towns we should take an extra day in.

[pyrofly]

The planning for this trip has become a big deal. We have 7 days before we start our camino at SJPDP.

Currently we plan on staying an extra day to see the sites in

pamplona (week one rest day)

bugos(week 3 rest day)

leon (week 4 rest day)

What other towns should we spend a little more time in to hit the big attractions?

I am thinking these are possible candidates.

santo domingo de la calzada (cathedral)
Astorga (gaudi's archbishop's palace)
ponferrada (templar castle)
Sarria (Samos monestary)

What do the pro's think?

 

[fraluchi]

What other towns should we spend a little more time in to hit the big attractions?
[...]What do the pro's think?

A few days in Santiago de Compostela, of course
Apart from the town itself, an excursion to Fisterra, Muxia or Lugo is worth your while once you are in Galicia. :wink:

 

[pyrofly]

oops.. should of mentioned that. We have 1 day in santiago after our initial arrival date That date just happens to be a sunday and we plan on attending mass then spend the rest of the day taking it all in. We Then 4 days to get to finisterra. The elevations seem killer to get there though so we may just spend an extra day in santiago then "cheat" and take the bus.

We have a total of 3 days that are "floaters". These days are technically "emergency days" in case of foot problems etc, But I am hoping for a smooth camino and want to plan using them in places were we get to enjoy them the most.

Was thinking of using one for to extend the finisterre to Muxia. and the other 2 somewhere between SJPDP and Santiago.

 

[mralisn]

I like your choice of stops for rest days. I think once you get going, you will know better whether you want to stay or not. My first time, I flew right by Pamplona. This time, I spent the day there and loved it. My first time, I spent an extra day in Burgos. This time, I arrived early in the day and left the next morning. Still had a wonderful time. I was going to spend an extra day in Leon, but again arrived early enough to enjoy what I wanted and decided to walk the next day. FOR SURE an extra day or two in SdC as this will allow you to reunite with others you will meet along the way and it really is a great time to take it all in. If time allows, you might consider walking to Muxia and/or Fisterre. At least a day trip via bus to Fisterre would be great as well!

¡Buen Camino!
Simeon

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I am not the sort that reads every placard in a museum, so I have been able to catch all the sights in all those cities without devoting a day to it. I use a rest day to rest, and count it a benefit if there is something extra to see. There is a nice walking side trip to Vilar de Donas before Palas de Rei, and there are now two albergues near the intersection that goes there. There is a nice side trip by bus or car from Burgos to listen to vespers at Santo Domingo de Silos. It takes two days to go by bus and see both the vespers and cloisters. I could spend a day at Eunate seeing the church and talking to the hospitalero (and taking pictures as the light changes). The Atapuerca site can take a day. For the bus tour to the dig, you actually start in Burgos at 9 or 10 am. In Atapuerca you get just a tour of the visitor center and demonstration village.

You don't need a big town to take a rest day!

 

[tyrrek]

I went via Samos last year and liked the view down on the monastery as I approached the town. This year I walked via the other route (away from Samos), but didn't feel I'd missed too much. Remaining with my walking partners just seemed more important on that day. It's one of the options you have and it really just depends what interests you and how you feel on the day.

Buen Camino!

 

[sillydoll]

I have often found cities and towns very noisy and distracting after being in the countryside for days. I want to escape them and get back into the peace of the country again. You won't 'rest' in the cities. If you want to have 'rest' days, choose a beautiful little village and spend a day there rather.

 

[MoniRose]

I'm with you, Sillydoll, however, I liked the old part of Sarria and probably could have enjoyed a day in Molinaseca, if I had felt compelled to rest a day. For smaller towns, I thought Hontanas was beautiful.

Don't plan all your days away. Leave some time for what the Camino tells you to do.
Enjoy it all! - M :arrow:

 

[tyrrek]

I'm with you, Sillydoll, however, I liked the old part of Sarria and probably could have enjoyed a day in Molinaseca, if I had felt compelled to rest a day. For smaller towns, I thought Hontanas was beautiful.

