Page 412 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

which runs almost right next to The Drive » The Camino, The Drive » Between Samos
both the A6 motorway and the and the driving road, leaves and Santiago de Compostela
Camino. Villafranca del Bierzo and starts (136km 2½ hours on the LU633
to wind uphill before entering and N547) there’s a whole load
Galicia at tiny O Cebreiro, which of attractive little villages (Sarria,
h Villafranca at 1300m is the highest point Portomarín and Melide) – there’s
del Bierzo on the whole Camino. From here not a lot to see at each, but it’s
worth an amble around any
continue to Samos. Total drive
Villafranca del Bierzo length is 90km (two hours) of them. Once in Santiago de
has a very well preserved using the NVI, or reduce the Compostela dump the car and
old core and a number of journey time a little by taking head to the cathedral.
interesting churches and the neighbouring A6.
other religious buildings. TRIP HIGHLIGHT
Chief among the sights
are the San Nicolás El i Samos j Santiago de
Real, a 17th-century Samos is built around Compostela
convent with a baroque the very fine Benedictine This, then, is it. The end
altarpiece, and the Mosteiro de Samos (www. of The Way. And what a
12th-century Iglesia de abadiadesamos.com; tours spectacular finish. Santi-
Santiago. The northern €3; htours every 30min ago de Compostela, with
doorway of this church 10am-12.30pm Mon-Sat, 12.45- its granite buildings and
is called the ‘door of for- 1.30pm Sun, 4.30-6.30pm frequent drizzle, is one of
giveness’. Pilgrims who daily). This monastery has the most attractive cities
were sick, or otherwise two beautiful big clois- in Spain. It goes without
SPAIN 29 NORTHERN SPAIN PILGRIMAGE
unable, to carry onto ters (one Gothic, with saying that your first
Santiago de Compostela distinctly unmonastic port of call should be the
were granted the same Greek nymphs adorning Catedral de Santiago
Godly favours as if they’d its fountain; the other de Compostela (www.
made it all the way. neoclassical and filled catedraldesantiago.es; Praza
with roses). do Obradoiro; h7am-8.30pm),
which soars above the
city centre in a splendid
jumble of moss-covered
DETOUR: spires and statues. Built
CABO FISTERRA piecemeal over several
centuries, its beauty is
Start: j Santiago de Compostela a mix of the original
In popular imagination Cabo Fisterra (86km, 1½ Romanesque structure
hours; take the AC441) is not just the western edge (built between 1075 and
of Spain (it’s not, that honour goes to Cabo da Nave, 1211) and later Gothic
5km north), but in the days way before sat-nav it and baroque flourishes.
was considered the very end of the world. This has The tomb of Santiago
long made it a popular extension to the Camino de beneath the main altar
Santiago. People today may not come here to ponder is a magnet for all who
what might lie beyond the western horizon, but come to the cathedral.
they do come with equal awe to watch the setting The artistic high point is
sun and admire the views from beside the powerful the Pórtico de la Gloria
lighthouse that sits at the edge of these high cliffs. inside the west entrance,
Fisterra itself is a fishing port with a picturesque featuring 200 masterly
harbour, and a tourist destination growing ever more Romanesque sculptures.
popular among Camino pilgrims. After you’ve given thanks

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