Welcome to the Camino

You know by now how much I love the CAMINO. This pilgrimage is bigger than us, it is a way to reconnect with our ancestors. You must understand that if you have any European DNA in your blood somebody from your family has walked this path before you. The knowledge of walking along with my past relatives overwhelms me.

The Camino is also a way to bring back the memories we thought we had lost. It could be the warmth of the hugs given by your grandmother, maybe the joy you felt when you were a little kid and you saw a butterfly resting on a flower, or just the simple wind touching your face. As we walk in silence, we have time to bring those treasures back and honor them. It is a soul warming experience.

The Way is a channel to reconnect with your deep inner self. Unfortunately, in our daily life we don’t have time to stop, take a breath and see the love and beauty we have around. I don´t know about you, but I don´t have time to cherish a great meal or a relax conversation with a glass of wine, I am always on the run. Well, the Camino slows me down.

As you can see, I LOVE the Camino, and this love is what I want to share in this tour. A tour where you will have time to be in silence, enjoy great food, drink delicious wines as we talk about the human and the divine.

Day 1

We start the tour in Saint Jean de Luz, the coastal city where Louis XIV got married in 1660.

We meet at the lobby of the hotel, where with a glass of wine we get to know each other. It is the moment to also set the general rules for the tour. I must confess that this first gathering is always stressful for me, it is the moment to see if there is natural chemistry or I must create it…

After this first introduction I do a city tour and we go for our first dinner together, we go to my favorite restaurant in town.

Day 2

In the morning we walk the first part of our CAMINO. This time it is the Camino of the coast where we hike from Zarautz to Zumaia. Six miles along the always gorgeous Basque Coast. We walk part of the Roman via, see vineyards, enjoy the ocean breeze, to me an outstanding entrance to the Camino.

After our morning hike we deserve a good meal. As we are walking along the coast, we will have lunch in the Coastal village of Guetaria.

From here we come to Pamplona, my hometown. Let me be your guide here, I promise I will try to not brag too much about it…. Dinner is on your own.

Day 3

Today is our second walk in the Camino, we will walk five miles and a half. This time it will be a bit harder, as there is a little hill we need to hike up. This part of the Camino is in the French route. We walk the first steps where all the different Caminos get together.

We will have lunch together in Estella, the village of the Wine Fountain…. In the afternoon, we dive in the Rioja wine region.

Day 4

We have walked two days in the Camino, I think we need a rest, and we “need” to learn about Spanish wine. This day we will dedicate to wine culture and wine tastings, yes in plural TASTINGS. We will have lunch together, dinner on your own.

Day 5

This is the day we cross onto the old kingdom of Castilla. Castilla means the land of Castles but to me it is more about the land of gothic Cathedrals. Today we will discover Burgos, home of national hero “El Cid Campeador”.

Burgos impressive Cathedral is considered to be the most beautiful one in Spain. Its architecture takes us to Middle Ages, to a time when time had a slower tempo.

We will try some of the traditional Castilian dishes like the incredible black-sausage and the most traditional roasted lamb. Afternoon and dinner on your own.

Day 6

If Burgos Cathedral is all about its architecture, today we will feel the light in Leon´s Cathedral.

Gothic architecture tries to reach Heaven and lets the light of God warm your soul and illuminate your spirituality. Leon´s Cathedral elevates the stained-window work to heaven. It is almost like a crystal-box. I can imagine the pilgrims in middle-ages feeling recomforted by the light.

We will enjoy a traditional Leon´s lunch. Afternoon and dinner on your own.

Day 7

Today we enter Galicia and we become pilgrims again. Today we are not going to any fancy hotel, we will be staying at a pilgrim’s hostel. Yes, I want to rough it up a little bit.

We will drive all the way to OCebreiro and hike our third part of the Camino, from there to Padornuelo, about 5.3 miles. Galicia is green and powerful. The weather is unpredictable, I have seen snow in August and 85 degrees in November, so we must be ready.

If you want to go to mass, this is the place I recommend you to go. In its hamble church, we are all welcomed as pilgrims. It is not just a Christian service, it is a different experience.

Lunch and dinner are together, there are not too many options in OCebreiro to go for dinner.

Day 8

We made it! We are in Santiago de Compostela, the end of the Camino, the place where exhausted pilgrims from all the corners in the world have dreamed to arrive. This is the place where our ancestors understood the meaning of life, love, sacrifice, joy, peace, redemption. It is such a powerful feeling that just writing about it makes me cry.

Santiago is breathtaking, not just the Cathedral, but the town itself. Our hotel is located a stone throw away from the main plaza, so after our tour, you will have all afternoon to discover it.

Tonight, is our farewell dinner, and OMG what a great dinner that is!

Day 9

After breakfast, we are all ready to go to our new adventures.

As you can see the Camino tour, as I said last week, it is not a religious tour, it is about discovering northern Spain following the footsteps of a pilgrimage route.

If you are interested in the Camino Tour, I still have some spots available, so please get in touch with me ASAP so I can reserve your spot.