Thousands of tourists decide every year to do the Camino de Santiago, whether on foot, by bicycle, on horseback ... There are several routes that can be followed, and although it is done every year, when people are most encouraged to do it is when it is Xacobeo year. In case you do not know, it is the Jacobean Year when July 25 (Santiago Apostol Day) falls on a Sunday, so a logic of every X years is not followed but that is when the calendar "commands".
The next Xacobeo Year will be in the year 2021, but there are many people who will not wait that long and will do the Camino much earlier. Today I would like to recommend the best route for do it by bike, a form that has more and more followers. It is an itinerary of about 6 days, with a fairly acceptable pace for anyone, whether you are an expert or a novice at the handlebar.
The tour
Day 1: This route will start in León, so you can get there by any means of transport. Make night to be able to start at the top in the morning.
Day 2: you will make a route of almost 70 km., going from León to Rabanal del Camino. Leaving León you will pass through San Miguel and San Martín until you reach Hospital de Órbigo, which crossing a beautiful medieval bridge you will continue to Santo Toribio. From there you will have a wonderful view of Astorga, the next municipality through which you will pass, taking the detour to Castrillo Polvazares. The last destination of this day will be Rabanal del Camino, where you will spend the night.
Day 3: the objective will be to reach Vilafranca del Bierzo, 55 km away. When leaving Rabanal del Camino you will pass through places like Molinaseca (many pilgrims take a break here), Ponferrada and Cacabelos. The next destination will be Vilafranca del Bierzo, one of the oldest towns on the route and perfect for spending the night.
Day 4: you will have ahead 60 km. until we reach Samos. Along the way you have the climb to Faba, which is quite demanding and whose summit is also a resting place for those who do the Camino. Then you will pass through Alto do Poio, where there are several descents so it will not cost you much effort to make this section, and Tricastella, where you will already head to Samos to spend the night there.
Day 5: the objective is to reach Melide, 75 km away. On your route you will pass through small beautiful Galician towns such as Sarria, Toxibo, Gonzar, Ligonde, Portos or Palas de Rei, the last before arriving in Melide to regain strength during the night and face the last day of the Camino.
Day 6: you will be only 55 km away. to achieve your goal, get to Santiago de Compostela. In this last cycling stage you will pass through towns such as Arzúa or Pedrouzo, and upon reaching Monte do Gozo you will already have a spectacular panoramic view of the Galician capital. If you are well on time, you will arrive at the Cathedral of Santiago before eating, so you can do it in any of the bars and restaurants in the surroundings.
Cycling the Camino de Santiago (April 2024)
- Santiago's road
- 1,230
