Paris, Spain, Munich and Oberammergau
Join us on the pilgrimage route to the tomb of the apostle St James in the grand cathedral at Santiago de Compostela in the north western corner of Spain. The pilgrimage, known as the "Camino de Santiago" was responsible for an incredible pan-Europe interchange of culture and knowledge during the middle ages. The Way of St. James, as it is called in English, has been designated as “World’s First Cultural Heritage Route” by UNESCO in recognition of its role in the development of the continent. Today, a wealth of fabulous art, architecture and mystical energy can be experienced by traveling on this ancient trail.
Oberammergau is famous for its Passion Play which was first performed in 1634. In the middle of the 30 Years War, after months of suffering and dying from the “Black Death,” or plague, surviving villagers swore an oath to perform a “Play of the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ” every ten years. The Play, originally made up of just actors from the village itself, has grown to a stage production comprised of almost 2,000 performers, singers, musicians and stage technicians. The Play is performed in the 5,000 seat Passion Play Theater with its open air stage.
Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPARTURE - 20 MAY Flight from Melbourne to Barcelona or Paris
DAY 2: BARCELONA OR PARIS - BILBAO Connecting flight or train from Barcelona or Paris to Bilbao. Pickup and transfer by bus to local hotel, rest of the day free.
DAY 3: BILBAO Explore city Visit old quarter, and or Guggenheim Museum
DAY 4: BILBAO - BURGOS - HORNILLOS - HONTANAS - CASTROJERIZ - FROMISTA - LEON We depart from Bilbao to Burgos where we visit the superb Gothic cathedral. In Burgos we have a Tapas style lunch in the old quarter. A bus will transfer us to Hornillos, where we start our walk to Hontanas. Once we fi nish, we have a visit to Castrojeriz and Fromista. Castrojeriz, follow the Camino through village along the long main street-few villages along the Pilgrim's Way have such an impressive number of historic buildings lining the route. In Fromista we will fi nd the church of San Martin, remaining from an 11th century Benedictine monastery complex, is considered to mark a climax in the development of the European Romanesque style along the Way. We continue on our journey today to overnight in Leon.
DAY 5: LEON - PUENTE DE ORBIGO - ASTORGA We begin our day with a 9 am guided tour through Leon. This tour (in English) focuses on León's wonderful Gothic cathedral (its stained glass windows are considered the 2nd best in the world), the Pantheon of Kings in the San Isidoro Royal Basilica - the frescos there are among Spain's fi nest Romanesque works of art and the Hostal San Marcos (now a 5* hotel!) founded in the 12th century as a pilgrim's hospital and remodelled as a monastery in the 16th C. For those who plan to get the Compostela, the Pilgrim's “credentials” are picked up individually at the Pilgrim's hostel. We will have some time to explore the old city of León on own before a Tapas style lunch. A bus will transfer us to Puente de Orbigo, the longest original bridge on the Camino, subject of one of the most romantic legends of the Way. On the walk westward the terrain becomes hillier - among hard-scrabble vegetable patches and vineyards across the mostly rolling heaths characteristic of western León - a contrast with the endlessly rolling wheat fi elds on the Meseta of yesterday's walk. A bus will pick up us to transfer to Astorga. In Astorga there is plenty to see, including excellent Roman walls, nice Cathedral, Gaudi's Bishop's Palace.
DAY 6: ASTORGA - CASTRILLO DE LOS POVAZARES - FONCEBADON - MOLINASECA - VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO In the morning, transfer to Castrillo de los Povazares, one of Spain's best preserved medieval villages. Once there, we explore the village and wait for the bus that will bring us to Foncebadon, where we start the walk to Molinaseca. The highest elevation stage of the Way - on a good weather day, it is one of the most beautiful. From Foncebadón, the Way climbs up to the emblematic iron cross called “cruz de ferro”, with an enormous mound of stones placed by pilgrims at its base, followed by a fairly level section through heather and broom before descending quite steeply into the lovely little stone villages of Acebo and Riego de Ambrós on the way to picturesque Molinaseca.
DAY 7: VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO - RUITELAN - O'CEBREIRO Our day starts today with a morning Walking Tour around Villafranca del Bierzo with the option to visit a local winery in Villafranca... Villafranca del Bierzo is known as “little Compostela” for its wealth of historic sites. We will fi nd a great pilgrim's atmosphere there. A bus will transfer us to Ruitelan where the walk to O'Cebreiro begins. The walk up to the emblematic village of O'Cebreiro, just on the Galician side of the León-Galicia border is one of the most famous stages of the entire Way. From the pretty Valcarce Valley, a challenging but rewarding climb through lush forest leads steeply up to the stone-built village, home to some primitive thatched roofed dwellings contrasting with the traditional slate roofs of this region and a chapel which is the site of one of the pilgrimage's classic legends.
DAY 8: O'CEBREIRO - TRIACASTELLA - SARRIA Depart from O'Cebreiro to Triacastella by bus. The church in Triacastella is one of the most attractive of the Way. We walk to Sarria via San Xil, a beautiful stretch of walking today - although it passes through extremely rural areas with very few services. On arrival, there will be an optional transfer to Samos to visit Samos Monastery. The guided tour there (in Spanish) is usually by one of the few remaining monks themselves.
