Spain is very proud of its indigenous tempranillo grape because they have been making it into wine for over 2,000 years. Unlike other countries who have adopted grapes that were originally indigenous to France or Italy, tempranillo was born and cultivated in Spain, and there is no region for which they are more proud, and taken […]
They can appear everywhere along the camino, in big cities or small towns and villages. Covered walkways giving protection from the noon day sun, the rain or the cold wind. The soportale or porch is a reflection of its origin in the monastic cloisters (who themselves took inspiration from the courtyards of the Moorish mosques). These […]
The mornings are now cool. Sweaters, maybe even gloves are needed to start the day. Coffee not only energizes the mind, but warms the body. Mid autumn on the meseta. As the sun climbs into impossibly blue skies, the heat begins to build slowly. By midday, the desire to be warm has dissolved into a […]
Not all the albergues on the Camino de Santiago are utilitarian dormitory lodgings. Many share a unique history and sense of place in their community. To spend the night at Albergue San Juan Bautista in Grañon is to experience one of the more original highlights of any pilgrim’s camino. Housed in the 16th century […]
Belorado made a decision in 2010 to celebrate the Jacobean year by creating a Promenade of the Driven (Paseo del Ánimo) along the camino as it passed through the town. It was meant to recognize both local and international people who, through their efforts, had made a contribution to the greater good. They would come […]
Food is ever-present in the camino walker’s mind. When to eat, what to eat, where to eat can be questions posed daily. Should the day end in Logroño, consider it your good gastronomic fortune. It is here, in the provincial capital of La Rioja, that the pilgrim can sample all the wonders of the tapas/pintxos […]
Not every representation of the pilgrim’s passage is formed in the round. Sometimes, that which we remove makes what is left more visible. On the camino path, as you leave Frómista heading towards Carrion de los Condes, this iconic rendition of the pilgrim silhouette stands out clearly against the blue Spanish sky. It stands guard […]
After leaving Zubiri, the camino continues on its downhill march toward Pamplona, closely following the course of the Rio Arga. Five kilometers after leaving the town, a footpath spanning the river appears on your right, This single arch Romanesque style stone bridge (12th century) leads into the village of Larrasoaña. Legend states that bandits would […]
No doubt that Spain is a land of great red wines. But there is also a long history of rosés or rosados. These paler versions are produced in all the wine regions that the Camino Francés passes through. The main grape variety is garnacha, but tempranillo can be part of the blend. The rosados […]
You don’t need to visit Barcelona to see the works of Spain’s greatest architect, Antoni Gaudí. Along the Camino Francés, there are two examples of Gaudí’s work, once in Léon and then Astorga. After a fire destroyed the original building, Gaudí was commissioned to design a new Episcopal Palace in Astorga by his friend, the […]