Camino de Santiago - Harvest pilgrimages

Camino de Santiago
MADRID • ASTORGA • SARRIA • PORTOMARIN • ARZUA • SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
The Road to Compostela comes out of the past and stretches through a
thousand year history of the pilgrim’s journey. Modern day pilgrims who
walk this sacred road become, whether they know it or not, a part of history.
A 19 DAY PILGRIMAGE | SPAIN
FROM
$7,490
AUD
Leon
2
Astorg
1
Upon arrival at Madrid’s Barajos airport we
will be met and transferred to our centrally
located accommodation to rest and prepare
for this special walk.
Madrid overnight (D)
a
Ponferrada
Foncebadon
2
Villa
Del Bfranca
ierzo
Sarria
1
Triacas
tela
O Ce
breiro
Rei
DAY 2: ARRIVE MADRID
Pala
s de
Porto
O Am
1
marin
2 1
enal
Arzu
a
Santiago de
Compostela
3
• Madrid (2)
• León
• Astorga (2)
• Foncebadon
• Ponferrada (1)
• Villafranca Del Bierzo (2)
• O Cebreiro
• Triacastela
• Sarria (1)
• Portomarin (1)
• Palas De Rei (1)
• Arzua (2)
• Amenal
• Santiago De Compostela (3)
DAY 3: MADRID
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
Madrid 2
H A R V E S T H I GH P O IN T S
1
3
**Please note: Even though this is stated
as a walking pilgrimage, the group will be
supported with a bus to carry luggage and
transport pilgrims who may require respite
at times along the way.
DAY 1: DEPART AUSTRALIA
FULLY INCLUSIVE*
OR
FEATURING:
ITINERARY
Experience an amazing Mass at
O’Cebreiro in the presence of the
eucharistic miracle.
Admire charming villages and amazing
natural scenery along the Pilgrims Road.
2
4
Enjoy the solitude for thinking and
reflection as you walk the Pilgrims
Road among new friends allowing your
internal journey to evolve.
Experience the exhilaration as you
complete your journey at the great shrine
of Santiago de Compostela.
After breakfast this morning we depart on
our city tour of Madrid which will showcase
its history, culture, architecture and art.
After visiting the star attractions such as the
Royal Palace and the Santa María la Real
Catholic Cathedral which was consecrated
only recently in 1993 by Pope St John Paul
II, we will tour the Prado Museum. The
Prado is renowned as being the largest art
gallery in the world. It houses more than
8,600 paintings, of which less than 2,000
are exhibited at any one time due to lack of
space.
Madrid overnight (BD)
DAY 4: MADRID TO ASTORGA VIA
LEON
Over the coming week or so, the way ahead
will be dotted with many small hamlets
containing the ruins of pilgrim hospitals,
churches and monasteries.
DAY 5: ASTORGA TO RABINAL DEL
CAMINO (19km)
In the spirit of St James the Apostle, we
become authentic pilgrims journeying along
both the outer road and the inner road
within.
This morning we will depart towards the
town of Rabanal del Camino. Along the way
we will pass through the town of Castrillo
de los Polvazares that has an outstanding
architectural heritage and where the genuine
atmosphere of the region of “Maragatería” is
almost preserved in time. We can later take
some time out in the small chapel of San
José or in the local Parish Church. Return to
Astorga for our overnight stay.
Astorga overnight (BD)
DAY 6:
RABINAL DEL CAMINO TO
EL ACEBO (17km)
From Rabinal del Camino the route
continues westward across the region of Leon.
The first village that appears is Foncebadon,
now abandoned it was here that the hermit
Guacelmo founded a hostelry for pilgrims in
the 11th century. Continuing on we come
to a peak that the Romans dedicated to
Mercury where we can see the Ferro Cross
on top of a stick fixed to a big mound of
stones. Traditionally pilgrims bring a stone
from their places of origin and deposit it on
the pile of stones.
We continue on to El Acebo to meet our
coach for the short drive to Ponferrada where
we will overnight.
Ponferrada overnight (BD)
of O Cebreiro. Here we will celebrate our
group Mass in the pre-Romanesque Church
(9th-10th century) and see the renowned
Paten of Santo Milagro (Eucharistic Miracle
from the 13th century) and a precious
Romanesque carving of Santa Maria la Real.
We will be transferred from O Cebreiro back
to our accommodation in Villafranca del
Bierzo.
