Many pilgrims do take rest days in Burgos and León -- they are well placed for that, and they definitely have lots of wonderful things to visit.

I think 35 days for SJPP to Santiago is pretty average, give or take a few days. And if you find out you love to walk and just burn through those kms, there are lots of shorter 5-6 day Caminos or parts of Caminos you could walk after reaching Santiago -- the Inglés from El Ferrol, the Portugués from Tui, the Sanabrés from Ourense.... So many choices!!! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Cam1952]

I definitely wold suggest spending an extra day exploring Burgos and would also recommend investigating the Little Fox House in Muxia to "decompress" after your Camino....I'm planning to stop there next year.
All the best and Buen Camino.
C

 

[Peregrino Falcon]

I don't mean to hijack your thread, rather piggyback on it, and may have extra time, too.

 

[Peregrino Falcon]

P.s. To the OP, you could get an $18 flight to Madrid from Santiago, and from there see Segovia and Toledo.

 

[ShellsG]

I am not putting a lot of time into specific planning but if I don't know that a special place or activity exists then I will definitely miss it, like Las Medulas. Just marking things in my book so that depending on my day I can side track if I wish. I am very used to travelling on my own and doubt that I would let bonds of new friendships sway me from anything I really want to do.

However, having said that an overnight trip from Ponferrada to Penalba de Santiago and then onwards to Las Medulas sounds like it may fit my needs quite nicely.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Many who plan "rest days" in larger cities like Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, etc., end up walkin g just as much as on a regular day. Also, these are not large cities that require a lot of time to get to know them. A longish afternoon and evening would be plenty. I would keep the extra time you have in case of a delay due to blisters or tendonitis and then use them for Santiago, Muxia, or even as already suugested Madrid withna day trip to Toledo, etc.

 

[ShellsG]

I have been to Madrid before and also Santiago, while I enjoy both cities my preference is for Santiago on this trip. However, I also don't want to end up there with 10 days extra time when I know there are so many beautiful spots to see close to the Camino. I am not really planning rest days, but want to see things/places off of but close to the Camino. So just looking for suggestions ... its too late to hear about something when I am already 20 km past it.

 

[peregrina2000]

I am not putting a lot of time into specific planning but if I don't know that a special place or activity exists then I will definitely miss it, like Las Medulas. Just marking things in my book so that depending on my day I can side track if I wish. I am very used to travelling on my own and doubt that I would let bonds of new friendships sway me from anything I really want to do.

However, having said that an overnight trip from Ponferrada to Penalba de Santiago and then onwards to Las Medulas sounds like it may fit my needs quite nicely.

hi, ShellsG, if you are at all tempted, you should know that you can WALK to this lovely town. This circle, from Ponferrada to El Acebo to Penalba to Ponferrada is amazing. There is also a trail from Penalba to As Medulas, but my knees were too achy for me to try that this year -- but I'll do it some year!

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-splendor-from-ponferrada-or-el-acebo.27697/

 

[Kiwi-d]

I started from Pamplona and allowed three days there to get over the jetlag (our days are turned completely upside down when we New Zealanders get to Europe) and I loved it. I also spent extra days in Logrono, Burgos, Leon and Santiago, and wish I'd spent an extra day in Ponferrada. If you have the time to spare, I think it's fantastic to be able to really immerse yourself in these wonderful cities, rather than just trundling through. As Anenome mentioned, you (well, me anyway) cover just as many kilometres walking around a city as you do on the Camino, so it's not so much a physical rest as it is a mental one - no stress about getting to a particular destination, or finding a bed etc.

 

[Kanga]

We had a spare 10 days at the end of our El Norte camino this year. We hired a car at Santiago airport very cheaply ($168 for 10 days, unlimited km) and toured Galicia, particularly the Rios Baxias region. Being only in Galicia came about quite accidentally, we were too cheapskate to pay for extra car insurance and had a large excess so did not want to damage the car, so felt safer staying away from cities and motorways. Cannot recommend it highly enough - lovely working fishing villages and ports, superb beaches, I've died and gone to heaven seafood, history everywhere, good people. We stayed initially in a tent in campgrounds, but then found hotel accommodation only a few dollars more.

 

[jdpiguet]

As you have enough time, another possibility would be to start your camino 2 or 3 days before SJPDP, on one of the french routes.
It will let you to go over the jet-lag, get your feet and body accustomized to the walk.
Last advantage, you will not be a "green horn" when reaching SJPDP...

Buen Camino,
Jacques-D.

 

[scruffy1]

Hop a bus in Burgos for Santo Domingo de Silos, 60k to the south. Romanesque church and cloister, world class Gregorian Chants in the modern church services. Little walking involved. Bus leaves Burgos 1730 return at o830 so its a two day trip to see it all. One of the most beautiful places in all northern Spain.

 

[peregrina2000]

Wow, scruffy, a beautiful picture. Did you take that?

 

[scruffy1]

Wow, scruffy, a beautiful picture. Did you take that?

My pictures from Santo Domingo de Silos are somewhere out in Cyber Never Never Land when the hard disk went. This one is from Google.

 

[Richard P]

Hello ShellsG
After reaching Santiago I spent three days there just looking, watching, strolling about eating and drinking many coffees. Then, because I felt quite walked out as I had walked from Geneva, I took the bus to Finisterre where I spent another three days. I really like that little town. I bought a Spanish language newspaper, a fat celebratory cigar and spent most of one afternoon sitting at a port side restaurant just soaking up the ambiance. Then, because I wanted to see a bit more of the NW part of Galicia I took a bus to A Coruna where I spent another relaxing day, then Ferrol to see where the Camino Ingilse begins. The old part of that city is just delightful. Another afternoon was spent reading a newspaper and drinking coffee (but no cigar) while I watched the world go by.
As you can see - the list is endless
Buen Camino

 

[dcorrea951]

I would suggest a Eurorail pass ticket. Don't miss Lugo, Seville and Toledo !

Buen Camino

 

[ShellsG]

Hello ShellsG
After reaching Santiago I spent three days there just looking, watching, strolling about eating and drinking many coffees. Then, because I felt quite walked out as I had walked from Geneva, I took the bus to Finisterre where I spent another three days. I really like that little town. I bought a Spanish language newspaper, a fat celebratory cigar and spent most of one afternoon sitting at a port side restaurant just soaking up the ambiance. Then, because I wanted to see a bit more of the NW part of Galicia I took a bus to A Coruna where I spent another relaxing day, then Ferrol to see where the Camino Ingilse begins. The old part of that city is just delightful. Another afternoon was spent reading a newspaper and drinking coffee (but no cigar) while I watched the world go by.
As you can see - the list is endless
Buen Camino

I loved A Coruna when our ship docked there for a week. Got to know the city squares quite well! A few days at Finesterre or even Muxia sounds lovely and with you coming from Shawnigan Lake I would expect you to love it!! There are endless options for sure, nice to be able to narrow them down a bit though