On our first day we will hike 20,6 km, temperature is around 22 degrees, perfect for hiking! We climb from 868 m till 1156 m.
We have arrived last night in Astorga where people are getting themselves ready for the Semana Santa or Holy week.
Astorga is the place for chocolate, mantecadas (kind of muffins).
We experience the local cuisine: Cocido Maragato which is like a stew, it was originally prepared for those who performed hard physical labor day.
We visit the cathedral, where we will get our first stamp for the day. The cathedral is a mixture of different styles : façade is renaissance, the towers baroque…
We can admire Gaudi’s Episcopal Palace of Astorga, This monument was designed by Gaudí himself in 1887, although it was ultimately completed by the architect Luis de Querejeta. It now hosts a museum dedicated to pilgrims.
A lovely lunch near Santa Catalina in the sunshine.
Last minute shopping in a sleepy village.
Lovely hiking towards Rabanal, a mountain village with 57 inhabitants only. We will go at 7 pm for our pilgrim blessing, The monks they hold daily services in the village church and sing in Gregorian chant.
Elvira, dochter van een Belgische moeder en Nederlandse vader, bezocht 65 landen, werkte en woonde in verschillende landen, en spreekt vijf talen. Haar meest bijzondere ervaring was de Camino naar Santiago de Compostela in 2015, een tocht die haar leven veranderde. De reis bood haar mentale rust, verbinding met de natuur, en inzichten in wat écht belangrijk is. Het bracht haar dichter bij de essentie van het leven en gaf haar balans. Met haar kennis en ervaring inspireert ze met Go Camino anderen om deze bijzondere reis te maken.