Yes, and the 10kms or so between Hornillos and Hontanas is one of my favourite parts of the whole Camino. That's the Meseta! It's so beautiful and peaceful. Buen Camino!

 

[scruffy1]

You don’t need days off if you are willing reject the strict schedule as presented by the various guide books nd follow your heart. Brierley is a Camino icon but his maps are infuriating, however do read his recommendations, do seriously consider his little side trips and walk less on those days. Leaving Najera do walk through Canas, do go onto Monastario Millan, Burgos-do not leave without seeing Monasterio de las Huelgas Reales even if this requires another day in Burgos, in Leon the Saint Isidoro tour is mindbending, the way through Samos and the monastery there are wonderful - however -the alternative route is also wonderful good luck choosing, leaving Portomarin do visit Vilar de Donas, the Templar fortress in Ponferrada is all DisneyLand, don't bother, Gaudi in Astorga is an hour but if you arrive on a weekend the town can be glorious. Santiago is wonderful and should be searched out, the Tourist information office has some great walks on their maps do them all, the best view of the cathedral is from Alameda Park and do not leave Santiago without visiting Colexiata Santa Maria do Sar or seeing the triple Renaissance stairway in the Museo de Pobo Galego, you like super modern architecture? Ignore the local opposition and go see the City of Culture of Galicia (Galician: Cidade da Cultura de Galicia) a short bus ride which will blow your mind. There is so much else too but start with that.

 

[Whalleyranger]

If the weather is good I could happily spend a couple of days relaxing by the river in Molinaseca. I'd only ever walked through there at 9am, having started my day in El Acebo, but we stayed one night there on my honeymoon this summer and it was amazing.

 

[tyrrek]

Yes, Molinaseca is great, as is Acebo. Normally you'd stay in one or the other because they're just a couple of hours apart, but if you want a short day you could stay in both!

 

[pyrofly]

WOW!!! thank you all so much for all the replies. super informative. lots of homework to do now.

 

[BoldenMD]

No wonder people keep going back. This all sounds glorious.

 

[msp41]

Yes. After reading every day about the Camino on the Forum, I say no wonder people are going again and again.I am sure I will be doing it again. ... now I am getting ahead of me. Better to stay in the present! I will be arriving in Biarritz at night Sept. 2. and start walking from JPDP on Sept. 3. Hope to meet some of you I have been reading about. I am still in the packing and repacking stage. The poncho I bought, should it stay at home? The extra shorts? What to wear after the walk? These questions go around in my head I am sure untill I leave Iceland.
What a wonderful feeling to have this adventure coming. :arrow:
Buen Camino!
Margrét

 

[nellpilgrim]

we have 1 day in santiago after our initial arrival date That date just happens to be a sunday and we plan on attending mass then spend the rest of the day taking it all in. We Then 4 days to get to finisterra. The elevations seem killer to get there though so we may just spend an extra day in santiago then "cheat" and take the bus.

Was thinking of using one for to extend the finisterre to Muxia. and the other 2 somewhere between SJPDP and Santiago.

Hi Pyrofly,
You'll be physically and mentally 'Camino fit' by the time you reach SDC so giving yourself 4 days to get to Fisterra/Finisterra is going to mean very relaxed walking indeed- most people (including me unfit, overweight 50yrs + etc) can do it in 3 days. This way you also get to spend the 'extra' day on the beach and savouring the end of the world :lol:
Places to detour?/stay over I second all of the above especially Eunate, Cana and Suso & Yuso at San Milan (if you're footsore maybe try to hire a bike and cycle out from Santo Domingo de Calzada) and Samos. I'd recommend the later not so much for the monastery itself, though it is interesting, but because the wooded riverside route to Samos is so tranquil. This is especially precious as from Sarria onwards the Camino can be a bit 'busy'. So it's kind of nice to stock up on some quiet solitary walking before rejoining the 'mainstream'.
Bonne route
Nell