Camino de Santiago 14 Day Bike Tour

Name: Camino de Santiago 14 Day Bike Tour
Brand: cttc-4e8f
Price: 5282.0 EUR
Availability: InStock

Suggested Dates: May, Jun, Jul, and Sep

Duration: 14 nights / 15 days

Accommodation: Restored monastery & palaces, whitewashed village, boutique hotels

Daily Mileage: 60 km Average

Activity Level: Level 3 | Advanced

Tour Interests: St James, Pilgrimage, Romanesque architecture, Wine

€5.282,00 EUR

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Our Camino de Santiago bike tour is simply one of our top bike tours ever; this guided journey combines all of our favourite things: superb cycling, myths & legends, history & culture, and a whole lot of regional variety as you pedal from the French border in the Pyrenees all the way to Santiago de Compostela in north western Spain.

"...a pilgrimage across northern Spain to the sanctuary at Santiago de Compostela, is the finest journey in Spain and one of the two or three best in the world." So wrote James Michener in his monumental book on Spain, Iberia. For a thousand years, since the bones of St. James were reputedly discovered in Santiago, common people, bishops, priests, kings, popes and saints have made this famous pilgrimage.

This epic bike tour echoes their footsteps, following the first guide book ever written, by a monk in the 12th century - the Codex Calixtinus. We begin high in the Pyrenees above Pamplona and cross beautiful plains of northern Spain taking in the cathedral cities of León and Burgos, and countless pilgrim stops steeped in wonders and miracles along the way. Our lodgings include luxurious monasteries, ancient pilgrim inns and small hotels. We dine in restaurants famous for their regional cuisine and atmosphere.

Highlights

Join pilgrims from all over the world to ride one of the oldest pilgrimage paths in history.
Sample the silky Rioja wines and visit one of the region’s most famous bodegas, Marques de Riscal, designed by Frank Gehry.
Visit the remarkable cathedral of Leon with its astounding stained glass windows.
See the tomb of El Cid in the cathedral in Burgos.
Visit countless ancient monuments that date back to the beginning of Christian times.
Stay in luxurious monasteries & boutique village inns.
Trade camino stories with other pilgrims along the way.
Take part in a “queimada” in the misty ancient village of O Cebreiro.
Reward your challenge with a triumphal arrival at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and earn your Certificate.

Itinerary

DAY 1 - Roncesvalles

Early afternoon pickup in Pamplona and transfer to Roncesvalles, the legendary pass shrouded in deep forests and mists - the traditional beginning of the Camino in Spain. After checking in to our centuries old pilgrim hotel and fitting our bikes, we'll have time to explore this beautiful area. Late in the afternoon, we'll pickup our pilgrim passports. This evening we'll toast our adventures to come with a champagne reception and a Basque dinner.

DAY 2 - Roncesvalles to Puente la Reina

Roncesvalles to Puente la Reina ride of 77km / 48m.
Our first day's ride takes us on a long lovely ride downhill through shady woods following the Urrobi River, where Hemingway spent so much of his time fishing when he wasn't at bullfights. Along the way, we'll pause to visit the mysterious 12th century Templar church of St Maria Eunate before arriving at the little town of Puente la Reina famous for its 11th century humped bridge over the Río Arga. Night's accommodations at stellar El Peregrino hotel famous for its cuisine. Dinner together.

DAY 3 - Puente la Reina to Laguardia

Puente la Reina to Laguardia ride of 85km / 53m.

We ride off this morning toward the medieval town of Estella with its imposing churches and the 12th century Palace of the Navarese kings. We then head up into the Rioja Alta country famous for its superb wines. We spend the night in a singular mannor house in the little walled town of Laguradia in the heart of the Basque Rioja province of Alava, considered by many to produce the finest Rioja wines of all. Taste for yourself at our dinner together!

DAY 4 - Laguardia to Santo Domingo

Laguardia to Santo Domingo - Ride of 45km.
Today we take a forgiven detour off of the Camino, into the Rioja Alta, where there'll be a chance to visit the fantastical Marques de Riscál winery designed by Frank Gehry. After lunch, we'll head on to St. Domingo de la Calzada, an enchanting walled town where we'll spend the night - but not before visiting St. Domingo's most important sight, the famous church with a hen and a rooster. To understand why, you'll have to come on the tour! Group dinner at one of the best restaurants along the Camino.

DAY 5 - Santo Doming to Burgos

Santo Doming to Burgos - Ride of 92 km.
Riding ever westward, we head into the beautiful Oca hills to Burgos, home of one of Spain's biggest heroes, El Cid. Along the way, we'll visit San Juan de Ortega - one of the holiest spots on the Camino and where Queen Isabel prayed for a child. In Burgos, we will be staying very near the stunning Cathedral built by wool merchants in the 13th century and harboring the tomb of El Cid. Free evening to sample one of Burgos' famous restaurants or tapas bars.

DAY 6 - Burgos to Carrion de Los Condes

Burgos to Carrion de Los Condes 96km / 60miles.

Today we head across the meseta, the lovely gently rolling plains of northern Spain, to Carrión de los Condes. Around lunchtime, the Camino takes us right through the main nave of the haunting ruins of the San Antón Church - once home to monks skilled in curing people of St. Anthony's Fire. Onwards, we eventually arrive in Carrión where we'll eat dinner and spend the night in the sumptuous royal monastery of San Zoilo - a national monument in its own right.

