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viernes, 12 de octubre de 2012

SPAIN: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Santiago de Compostela, in winter a campus and in summer a pilgrimage town is a really lively and warm city despite its rainy weather. Always full of young people, the atmosphere is always cheerful, especially in the many bars and restaurants where you can enjoy delicious Galician food.

Pilgrims in Obradoiro in front of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

The obradoiro exudes a magical attraction that forces you to walk through it whenever you're around. I couldn't help admiring the cathedral and the other buildings of this huge plaza: the Parador (ancient pilgrim hospital), the Pazo de Raxoi and the College of San Jerónimo.

Around the cathedral there are several places where there is a fantastic atmosphere, and pedestrian arcaded streets ideal for walking and the great monastery of San Martín Pinario.

So in Santiago de Compostela I visited the following places:

Cathedral of Santiago (and its roofs)
Obradoiro (Pazo de Raxoi and College of San Jerónimo)
Parador (also in Obradoiro)
Squares of Praterías, Quintana and Inmaculada around the cathedral
Monastery of San Martín Pinario
Rúa do Vilar, Rúa do Franco and Rúa Nova
Alameda Park (views of the cathedral)

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela cathedral from La Alameda

Towers of the baroque cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Obradoiro

Pilgrims in Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela

Pazo de Raxoi in Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela

Pazo de Raxoi and shell of The Way of Saint James in Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela

Parador of Santiago de Compostela in Obradoiro

Inside the Parador of Santiago de Compostela

College of San Jerónimo in Obradorio

Rua do Vilar in Santiago de Compostela

San Martin Pinario

Church of San Martín Pinario in Santiago de Compostela

Church of San Martín Pinario Monastery in Santiago de Compostela

Roof of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Roof of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

San Martín Pinario from the roof of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Botafumeiro inside the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

A Casa do Medio Restaurant

Glass of Albariño white wine in A Casa do Medio restaurant in Santiago de Compostela

Definitely, Santiago is a city with an amazing life perfect to enjoy its rich culture and cuisine. A perfect end to El Camino de Santiago (The Way of Saint James.

After spending two days in Santiago de Compostela, we visited beautiful places and beaches in Galicia, like Fisterra and Costa da Morte, Baiona or Rodas Beach in Cíes Islands National Park. Then we went to Valença do Minho and Tui to begin El Camino de Santiago Portugués (The Portuguese Way of Saint James), which led us back to Santiago six days later.

Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:

- Catalonia

- Basque Country

Bilbo - Bilbao
Getaria, Zarautz and Hondarribia in San Sebastián

- Cantabria

- Granada

La Alhambra, Albaicín and Sacromonte in Granada

- Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

- Toledo, Madrid, El Escorial and Segovia

Toledo, Segovia, Monasterio del Escorial near Madrid

- Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera

Sóller, Port de Sóller, Deià and Valldemossa in Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca

Beaches and Las Dalias Market in Ibiza

Ses Illetes beach in Formentera

- Zaragoza, La Rioja and Navarra were:

- Alicante

Alicante, Elche and Isla de Tabarca

miércoles, 10 de octubre de 2012

SPAIN: CAMINO DE SANTIAGO PORTUGUES

After walking almost 120 km along El Camino de Santiago Portugués (The Portuguese Way of Saint James) from Valença do Minho in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, I can say it is a wonderful experience. The memory I have of the days in Galicia walking through forests, fields and beautiful villages is really nice. We were lucky because the weather was lovely (it was rainy just one day) and because we could share feelings, thoughts and celebrations with really nice people.

One of the nice environments of The Portuguese Way of Saint James near Caldas do Reis

Of course, to fully enjoy this experience I strongly advise sleeping in young hostels to meet other pilgrims. It's also advisable to take it easy and to enjoy landscapes and breakfasts with other pilgrims.

Other important tips is to take good care of your feet and not carrying a backpack weighing more than 10% of your weight. And if it can be less than seven kilos better!

Next you have the length of our stages:

STAGE 0: Valença do Minho -Tui (3,0 km)
STAGE 1: Tui - O Porriño (16,5 km)
STAGE 2: O Porriño - Cesantes (18,8 km)
STAGE 3: Cesantes - Pontevedra (16,7 km)
STAGE 4: Pontevedra - Caldas do Rei (21,9 km)
STAGE 5: Caldas do Rei - Padrón (18,6 km)
STAGE 6: Padrón - Santiago de Compostela (24,6 km)

STAGE 0: Valença do Minho -Tui (3,0 km)

Tui and the Minho river from Valença do Minho

Crossing the International Bridge between Portugal and Spain. Tui appears at the top right of the image

The shell of El Camino de Santiago in Tui beside the Minho River

STAGE 1: Tui - O Porriño (16,5 km)

Monument to the pilgrim near Tui. As you can see, we began to walk at night (7am) to avoid the heat

Ponte das Febres near Tui

Having lunch in O Porriño after having walked almost 17km in our first long stage of the Portuguese Way of Saint James

O Porriño city hall

STAGE 2: O Porriño - Cesantes (18,8 km)

Church of Mos

Walking from Mos to Redondela during our second stage of the Portuguese Way of Saint James

Young hostel in Redondela

Cesantes beach near Redondela where we enjoyed a lovely sunny afternoon

STAGE 3: Cesantes - Pontevedra (16,7 km)

Niche decorated with Jacobean symbols of El Camino de Santiago in "A Casa do Palleiro" in Arcade (Santiño, Shell, pilgrim's staff)

Nice view from the bridge of Pontesampaio in the morning

Sometimes El Camino de Santiago leads through ancient Roman roads like this one in Pontesampaio

