A Traditional Mountain Village on the Camino Francés After leaving Ponferrada on the Camino Francés, between Ponferrada and Sarria, you’ll arrive at O Cebreiro. This tiny mountain village, situated at 1,300 metres above sea level, marks the transition from El Bierzo to Galicia. O Cebreiro is a unique and tiny gem. Nestled between the O […]
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In the last two weeks of July, Santiago de Compostela celebrates its most significant festival: the St James Festival or the Apostle Festival (Festas do Apóstolo). St James is the patron saint of Santiago de Compostela and Galicia, which means St James Day is also Galicia Day and a holiday in the region. Many pilgrims on the
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Pilgrim’s Mass in The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela Many pilgrims who finish their Camino in Santiago de Compostela often want to attend a particular pilgrim’s mass in the cathedral. It’s the ultimate reward after the long journey to the city. If you are hoping to attend mass when you are in Santiago, there are
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What is The Botafumeiro And When Can I See it? The ‘Botafumeiro’ is the famous giant thurible or censer in the Santiago de Compostela cathedral. It has been used since the Middle Ages, originally to clean the air when crowds of pilgrims, having completed the Camino de Santiago, arrived in Santiago de Compostela after their long
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The Coolest Camino Souvenirs Undoubtedly, the scallop shell is the most iconic and traditional souvenir of the Camino de Santiago. For centuries, pilgrims have adorned themselves with the scallop shell, known as ‘coquille St Jacques’, on their journeys to and from Santiago de Compostela. Alongside the classic scallop shell, modern pilgrims have a variety of
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Cycling the Camino is a beautiful alternative to walking. There are many advantages to cycling the Camino, including covering more ground in less time, and it’s easier if you bring children on the Camino. If you’re considering cycling along the Camino de Santiago routes, we’ve compiled a handy list to address your queries about cycling
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One big hug in Santiago de Compostela. The experience is simply incomparable. On a cold, almost chilly, day at the end of winter, you stand on the roof of one of Europe’s most historic cathedrals and have a sweeping view of a heritage city. As the rogue wind touches your face intermittently, you imagine the
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Holy Year 2022: What is a Jacobean year? You might have heard that 2021’s Jacobean Year celebrations have been extended to the end of 2022. But what exactly is a Holy Year and why is it worth visiting the Camino during one? A Jacobean Year or Ano Xacobeo is a Jubilee or Holy Year. A
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The quaint mountain town of Villafranca del Bierzo, on the Camino Frances, is also known as ‘la pequeña Compostela’, little Compostela. Villafranca’s Romanesque Iglesia de Santiago, Saint James Church, is home to the ‘Puerta del Perdón’, the gate or door of Forgiveness. This 12th-century church dedicated to St James is the only other temple along
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This Camino Frances Map is a handy visual representation of the most famous route on the Camino de Santiago. The Camino Frances or French Way is well known for many films, books, and documentaries. The French Way or Camino Francés is the most famous and popular of the Camino de Santiago routes, attracting nearly 70%
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4 Unmissable Camino del Norte Experiences Hidden alcoves, sheltered by towering sea cliffs, picturesque lighthouses perched on lands edge, and an infinity of rolling green hills are some of the best Camino del Norte experiences. The landscape on the Camino del Norte is a tonic for the senses. There is a wealth of hidden treasures to
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Fantastic news for the Camino de Santiago this week as various Northern Camino routes, including the Northern Way and Original Way, have been declared UNESCO-listed trails as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela. The French Way or Camino Francés was the first route to be listed by UNESCO in 1993, a prestigious status
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Peter Murtagh – author of Buen Camino! As part of its Celtic Extravaganza and series of events focusing on Galicia, the Instituto Cervantes in Dublin recently organised a reading and discussion with Irish Times journalist Peter Murtagh. Peter traveled the Camino de Santiago various times and is the author, along with his daughter Natasha, of
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The Camino Walk Song A group of outgoing retired Irish teachers walked the last 100km of the Camino de Santiago with CaminoWays.com recently. The group had a fantastic time and have created their own Camino de Santiago song about their holiday. Thanks to the group for sharing their experience on the Camino and their lyrics!: (to
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Andrew McCarthy on life, travel writing and the Camino Former Hollywood backpacker Andrew McCarthy’s life changed forever while walking the Camino de Santiago. In an extract from his first book, he describes how that led to a second career as a travel writer I was in a bookstore, gazing at a girl across the display
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