landmarks

I’m indulging myself here, as an ex geologist. When I visited the Mezquita in 2018, I was astonished at the beauty and variety of source rocks for the celebrated 850 columns of the hypostyle hall. I shouldn’t have been, because apparently they were recycled columns from previous Roman and...

Hi all, just a quick one . Can anyone tell me where the pedestrian bridge is.. the one that's made of metal and zigzags up and over a road (or train track??) I seem to remember it was in the latter half of the Frances . As I was walking into a town at the end of the day so it might be one of the...

Say someone has managed to book travel to and from Madrid T4 to head north and start a camino later in the year - depending on restrictions etc, obvs - and had a grand total of 6 hours between landing and getting on the ALSA bus ... and wanted to see a slice of Madrid when it's so tantalisingly...

In this reportage Eva Abal briefy describes and maps ten Secret Corners to visit in Santiago; all are off the basic tourist route.

In mid September I expect to resume my slow walk west from Leon, a wonderful place, and I'm budgeting a day at leisure there before setting off.... How to spend it?!? I've been thru Leon several times over the years. I could happily spend my leisure day re-visiting the Cathedral and its museum...

Dreaming of an elegant lodging? See these Parador spaces. https://www.guiarepsol.com/es/dormir/en-la-gloria/habitacion-unica-parador-santiago-compostela/

Article in the local paper - La Opinion de Zamora - with comments from Teo and other townspeople. The pandemic has been challenging for the small communities along the Camino where pilgrims stay in normal times. I can't think of a community that takes better care of pilgrims...

In another thread @SabineP posted a photo of Antwerp railway station. It reminded me of all the stations I’ve passed through on the way to or from walking a camino. Some very beautiful. I always find them interesting, even the pedestrian ones. At the end of my very first camino, in 2001, I...

I was not aware of this, but apparently the statue of Pope John Paul 2 at Monte de Gozo has been removed. The plan was to renovate but it - according to this article - it will not return. This will also mean there will be a clearer view from the hill towards the city of Santiago...

The virtual pilgrims on the virtual Camino Lana have reached the Capilla de San Olav (Hermitage chapel of Saint Olaf) near Covarrubias. It has a Marmite reputation. How do you feel about it? (Poll closes in 7 days). Click here to see images. Click here for a description. Click here for...

Though I started the Mozárabe in Almería a few years ago, I am sorry to say that I knew nothing about the Archeological Museum there. Well, a few days ago, @Doughnut NZ posted a link to a Guardian article about the Algar, a Bronze Age culture living near Almería a few thousand years ago. Than...

A website says: Praza da Quintana. This plaza takes its name from the quintana or burial ground that used to occupy this space until 1780, when the city's public cemetery was moved outside the old town [https://www.trevorhuxham.com/2015/01/guided-tour-cathedral-santiago-de-compostela.html]...

Good news: Monte do Gozo, ready for pilgrims The environment has been made more accessible and places in the hostel have been restored...

This Ancient City Should Be Your First Stop in Spain Post-Pandemic While other destinations have been hibernating through the pandemic, this medieval jewel west of Madrid has been quietly glowing up. Read in The Daily Beast: https://apple.news/AuvHw6DIbSI6zhl23gx8gbg

Like many of the monasteries I have gotten to know on my Caminos, the Oseira monastery is located in a jaw-droppingly-beautiful location. When I stayed there, I took a little walk up, because in my experience, looking down at these sites is usually gorgeous. I’ve attached the pictures I took...

What follows is a summary list from this thread, a crowdsourced compilation of camino connections for Visigothic and other Pre-Romanesque churches on various caminos. (There are some duplications when a place is accessible from 2 caminos): Camino de Madrid — Wamba Side trip from Norte — San...

On one of the first days of our Camino Frances walk, we come to the top of Alto del Perdon, with its windmills, and not least, metal sculptures of pilgrims. But what do these sculptures actually mean? Here's an explanation...

Here we go on a follow-up to the wildly popular thread on Romanesque architecture for beginners. Remember - I know nothing about this, except what I write below. There are other members with similar lack of knowledge, who would like to learn something. Please try to help us rather than confuse...

With thanks to our beautiful Camino friend and fellow Forum member @OzAnnie for thinking of the idea, here’s a thread in which a lot of us might be prepared to share details of our ‘secret’ Santiago - ie those gems in Santiago which aren’t widely known about. I have two such secrets to share...

I expect I'm not the only one who takes photos of ruins. The history, the stories they contain - remembered and forgotten. Houses, churches, hórreos, barns, cottages, stone walls, whole villages... Would love to see your photos and the location. This one, just past Bon Xesús on the way to...