Rest Days, where to stop ?

[JP]

Planning to stop for a day along the way, maybe once a week to rest and visit. Which towns are the best places to stop on the Way, I am a big history fanatic.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Wherever you are worn out! The big cities have more to see; the small villages are more restful. For a nice side trip, take the bus to Santo Domingo de Silos from Burgos and hear the monks chant vespers at 1915 every day.

 

[mralisn]

On my first walk, I took a day off in Burgos. It was really great. On my 3rd walk, I had all intentions on taking a day off in Leon, but my body wanted to walk. I arrived early 10:00 as I made it a short day of maybe 18km. So instead of leaving my private room early the next morning, I took my time and left whenever I felt like it. My Camino brother took a couple of days off and bussed up to Gijon to enjoy the sea, food, and simply relax in his own room. After two nights, he returned to the CF and continued as he pleased.

If you are walking further than than SdC, it is great to spend a couple of days there and then go for the sea. Once in Muxia or Fisterra, it's always great to have an extra night after arrival.

No matter what you choose, it's a great choice for the Camino.

Keep a smile,
Simeon

 

[wayfarer]

I took a rest day in Burgos and one in Leon, both beautiful cities and I loved them. The problem I had was after the rest days my leg muscles had stiffened up and it was hard to start again. next time I would take "short" days rather than rest days but your Camino will tell you what to do. Enjoy.
Buen Camino.

 

[scruffy1]

Wayfarer is right, rest days spent resting create problems walking the next day-Burgos or Leon will guarentee plenty of walkabout since there is so much to do and see. You may suffer some serious culture shock in both cities since the return to civilization can be shattering. oppositely, days of 30k+ can also have a similar effect, you feel great for the accomplishment that evening the next day you may experience difficulties doing 20k.

 

[JP]

Burgos and Leon sound great ! My girlfriend has never been to Europe and I have not been back in 34 years, but never been to Spain. So we hope to visit a bit and not just do a race to the Sea. We plan to reach Santiago in 35 days (rest days not included) and if time permits also go to Finister. We are hoping to be able to do everything in 45 days, travel time included.

 

[nreyn12]

Logrono is one of my favorites for the incredible tapas scene. Starting each day at noon, the tapas bars open and serve a dizzying array of delicious treats, all accompanied by fantastic Spanish wines, if you choose. The bars close in the early evening for a couple of hours, but then they re-open for the late evening.

You might also want to check for festivals on when you are on the Camino. They make for a great afternoon and evening getting to really see how the Spanish enjoy life.

Another fantastic stop, for a day of true rest in a backyard with lounge chairs and hammocks and some fantastic hospitality is Albergue Verde in Hospital de Orbigo, 31 km after Leon. The town itself has some interesting history, a beautiful bridge, and a bar with a terrace to sit on and watch the pilgrim traffic stream in. A very restful stop in all. The albergue has a few double rooms, in case you are due for some privacy.

 

[CaminoJohn]

I personally love Burgos and Leon with a preference for Leon. I always hit Burgos for it's summer fiesta and love the museums. But, for some reason Leon seems more cosmopoliton and interesting to me. Dislike Logorno..too big to be a nice small town and too small to be a nice city. imho...

 

[Anniesantiago]

The archaeological museum in Burgos is fantastic. If you arrive early morning, you can take a bus out to the Atapuerca dig site, where the earliest human remains in Europe have been found.

I'm a fan of Astorga, where you see the Bishop's Palace (Gaudi) and interesting Roman baths, a small but nice archaeological museum, and the museum of chocolate with an old film on how chocolate is made.

Both Leon and Burgos Cathedrals could take half a day, and the museum in Leon is marvelous.

Pamplona is another favorite. The Museu de Navarra is wonderful!

Lots of churches to see all along The Way. Don't pass by the small ones, which contain some of the best art you'll see anywhere outside the Louvre or British Museum.

(Also, the tiny chapels often just have a peek-hole and are worth a look.)

 

[steinhoj]

Leon! Free tapas with every drink! Even the 75 cent wine!

 

[Dan]

Suggest a full day in Burgos and another in Leon e.g., if you arrive on a tuesday afternoon, depart on the thursday morning. Gives time to rest, check out the history and - more importantly (for us) - the opportunity to keep tabs on your friends who have got ahead or are coming up behind.

 

[siseale94]

Leon or Burgos are both good choices. I took my only rest day in Leon and truely enjoyed it. Friends I walked with sang the praises of Burgos. Short days of 20km or so can also help you recharge and remind you that it is not a race. Northern Spain is beautiful, take your time and enjoy.

