Over 20,000 pilgrims have done the Madrid Route

[sillydoll]

Over 20,000 pilgrims have passed through stretch of the Camino de Santiago Madrid

This has been revealed today as the CEO of Tourism Madrid Alarcó Angeles, and the deputy of the Environment, Manuel Beltran during the First Days on the Road to Santiago in Madrid, organized by the Community of Madrid and FIDA (Foundation for the Environmental Research and Development).

Both have stressed that Madrid is the region that brought pilgrims to the Camino de Santiago in 2009 (17.000), and this year is expected to exceed Santo 25,000.

With these days is to make the Camino de Santiago in revitalizing tourism in the region and make an alternative route over Madrid for the pilgrims, especially in this Year of St James in which significantly increases the number of pilgrims who come to Santiago to visit the Apostle.

Taking this circumstance, the Community seeks to promote and publicize an alternative to other roads, often overwhelmed by large numbers of people and more are expected this year when they reach Galicia over 10 million visitors.

The aim is to attract tourists and pilgrims coming to help boost the Madrid route, taking into account that the Madrid-Barajas airport came in 2009 14.470.680 passengers, many of whom exclusively to link with other transport and do the Camino de Santiago from another region.

Tourists can see all the details on this route in Madrid Tourism website http://www.turismomadrid.es or through brochures distributed at all tourist offices in the Community.

The complete path consists of a route of 750 kilometers and has six shelters and eleven of accommodation.

Already there are 13 hotels in central Madrid have joined the Friends of the Camino de Santiago to facilitate the travel of pilgrims, with discounts of 10 percent over the rate booked presenting the credential of a pilgrim. EFE

 

[lynnejohn]

Thanks for that article, Sil. I walked Camino de Madrid last spring and found it very moving and quite memorable. It is not for everyone. It is not like any other camino at all. For those of you who are, or are on your way to becoming serial camino walkers, consider the Madrid. You will not face crowds. For more information, see John Walker's blog - he walked it last year as well and his posts and photos are wonderful. http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com/

lynne

 

[Deleted member 3000]

With just 17 facilities along the way, that is 44 km per stage. What were your alternative accommodations?

 

[lynnejohn]

Actually from Madrid to Sahagun it's about 320 km. Mundicamino outlines 12 etapas but we walked 14. Our longest was about 35 km and I think a couple more were about 30. The rest were shorter and more manageable. Except for the etapa crossing the mountains, it's really quite flat. This route goes through very few villages or towns so planning has to be done carefully. There are virtually no places in between for water so care has to be taken during summer. The Madrid Way is the best waymarked route I've walked, so it's impossible to get lost. (I achieved the impossible)

A couple of times where albergues were listed, we found them abandoned or closed, but where we did find them, they, and their hospitaleros were wonderful. In other places, we stayed in hostals, hotels and once in a casa rural. The folks running these places were incredibly friendly and really went out of their way for us. They explained they don't often see pilgrims. (We encountered only one other).

Medina la Rioseca is a highlight of the Madrid Way. The old main street takes you back in time. The Church of Santiago is stunning. There's a monastery with a great museum. And when leaving the village, you walk along a peaceful canal for about 20 km.

So this is more information than you asked for, but hope this answers your question, Falcon.

Edit: I see now where the question arose - the article describes the route as 750 km. This figure included the stretch of Sahagun to Santiago as well as the Madrid to Sahagun portion.

Best,
lynne

 

[JohnnieWalker]

The new guide in English is written and is being imporved by Forum users at the moment. It gives a comprehensive list of accommodation along the route from Madrid to Sahagun. I'll let everyone know when it is available online.

Thanks to eveyrone for their help.

John