Spain: The Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela
May 14 – 26, 2010
Led by Professor Ori Z. Soltes


On foot or horseback—and later, by bicycle or bus—the spiritually thirsty have sought the outer calm and inner peace awaiting them along the road that culminates at the great cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Along this route an explosion of Romanesque and Gothic architecture occurred, as well as stunning examples of Spanish Renaissance and Baroque style—even the hand of Gaudi left its mark at the end of the nineteenth century. We will also examine the splendid evidence of the Celtic and Roman as well as Islamic and Jewish presence still visible in the archaeological sites, the ethnographic museums, the Visigothic and Mozarabic remains, as well as in the details of churches, cathedrals, monasteries and convents.

Come wend your way with us from fortress/palace to hostel, visiting cities and shrines that echo with legend — Zaragoza, Jaca, Pamplona, Burgos, León and Astorga; Roncesvalles, Clavijo—and famous names: Charlemagne and Roland, El Cid Campeador and Ximene. Soak in the vespers chant at the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silo and exult in the sights and tastes that have defined the world along the road to Santiago de Compostela for nearly three thousand years.

Friday, Saturday, May 14 & 15: ZARAGOZA: Independent departures Friday evening connecting directly to Zaragoza. The tour begins in the afternoon with a short walking tour, stopping to visit La Seo, the Cathedral and the Aljafería, a Moorish palace built in the 11th century and later used as a palace by the Aragón kings and Catholic monarchs. This evening we will meet with Professor Soltes for our opening lecture and dinner at our hotel.Gran Hotel.
Meals: Dinner

Sunday, May 16: JACA: Today we will embark on the first leg of our Pilgrim’s Route, making stops along the Way at other interesting sites and museums. At Huesca we will visit the old quarter and the Archaeological Museum’s collection of prehistoric artifacts and Aragonese Primitives. We then drive into the Pyrenees to the Castillo de Loarre, built in the 11th century by Sancho Ramírez, king of Aragón and Navarra. At 3,609 feet, this impenetrable fortress commands a spectacular view of the Erbo depression. After a break for lunch, our touring continues at the Monastery de San Juan de la Peña, nestled in a hollow high in the Sierra de la Peña. Dramatic for location, history and unique plan, the monastery was chosen by the kings of Aragón-Navarra as their pantheon. We continue to Aragón’s first capital, Jaca, the halt at the end of the Puerto de Somport used by French pilgrims. We will visit the Jaca Cathedral, Spain’s oldest Romanesque cathedral, before settling into the Hotel Reina Felicia for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Monday, May 17: PAMPLONA: We continue along the Way to Pamplona, stopping at Leyre Monastery, whose church is one of the earliest examples of Romanesque art in Spain and which was the spiritual center of Navarra until the region was joined to Aragón. Nearby we visit a 135-room Roman villa with indications of large-scale agricultural activity, wine presses, a granary and twelve small kilns, implying a large enterprise. After visiting the Templar-influenced church at Sangüesa, we continue to Olite for lunch at the charming Parador Principe de Viana, followed by a visit to the medieval Castle of the Kings of Navarre, built by Charles III. We will spend the next two nights at the centrally located NH Hotel Iruña Park.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, May 18: PAMPLONA: Our morning will be spent visiting the historical center of the fortified city of Pamplona, including the Navarra Museum, Plaza de Toros and its Gothic Cathedral. In the afternoon we will drive out to Roncesvalles Pass, crossed by countless medieval pilgrims and made famous by the French epic poem “Song of Roland,” written in the early 12th century about the ambush of Charlemagne’s army in 778 and the valiant Christian knights led by Roland. After visiting the Abbey at Roncesvalles, we return to Pamplona.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Wednesday, May 19: BURGOS: We continue along our Way, stopping at the lovely octagonal Romanesque chapel in Eunate before crossing the Puente de la Reina, a medieval bridge that spans the Río Arga and is the historic point where two caminos converge. Our next stop, Estrella, a major halt renowned for its handsome buildings, including the Romanesque Church of San Pedro de la Rüa, Palace of the Kings of Navarra and Plaza de San Martin. We will stop for lunch, sampling some of the local Rioja wines, before visiting the fine 12th century Cathedral in the small town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada and, time permitting, the Yuso Monastery, partially hollowed out of rock perched above the valley. Our final destination is Burgos, the native city of Spain’s legendary hero, El Cid. Our hotel, Hotel Velada Burgos, is located within the walls of the medieval city.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Thursday, May 20: BURGOS: A full day in Burgos to visit the Archaeological Museum, which houses finds from the region, and the third largest Cathedral in Spain, remarkable for its transformation of traditional Gothic into a typically Spanish style and for its outstanding art. Just outside town we will see the Royal Convent of Las Huelgas, its Museum of Medieval Materials and the fabulous altarpiece in the church of the Carthusian Monastery. The day ends at the Benedictine Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos in time to visit its beautiful cloisters before evening vespers. The Gregorian chant sung by the monks will surely be a highlight of our tour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunches & dinner

