Santo Domingo de Silos

[Deleted member 3000]

If you want a break at Burgos, you can watch and hear the monks of Santo Domingo de Silos sing vespers every evening at 1930. The most economical way is by bus.

http://www.autocaresarceredillo.es/#burgos_caleruega

Salidas de Burgos
Lunes a Jueves 17:30
Viernes 18:30
Sábados 14:00
Domingos y festivos sin servicio

SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS.
Salidas de Lunes a Sábado: 8:30 am

There are several hostales starting at about 30 Euros. The cloisters are worth a visit, too. However, the tour is closed when the bus arrives (at about 1915), and do not open until after the bus leaves the next morning. So it is a two-day trip to do both.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Falcon,
I stayed three nights in Santo Domingo de Silos, so had two complete days there.

It is a beautiful place, very high above sea level and yet surrounded by mountains. I followed the river for about a mile and sat on a tree trunk and watched as two eagles taught their four young ones how to fly.

I enjoyed the tour of the monastery so much that I went back and did it again next day, and hope to go again within the next two weeks

For those who like Gregorian chant and see it as one of the loveliest ways to praise God, it is a little foretaste of heaven.
.
Lydia

 

[koilife]

Sábados 14:00

The current autocaresarceredillo.es website shows no Saturday service (Sábados, Domingo y festivos sin servicio). I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a difference between winter and summer hours, or if this is a permanent change.

I'd like to stay two nights in de Silos, and the two-day blockage means I'm limited to leaving Burgos on a Monday through Wednesday.

Assuming no Saturday or Sunday service, are there other local options for getting to Santo Domingo de Silos? Taxi would be fairly expensive, though ride sharing would make it less so. My bigger concern would be getting back to Burgos because I assume fewer taxis in de Silos.

PAX,
Matt

 

[scruffy1]

Its a good 60 kilometers from Burgos to Santo Domingo de Silos, thats at least 60 Euro even if you could find a taxi driver willing to make the trip. Coming back? Santo Domingo de Silos is a small rural community-not much chance of a taxi back from there. The cloisters and the singing are divine and certainly worth the bus ride so plan carefully.

 

[koilife]

The challenge I have is that, according to my current schedule, I get to Burgos on either Friday or Saturday. If Friday, it pretty much means I will spend the entire weekend there and lose a day (if such a gain can be called a loss). If on Saturday, then I have the expensive taxi ride.

I'm hoping that they dropped the Saturday run because it is winter, and that it will be restored in the summer. Regardless, St. James will provide.

PAX,
Matt

 

[tominrm]

I am planning the camino in April 2014. My route is not finalized, but I am thinking about the northern route and primitivo. However when I found that the french way goes through Burgos, I am thinking about going french way in order to go to Burgos so that I stop by Santo Domingo de Silos. Does anyone know how much off the way this monastery is? If I stop by the monastery, is adding one day to my plan enough?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is one bus daily in the evening from Burgos, and it arrives in time for vespers. The return bus the next morning leaves before the cloisters open. So if you want to see both, it takes two days.

If you rent a car for about 100€, you can see it all in one day.

 

[tominrm]

falcon269, thank you for your reply. I gather the camino goes through the town of Burgos, and the monastery is a bus ride away from the town/camino. In that case, if I arrive in Burgos before bus leaves for the monastery, take bus in the evening, stay there for a night, see the monastery following day, and catch the bus next morning, then it just takes a little over 24 hours. Wouldn't it? For example, I arrive at Burgos Monday afternoon/early evening. I would be continuing on Tuesday morning if I do not visit the monastery. But if I take bus to the monastery on Monday night, stay there Monday night and Tuesday night, and take bus on Wednesday in the morning to Burgos and would be on my way on Wednesday mid-morning from Burgos. Am I correct? So in this case, instead of leaving Burgos early Tuesday morning, I will be on my way Wednesday mid-morning.
If my assumption/understanding is correct I will definitely visit.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Yes, that schedule works. There is a nice nature trail to occupy part of your day after you visit the cloisters. Men can stay the night with the monks by making arrangements. There are a couple of reasonable hotels. When you get back to Burgos, Tardajos and Rabe are possible destinations for the shortened day.

 

[antjie]

I was there about ten days ago. It is def a two day visit but def worthwhile. The monks also sing at the morning service, so I heard them three times. Spending the day there was so peaceful - went for short walks, had time to take photos and just SIT quietly. Stayed st the Santa Domingo hotel and felt like part of the family. The bus leaves at 8.10 in the morning. When I got to Burgos at about 9.30 (also school bus - so kids get picked up and dropped off!) I still managed to visit the cathedral and get to Rabe de las Calzadas that same day. There is also a bus that you can take to get you out of Burgos to the first village if you are running out if time.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

The visit to the cloisters is really well worth while, even if you don't speak Spanish. Go and admire the exquisite carvings on the capitals of the pillars especially the wide supports at the corners. The stone mason was an absolute artist. See his depiction of Jesus as Pilgrim with his water gourd and shell and pilgrim staff in the carving of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
The Annunciation and Coronation in one single carving shows such a creative mind.
The paintings on the ceiling seem to have an Arabic influence.
The pharmacy too is most interesting. During hard times the monastery had to sell off all their beautiful ceramic ointment jars, but centuries later a benefactor brought them when they came up for sale on the public market and gifted them back to the monastery.

It is a personal thing I know, but for me the most beautiful prayerful singing in all the world is the sound of the monks at prayer in Santo Domingo de Silos.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

They had a libretto of the psalms being sung if you can match sound to spelling. I could not!!

 

[colinPeter]

The visit to the cloisters is really well worth while, ... Go and admire the exquisite carvings on the capitals of the pillars especially the wide supports at the corners. ....The pharmacy too is most interesting. .... the most beautiful prayerful singing...

Sounds wonderful. We've been hoping to get there on two previous walks via Burgos, but things didn't work out for it at the time. Hopefully, we'll get there later this year, for a couple of days.
I think (from my rough translation), their website indicates that things are closed on all Mondays, January 1st & Dec 25. We hope to walk this year in October/November, the websit says "Festivos en la Abadía" which I think is Festival/Holiday at the Abbey on 12 October & 1st November . Does anyone know if this means, Festival "sorry we're closed" or Festival "come & see it"?
Colin