How crowded is the Levante

[Antonius Vaessen]

Next year April I will start a camino again. At the moment I am considering the Via Francigena from Aulla. The Levante has come up as an option to. What I want to know is how crowded this camino is. I don't mind walking alone
, a crowded camino does not attract me. But meeting some other pilgrims in the evening is one of the main reasons I like the camino. So can somebody tell me how many people walk in this time of your ( and how the situation regarding accomodations is)

 

[Flog]

I would be keen to know too. I've been thinking of walking the Levante from Toledo, maybe even in late autumn if it's feasible..

 

[gns]

I walked from Toledo to Medina Del Campo in September last year and saw four other pilgrims in 10 days.

 

[Lindsay53]

I am starting the Levante in a couple of weeks (02 September) and everything I have read points to a fairly solitary experience. I will check in here occasionally with my observations.

 

[OZAJ]

I walked the Levante in July 2016 and met very few other pilgrims. I didn't particularly like the walk between Valencia and Toledo, rather boring. I know some people will disagree with me on this. After Toledo I enjoyed the walk.

 

[Donna Sch]

Did the Levante in Feb 2019. Saw 3 other pilgrims. It's a lonely one so good couple one.

 

[LTfit]

Don't expect to see more than a few pilgrims, granted I walked Valencia-Toledo in 2014 and Toledo-Zamora the year after so there may be a few more walking now.

I walked the first part with a Camino friend and we saw only on other pilgrim. The second part I walked alone and I met one couple one evening, that's it.

Accommodations were no problem, there were simple albergues along the way. Maybe someone who has walked it more recently can chime in.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

I walked the Levante in July 2016 and met very few other pilgrims. I didn't particularly like the walk between Valencia and Toledo, rather boring. I know some people will disagree with me on this. After Toledo I enjoyed the walk.

@OZAJ , What was the difference between the two parts for you?
I have also been thinking about this Camino from Toledo. Toledo and Avila seem like great sketching destinations.

And everybody, what is the difference between the Levante and the Sureste? Are they the same route?

 

[jo_nz]

Next year April I will start a camino again. At the moment I am considering the Via Francigena from Aulla. The Levante has come up as an option to. What I want to know is how crowded this camino is. I don't mind walking alone
, a crowded camino does not attract me. But meeting some other pilgrims in the evening is one of the main reasons I like the camino. So can somebody tell me how many people walk in this time of your ( and how the situation regarding accomodations is)

We started on June 28th in Valencia and walked as far as Ávila. Had to stop because of foot injury. In the whole month we walked we never saw another pilgrim! Very quiet but as a bonus we had the accommodations to ourselves.

 

[Flog]

Lack of pilgrims on quieter ways doesn't have to be a lonely experience. I've found that local communities can be very enthusiastic and supportive when a lone pilgrim rolls into town, it's a nice feeling...

 

[High Endeavours]

Like others here I've heard that the Levante is very quiet and not that appealing until Toledo (a great city), but everyone looks for different things. I walked the Via Francigena in 2022 and it was brilliant! I met just enough people to experience a small community from time to time (more so in Italy). The local people were lovely, the scenery was amazing and the food brilliant! To my mind there is really no contest, but each to their own. Like in any country, learning some of the language will improve your experience including those you meet as well. It looks as though your listed walks have been limited to Spain, and perhaps this is your opportunity to try something different. There are so many excellent walks in other EU countries! I recently completed the Vezelay and perhaps you might enjoy this route. Much quieter than the Le Puy which has become extremely busy and then there is the Arles/Aragones which is brilliant! So many to choose from... Enjoy your planning!

 

[JWB]

This year I walked the Levante starting April 11’th. First two weeks I was completely alone, no other pelgrims. After that some others started earlier ( a group of 4) than me, walking shorther stages.

 

[LTfit]

@OZAJ , What was the difference between the two parts for you?
I have also been thinking about this Camino from Toledo. Toledo and Avila seem like great sketching destinations.

And everybody, what is the difference between the Levante and the Sureste? Are they the same route?

Hi Stephan,
I personally preferred the Toledo-Zamora section. The first 3-4 days out of Valencia are on asphalt, not great for the body.

