Holy Week in Zamora?

[sulu]

I plan to do the Levante in March, arriving in Zamora on the Thursday of Holy Week. It looks to me as though the Good Friday procession is at 05.00 on Friday morning. Does anyone have experience of going to this procession? Has anyone worked as a Hospitalero/a in Zamora in Holy Week? I seem to remember that the Albergue door is locked, am I right or wrong?
I normally walk at a time of year when I don't need to be up and out in the wee small hours but I would love to experience this procession.
Thanks
Sue

 

[Arn]

Sue,

I have not walked the VdeLP but will at some time in the future. Also, Zamora during Holy Week is a real draw.
Here are some sites that may prove interesting and beneficial to your Camino.

http://www.zamora-turismo.com/index.php/s-santa

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-de-peregrinos-de-zamora

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es...s-de-villanueva-de-campean#bloque-informacion

Hope that helps a bit.

Buen Camino,

Arn

 

[Luka]

As far as I can remember the albergue in Zamora opens at 2 pm and closes by 10 pm (not sure about that). When you leave the next morning, you can leave at any time, but you can't get back in again.

 

[peregrina2000]

As far as I can remember the albergue in Zamora opens at 2 pm and closes by 10 pm (not sure about that). When you leave the next morning, you can leave at any time, but you can't get back in again.

My memory is the same as Luka's. I believe the entrance is up next to that lovely church (San Cipriano, I think), and the exit for off hours is down on the lower level, closes automatically behind you.
Sounds like a great time to be in Zamora, I LOVE Zamora! Buen camino, sulu, Laurie

 

[Luka]

This is the main entrance. Nice albergue, beautiful town!

 

[sulu]

Thanks.
I don't mind if I can't get back in, though standing on a packed pavement with a backpack could be interesting Particularly for the people I bump into!
Sue

 

[LTfit]

Agree with the above. If you're lucky the hospitalero/a will let you drop off your backpack if you arrive before opening, at least that happened to me although I may have gotten special treatment as I am also a hospitalera.

When will you be around Toledo Sue? I still need to complete Toledo-Zamora to finish off the Levante. Zamora-SdC I did for a second time in October.

 

[sulu]

Agree with the above. If you're lucky the hospitalero/a will let you drop off your backpack if you arrive before opening, at least that happened to me although I may have gotten special treatment as I am also a hospitalera.

When will you be around Toledo Sue? I still need to complete Toledo-Zamora to finish off the Levante. Zamora-SdC I did for a second time in October.

I doubt I'll arrive before opening, I aim to walk from Toro, though if I don't get lost that's flat I think.
I think the Thursday procession is late afternoon but I really want to go for the early morning Good Friday procession, apparently it's silent and very impressive.

I aim to be in Toledo about the 21st and 22nd March, that's if all goes well, but I will need to book the albergue so I'll have to work hard to make it work, otherwise I won't get to Zamora on time either.

 

[KinkyOne]

@sulu
Hi, Sue, for the time being I've gathered these informations:

"Zamora
A (32pl, MUNI, c/Cuesta de San Cipriano, 980-509-427
(Manuel Oliva) or 980-537-104 Ext 4 (Luis García)) don€"

&

"Pertenece a la Comarca Tierra del Pan y su población es de 65.575 habitantes. Zamora no se ganó en una hora, tampoco se ve en una hora. Visita San Cipriano, pasa por el Parador Nacional antiguo Palacio de los Condes de Aliste, por la Iglesia de Santiago del Burgo del siglo XII; el Palacio de los Momos del siglo XVI con espléndida fachada gótico renacentista; la Iglesia de San Juan de la Puerta Nueva, que tiene un rosetón en forma de rueda de carro, y la iglesia de la Magdalena. Zamora nació como mansio en la calzada de la Plata, pero entra en la Historia de la mano de Viriato. Fue reconquistada por Alfonso I en el 748 tras la batalla de Calatañazor y otorgada en testamento a Doña Urraca por su padre el rey Fernando I de Castilla.

Fue, como Ávila, ciudad amurallada y aún conserva buena parte de las murallas de los siglos XI y XII. Su catedral es una joya del románico del siglo XII, por lo que se la conoce con el nombre de La Perla; Zamora. fue fundada por Alfonso VII en 1135 y conserva de esa época la fachada Sur; tiene capilla de Santiago y posee una sólida torre con ventanales de medio punto en sus tres cuerpos superiores. En su interior destacan un retablo de pintura de Fernando Gallego del siglo XV y la sillería del coro obra de Juan de Bruselas de 1503. En las afueras de la ciudad se encuentra la Iglesia de Santiago El Viejo o Santiago de los Caballeros del siglo XII, donde se dice fue armado caballero El Cid.

• Ayuntamiento: Plaza Mayor, 1. Tel.: 980 548 742
• Albergue Municipal en Cuesta San Cipriano: Cerca de la iglesia de San Cipriano. Tel.: 980 509 427, gestionado por hospitaleros voluntarios. Horario de 14,00 a 22,00"

I believe you have more up to date info, but still I hope that helps!

Ultreia!

