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The
Way of St. James
A
cultural "pilgrimage" to Santiago de Compostela
This
itinerary follows the centuries-old route taken by pilgrims walking all the way
from France across northern Spain to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela
in the western province of Galicia. Because of the constant stream of those pilgrims
over the centuries (and you will most likely see some of them during your tour),
the route is dotted with hundreds of buildings - cathedrals, churches, monasteries,
hostels, etc. - dedicated to religious purposes and of great historical and cultural
value. The Gothic cathedrals of Burgos, Santiago de Compostela (two
World Heritage sites) and Léon are prime examples. They are absolute
delights of architecture. There
are several "official" routes to Santiago de Compostela, but the following
is one of the most traditional itineraries (the route in itself is a World Heritage
site). Starting in Zaragoza,
the capital of ancient Aragon, it crosses Navarra with a stop in
world-famous Pamplona.
Next,
the tour route enters Castilla y Léon, the cradle of modern Spain,
going through sprawling vineyards, over rolling hills and through a never-ending
succession of quaint medieval villages. The cathedrals of Burgos
and León
are the high points of this section of the tour route. The most noteworthy feature
in these two monuments is the size, sophistication and beauty of their stained-glass
windows. The cathedral of León, for example, has over 20,000 square feet
of windows reaching all the way up to the top of the vaulted ceiling. The other
stunning feature is simply the architecture itself. It has been described as "lace
carved in stone." As
a World Heritage Site, Santiago
de Compostela is an absolute treasure of a tourist destination. The most
important building is, of course, the cathedral built between the 11th and 13th
centuries. The more recent façade, dating back to only 1750, is the highest
expression of the baroque style in Spain. Inside, the main altar displays a statue
of St. James and is open to pilgrims who wish to follow the age-old cultural tradition
of touching or hugging the statue of the saint. These
are but a few examples of the many cultural discoveries on this tour route. There
are so many more: Logrono in La
Rioja wine region, the province of Galicia,
around Santiago de Comp[ostela, etc. Please
tell us where and when you want to travel and we will create a custom tour
that fits your specific interests, schedule and budget. Your
tailor-made package will include ground transportation, guided tours and hotel
rooms. The
price of your program will depend on your needs (scheduled group tours, private
guides...) and the number of participants in your group, the length of the trip,
the category of hotels, the number of places visited, the time of year, etc. We
will do all the bookings and pay each individual
provider on your behalf. In other words, you go and have fun and we'll take care
of the details for you.
  
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Burgos
Cathedral
Incense
Burner
during mass
Santiago de Compostela 
The
Running of the Bulls
Pamplona 
Léon
cathedral |
