Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.

Upon arrival at your destination, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area and continue to the arrival hall. You will be greeted by your driver/tour escort and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy dinner and overnight in St. Jean Pied de Port.

Saint Jean Pied de Port is the starting point of our journey along the Spanish part of El Camino. Liber Peregriationis (the fifth book of Liber Sancti Iacobi), the guide used by XII Century pilgrims, which we will follow closely, says pilgrims from three out of the four French pilgrim routes of St James have already met up in Ostabat on previous occasions before reaching Saint Jean. A large flow of pilgrims formed a thick network of minor roads which spread out across Europe and further. Then it converged into these three routes, which crossed the whole of France: Via Turonensis, Via Lemovicensis, and Via Podensis. This stage, the first, could be viewed as the most difficult as it crosses the Pyrenees, The “Route of Napoleon” (The route is thus named because of its strategic importance during the Napoleonic wars and is the route Napoleon took to cross into Spain following the old Roman road Via Triana and it as also used by Emperor Charlemagne) kicks off with a steep climb, passing by orchards and country houses and then, later on, through Alpine-style meadows, before weaving its way alongside leafy beech wood towards the border and the descent to Roncesvalles. Roncesvalles is a small hamlet dominated by the large complex of the Monastery and Real Colegiata de Santa Maria, a former pilgrims’ hospital. We will also have the chance to visit the XII Century Chapel of Sancti Spiritus, also known as the Silo of Charlemagne, the burial site of Roland, one of Charlemagne’s knights, and many other members of the Emperor’s men. The Chapel is an ossuary that contains many of the remains of Charlemagne’s army and the bones of medieval pilgrims who died whilst crossing the Pyrenees or those who died in the monastery’s pilgrim hospital.

After breakfast, we will leave Roncevalles and pass the Cruz de los Peregrinos (The Cross of the Pilgrims) and will come across a map of the Camino and the beginning of a woodland track which leads us towards Burguete. Burguete is a beautiful village with most of the whitewashed houses having been built in the 18th century in response to the increased number of pilgrims traveling through the region. It is a calm and relaxed village surrounded by woodland filled with oak, hazel, ash, and poplar trees. As we continue our Camino, we pass the 17th-century Church of San Nicolas de Bari, a saint closely linked with the Camino de Santiago and a protector of pilgrims. At the end of the stage, we will arrive at Zubiri. The late founding of this town is related to the great Gothic bridge over the River Agra. The name itself means “bridge town” in Basque. Although the reason for this designation is unknown, it may relate to the local tradition of forcing all beasts from the surrounding municipalities to cross to overcome their hydrophobia (fear of water). Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we will start the morning walking through a flagged path under the shade of oak, walnut, hazel, and maple trees. To get to Larrasoaña, we need to cross its 14th-century Gothic bridge, also known as el Puente de los Bandidos (the bridge of the bandits). The bridge received its name in medieval times due to opportunistic bandits lying in wait to rob the pilgrims coming to the village. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen anymore. Larrasoaña is the first of the towns along the Camino known as a Pueblo Calle, where the village is built around the main street rather than around a church or monastery. This design focused the economic activity around the town’s center. Leave Larrasoaña by the same way we entered, via the Puente de los Bandidos and passing the map of the Camino, the path takes an uphill track heading towards the village of Aquerreta. The path takes us through the town and some pine woods. Later on, we will arrive at the small village of Arleta. Here, there is a lovely manor house and the Church of Santa Marina. The area around Arleta is particularly beautiful in spring and summer when the path is lined with orchids. Today, our last walking stage is Pamplona. Pamplona was originally a Basque village called Iruña until 74 B.C. when the Roman General Pompeyo Magno founded the new Roman town of Pompaelo, naming it after himself. Over the centuries, the city was populated by Visigoths and the Moors. During the 12th century, at the height of the Camino, there was an influx of people, in particular the French (or Franks). Pamplona is most famous for the Fiesta de San Fermin when they run the bulls through the streets. The Fiesta was made famous by Ernest Hemingway, who first attended the Fiesta in 1923 and made it the backdrop of his novel “The Sun Also Rises”. The Fiesta takes place in early July. While in Pamplona we will be able to visit its most important monuments, including the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria la Real, the Casa Consistorial (Town Hall), San Nicolas Church, San Cernin Church, etc. Relaxing dinner and overnight in our hotel.

