where to take zero days on del norte primitivo

[Deepforest]

We are planning out a rough schedule for our camino from Irun to Finesterre, via the Primitivo. ( very rough)

my friend likes taking one or two days off as rest days over the course of the whole camino.


Does anyone have any recommendations for scenic places, or places with a nice relaxed atmosphere?

I like simple places, tending to avoid big cities. Somewhere to pass a rest day with access to food and drink. Although on the Portuguese I enjoyed Porto and Coimbre, where these places had a great feeling but weren't excessively city like.

Any suggestions welcome.

 

[notion900]

I remember enjoying the unfortunately named Playa del Poo. The tide goes down and uncovers a cute sheltered beach, then it comes in and you can swim up the river. I remember the albergue as cosy and homey. It's a hybrid of an albergue and a backpackers, e.g. you can pay for your stay by playing music, and hire a kayak.

 

[poogeyejr]

I have two thoughts for you . . .

I spent 4 days at La Posada la Victoria in February and their hotel is lovely, the hosts are spectacular and the rest and relax vibe is awesome! http://www.posadalavictoria.es/
It is a rural location past Santander, the only thing is they provide a cold breakfast buffet but no dinner, so the local pubs are the food option.
It is just off the Camino, as you walk along the pipeline path through Miengo, just past the church.

Also, Ribadesella is lovely town and the youth hostel is literally on the beach. A nice place to take a beach day before you head inland.


My other 2 recommendations are for the Norte, after the Primitivo Variant . . . I include them for anyone in the future reading this post who is taking the Norte all the way.
Luarca - which is an amazing town
Ribadeo - so you can go to playa la Catedrales http://www.playadecatedrales.com/ (Remember to check the tide tables and go at low tide!)

 

[poogeyejr]

I remember enjoying the unfortunately named Playa del Poo. The tide goes down and uncovers a cute sheltered beach, then it comes in and you can swim up the river. I remember the albergue as cosy and homey.

When we stayed in Poo in October 2013 we walked to the beach and found the locals enjoying a Piano concert with the Piano floating on a raft on the ocean! So unusual!

 

[notion900]

Poo is cool. Someone told me the council were trying to rename it Po, for touristic reasons, but the inhabitants were having none of it:

 

[peregrino_tom]

One idea for the Primitivo: to take it easy for a day in Grandas de Salime. It's a small deeply rural town (or possibly a large village) with a nice relaxed vibe. We had an excellent meal in the traditional dining room on the main street and found people very friendly - it was an animated time as people were tractoring in their grape harvest and insisting we watch the various processes and take away bunches of grapes.
There's a very interesting Asturian ethnographic museum to visit (which you pass on the camino route) and the guy who set it up, Pepe el Ferreiro may still be around - when we were there a few years' ago he was working in his blacksmith's forge at the entrance of the town/village and invited us in.
You could put your packs on in the afternoon and make a leisurely 5km up the road to Castro, where Sr Ferreiro discovered the Bronze Age Hillfort Settlement of Chao San Martin that has now been excavated and there's a museum there too. http://castrochaosamartin.esy.es/?lang=en
I loved the albergue at Castro, with it's sense of tranquility and amazing views towards the mountains, though it's not strictly a pilgrim albergue and may be booked out to groups of young people, so worth checking first.
I'm going back a few years now, so hopefully someone else with more recent experience will chip in and confirm that this is all still happening!
Cheers, tom

 

[notion900]

I loved Grandas de Salime too. Casa Sánchez albergue/casa rurale is great, the owners are LOVELY!
The museum is amazing.
It also has a beautiful municipal swimming pool (ask directions as hard to find).