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Camino de Santiago – Way of St. James Pilgrimage (Spain)

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ilc-blog-camino-de-santiago-spain-mapOver 260,000 pilgrims completed the Camino de Santiago in 2015. Pilgrims have been making their way to Santiago de Compostela in the northwest region of Galicia in Spain since the remains of St. James the Apostle were brought back to Galicia after he was beheaded in Jerusalem.  The Camino is the 3rd most important Christian pilgrimage, after Jerusalem and Rome. While Spaniards account for nearly 50% of the pilgrims who walk (or bike) the route,  people from 130 countries make the journey each year.

There is an extensive network of routes from a number of cities in Spain and major cities in Europe that will lead pilgrims to their final destination of Santiago de Compostela. The oldest route is the Original Way (Camino Primitivo), which begins in Oviedo. The most popular route is the French Way (Camino Francés), which has good facilities and accommodations for pilgrims. The 780 km. route begins in the Pyrenees in the town of St. Jean Pied de Port in France. Nature lovers who are looking for a more physically challenging experience can take the Northern Way (Camino del Norte). The Northern Way follows the northern coastline of Spain, starting in Irûn near the French border and passing through the beautiful and rugged landscapes of the Basque region, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. Pilgrims interested in a more rural experience can opt for the Portuguese Way (Camino Portugués), which starts in Lisbon and traverses the beautiful villages and countryside of the Portugal before crossing the border into Spain at Tui in Galicia for the last 100 kms. to Santiago.

There is plenty of information available online to help you decide which is the best route for you, based on your motivation for making the pilgrimage and how much time you have available for the journey. For more information from the Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Way of St. James, click here.

For more information on what to see when you make it to Santiago de Compostela, click here.

Photo credit: © 2005 Ferdinand Soler

For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.

Sites to See…Spain’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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ILC-blog-Sites-to-See-Spains-UNESCO-World-Heritage-SitesWith 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Spain ranks third just behind Italy and China. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) administers the World Heritage Programme that designates and catalogs places that are of significant cultural or natural importance.

To help you plan your itinerary for your next trip to Spain we have listed below some of the top World Heritage Sites that you won’t want to miss:

Andalucía

  • The Alhambra, Generalife and Albaicín (Granada) – for more information, click here
  • Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias (Seville) – for more information, click here
  • Historic Center of Córdoba – for more information, click here
  • Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza

Barcelona

  • Works of Antonio Gaudí – for more information, click here
  • Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau – for more information, click here

Madrid and environs

  • Monastery and Site of El Escorial – for more information, click here
  • Aranjuez Cultural Landscape – for more information, click here
  • University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares
  • Historic City of Toledo – for more information, click here
  • Historic Walled Town of Cuenca – for more information, click here
  • Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches – for more information, click here
  • Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct – for more information, click here
  • Old City of Salamanca – for more information, click here

Extremadura

  • Old Town of Cáceres
  • Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida
  • Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe

Santiago de Compostela

  • Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) – for more information, click here

Valencia

  • La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia – for more information, click here

For a complete list of Spain’s World Heritage Sites, click here.

Photo Credit: © Christopher Pappas · All rights reserved / Photo of Seville’s Cathedral and La Giralda

For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.

Sample Itineraries: Discover Northern Spain – Santiago to San Sebastián

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ILC-blog-Itinerary-Suggestions-Northern-SpainIf you’re like a lot of people who visit Spain, you’ll fall in love with its many treasures – the people, the culture, the history, the food – and you’ll want to start planning your return visit as soon as you get home.

If you’ve already visited the most common cities for first time visitors (e.g. Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada, etc.) and are looking for a new part of the country to explore, then check-out this itinerary and discover the treasures found in the northern part of the country in Santiago, León, Burgos, Bilbao and San Sebastián.

The itinerary begins in Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia, located in the northwest corner of Spain. Santiago is best known as the destination point for millions of pilgrims who follow the Way of St. James and visit the stunning cathedral that contains what is believed to be the remains of the Apostle St. James.

Following the Way of St. James, the next stop on the itinerary is the city of León, best known for its 13th C. cathedral with beautiful stained-glass windows. You can also visit the modern art museum MUSAC (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León), which opened in 2005.

The itinerary continues along the path of the pilgrimage with a stop in Burgos, considered the “cradle of Castile” and home to Spain’s national hero, El Cid. He is buried in the cathedral of Burgos, which together with the cathedrals in Santiago and León, represent the 3 most important cathedrals on the Way of St. James.

After Burgos the itinerary veers of the pilgrimage trail and heads north to Bilbao. This industrial port city was not always a popular tourist destination, but all of that changed in 1997 when the Guggenheim Museum opened. The building, which itself can be considered a piece of art, is made of curved titanium walls and was designed by famed architect Frank Gehry.

The last stop on the itinerary is the waterfront city of San Sebastián. Located on the north coast overlooking the Bay of Biscay, San Sebastián is a cosmopolitan city with beautiful beaches and a seaside promenade that attracts many visitors in the summer. Besides being known for its beauty, San Sebastián is also considered a mecca for foodies. Its Basque cuisine is heralded the world over, as evidenced by the fact that the city has more Michelin stars per square meter than any other in the world (including Paris).

  • Day 1: Arrive in Santiago; afternoon sightseeing in the city
  • Day 2: Sightseeing in Santiago
  • Day 3: Drive to León (334 km); afternoon sightseeing in the city
  • Day 4: Drive to Burgos (201 km); afternoon sightseeing in the city
  • Day 5: Drive to Bilbao (158 km); afternoon sightseeing in the city
  • Day 6: Visit the Guggenheim and Fine Arts Museums
  • Day 7: Drive to San Sebastián (119 km); afternoon sightseeing in the city
  • Day 8: Depart San Sebastián to return home

Information on what to see and do, and where to eat can be found on our website, click here. Simply search by city.

For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.