DAY 7 - Carrion de Los Condes to Leon - Ride of 94km / 59m

Carrion de Los Condes to Leon - Ride of 94km / 59m.

Riding onwards, across the vast rolling meseta we pass through Sahagun & its ruins of a monastery that was once so vast and powerful that it minted its own coin! Passing through innumerable villages, each with its own share of legends and miracles, our ride brings us to León & its breathtaking Cathedral. We have two nights here in which to rest up and visit the wonderful sights that León has to offer. Our hotel NH Plaza Mayor is wonderfully located in the heart of the old town. Evening free.

DAY 8 - Leon

A day to relax and just enjoy León. Visit the wonderful Cathedral with its incredible stained glass windows - so many of them that they make up 60% of the exterior walls! An engineering marvel. Then there's the Basilica de San Isidoro with its vivid 12th century frescos depicting scenes from the bible and everyday life in medieval Spain. You might want to do like the Spaniards and while away some hours just hanging out in the Barrio Humid (so called because of all the many bars) eating tapas and watching the world go by. Joining our tour today? After 10:00am meeting at our hotel we'll brief you on the tour and present you with your tour packages. After getting you fitted for your bike, we'll then make sure you get your Pilgrim Passports and point you in the right direction for a day of sightseeing in beautiful León. Welcome Dinner tonight at one of León's oldest restaurants to say 'Buen Camino' to our newly arrived participants

DAY 9 - Leon to Astorga

Leon to Astorga - Ride of 61km / 38m.

Today, we're back on our bikes and on to Astorga, the land of the Maragatos, a curious subculture of mysterious origen. Astorga was once a Roman stronghold and now is home to a 15th century Cathedral and neo-gothic Episcopal Palace Designed by the famous Catalan architect, Antoní Gaudi. Our gorgeous guest house is right across from the Cathedral and the Palace. Free evening to explore town.

DAY 10 - Astorga to Cacabelos

Astorga to Cacabelos - Ride of 74km / 46m.

Leaving Astorga, we'll head up into the Montes de León toward the Cruz de Heiro surrounded by a moutain of stones left by penitent pilgrims. As we ride through this region dotted with tiny hamlets unchanged since the Middle Ages, the 'feeling' of the Camino is palpable. We'll take time to visit the magnificent Templar's castle in Ponferrada before riding on to the old village of Cacabelos and our restored country palace set in its own vineyards. Dinner together tonight at a truly memorable setting where all the ingredients are estate grown.

DAY 11 - Cacabelos to O Cebreiro

Cacabelos to O Cebreiro - Ride of 43km / 27m.

We head today for Galicia and the last leg of the Camino. We pass Villafranca Del Bierzo along the way with its tiny little Church of Santiago and almost as holy as the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. From here we climb into the misty Montes de Galicia separating, León from Galicia, and our night's destination, O Cebreiro, a tiny hamlet just inside the Galician border. The little church here has a chalice that has been closely linked with the Holy Grail. Dinner together.

DAY 12 - O Cebreiro to Portomarin

O Cebreiro to Portomarin - Ride of 70km / 43m.

We're now in the gentle misty country of Galícians - a Celtic people with their own language. Their music, culture and even countryside are more reminiscent of Ireland than Spain. Riding along stonewalled roads lined with lush green meadows we'll stop to visit the sprawling great 6th century Monastery of Samos before riding on to Portomarín high above the Miño River. Our accommodations are in a comfortable inn with lovely views out over the Galician hills. Dinner together.

DAY 13 - Portomarin to Arzua

Portomarin to Arzua - Ride of 62km / 28m.

Almost there! Today we spend our last night on the Camino near the little town of Arzúa. Along the way, we'll visit one of the most outstanding Romanesque churches along the Camino in the hamlet of Vilar de Donas. The church is especially evocative of the Middle Ages, adorned with carvings and tombs of the Knights of Santiago. Through forests and meadows, we follow the actual Camino, on to our night's accommodation - a Galician country manor house. Dinner together.

DAY 14 - Arzua to Santiago de Compostela

Arzua to Santiago de Compostela - Ride of 50km / 30m.

The last day's ride brings us to our hard-earned goal - the beautiful cathedral town of Santiago de Compostela. We'll be accompanied by other pilgrims - all eager to reach their goal. In Santiago, we head to our comfortable monastic hotel only a block from the Cathedral. There'll be time to collect your Compostela (pilgrim certificate) before going to the Cathedral for a guided visit. Farewell Feast tonight at one of Santiago's most renown restaurants to celebrate our achievement.

DAY 15 - Farewell

After breakfast we'll say farewell and offer an A.M. transfer to the airport. For those of you staying on we'll offer recommendations of what to see and suggestions as to where else to go if you're looking for a few more days of traveling in this exceptionally lovely area of the world.

Included

Hybrid or Road bicycle hire for the tour duration (e-bikes or race bikes available as optional extras).
Daily breakfasts, 8 lunches, 11 dinners, and en route snacks available at all times from the van.
Carefully selected local wine or beer with every delicious meal.
Expert guides with extensive local knowledge, who go above and beyond to cater to your every need.
Entrance fees to all scheduled historic sites, museums, and scenic natural parks.
Pick up and drop off before and after your tour from convenient locations.