Less than 70km to arrive at Santiago de Compostela

Queue backpacks at the entrance to the young hostel of Pontevedra

The sports center where we slept in Pontevedra

Sanctuary of the Pilgrim Virgin in Pontevedra

Plaza de la Leña in Pontevedra, I really lively place at night perfect for having dinner

STAGE 4: Pontevedra - Caldas do Rei (21,9 km)

After walking eight kilometers from Pontevedra we reached Mesón don Pulpo, where we had breakfast with pilgrims we met in the young hostel. Of course we put a stamp on our credential

Few kilometers before reaching Caldas do Reis we took a break next to this cornfield

Hot spring in Caldas do Reis

Bridge over the Umia river in Caldas do Reis

STAGE 5: Caldas do Rei - Padrón (18,6 km)

The only rainy day we faced during our Portuguese Way of Saint Jaimes

Young hostel in Padrón

Bar Don Pepe in Padrón

Church of Padrón where you can see the "Pedrón"

STAGE 6: Padrón - Santiago de Compostela (24,6 km)

A dangerous stretch of El Camino de Santiago by the side of a road near Teo

Only 4km to finish our pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

The first point from which we saw the bell towers of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

In the end, we arrived at Obradoiro after having walked more than 115km

And after the pilgrimage, I enter the cathedral of Santiago to embrace the Apostle

A last memory with other pilgrims I met along The Portuguese Way of Saint James

As I said before, important advices are:

Not to carry a backpack weighing more than 10% of your weight. And if it can be less than seven kilos better! My backpack weighed 7,5 kilos.
The heaviest items at the bottom and close to the body.
Things in colored plastic bags.

The things I carried in my backpack were:

- Documents:

Pilgrim Credential
DNI or ID, social security card and / or health insurance
Credit card
Travel documents (flights and hotels / hostels bookings)

- To sleep:

Sleeping bag of fiber and lightweight is enough in summer
Sheet to insulate the mattress and pillow covers

- Clothing:

3 t-shirts
A pajamas or Sleep T-shirt
3 pairs of socks without seams
3 or 4 pieces of underwear
2 shorts (one for walking and one for the afternoon)
A trousers
A light sweater
Raincoat
Capeline
Swimsuit
Small towel
Rubber slippers
Cap or hat
Sunglasses

- Toilet bag:

Shaving utensils
Soap
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Deodorant and cologne
Sun cream and cocoa
Toilet roll

- Health kit

Betadine
Adhesive bandage
Compeed
Vaseline and Vicks Vapor up
Anti-insect bracelet

- Other:

Safety pins
Earplugs
Lighter
Camino de Santiago Guide

After this experience of The Portuguese Way of Saint James, some weeks later I visited the next villages of The French Way of Saint James in La Rioja and Navarra. But this time we went from one town to the next one by car:

Estella-Lizarra
Los Arcos
Logroño
Nájera
Santo Domingo de la Calzada

I really liked the Jacobean atmosphere of these towns and the fantastic churches, cathedrals and monasteries I could visit there.

Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:

- Catalonia

- Basque Country

Bilbo - Bilbao
Getaria, Zarautz and Hondarribia in San Sebastián

- Cantabria

- Granada

La Alhambra, Albaicín and Sacromonte in Granada

- Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

- Toledo, Madrid, El Escorial and Segovia

Toledo, Segovia, Monasterio del Escorial near Madrid

- Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera

Sóller, Port de Sóller, Deià and Valldemossa in Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca

Beaches and Las Dalias Market in Ibiza

Ses Illetes beach in Formentera

- Galicia

Santiago de Compostela in Galicia
Costa da Morte
Baiona, Islas Cíes and more Beaches in Galicia
Tui and Camino de Santiago Portugués

- Zaragoza, La Rioja and Navarra

- Alicante

Alicante, Elche and Isla de Tabarca

viernes, 28 de septiembre de 2012

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO PORTUGUÉS: TUI

In the beautiful village of Tui we started our first long stage of El Camino de Santiago Portugués (The Portuguese Way of Saint James) which would take us to Santiago de Compostela. The previous day we made a short stage between Tui and Valença do Minho that allowed us to know the fortress of this city border between Portugal and Spain, and walk across the International Bridge. The views of Tui from the bridge are fantastic.

If you can, I advise you to spend a whole day in Tui to visit its impressive cathedral, to walk around the quiet streets of the old town and along the riverside walk along the Minho river. From there you can enjoy a magnificent view of the city walls of Valença do Minho, where is the old town of this beautiful Portuguese city.

Tui from Valença do Minho

The International Bridge and Tui from Valença do Minho

Tui from the International Bridge

Tui from the International Bridge between Portugal and Spain

Walking along the International Bridge from Portugal to Spain

Tui and the Minho River from the International Bridge

Valença do Minho from Tui

From the promenade along the Minho river in Tui I enjoy a beautiful view of Valença do Minho

A closer view of the fortress of Valença do Minho from the riverwalk of Tui

Tui

Going along the riverwalk of Tui to the old city

The imposing and beautiful romanesque cathedral of Tui

Although the cathedral is romanesque, it has gothic details like this arch

The doorway of Tui cathedral is gothic too

Walking along a quiet street in the old city of Tui near the cathedral

A nice chapel in Tui near the cathedral

View of the Minho river and Portugal from El Camino hostel in Tui

San Telmo church in Tui is the only church in Galicia built in Portuguese baroque style

If you are interested in El Camino de Santiago (The Way of Saint James), you can see some pictures of El Camino de Santiago Francés in the regions of La Rioja and Navarra in Spain.

Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:

- Catalonia

- Basque Country