Via de la Plata in May/June

[kragee59]

Greetings!
We're planning to walk from Salamanca to Santiago starting mid-May. This is our first camino. Help me with a couple of questions, please...
1) Best way to get from Madrid to Salamanca, bus or train?
2) Best way to get from Santiago to Madrid, bus or train?
3) Good places to spend a rest day?
4) Any other thoughts?
thanks!
Kim and Janie

 

[lynnejohn]

Welcome to the forum!

You will enjoy your camino from Salamanca to Santiago. It's a wonderful route.

TRAVEL:
Bus from Madrid to Salamanca is 22.45 euros and there are over 15 per day (avanzabus.com) and takes 2:30 hours
The train is 18.90 euros with several per day (renfe.es) and takes 2:45 hours
So really, it's your choice. The buses in Spain are wonderful, with huge windows. I quite enjoy them. Train is good too though.

REST DAY:
Ourense is a very nice city if you're walking that route (Sanabrese from Zamora to SDC). Or are you taking the route to Astorga? Other cities in that section, I have not stayed an extra day in, but others have and they'll tell you about them.

Others will be happy to give you more tips about this route. Read the FAQ section at the top of this page and then for other information, enter your question in the "Search" section at the bottom of the page.

Buen camino!

lynne

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Kim and Jamie,
I would just add to Lynne's post that if you are arriving in Madrid at the airport, there are buses that go to Salamanca that leave directly from Barajas T4. There are about 8 buses a day, on Avanzabus.

From Santiago to Madrid, you have lots of choices. The plane may be the cheapest, check the low budget airlines and sometimes Iberia matches their fares. But if you want more time to transition to the "real world," check renfe.es for trainsand movelia.es for buses.

I agree with Lynne's suggestion that Ourense is a good rest day. Zamora is a hidden jewel and is well worth a day or two, but it's only a couple of days out from Salamanca so you may not want to spend the time. But there are about 26 romanesque churches, a nice castle restoration, lots of plazas and pedestrian streets, it's a really nice stop. Puebla de Sanabria is a small but touristy town. I spent the better part of a day there, splurged on a nice old hotel, and had a good meal.

There are lots of posts here that will give you insight into good/bad albergues and other places to stay, places to visit, so I'd suggest scrolling through the Via de la Plata section and see what you find.

My only "other thought" is that the Vdlp is spectacular! especially in springtime. Buen camino, Laurie