PS (I guess I'll follow you on that track next year )

 

[sulu]

@sulu
Hi, Sue, for the time being I've gathered these informations:

"Zamora
A (32pl, MUNI, c/Cuesta de San Cipriano, 980-509-427
(Manuel Oliva) or 980-537-104 Ext 4 (Luis García)) don€"

&

"Pertenece a la Comarca Tierra del Pan y su población es de 65.575 habitantes. Zamora no se ganó en una hora, tampoco se ve en una hora. Visita San Cipriano, pasa por el Parador Nacional antiguo Palacio de los Condes de Aliste, por la Iglesia de Santiago del Burgo del siglo XII; el Palacio de los Momos del siglo XVI con espléndida fachada gótico renacentista; la Iglesia de San Juan de la Puerta Nueva, que tiene un rosetón en forma de rueda de carro, y la iglesia de la Magdalena. Zamora nació como mansio en la calzada de la Plata, pero entra en la Historia de la mano de Viriato. Fue reconquistada por Alfonso I en el 748 tras la batalla de Calatañazor y otorgada en testamento a Doña Urraca por su padre el rey Fernando I de Castilla.

Fue, como Ávila, ciudad amurallada y aún conserva buena parte de las murallas de los siglos XI y XII. Su catedral es una joya del románico del siglo XII, por lo que se la conoce con el nombre de La Perla; Zamora. fue fundada por Alfonso VII en 1135 y conserva de esa época la fachada Sur; tiene capilla de Santiago y posee una sólida torre con ventanales de medio punto en sus tres cuerpos superiores. En su interior destacan un retablo de pintura de Fernando Gallego del siglo XV y la sillería del coro obra de Juan de Bruselas de 1503. En las afueras de la ciudad se encuentra la Iglesia de Santiago El Viejo o Santiago de los Caballeros del siglo XII, donde se dice fue armado caballero El Cid.

• Ayuntamiento: Plaza Mayor, 1. Tel.: 980 548 742
• Albergue Municipal en Cuesta San Cipriano: Cerca de la iglesia de San Cipriano. Tel.: 980 509 427, gestionado por hospitaleros voluntarios. Horario de 14,00 a 22,00"

I believe you have more up to date info, but still I hope that helps!

Ultreia!

PS (I guess I'll follow you on that track next year )

Hi! Thanks for the info. I must have a better look at Zamora this time. I was there on Easter Sunday 2013, I rushed to arrive, dreaming of my Easter Sunday lunch! I could only find 1 restaurant and that was fully booked. When I moaned that I had just walked 30+ kms dreaming of my lunch they let me eat in the bar. It wasn't quite the lunch I had been dreaming of but it was good. By the time I had finished eating, and drinking, it was early evening. I went to the Tourist Office, to get information on the Portuguese route, assuming they would re-open after lunch but they didn't. So I just went back to the albergue to have the shower I hadn't had when I arrived.
This time I will have a better look, at least I won't waste time searching for a restaurant.
The Portuguese route goes out of Zamora via the Cathedral so I did get to see something the next morning

 

[peregrina2000]

Whoa, sulu, I didn't know you walked the Portuguese variant out of Zamora. Eze did that too several years ago, but he really had to jerry-rig things a lot if memory serves. The only piece of that route I've seen is the first stage as far as the visigothic San Pedro de la Nave. The hospitalero gave me a ride out since he wanted to see it too and then I walked back. Another one of those stone-by-stone church moving jobs, but well worth saving. I thought it was really incredible. But then Zamora's not too shabby when it comes to churches. Several us have a favorite, the tiny Santiago de los Caballeros right outside the walls where El Cid is reported to have prayed for a night before battle. Yes, you definitely need to spend some time there, the castle restorations were recently completed and are nice, but the 26 romanesque churches are something else! Don't want to hijack the thread, but some day you'll have to describe that walk! I love Braganca, so it is very tempting.

The Holy Week museum in Zamora is also well worth it, but you'll have Holy Week in the street, not in the museum!
(and p.s., I got a good restaurant recommendation from the hospitalero, I'll have to hunt for it). Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Stripey Socks]

I plan to do the Levante in March, arriving in Zamora on the Thursday of Holy Week. It looks to me as though the Good Friday procession is at 05.00 on Friday morning. Does anyone have experience of going to this procession? Has anyone worked as a Hospitalero/a in Zamora in Holy Week? I seem to remember that the Albergue door is locked, am I right or wrong?
I normally walk at a time of year when I don't need to be up and out in the wee small hours but I would love to experience this procession.
Thanks
Sue

Hi Sue. I stayed in Zamora in October and the Albergue doors do not open until 2pm.....despite trying to convince the hospitalieros otherwise!!

We also mistakenly took the Portuguese variant/arrows as we were leaving Zamora and ended up heading towards Portugal!! Not our original plan and it made for a VERY long walk that day but that is all part of the Camino isn't it?
Enjoy your walk
Mel

 

[sulu]

I can now answer my own question.
The door out of the albergue in Zamora is locked with a key, held by the hospitalero/a. It is only possible to get out when the he/she unlocks the door, in my case this was 07.00.
For anyone there in a future Holy Week the processions last hours so there is plenty of time to catch it somewhere. the Good Friday 05.00 procession finishes at mid-day!