The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage through Northern Spain that culminates in the town of Santiago de Compostela where, according to legend, the remains of Saint James the Apostle are buried. Whether for spiritual enlightenment or to witness a beautiful part of the world, no one has left the Camino unchanged.
Our Medio Camino (half Camino) begins in León, a city noted for its incredible art, churches and cathedrals. Arrive a day before we begin cycling and explore the León cathedral. Famous for its stained-glass windows, it’s one of the most extensive and best-preserved collections in Europe. Leaving León, we’ll cycle through the heather-clad mountains and beautiful forests of Galicia in northwest Spain, passing some of the most celebrated landmarks and old towns on the Camino. As we draw closer to Santiago de Compostela, the number of pilgrims on the trail increases; they’ve been walking for a month! The incredible sight of the cathedral in Santiago signals the completion of our adventure, where we’ll celebrate and bid farewell “Buen Camino!”
Have more time? Check out our 15-day Camino de Santiago ride.
*This tour is now operated by our sister company Bicycle Adventures. If you would like to sign up or have questions regarding this trip, please click the link above.
Is This Ride For You?
You love riding breathtaking terrain, eating like royalty, being immersed in a different culture, and you love learning about history and unbelievable architecture. This is the right ride if you want to understand the real you. While the latter is harder to explain, all that finish this pilgrimage express a deeper meaning of their self as the takeaway. Most days are manageable for energetic and fit novice mountain bikers. Technical skills are not required beyond a basic level bike handling. You should be comfortable spending about 4 hours in the saddle each day and you will cover about 60 kilometres on average each day. The terrain consists of gravel roads, paved pathways, doubletrack and singletrack trails.
Itinerary
DAY 1. Welcome to León
Start your morning with a café au lait and fresh-baked pastry before strolling through the picturesque streets of Leòn.
Tour the 13th-century Gothic cathedral, Catedral de León, with its towers and flying buttresses, before meeting for dinner in our private dining room at the La Posada Regia Hotel. You’ll spend the evening getting to know your guides and fellow pilgrims as well as reviewing the week’s itinerary.
DAY 2. León to Rabanal del Camino
After a delicious breakfast, we’ll roll through Hospital de Orbigo with its well-preserved Roman bridge. and stop for lunch in sight of the cathedral in Astorga. The house next door – designed by famed Spanish Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi i Cornet – is one of his most beautiful private residences.
Pedal through lavender fields and mountain scrub trees en route to the tiny town of Rabanal del Camino. With fewer than 100 year-round residents this tiny town is a unique and welcoming stop along the Camino.
Enjoy views of tomorrow’s mountains, beckoning from every window.
DAY 3. Rabanal to Villafranca del Bierzo
Today starts with a morning climb up to the Cruz de Ferro, the highest point on the Camino de Santiago. Legend has it that if you bring a stone from home and leave it at Cruz de Ferro, you will leave your burdens there and prepare for rebirth on the remainder of your journey. Didn’t bring a stone from home? It’s okay to bring one from a little closer.
Next, we’ll traverse the ridgeline on the way to a stop at the colourful Refugio in Manjarin. We’ll be welcomed by a bunch of friendly dogs and cats, stop for a photo, and enjoy some refreshments.
From there, we’ll cycle 20 kilometres downhill to lunch in Molinseca and visit the Templars Castle in Ponferrada before rolling through the beautiful cherry orchards into Villa franca de Bierzo.
DAY 4. Villafranca to Sarria
Today, we’ll ride the most mountainous terrain along our journey. We’ll begin with a mellow hour of pedalling through a deep-cut valley leading towards a mountain pass. Then, settle in for the long steady climb up to the small town of O’Cebreiro. When you make it to the top, you’ll have a great feeling of accomplishment – and a healthy need for a hearty lunch!
We’ll have a delicious three-course lunch at the top of the mountain to fuel you up for the rest of the day.
After lunch, we’ll roll through the hills, past the Albergue (hostel) in Triacastella that welcomes cyclists with a bicycle hanging on an exterior wall. We’ll continue riding through picturesque farms on the way to the transportation hub of Sarria, one of the most popular towns on the French Way of the Camino.
Feeling brave? A Fred Flintstone steak can be yours for dinner! Tonight’s restaurant specializes in char-grilling to perfection.
Day 5. Sarria to Melide
Deep in the heart of Galicia, the hills are a mixture of forests and centuries-old family farms separated by stacked rock fences. The scent of eucalyptus fills the air; its bark blankets the trail. Portomarin, our lunch town, sits on top of a hill next to a former lake that is now a lush valley.
Tonight, we’ll stay in Melide, just a short 52-kilometers from tomorrow’s destination, the incredible cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Day 6. Santiago de Compostela and the End of Our Journey
You’re almost there! It’s the home stretch.
The feeling of enthusiasm is palpable. This morning, we’ll cross several small stone bridges over tiny streams as eucalyptus forest thicken around us, shading the trail as you near the final hill. The last few kilometres seem endless – then suddenly we’ll arrive at the John Paul II Monument at Monte do Gozo.
Monte do Gozo is well known as the place where Christian pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago get their first glimpse of the three spires of their destination, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
We’ll get our final stamp in Monte do Gozo before coasting downhill into Santiago.
The square in front of the cathedral is always bustling and we’ll spend time exploring the Cathedral, congratulating each other on an amazing journey and snapping photos to keep the amazing memories alive.
Our farewell dinner will be filled with toasts and tales of The Way. Tonight, we’ll stay at Hotel Costa Vella.
Buen Camino, Amigos!
Day 7. Farewell to the Camino
Wake up on your own time, there’s no schedule to follow today!
Enjoy breakfast (included) at the hotel before heading to the airport or continuing your travels through Spain. Please note: you are responsible for arranging airport transportation.