Leon or Astorga ?

[FrenchFancy1234]

hi there,

I arrive in Madrid very early on 1st Sept, and am trying to work out if it is best to travel to Leon or Astorga directly to start my Camino.

I will start Camino from Astorga and wondered if it is best to travel directly there and get organised for my start the next morning. Can anyone recommend a good place to stay the night of the 1st as I am travelling alone and would like to link up with others who might be doing the route too. - Just for a bit of reassurance as I start out.

Thanks a million.

 

[mspath]

FrenchFancy1234,

Welcome to the Forum!

In Astorga I usually stay in the pilgrim albergue Siervas de Maria which is on the CF on the eastern side of the city at the plaza San Francisco. It is a friendly, relaxed place. Here is their web for more info.

Happy planning and Buen camino!

 

[SYates]

The way to Astorga goes anyway via Leon, see https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Madrid/Astorga-Spain

As for albergues, there is also http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-de-peregrinos-san-javier very close to the cathedral.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Hotel Gaudi is affordable. Some commerce closes about noon Saturday and does not reopen until Monday. You can get food and chocolate, but don't expect to get a SIM card or visit inside a bank! Buen camino.

 

[Felipe]

It depends on your time availability and expectatives. You can do easily León to Compostela in two weeks.
The two stages after León are in the "Páramo" -an agricultural flat land without particularly interesting landscapes or historical buildings. If you choose that, many guides recommend the Villar de Mazarife variant (first stage) and the Villares de Órbigo one (second stage) that avoid walking along a boring and unforgiving highway
I did the mistake of going along the highway the second day, and really hated it. But I rather liked the first stage.
The Albergue Casa de Jesús in Villar de Mazarife is folksy -some like it a lot, some don't; there are other more formal and modern options in the same village.
I did these two stages because I had started before, and I had made a point of walking all the way -the good, the "not so good" and the ugly parts. But you can choose your departing point.
Astorga obviously is a touristic city, with a lot of things to see. And after that, there is a local road with many picturesque villages. I stayed in the Siervas de María albergue, too, and it was ok. The "menú peregrino" in the "Hotel Astur Plaza", at main square, was good.
It is up to you.

 

[Castilian]

Hi FrenchFancy1234! Welcome to the forum!

I guess the key question is whether you want to visit León (what wouldn't be a bad idea, IMHO) or not. If you aren't interested in visiting León, you can go straight to Astorga. If you are interested in visiting León, look for a luggage storage place to leave your baggage and go to Astorga later on the day once you took a look at the main sights in León.

For direct buses from Madrid (both airport and downtown) to Astorga: www.alsa.es/en
For trains from Madrid to Astorga (both direct and non-direct): www.renfe.com

If you decide to visit León. Alsa makes the bus route from Madrid to León as well as the bus route from León to Astorga. And RENFE makes the train route from Madrid to León as well as the one from León to Astorga.

 

[SYates]

Edited as the post I was answering to has been also edited ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[Patch]

Stayed at the Parador de León, great hotel in the old medieval hospital. Great rooms and even better breakfast. They do some great deals but you have to time it right. Easy walk from Leon bus station.

 

[Felipe]

Sorry, I did not read your post with the due attention. I see you are starting in Astorga.
You can go directly from Madrid terminal, or even the Barajas airport, to Astorga, by ALSA
https://www.alsa.es/
But Leon is really a wonderful city, well worth a day. Having just a glimpse from the window of the bus would be a pity. And from there, it is less than an hour to Astorga, by bus.