How do you get to the Atapuerca dig site?

[camster]

I'm looking to go and see the dig site at Atapuerca, but I wonder if I have to go very far off path or if it's easily findable. Thanks!

 

[jenwearing]

Hi! I stayed in Atepuerca. Got to the hostel at 2, showered, laundered, etc and then I think around 5pm a bus showed up and drove us all out to the site. It’s a few kilometres away. The bus took us back about 1.5 hours later.there was a tour of the dig and then enough time to explore the exhibits in the presentation center as well. It was totally worth it. Atepuerca is a very small town and the bus stops just off the main square. The albergue was also just off the main square. The locals should be able to point it out to you and help you with the actual correct time to get the bus.

 

[Former member 92300]

When I passed through - it was required to have advanced tickets. Might have been due to COVID - I don't know. I recommend checking their website! I recall reading about a bus to get there.

 

[camster]

When I passed through - it was required to have advanced tickets. Might have been due to COVID - I don't know. I recommend checking their website! I recall reading about a bus to get there.

Great, thank you. I wanted to make the detour by foot, but if reservations are needed, I'll rethink my plan.

 

[Tincatinker]

Information here: https://www.atapuerca.org/

Revelation here: https://www.museoevolucionhumana.com/

Two days in Burgos, one at Atapuerca is recommended

 

[camster]

Information here: https://www.atapuerca.org/

Revelation here: https://www.museoevolucionhumana.com/

Two days in Burgos, one at Atapuerca is recommended

Moreso Burgos than Leon?
I was thinking about spending 2 days in Leon but I haven't gotten around to researching Burgos much yet.

 

[trecile]

Moreso Burgos than Leon?
I was thinking about spending 2 days in Leon but I haven't gotten around to researching Burgos much yet.

Click on @Tincatinker's second link and you'll see that the museum in Burgos is associated with the site at Atapuerca.

 

[Marylee]

I'm looking to go and see the dig site at Atapuerca, but I wonder if I have to go very far off path or if it's easily findable. Thanks!

There is a wonderful museum in Bergos that tells all about the did and the discoveries. You will walk close to the dig site in the Camino coming into Bergos. I asked the same question in 2018 and the person said there wasn’t much to see. They suggested a rest day and to visit the museum. I wasn’t disappointed.

 

[Becky 59]

When I was in Atapuerca in 2021, the dig site was closed on Sundays (which of course was the day I was there)

 

[JerryStroebele]

As you walk west to Atapuerca just before town is a road to the right. You see in the distance, only a km or so, a large building. This is the Atapuerca museum. It is excellent! You can't miss the sign for the museum, right on the road. From the museum, you don't have to return to the Camino, just take the shortcut from the museum into town. Buen Camino

 

[StephenT]

Hi from NZ
When I passed through a few years ago I stayed a couple of days in Burgos, which is just a short distance further on (- well worth the time there) - the Human Evolution Museum is GREAT, and from there you can book the bus trip out to Atapuerca - from memory the commentary is in Spanish

Buen camino
Stephen

 

[AnneMarie1]

When I passed through - it was required to have advanced tickets. Might have been due to COVID - I don't know. I recommend checking their website! I recall reading about a bus to get there.

I’m at the interpretive site as I write this. We have reservations for the 5:00 departure for the dig site tour. Reserve tickets ahead of time by phone. Pay for them upon arrival. Credit cards preferred. 4 euros for interpretive tour and demos, and another 4 for the dig site visit, which is about 90 min. There is no bus or tour that leaves from Burgos, which is about 20 km away. When I called ahead, they told me the only way to get here other than stopping in the nearby village of Atapuerca when you’re on the Camino is to take an expensive taxi from Burgos or rent a car. We stayed in Villafranca de Montes de Oca last night. Then in order to make sure we got to Atapuerca in time for the 3:15 interpretive center tour, we took a bus from Villafranca to the next stop the bus makes on the N 120, down a short road from Santovenia. Then follow the road (NOT the marked Camino) to Agés. This is a minor road with little traffic. Alternatively, START on the marked Camino dirt road, but don’t just keep following it. Instead, turn right when you get to another dirt road that looks like it’s for tractors. Follow that until you get to an intersection of dirt roads and go right at that intersection, and you’ll see Agés and will almost be there. We made the mistake of putting too much confidence in the marked path, even though it conflicted with the map on Gronze (the marked path from Santovenia didn’t appear on Gronze). Went down that dirt road until we could see ahead that it was going to be crossing the highway, and we knew we shouldn’t be crossing the highway. Retraced our steps to Santovenia to take the road instead, and a farmer going out to work on his field of onions set us straight. Said that marked Camino path ends up somewhere else and bypasses Atapuerca. He told us we could take it a little way and then take the tractor road to the right, and that worked well. We made up reservations a few days ago.