Fuel up with a hearty breakfast before we start our Camino today. The Camino de Santiago leaves Pamplona through its Citadel, which is set in 69 acres of public park known as the Vuelta del Castillo. The path will take us across the railway track and up the hill, which overlooks the village of Cizur Menor. The village of Cizur Menor has hosted the Order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem (which later became known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta) since the 12th century. In the 13th century, the Order built a monastery and a pilgrim hostel. From here, the Camino de Santiago starts to leave the green and lush foothills of the Pyrenees and enters the more arid regions of Navarra and La Rioja. Both areas are famous for their wines. In the village of Zariquiegui, we will find a fountain known as the Fuente Reniega, which means the “Fountain of Renouncement” or “Denial” in English. Catholic tradition says that a pilgrim traveling the Camino, thirsty and exhausted from his walk, was once confronted by a fellow traveler; this traveler turned out to be the devil in disguise. The devil offered to show the pilgrim a hidden source of water, but only on the condition that he renounced God, the Virgin Mary, and St. James. The pilgrim held steadfast to his faith, and even though it could have meant dying of thirst, he refused to do what the devil asked. At that moment, St. James, also disguised as a Pilgrim, appeared and led the thirsty and exhausted man to the hidden fountain. Using a scallop shell, he provided the traveler with water to quench his thirst. At the end of this stage, we will enter the town of Puente la Reina. Puente la Reina, like many other towns and villages along the Camino, owes its existence solely to the Camino de Santiago. In the 11th century, there was only one way of crossing the River Arga: by hiring someone to take you across on their boat. Unfortunately, seeing an opportunity to make money, these people overcharged the pilgrims for the privilege of being ferried across the river. Queen Doña Mayor, the wife of Sancho III, ordered a bridge to be built over the river and thus gave the town its name. Dinner and overnight.

Walking down the main street of Puente la Reina, we will reach the medieval bridge over the River Arga and travel down the route leading out of the town. The Camino will lead us to an old paved Roman road, considered one of the best-preserved examples along the Camino. After crossing a rather dilapidated Roman bridge, the route meanders through rolling yet arid hills. Now and then, the Roman road disappears only to reappear again. Later, we will cross the medieval bridge over the Rio Salado (salt river). In Aymeric Picaud’s 12th-century guidebook, the writer warns the pilgrim: “Beware of drinking from it or watering your horse in it, for this river brings death.” At the end of the stage, we will reach Estella, another town that came into existence because of the large number of pilgrims that followed the Camino de Santiago in the Middle Ages. A romantic place, it has several palaces, stately homes, churches, and beautiful buildings which earned it the name “Toledo of the North”. In Estella, we will see the impressive Palace of the Kings of Navarra, built in the early 12th century, the Plaza de los Fueros, the Church of San Pedro and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Dinner and overnight.

Enjoy breakfast before departing as a group for Los Arcos. Soon after leaving Estella, we will find the town of Ayegui, home to the Monastery of Irache. The monastery was one of the first Benedictine monasteries in the Navarra region. Building commenced in the 11th century, and in its long history it has been a pilgrim hospital, a university, a military hospital, a wine museum, and a religious school. One of the interesting sights is the monastery’s cloister, which was founded before the Counter-Reformation, brought on by the Council of Trent. What is unusual about it is that half of the cloister is classically decorated, including nude figures, but the other half, built after the Council of Trent, is decorated solely with religious themes. Just across the way from the Monastery, we will find the Bodega de Irache, where pilgrims can fill their bottles with free wine from a tap. Today, we will walk through vineyards, wheat fields, olive groves, and woodlands. At the end of this stage, we will reach Los Arcos. The town is located on the banks of the Río Odrón and is dominated by the Church of Santa María. This Church was built in the 12th century, but wasn’t completed until the 18th century. Inside the church is a mixture of Baroque and Gothic architecture. There is also a gothic cloister and a Renaissance bell tower. Retire for dinner and overnight.

After a delicious breakfast, we will leave Los Arcos, passing its cemetery. We will take the route through farmland and more vineyards towards the hamlet of Sansol. On a hill not too far away is the Basilica of San Gregorio Ostiense. Catholic tradition says that in the 11th century, the Navarra region had succumbed to a plague of locusts. Pope Benedict IX sent along San Gregorio de Ostiense to investigate the cause of the plague. He concluded that because the local people were of low moral character and had lost their devotion to the church, the locusts were a punishment from God. He ordered this behavior to stop, and soon after, the plagues ceased. The local people, so happy with what had happened, did not want him to leave, and so San Gregorio remained in Logroño until he died in 1044. Following his death, two bishops, the bishops of Nájera and Pamplona, wanted San Gregorio to be buried in their respective cathedrals and began to fight. It took the intervention of the King of Navarra, who ordered that a tomb be built on neutral ground, to end the argument. Subsequently, the Basilica de San Gregorio Ostiense was built over the tomb of the Saint. Later, we will find the fortified town of Viana, founded by King Sancho III. Visit the impressive Gothic Church of Santa María, where Cesar Borgia’s remains were initially buried. At the end of the stage, we will reach Logroño, the capital of the world-famous La Rioja region, with a population of over 150,000, and it is the third largest town along the Camino Frances. As well as being a university city, it is also the centre of the region’s wine industry. In Logroño, we will find the Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, la Fuente de los Peregrinos, and the Church of Santiago el Real with its impressive statue above the entrance of Santiago Matamoros (Santiago, the Moor slayer). The current building replaced the 9th-century church, which was built to commemorate the legendary battle of Clavijo. In 844, the Christians were fighting the Moors. Vastly outnumbered by the Moorish troops and facing inevitable defeat, a knight on a white horse appeared brandishing a giant sword, who promptly set about slaying the Moors. The Christians believed the knight was Santiago returned from the dead, and from that day onwards, he became known as Santiago Matamoros. Dinner and overnight.