DAY 9: SARRIA - PORTOMARIN The group begins the walk from Sarria to Portomarin. In Ferreiros we have lunch. The non-compostela people will be transfer by bus to Portomarin to rest, while compostela people will continue the walk on foot. By general consensus, this is one of the most attractive stages of the entire Pilgrim's Way through beautiful rolling rural terrain. Portomarin has a great setting and Pilgrim's atmosphere. A nice place to relax, read, write in one's journal, etc. We can also visit its beautiful church.
DAY 10: PORTOMARIN - PALAS DE REI The Compostela people start the walk from Portomarin to Palas de Rei. The noncompostela people, on the contrary, will be transferred to Lugo where an optional guided tour will be available on request (approx 80 €). Lugo is just a 35 minute drive from Portomarin, and is a very important city in the history of the pilgrimage, although it is NOT on the “French” Way you will be walking, but instead on one of the alternative northern routes, in fact the very fi rst of the Ways to Santiago, now known as the Camino Primitivo. It has a 12th century cathedral and Spain's best preserved Roman walls encircling the old town - you can walk the entire circuit atop the walls (designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO).
DAY 11: PALAS DE REI - BOENTE VIA MELIDE Walk from Palas de Rei to Boente via Melide, for the Compostela people, and transfer to hotel in Melide. For the non-compostela people, walk with rest of group to Melide, where we stay. Rolling rural terrain throughout the day. Much of the walk into Melide is on quiet surfaced country lanes, but also ancient dirt and cobbled paths, medieval bridges, etc. Melide has a wonderful square and church, good Pilgrim's atmosphere. The second half of the walk from Melide to Boente is a real gem, mostly on old trails, over ancient bridges, through lush mixed forest and rural villages, churches, etc.
DAY 12: MELIDE - BOENTE - CASTANEDA - EMPALME VIA ARZUA Transfer back to Boente to start the walk to Castañeda - Empalme (Alto Sta. Irene), via Arzúa. Gently rolling rural terrain on a mix of walking surfaces. Other northern pilgrim's routes merge with the Camino Frances in Arzúa - we will notice more pilgrims from here onward. The non-compostela people will visit the Monastery of Sobrado de los Monxes in the morning, and return to eat lunch and walk with rest of group from Calle. Sobrado is located on the “Camino del Norte”, 30 min from Arzúa and is very interesting. Its Santa Maria monastery, founded in 952, and since medieval times was very important on the Pilgrim's Way, providing hospitality to pilgrims from the very early days of the pilgrimage to the site of the discovery of the tomb of the Apostle, even before the establishment of the town of Santiago de Compostela itself.
DAY 13:
DAY 14: EMPALME - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA The walk begins today in Empalme (Alto Sta. Irene) and will fi nally fi nish in Santiago de Compostela. The 1st half of the day we will fi nd gently rolling rural terrain on a mix of walking surfaces while the second half is hilly and mostly on paved surfaces on the approach into Santiago. The non-compostela group will take a bus to Monte do Gozo, and from there to Santiago hotel. There we have free time till dinner
DAY 15: SANTIAGO - MUNICH All the group starts with a two hour morning guided tour of cathedral and surrounding area. The guided tour (in English) focuses on the Cathedral and immediate surrounding area, in the context of the Camino de Santiago. Lunch in Santiago de Compostela, and free time until transfer to airport, where we take the plane to Munich.
DAY 16: MUNICH Start the day with a morning sightseeing tour of Munich. First visit the Palace of Nymphenburg, former residence of Ludwig I, King of Bavaria. It is famous for its "Gallery of Beauty", a collection of paintings of the most beautiful women of Ludwig's day. Pass the former Olympic grounds, see the classical buildings and many other interesting places as Royal Square (Koenigsplatz), Ludwigstreet, the University etc. Take a walk through the traditional centre of the city with the Church of the Lady (Frauenkirche Cathedral) and Marienplatz where you can view the famous Glockenspiel. Afternoon at leisure. Enjoy a dinner with Bavarian folklore show in the evening overnight at hotel.
DAY 17: OBERAMMERGAU A scenic drive takes you to the famous ski resort of Garmisch- Partenkirchen, site of the Winter Olympics. Continue on to Neuschwanstein Castle for a visit of this incredible fairytale fortress, built by Dream-King Ludwig II. In the afternoon drive through the Bavarian Alps to your destination - Oberammergau. En route you will see the Benectine Monastery at Ettal. Dinner and overnight at hotel in or around Oberammergau.
DAY 18: OBERAMMERGAU The history of the Passion Play at Oberammergau goes back to 1634, when the quaint alpine village of Oberammergau was threatened by the deadly and contagious disease known as the Black Plague that scourged Europe, killing two-thirds of the population of Germany. The people of Oberammergau vowed that if the village could be spared, a re enactment of the life and suffering of Christ would be performed. The village was miraculously saved from the ravages of the Black Death. Since that date, the play has been performed every ten years. Spend a leisure morning in Oberammergau. After lunch take seats in the theatre to attend the performance of the world-famous Passion Play. This Play is performed by local villagers - often roles are handed down from generation to generation within families. Dinner is included during a 3 hours break in the late afternoon. Performance lasts until 10:30 PM. Dinner and Overnight in or around Oberammergau. (BB, Dinner)
DAY 19: MUNICH - 6 JUNE Transfer to Munich airport for return or onward flights.