Friday, May 21: LEÓN: We will depart for the site of an important halt at Frómista. Built in 1055, the Church of San Martin marks the end of the development of Romanesque architecture in Castilla. Our Way continues via Villalcázar de Sirga, the Church of Santa María del Camino, renowned for its facade, and the Benedictine Convent of San Zoilo. After lunch at the Parador of San Zoilo, we will drive to La Pedrosa de la Vega to see an excellent example of a late Roman rural villa, which would have given a fortified appearance with towers in each corner and fine 4th century mosaic floors, and then continue across the infinite horizons of the Meseta to León. Founded as a camp for the Roman legions and an important halt along the Way of St. James, León’s monuments are still impressive. Hotel NH Plaza Mayor.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Saturday, May 22: LEÓN: Touring in León includes the Roman walls, Cathedral and Basilica of San Isidoro el Real. This afternoon we will visit Astorga, a major road junction in Roman times and famed for its fairs and as a halt for pilgrims in the Middle Ages. We will see its Cathedral and fantastic pastiche of a medieval palace built by Gaudi in 1889, before returning to León.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Sunday, May 23: LUGO: Today’s drive brings us into a region famous for its wines and pre-Roman thatched stone houses, pallozas, occupied by mountain families until recently. We travel via Ponferrada, renowned for its templar castle, and continue to Villafranca del Bierzo to visit the Romanesque Church of Santiago. The northern doorway of the church is called the “door of forgiveness”, as those pilgrims passing through this door but unable to continue to Compostela are granted the absolution and plenary indulgence as if they had reached the cathedral of Santiago. The pilgrims’ route through the village is lined with historical monuments ending with the Collegiate Church of Santa María de Cruñego, built on the first foundation of Cluniac monks. It houses a magnificent Berruguetian altarpiece and other noteworthy features. Our Way continues to the great Monastery of Samos, founded in the 6th century and one of the most ancient in Spain. The small Mozarabic Chapel is one of the few medieval remains, as the main part of the monastery dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. Our last stop of the day will be off our pilgrims’ Way as we explore a Celtic settlement and museum at Castro de Viladonga. The day ends at the Hotel Ciudad de Lugo, a short walk from Lugo’s ancient inner town, which is encircled by nearly intact 3rd century walls, the most complete Roman town walls in Spain.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Monday, May 24: SANTIAGO: As we continue along the Way, we stop at Santa Eulalia de Bóveda, a unique 4th century Christianized Roman temple with wall mosaics, and Melide, the region’s oldest stone calvary. Nearing our final destination, we will have our first view of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela from Montedo Gozo and terminate our long journey at the Hotel San Francisco, formerly a monastery. The afternoon will be spent visiting the Cathedral, constructed on the same site as its two predecessors. It is thought that a complex of Roman buildings existed under the southern edge of the Cathedral, which in the Late Imperial or Visigothic periods became a burial site and later became associated with the legend of the burial of St. James.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, Wednesday, May 25 & 26: SANTIAGO: This morning we will visit the Church of Santa María del Sar, made famous by a unique optical effect produced by its leaning columns. The afternoon will be at leisure to explore the town treasures on our own before our farewell dinner. On Wednesday we will depart for home.
Meals: Breakfast & dinner