***Tardajos or Burgos? That is the question***

[PastorCat]

Hola Pilgrims!

Planning out on my second Camino in 2018 (please belay the "don't plan it" advice. We all walk our own Camino friends). Anyhoo, I'm brain-stuck on one stage:

Cardeñuela-Ríopico to Tardajos or Atapuerca to Burgos.

When I walked in 2015, I stopped in Burgos. It was a great stop. I took a day off. Spent a night in a pension; (Burgos fell on my 8th wedding anniversary so I Facetimed a dinner/breakfast with my wife that day). The following day I transferred to the big alburgue and met great friends who were with me for half the Camino.

In 2018 my wife is coming with me. I'm starting in Geneva. My wife will meet me in Roncesvalles. All things being equal I would stop us in Burgos not Tardajos. But staying in Burgos means NOT stopping for the night at Ermita de San Nicholas. I have some personal reasons for wanting to stop there. But targeting Ermita means staying the night in Tardajos instead of Burgos. The only thing I remember about Tardajos was that it was small and had a general store where I bought some water and a snack.

Burgos was my favorite Camino "city." A great place for a rest day. Lot's to see. Lot's of pilgrims too. I'd like my wife to spend a day there, but staying in Burgos means walking past Ermita de San Nicholas. It also means a night in Atapuerca. In 2015 I had a terrible night in Atapuerca. Clothes were stolen. It was cramped and uncomfortable. Awful dinner too. I'd love to pass over Atapuerca and land in Cardeñuela-Ríopico.

So I'm torn.

...and yeah. I realize as I'm writing, that I'm just thinking out-loud. Sorry about that. Even so, I'd love to hear from folks that bypassed Burgos. Did you regret not stopping? Really any thoughts (except advice not to plan) are more than welcome.

Thanks in advance,
MjS

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Couple of thoughts come to mind... First, why can't you stop in Burgos if you stay at Ermita de San Nicholas? If you have time constraints (which I'm guessing if you're starting in Geneva probably isn't the case) you can make up time later on. Second thought is why not stop in Ages instead of Atapuerca? I love staying at San Rafael Albergue in Ages and it's still only 25kms to Burgos the next day. As far as regrets, the only ones I have are for what I didn't do, not what I did... meaning I wish I'd worried less about stopping in specific places because time/distance/etc made me think I should be somewhere else. Can't change that but can make it different on my next go-round!
Good luck with the planning.

 

[amancio]

Agés-Burgos-Hornillos/Hontanas-San Nicolás
That is a possible arrangement that would be very feasible

 

[mspath]

During the past 10 caminos I have often stayed in the Burgos municipal albergue but the private albergue La Fabrica in Tardajos is also a good spot.

When walking November 2014 soon after leaving Burgos it began to drizzle then really pour. Totally soaked and cold at Tardajos I stopped at La Fabrica an old flour mill recently repurposed to be an albergue/hostal. It was a GREAT find.

Each heated albergue dorm room holds 4 pilgrims with fresh linens on the bunks and a sleek toilet/shower adjacent. My chatty dorm-mate was a Japaneze tour guide from Osaka; we were the only pilgrims. The price per bunk was 12 euros including breakfast. Regular tourist accommodation was also available. The busy ground floor bar/dining room was popular with locals as well as visiting hunters and the food was copious, tasty and good value. All in all La Fabrica was a pleasant stop before starting up the Meseta.
http://www.alberguelafabrica.com/

Good luck and Buen camino!

 

[Deputy Dan]

I just completed Logrono to Burgos - that was my week and then had to head home. But - I had two days to play tourist, and I figured Madrid (since I flew in and out of there) was the place to go. Hindsight being 20-20, I "regret" not having spend more time in Burgos though two days is hardly enough for Madrid. I did a rushed tour of the Burgos Cathedral and wish I had spent LOTS more time there.

My group did Belorado to Atapuerca the day before Burgos - somebody, when we were leaving Belorado, said to avoid staying in Ages though not sure why, and as it turns out we had a pleasant night in Atapuerca, including a great dinner at El Palomar. Only drawback - we had to sleep in a bit because the local bakery doesn't open until 7 and otherwise there's nothing for 11 km until the outskirts of Burgos. Aw shucks . . .

Based on your thoughts, I think I might be inclined to take things a bit more slowly when I go next (may not be until 2020!) and not only spend more time in Burgos but also spend time in San Nicolas.

 

[NualaOC]

I stayed in La Fabrica in Tarjados last year. As @mspath says, it's very well-run albergue with nice food. There's nothing else nearby, so it's a good place for a rest. Or, if you end up spending a night in Burgos and want to explore the city the next morning, it's an easy afternoon stroll (as is Rabé de la Calzadas).

Happy planning!

 

[LdnWalker]

I'm currently in Tardajos and it's a nice place to while away an afternoon. Sadly, as many seem to stop in Burgos this is the first time I've had an albergue to myself. I'm here because I did a half stage in order to easily return to Burgos for a bus tomorrow. Between La casa de beli and La Fabrica, Tardajos is not a bad place for a small town stop. I just wish there were a few more pilgrims about!