 

[AnneMarie1]

Hi from NZ
When I passed through a few years ago I stayed a couple of days in Burgos, which is just a short distance further on (- well worth the time there) - the Human Evolution Museum is GREAT, and from there you can book the bus trip out to Atapuerca - from memory the commentary is in Spanish

Buen camino
Stephen

It is no longer possible to book a trip to Atapuerca from Burgos.

 

[camster]

I’m at the interpretive site as I write this. We have reservations for the 5:00 departure for the dig site tour. Reserve tickets ahead of time by phone. Pay for them upon arrival. Credit cards preferred. 4 euros for interpretive tour and demos, and another 4 for the dig site visit, which is about 90 min. There is no bus or tour that leaves from Burgos, which is about 20 km away. When I called ahead, they told me the only way to get here other than stopping in the nearby village of Atapuerca when you’re on the Camino is to take an expensive taxi from Burgos or rent a car. We stayed in Villafranca de Montes de Oca last night. Then in order to make sure we got to Atapuerca in time for the 3:15 interpretive center tour, we took a bus from Villafranca to the next stop the bus makes on the N 120, down a short road from Santovenia. Then follow the road (NOT the marked Camino) to Agés. This is a minor road with little traffic. Alternatively, START on the marked Camino dirt road, but don’t just keep following it. Instead, turn right when you get to another dirt road that looks like it’s for tractors. Follow that until you get to an intersection of dirt roads and go right at that intersection, and you’ll see Agés and will almost be there. We made the mistake of putting too much confidence in the marked path, even though it conflicted with the map on Gronze (the marked path from Santovenia didn’t appear on Gronze). Went down that dirt road until we could see ahead that it was going to be crossing the highway, and we knew we shouldn’t be crossing the highway. Retraced our steps to Santovenia to take the road instead, and a farmer going out to work on his field of onions set us straight. Said that marked Camino path ends up somewhere else and bypasses Atapuerca. He told us we could take it a little way and then take the tractor road to the right, and that worked well. We made up reservations a few days ago.

Thank you for the detailed information. I'm bookmarking your post.

 

[AnneMarie1]

Thank you for the detailed information. I'm bookmarking your post.

Good luck! Both the interpretive center tour and the excursion to the dig site were excellent. But they’re only in Spanish (which I speak). So if you don’t, you might not find them as worthwhile. Atapuerca is also a cute little town. Meal at Comosapiens was wonderful. Menu was 20E, so not the cheapest possibility, but worth the splurge and very reasonable given how good it was.

 

[AnneMarie1]

Thank you for the detailed information. I'm bookmarking your post.

Now I’m sitting here in Burgos reading the little booklet I got at the tourist office yesterday, and apparently there IS a bus from the Evolution Museum. But it says it “sometimes” includes the dig site. When I called, they said there wasn’t one, but maybe that was related to the dates I was asking about. So it looks like what I posted about no buses from Burgos wasn’t really accurate. Best to call ahead to ask and just plan that it might not be possible to bus from Burgos, so build that into your plans.

 

[AnneMarie1]

It is no longer possible to book a trip to Atapuerca from Burgos.

Ok, so it seems that may not be accurate after all. They told me there was no bus from Burgos when I called to learn about this. But that might have been specific to my dates. Info booklet from Burgos tourist office says there are excursions from the Human Evolution Museum, but they don’t say how frequently or anything.

 

[camster]

Now I’m sitting here in Burgos reading the little booklet I got at the tourist office yesterday, and apparently there IS a bus from the Evolution Museum. But it says it “sometimes” includes the dig site. When I called, they said there wasn’t one, but maybe that was related to the dates I was asking about. So it looks like what I posted about no buses from Burgos wasn’t really accurate. Best to call ahead to ask and just plan that it might not be possible to bus from Burgos, so build that into your plans.

Thank you for taking the time to share the information. I'll have a look at what I decide to do.