Finishing my camino in 2025

[Shelz]

This year I walked from SJPP to Villa Franca Montes de Oca then took a bus to Burgos where I spent 3 nights then train to Madrid and flew home. So my dilemma is when I go back in June 2025 to finish should I start from Burgos or back track to Villa Franca? It would be a little more difficult to get there from Madrid but I am wondering if I will miss out on that 38k stretch. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

[trecile]

I don't think that anyone can answer that for you. Are you a "completer"? Will you always feel like you missed something if you don't do that stretch? Your answer to those questions will tell you what to do.

 

[Shelz]

I don't think that anyone can answer that for you. Are you a "completer"? Will you always feel like you missed something if you don't do that stretch? Your answer to those questions will tell you what to do.

Yeah, that's what I am afraid of. I just may feel like I left something on the table.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

The Rome2Rio website has you passing through Burgos when you search for transportation from Madrid to Villafranca so it won't be too much extra trouble. There are several buses a day that go from Burgos to Villafranca.

I would most likely do it.

 

[CWBuff]

Short of touching on the subject that @trecile mentioned and the fact of the oft-spoken "ugly" approach to Burgos I would probably skip the back tracking and get to Burgos and start from there.
Just my personal opinion for what its worth

 

[davejsy]

Go back to VFMdO - no regrets. If that is the place before the climb through the beautiful but haunting forest with its haltingly brutal rements of Franco's mark on this land then you shouldn't really miss it for better or worse.

 

[davejsy]

and the fact of the oft-spoken "ugly" approach to Burgos

Always the river route - there is nothing ugly about that.

 

[trecile]

fact of the oft-spoken "ugly" approach to Burgos

But using the Wise Pilgrim app it's pretty easy to follow the much nicer river route into Burgos.

And this PDF in the forum resources section is great for a visual guide:

Resource icon

Burgos River Route

Aug 9, 2020

River route into Burgos with pictures.

• linkster
• Camino Francés

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

And this PDF in the forum resources section is great for a visual guide:

Beat me again. I had the link, came back to post and I was two minutes too late.

 

[Shelz]

Thanks everyone! Looks like Villafranca will be my starting point. Hopefully I can get there from Madrid the same day I land (most likely land just before noon) spend the night and on my way the next morning. Will def take the river route into Burgos!

 

[trecile]

Thanks everyone! Looks like Villafranca will be my starting point. Hopefully I can get there from Madrid the same day I land (most likely land just before noon) spend the night and on my way the next morning. Will def take the river route into Burgos!

The albergue and hotel San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca is great. If you need a good night's sleep you might want to opt for the hotel room. They serve a pilgrim dinner in the dining room where you can meet fellow pilgrims.

Albergue San Antón Abad | Albergue de Peregrinos en Villafranca Montes de Oca | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue San Antón Abad, en Villafranca Montes de Oca: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

 

[dougfitz]

If you have the time, visiting the excavation site at Atapuerca is another side trip you might want to put into your schedule. That and taking a little time at San Juan de Ortega. The other things I found attractive about those couple of days walking have already been mentioned, ie the forest, monument and I would take the river path.

 

[nycwalking]

Thanks everyone! Looks like Villafranca will be my starting point. Hopefully I can get there from Madrid the same day I land (most likely land just before noon) spend the night and on my way the next morning. Will def take the river route into Burgos!

Excellent.

There’s nothing quite like a sense of completion.

Buen camino

 

[bestfootforward]

Yeah, that's what I am afraid of. I just may feel like I left something on the table.

Then you have your answer You won't be disappointed with starting back where you left off. And def as @davejsy suggests, go the river route into Burgos. Buen Camino!

 

[Shelz]

The albergue and hotel San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca is great. If you need a good night's sleep you might want to opt for the hotel room. They serve a pilgrim dinner in the dining room where you can meet fellow pilgrims.

Albergue San Antón Abad | Albergue de Peregrinos en Villafranca Montes de Oca | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue San Antón Abad, en Villafranca Montes de Oca: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

Good idea, I will stay there this time, I had breakfast there stayed at a cute little inn on the main road coming into town. Will be nice to meet up with some pilgrims, my last bit from SJPP to there I was with a friend and we mostly did private rooms so I am actually looking forward to mixing it up more this time on my own

 

[Camino Chrissy]

The albergue and hotel San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca is great.

I've stayed here twice, both times in the albergue section in back of the lovely hotel, and we had the single beds. The meal at the restaurant was excellent, and we enjoyed the company of other pilgrims sitting at our table. We walked with a couple again later as we headed into Burgos along the river.

 

[JerryStroebele]

If you have the time, visiting the excavation site at Atapuerca is another side trip you might want to put into your schedule. That and taking a little time at San Juan de Ortega. The other things I found attractive about those couple of days walking have already been mentioned, ie the forest, monument and I would take the river path.

If you don't have time to schedule a visit to the excavation site, just before Ages is an Atapuerca Man visitor center just 1.5km off the Camino -- you can see it from the Camino. You don't expend an extra 3km walking to and from it because there is a back way into Ages, very direct. The visitor center has amazing dioramas of how the people of this area - starting 800,000 years ago -- lived here. Entry is free, nice bathrooms and vending machine. Friendly staff. Give it an hour our two. Buen Camino

 

[Colokid]

Go back to VFMdO - no regrets. If that is the place before the climb through the beautiful but haunting forest with its haltingly brutal rements of Franco's mark on this land then you shouldn't really miss it for better or worse.

I agree w davejsy. The monunment/grave site was one of the most striking, memorable, encounters on my Camino completed this spring.

 

[oceide]

This year I walked from SJPP to Villa Franca Montes de Oca then took a bus to Burgos where I spent 3 nights then train to Madrid and flew home. So my dilemma is when I go back in June 2025 to finish should I start from Burgos or back track to Villa Franca? It would be a little more difficult to get there from Madrid but I am wondering if I will miss out on that 38k stretch. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

We walked to O Cebreiro, had to go home ,returned to Sarria and on to Santiago. Still missing 2 days walk. Recommending no skipping. It niggles.

 

[Shelz]

We walked to O Cebreiro, had to go home ,returned to Sarria and on to Santiago. Still missing 2 days walk. Recommending no skipping. It niggles.

Thanks for confirming, I don't want any niggles