 

[naplesdon]

I stayed at la Fabrica a few years ago on a Sunday and it was overrun by locals attesting to its great service and popularity. but now there is new albergue in town, la Casa de Beli, with great rooms and food.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Agés-Burgos-Hornillos/Hontanas-San Nicolás

both/and.....not either/or

 

[HedaP]

I really liked Atapuerca. Missed it on my first camino but had enjoyed a long visit to the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos. I was so fascinated by the exhibition on the archaeological dig that I made a point of stopping at Atapuerca this year. I took a very chilly, late afternoon tour from Atapuerca to the dig site. The tour was all in Spanish and my Spanish is not good but I understood some and because I’d spent a lot of time at the Museum I could guess quite a bit more. The guide used some show and tell which also helped. I was the only pilgrim on the tour which surprised me because it was very reasonably priced (5€), at a convenient time, and I was picked up in town and dropped back into town right at the door of my albergue. I absolutely loved going to the dig. It is an amazing place and one of my camino highlights.
All that said, don’t be surprised if places you enjoyed the first time round offer a different experience this next time and vice versa. Or at least that is what I found.
Geneva to Santiago. I wish!
May you both have a very buen camino.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

In Atapuerca there is a newish albergue El Pelegrino, which has private rooms on the right and dorm rooms on the left, all beautifully kept, with kitchens. The tour of the archaeological site in late afternoon is most interesting: my guide spoke English and Spanish. I stayed in Burgos and Tardajos this year, because I was deliberately doing short stages. Nobody should miss Burgos! To gain more time there, I recommend taking the bus into Burgos to miss walking through suburbs. As I walked into Tardajos, I noticed La Fabrica on the left, but it was off the trail and I was too lazy to go there. I wish I'd been able to read these posts beforehand!

 

[Phil Krenc]

Hola Pilgrims!

Planning out on my second Camino in 2018 (please belay the "don't plan it" advice. We all walk our own Camino friends). Anyhoo, I'm brain-stuck on one stage:

Cardeñuela-Ríopico to Tardajos or Atapuerca to Burgos.

When I walked in 2015, I stopped in Burgos. It was a great stop. I took a day off. Spent a night in a pension; (Burgos fell on my 8th wedding anniversary so I Facetimed a dinner/breakfast with my wife that day). The following day I transferred to the big alburgue and met great friends who were with me for half the Camino.

In 2018 my wife is coming with me. I'm starting in Geneva. My wife will meet me in Roncesvalles. All things being equal I would stop us in Burgos not Tardajos. But staying in Burgos means NOT stopping for the night at Ermita de San Nicholas. I have some personal reasons for wanting to stop there. But targeting Ermita means staying the night in Tardajos instead of Burgos. The only thing I remember about Tardajos was that it was small and had a general store where I bought some water and a snack.

Burgos was my favorite Camino "city." A great place for a rest day. Lot's to see. Lot's of pilgrims too. I'd like my wife to spend a day there, but staying in Burgos means walking past Ermita de San Nicholas. It also means a night in Atapuerca. In 2015 I had a terrible night in Atapuerca. Clothes were stolen. It was cramped and uncomfortable. Awful dinner too. I'd love to pass over Atapuerca and land in Cardeñuela-Ríopico.

So I'm torn.

...and yeah. I realize as I'm writing, that I'm just thinking out-loud. Sorry about that. Even so, I'd love to hear from folks that bypassed Burgos. Did you regret not stopping? Really any thoughts (except advice not to plan) are more than welcome.

Thanks in advance,
MjS

Hola Pilgrims!

Planning out on my second Camino in 2018 (please belay the "don't plan it" advice. We all walk our own Camino friends). Anyhoo, I'm brain-stuck on one stage:

Cardeñuela-Ríopico to Tardajos or Atapuerca to Burgos.

When I walked in 2015, I stopped in Burgos. It was a great stop. I took a day off. Spent a night in a pension; (Burgos fell on my 8th wedding anniversary so I Facetimed a dinner/breakfast with my wife that day). The following day I transferred to the big alburgue and met great friends who were with me for half the Camino.

In 2018 my wife is coming with me. I'm starting in Geneva. My wife will meet me in Roncesvalles. All things being equal I would stop us in Burgos not Tardajos. But staying in Burgos means NOT stopping for the night at Ermita de San Nicholas. I have some personal reasons for wanting to stop there. But targeting Ermita means staying the night in Tardajos instead of Burgos. The only thing I remember about Tardajos was that it was small and had a general store where I bought some water and a snack.

Burgos was my favorite Camino "city." A great place for a rest day. Lot's to see. Lot's of pilgrims too. I'd like my wife to spend a day there, but staying in Burgos means walking past Ermita de San Nicholas. It also means a night in Atapuerca. In 2015 I had a terrible night in Atapuerca. Clothes were stolen. It was cramped and uncomfortable. Awful dinner too. I'd love to pass over Atapuerca and land in Cardeñuela-Ríopico.

So I'm torn.

...and yeah. I realize as I'm writing, that I'm just thinking out-loud. Sorry about that. Even so, I'd love to hear from folks that bypassed Burgos. Did you regret not stopping? Really any thoughts (except advice not to plan) are more than welcome.

Thanks in advance,
MjS

Last October I decided to pass through Burgos and went on to Tardajos. My personal preference on the Canino was staying in smaller towns. I stayed at La Fabrics in Tardajos and thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The building is completely renovated inside. Rooms accommodate only four people. The patio behind the building was a nice place to rest after a long day of walking. Not much to see in the town, but one if my favorite albergues along the route.

 

[PastorCat]

Tardajos is not a bad place for a small town stop. I just wish there were a few more pilgrims about!

The lack of pilgrims is the sticking point for me. Although, I imagine once in Hontanas, we'd group up again.

 

[VNwalking]

You might have more people to connect with if you keep going just a little farther and stay in Rabe, @PastorCat. The Albergue there is lovely, and there are vespers with the nuns nearby. A really lovely stop.

And...why not go with the flow as you walk rather than planning it out this far ahead?