Villafranca del Bierzo overnight (BD)
DAY 9: O CEBREIRO TO
construction of the Hospital de la Reina, next
to the fortress. In this town is the Basilica
of Nuestra Señora de la Encina, from the
16th century (built to commemorate the
apparition of the Virgin in a grove of Holm
oaks) and the Baroque Church of San
Andres, from the 17th century, home to an
outstanding retable from the 13th century “The Christ of the Wonders”.
We will visit the 12th century Templar
Castle which was incorporated by the
Catholic Monarch into the Crown in 1486.
Continuing by coach, we travel onto
Villafranca del Bierzo, founded in the 11th
century by the monks of Cluny who were
dedicated to the care of pilgrims.
Villafranca del Bierzo overnight (BD)
DAY 8: VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO
/ TRABADELO / O CEBREIRO (18km)
Our pilgrimage adventure continues this
morning as we drive to Trabadelo and
continue on our walking pilgrimage through
the Ancares Valley area. Later we will enter
Galicia by Lugo, not far from Santiago.
The first village in the region of Lugo along
the Route is O Cebreiro, with an altitude
of 1,300 metres and home to pre-historic
Celtic huts with straw roofs (pallozas).
Finally we come to the ancient Sanctuary
TRIACASTELA (21km)
This morning we will be transferred to O
Cebriero to continue our walk. Our path
takes us past the ancient parish Church and
on a brief uphill climb to Alto de San Roque,
where an impressive pilgrim monument
overlooks Galicia and its deep valleys.
On the way we pass through Fonfria,
another Galician village. Finally we arrive at
Triacastela, town of the three castles – none
of which are standing today. This was an
important stop for pilgrims coming off the
mountain.
From Triacastela we will be transferred to
Sarria for our overnight stay.
Sarria overnight (BD)
DAY 10: SARRIA TO PORTOMARIN
(21km)
Today’s section of the Camino is considered
to be one of the most picturesque. Walk
through bucolic countryside, traversing
enchanted forests and small patches of
farmland to the banks of the Mino River.
En route we will pass the 100km marker
– a milestone for pilgrims who travel the
Camino.
Our walking trip today will finish in
Portomarín picturesquely situated on a
hilltop. The old Portomarín, which dates
back to the Roman Age, was an important
halt along the route in the Middle Ages and
lies beneath the waters of the dam built in
1962. Before flooding the town, many
The Way of St James
DAY 7: PONFERRADA TO
VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO
The town of Ponferrada, with prehistoric and
Roman antecedents, had two access points in
the Middle Ages. One was via the Roman
bridge spanning the Boeza River, sunk in the
18th century; the other was the Medieval
bridge of Mascarón.
At the end of the 11th century, the Bishop
of Astorga, Osmundo, commissioned the
building of a new bridge, “la Pons Ferrata”, a
pass with iron banisters which gave its name
to the city. At the end of the 15th century,
the Catholic Monarchs commissioned the
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C A M I N O D E S A N T IAG O
Journeying west along the Camino, our first
stop is León. Our tour of León will visit some
of Spain’s most important historic-artistic
monuments, like its Cathedral Santa Maria
de León. A Gothic gem and a masterpiece
of architecture with the best collection of
stained-glass windows in Europe (only after
Chartres), it is also known as the House
of Light. Next to the Cathedral, there is
the Roman Saint Isidoro Basilica (11th
and 12th century), where the St Isidoro of
Seville’s tomb is kept; and the St Marcus
Monastery, with its fantastic facade in
Plateresque style bedecked with shells (the
symbol of the pilgrim). We will then stop
briefly to obtain our Pilgrim’s Passport and
first accreditation stamp before heading on
to our accommodation at Astorga.
Astorga overnight (BD)
DAY 15: SANTIAGO DE
monuments were moved, stone by stone, to
higher ground.
The municipality also has the Church of
San Nicolás, from the 13th century; the
portal of the church of San Pedro, from
1182; the Count’s House, from the 16th
century, and the Palace of Berbetoros,
from the 17th century.
Portomarin overnight (BD)
DAY 11: PORTOMARIN TO PALAS
DE REI (24km)
Pass through small villages decorated with
cruceiros (carved stone crosses that mark
the way to Santiago) and containing only a
dozen houses. The undulating countryside
is studded with meadows and forests of
eucalyptus and pine as we approach Palas
de Rei. This was once an important town in
the Middle Ages as it had a Royal Hospital.
The Church of San Tirso now stands on its
lands, with a Romanesque portal.