 

[Olivares]

JP-- the Camino Frances is an 800 Kms ancient trail museum on its own right! . Plenty to savor along the Camino if you are a history fanatic. It would drive me insane if I only had one day to rest and had to choose from the incredibly historical anchor cities along the Camino Frances. If you pressed me to do it, I would say Leon or Burgos, but rather than give you the name of the city, I would STRONGLY suggest you read ahead on the history of each town/city along the Camino and list what is a MUST and what is NICE to see. Annie santiago is exactly right; there is so much art and history along the Camino and often you will be all by yourself in the knowledge of the spectacular things you are looking at. Start to walk as early as you possiby can with a list of things you MUST see on that day. In this way, you will be able to take some time each day to dedicate to history exploration. Case in point: Roncesvalles. It is a medieval complex worth of exploration. Leave at least 1-2 hours of daylight once at Roncesvalles to explore it. I spent more time in Redecilla del Camino than in Pamplona! This 140 inhabitants village has the best preserved, most beautiful medieval baptismal font in all of Spain. The church was closed but a church neighbor just went to another neighbor's house, got the key and let me in. I was in heaven looking at this gorgeous object. I saw so many pilgrims walking by on a mad dash to grab a bed at the next albergue. Another town that blew me away was Cirauqui. The Roman road and bridge as you leave town remains one of the most spectacular things I saw along the Camino. I sat at that bridge and savored every second of it. La Ermita del Camino and adjacent medieval bridge as you get close to Sahagun deserves a moment as well. I guess my point is that you will not need to take a rest day to saciate your thirst for fascinating history. It will meet you every day and you will be satisfied, no worries.

 

[Dan]

>>Short days of 20km or so can also help you recharge and remind you that it is not a race<<

Si - dead right! Some of the friends we made were very fit and strong, and even they came down with blisters, sore feet, ankles, knees etc. etc. - there may be times to push hard, but not often.

>>Another town that blew me away was Cirauqui. The Roman road and bridge as you leave town remains one of the most spectacular things I saw along the Camino<<
Olivares! I had exactly the same impression. And to prove it here are links to the pics on Dropbox!

approaching Cirauqui - direction Estella
https://www.dropbox.com/s/juwdpz9oc9t0fwa/DSCF1075.JPG

leaving Cirauqui - taken from the Roman road
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oykcrr5jrxiu1va/DSCF1085.JPG

Roman road exiting Cirauqui
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6dt5zdm6ef626yy/DSCF1086.JPG

single span Roman bridge at the foot of the Roman road outside Cirauqui
https://www.dropbox.com/s/33h46g1di7tl596/DSCF1087.JPG

view departing Cirauqui - Roman bridge in foreground, and a bunch of tourists in the shadows behind!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cm41nk7nfnht4gy/DSCF1088.JPG

 

[Mark2012]

I had every intention of taking a rest day here and there when I walked the CF in 2012, but in the end I walked every day. One of the many surprises for me along the way was discovering that I liked the feeling of waking up somewhere new every day. So, occasionally I had short days, but no rest days as such. I remember sticking around Burgos until around 1pm the day after I walked there from Ages and feeling really odd about it, as if I had slipped out of my "time zone" by still being there. I couldn't wait to get moving again!

On Cirauqui, I had one of my most memorable early moments there. I remember starting from Puente la Reina that morning (I think!) and feeling the need for a little space with my own thoughts by the time I reached Cirauqui. It was functioning as a breakfast stop for a lot of the pilgrims that day and there was one shop/cafe where a lot were congregating. So, I chose to continue on, hoping to find somewhere a little quieter, where I might stop for a quick bite. I had just about reached the end of the town when I saw a public bench of sorts just off the path, at the side of a building. So, I made my way down to the bench, sat down, and was immediately blown away by the view it offered. Just below me were two horses in an enclosure and other than that rolling hills and green fields as far as the eye could see. It was day 6 or so on the Camino for me, and I remember that moment very clearly. It wasn't the first magnificent view I had seen, but for some reason it impacted upon me very deeply, and a sense of "yes, this is exactly where you are supposed to be right now" just came over me. I wouldn't say that I had felt out of place on the Camino up to that point, but I felt much more at home as I sat there and the feeling stayed with me thereafter.

Attached is a photo I took from that bench. Some of you may have sat at the very spot before and/or after!

 

[Olivares]

Mark-- the experience you shared is a great example of the spectrum of emotions that one is bound to experience along the Camino. From anxious anticipation, to need to isolate, to awe, to deep reflection, to been content with the "here and now". These are the moments when, whether you are aware of it or not, perceptions within yourself shift and get you in touch with your spiritual side. These moments have nothing to do with how much load is on your back or where you slept the night before. This is between you and the Camino. Such an amazing place.

 

[Canucks]

We had such a good time in Lograno that we named it The Happiest Place On Earth. It was the last day of their fall festival and the vibe was amazing.
Had food poisoning in Leon so the memories are less good but it was nice while we were there on our rest day.
The reality is that any of the small towns can be wonderful for a rest day as you can do some nice micro exploring and really observe the village life. The bigger ones offer the amenities but, essentially, they are just another larger town/city.

 

[alexwalker]

This year, I will spend 1-2 days in Covarrubias, a short bus ride south from Burgos. It has to do with the intermingled history of Spain and Norway:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Norway,_Infanta_of_Castile

Should be interesting.