In March I took the guided tour (in English) of the Alcazar in Malaga. I felt like a tourist instead of a pilgrim but I learned a lot more than I could have walking around on my own. Buen Camino
Why don't you take a bus to Porto and from Porto a train to Coimbra and/or Aveiro (a must see when in Portugal). From Coimbra only a few hours by train to Lisbon on to Madrid. I did it the other way round and I loved it.
Some great suggestions. The only thing I would add to think about is that if it's cold and rainy on your way to and in Santiago, it's likely to be even worse in Finisterra and Muxia along the coast.
But of course, it varies. I'd scour the...
Near Santiago, the first places that come to mind are Finisterre/Muxia and A Coruña. But if you want to head to Madrid a bit early, Toledo and Segovia are both very close and great places to visit.
Fisterra, Muxia, A Coruna, Ferrol, Lugo, Ourense: they're all nice places to spend a bit of time. All accesible by public transport and all as much fun as they can ever be in the cold and the rain. That said I've sat in a hot spring in Ourense...
I'll be in Santiago until the 11th and then I plan to be back in Santiago on the 17th. My flight is out of Madrid. I'm thinking about spending a few nights in Finesterre and then a few nights in Muxia. I don't want to walk them right now because...
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