Palas de Rei overnight (BD)
DAY 12: PALAS DE REI / MELIDE /
ARZUA (15km)
Today we set off walking along quiet paths
through hamlets and woodlands, crossing
an occasional stone bridge along the way.
“Walking the Camino is an opportunity
like no other. Everyone has a story, there
were more happy times and laughs than
I could have imagined. Problems of the
world were discussed and almost solved!
There was also plenty of time to walk and
enjoy the Camino’s
solitude and beauty
allowing the internal
journey to evolve.
Buen Camino!”
Marg Holles
Stop to admire the tiny 12th century church
dedicated to St Julian, one of the many
Romanesque treasures along the Camino.
We then continue on to Melide, a small
town with a wonderful square and church.
This town is crucial to the Route, because
it is the place where the French and the
Oviedo Routes converge.
At the entrance to the town there is a
crossroads from the 14th century, one of the
oldest in Galicia. The present Parish Church
was the former church of the Monastery
of Sancti Spiritus. It contains stately
sepulchres.
We will enjoy lunch together in a typical
restaurant of Melide where we will taste its
magnificent “pulpo a feira”. From Melide we
will be transferred to our accommodation in
Arzua.
Arzua overnight (BLD)
DAY 13: DAY 13: ARZUA – REST
DAY
We have a day today to relax, reflect on our
journey so far and rest in a most tranquil
rural setting.
Arzua overnight (BD)
DAY 14: ARZUA / ARCA DO PINO /
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (20km)
This is the day the Lord has made, let us
rejoice and be glad’ (Ps 118:24).
Excitement mounts as the trail brings us
closer to our destination.
Today we leave behind the last major centre
of population on the Camino until Santiago
TOUR
CODE
COMPOSTELA
The city of the apostle is full of historical
buildings and other attractions and is thus
the ideal place for a quiet unhurried walk of
discovery through streets, squares and nooks, to
be taken as a reward for the effort of reaching
this city of St James.
This morning we will visit and celebrate
Mass at the Cathedral of St James, one of
the finest examples of architecture in all of
Europe. As pilgrims we have the opportunity
to climb the stairs behind the high altar to
visit the crypt where the relics of St James
are preserved, view the ‘botafumeiro’ and
admire the wealth of medieval art inside
the Cathedral, before visiting the cloister
museum.
Afternoon at leisure.
Santiago de Compostela overnight (BD)
DAY 16: SANTIAGO DE
COMPOSTELA & FINISTERRA
We travel out today towards one of the most
western points of continental Europe! We
firstly come to the lovely seaside town of
Fisterra. It is situated on the rocky Costa da
Morte (Coast of Death), named because of
the large number of shipwrecks along these
shores. During our time here we will visit
the Chapel of Nosa Señora do Bon Suceso,
dating from the 18th century.
Nearby we explore Cape Finisterra, meaning
“Land’s End”. It is the final destination for
pilgrims on the Way of St James. Here is the
parish Church of Santa María de Fisterra
which contains the Chapel of Santo Cristo.
In the late afternoon we return to Santiago
de Compostela. Tonight we celebrate our
final night on pilgrimage with a special meal
at a local Spanish restaurant.
Santiago de Compostela overnight (BD)
DAY 17: DEPART SANTIAGO DE
COMPOSTELA VIA BARCELONA
DAY 19: ARRIVE AUSTRALIA
2015 PILGRIMAGE DEPARTURES
FULL PACKAGE
TOUR ONLY
TOUR
Departs Australia
5CS01A Sunday 27th September
Single Room Supplement
AUD*
$7490
$1210
CODE
Starts
Madrid
Ends
Barcelona
AUD*
5CS01L 28th Sep
13th Oct
$5390
Prepaid Tipping Fund: $15 each day of tour
For our 2015 Pilgrimage Chaplains: Contact Harvest or visit www.harvestpilgrims.com/chaplains
* Full package based on departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth including all airline taxes & levies (subject to change).
Tour Only costs include local airfares between Start/End dates.
www.harvestpilgrims.com
C A M I N O D E S A N T IAG O
de Compostela. We drive to Arca do Pino
where we continue our walk towards Monte
do Gozo (Mount of Joy) so called because
from here pilgrims can glimpse the holy
city and final destination of Santiago de
Compostela. We will regroup for Mass at
the tiny Chapel of San Marcos just outside
the city and then share a celebratory lunch
together prior to triumphantly walking into
Santiago de Compostela!
Santiago de Compostela overnight (BLD)