After leaving Logroño, the path follows the motorway along fields and vineyards. Soon after, we will come across the restored ruins of the Hospital de Peregrinos, founded in 1185 by the Order of San Juan de Acre to administer to the pilgrims undertaking the Camino, and shortly we will arrive in the small town of Navarette. Like so many of the towns along the Rioja/Navarra border, Navarette owes its existence to the Castilian kings wanting to establish a fortress town to defend the border. A castle once stood at the top of the hill, and its remains can still be seen there. The area surrounding Navarette is full of dark red clay. Within the town, you will find several pottery factories and workshops. The town is also famous for its Rioja wine, especially the rosé. The path continues through some vineyards, which bring us to the outskirts of Nájera. Nájera is an Arabic name which means “between rocks” as the town is situated between rocky crags. The town is built on the banks of the river Najerilla. Here, we will find the Monastery and the Church of Santa María La Real. Built in 1032, it has undergone several modifications due to damage sustained during the Peninsular War. The church has a Royal Pantheon bearing the tombs of some thirty monarchs, including the mausoleum of the Dukes of Nájera. In the crypt, you will find something unusual in a church: a cave. According to tradition, King Garcia, Sancho’s eldest son, was out partaking of a bit of falconry when his bird pursued a dove into a cave. He followed the falcon into the cave and was surprised to find both birds side by side in front of a figure of the Virgin Mary with a vase of fresh lilies at her feet. Over the next few years, King Garcia was victorious in several battles. He attributed this to the Virgin Mary and decided to build a church in her honour. The church was built over this cave where he first received the vision. Enjoy dinner and an overnight.

Today, we will come to the village of Azofra. In medieval times, Azofra was the site of many pilgrim hospitals. There has been a hostel here since 1168, founded by Isabel la Catóica. There is also the Church of Our Lady of the Angels. On the outskirts of the village, there is a botanical garden and park dedicated to la Virgen de Valbanera, the patron saint of La Rioja, and close by are the remains of the Fuente de los Romeros, a mediaeval pilgrim fountain. We will then arrive at the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. It was founded by a young shepherd called Domingo who had tried to join the monastery at San Millán de la Cogolla but was denied because he was illiterate. After failing to enter the monastery, he decided to become a hermit and set up his hermitage in some woods on a notorious part of the Camino and administered to the pilgrims who passed this way. A chance meeting with San Gregorio, who had helped rid Los Arcos of a plague of locusts, led Domingo to be ordained a priest. With the support of King Alfonso VI, who was keen to bring new settlers into the now mainly Muslim region, San Domingo began to build bridges and hostels and built a road between Nájera and Burgos. San Domingo died in 1109 at the age of 90 and became the patron saint of civil engineers. The Saint was initially buried in a tomb at the side of the Camino, which he had built himself. His admirers later buried him in the Cathedral and named the city after him. The Cathedral of San Salvador dates from the 12th century and is a mixture of Romanesque, Plateresque and Gothic architecture. Inside, we will find Santo Domingo’s museum. At the back of the Cathedral, there is an ornate chicken coop, the permanent home of a cockerel and a hen (which are replaced once a fortnight). The tradition behind the chickens originated from a story begun in the Middle Ages. It is said that a German family (parents and their teenage son) were attempting the Camino and stopped in Santo Domingo for the night. A flirty barmaid took a fancy to the 18-year-old son, but the boy turned her down. The scorned girl sought revenge and placed a silver goblet into his luggage. The next morning, the goblet was discovered missing, and the barmaid accused the young German boy of stealing. The boy’s luggage was searched, and the goblet was found. He was promptly brought before the local judge, found guilty, and hanged. The grief-stricken parents continued on their pilgrimage. Upon arriving at Santiago de Compostela, they prayed to St James for the soul of their son. On their return journey, they again decided to stay the night in Santo Domingo de la Calada. Upon reaching the town, they were shocked to find that their son was still hanging from the gibbet and that he was still alive. The parents rushed to see the judge and explained what they had seen. So incensed was the judge that they dared to interrupt his dinner that he proclaimed, “Your son is about as alive as these roast chickens I am about to eat”. At that moment, the two birds jumped off the plate and began to fly, so proclaiming the boy’s innocence. In memory of this miraculous event, a snow-white cockerel and a hen, donated by local farmers, have been kept in the ornate Gothic henhouse in the Cathedral ever since. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast in the hotel. In the morning, we will depart (by bus) towards Santo Domingo de Silos, home of the great Benedictine Abbey, famous for its beautiful Romanesque cloister and for spreading the tradition of Gregorian chant throughout the world. We will visit the Abbey where we will find its great double-story XI Century Romanesque cloister, the pharmacy, and a small museum. After the visit, we will be able to listen to the Gregorian chants by the monks of the monastery. The monks are considered one of the best choirs in the world. We will continue our journey towards Madrid. On our way, we will make a short stop in one of the wine cellars of the Ribera del Duero wine region, where we will enjoy a wine tasting. Arrive in Madrid for a farewell dinner and overnight.

Your last day in Spain will begin with breakfast at your hotel, followed by a transfer to the Madrid Airport for your return flight(s) home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.