Imho the scenery from Toledo on is much more varied, going through a few mountain passes which were amazing even though I did it in the rain. I told myself that I must return to see it all in good weather. And if course Ávila could be amazing to sketch!

If you look at the maps of the Sureste and Levante you will see that the Levante actually goes south a few days before it turns back north. It meets up with the Sureste which starts in Alicante as the Lana does. Maybe this map will help confuse you even more!

 

[domigee]

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

www.encaminodesdealicante.org

Information on the Camino from Alicante

 

[OZAJ]

What was the difference between the two parts for you?

The countryside. This might seem odd, as I loved all of the VDlP.
Of the few pilgrims I met, only one enjoyed Valencia to Toledo.

 

[peregrina2000]

And everybody, what is the difference between the Levante and the Sureste? Are they the same route?

This map will show you how interconnected they are.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think whether you like the Valencia - Toledo part depends on what you’re looking for in a Camino. I agree that the first three or four days are brutal for the feet, asphalt all the way, through suburbs and then ag fields of rice and fruit orchards.

Like others here I've heard that the Levante is very quiet and not that appealing until Toledo (a great city), but everyone looks for different things.

This first part is very much a camino of wide open spaces with castles in the distance, fields that are a striking shade of emerald green in spring with splotches of red poppies and towns not on the tourist trail that have very interesting things to see (Xativa - stunning castle, Almansa - same as Xativa, Chinchilla - beautiful historic core and castle, San Clemente - very nice plaza mayor and small historic core, El Toboso - reputed home of the woman who is supposedly the woman on whom Quijote based Dulcinea and of course lots of windmills, Tembleque - beautiful and unusual plaza mayor).

And walking into Toledo on the Levante takes you to the El Greco View of Toledo (old town across the river high up) viewspot, which is one of the most beautiful views of a built space I’ve seen - I would compare it to the view of Porto back over the Douro from the Parque do Morro in Vila Nova de Gaia).

I am definitely a fan of Valencia to Toledo! In terms of numbers, there was absolutely no difference between pre- and post-Toledo, until you get to the Vdlp/Sanabrés in Zamora.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Maybe this map will help confuse you even more!

Thanks. On that map, they're calling the Levante the Camino D'Este? With 3 or 4 starting points!
(EDIT: whoops, now that makes sense, Levante, and Este, both mean East).

This map will show you how interconnected they are.

Thank you, that is a great map! Very funny as well as descriptive. And the El Greco view into Toledo sounds fantastic!

I have never been to Toledo, but from there to Zamora will definitely be part of my next sketching Camino (from the coast is too much for me).

I think what I need to research though is how I could maximize my exposure to Don Quixotesque windmills, which seem to be in that region as well. Maybe starting in El Toboso or nearby?Or maybe starting from Cuidad Real on the Camino Manchego? Or perhaps totally off-Camino routes? There is something called the Don Quixote Trail, although it seems to be a car, bus, or train trail, as opposed to a walking trail.

 

[Juliana K]

I walked Levante from Valencia to Zamora, Sep23~Oct23, 2022.1Day off in each Toledo and Avila. I hadn’t met any pilgrims on the road, but some accommodation I met them.After Toledo, one day off, I hadn’t met a single pilgrim until Zamora. But I can tell it was a lovely trail. I enjoyed very much by myself.

 

[bval]

On May 12, this year, I started my Camino in Alicante. I went a mixture of sureste and levante. As you can see on the map shown by peregrina2000. I had read that I probably shouldn't expect to meet many other pilgrims. One of the reasons I chose this Camino. I thought I would have to call my husband every evening,but I was surprised at how many others I met. From Alicante to Zamora I probably met about 25 other pilgrims. After Zamora I stopped counting. On average, I was with someone every second day. In Torrijos there were so many of us that they had to turn away a German lady. Accomodations were no problem and the weather was absolutely perfect, only 20 drops of rain. I can definitely recommend this Camino. I had a fantastic time. Having said that, I can also recommend the Via Francigena. It's my favorite Camino. In fact, I have walked the entire route. Hope this is a little help. Happy planning.