monasteries of San Millan

[Polly Wanna Cracker]

I am considering walking the Monasteries route from Azofra. I will arrive probably sometime in May. My starting point is SJPDP on April 24 2023. I will be alone. Has anyone done this and can I have some feed back on their experience. Also, where can I stay because it will take a day to get there and a day to reconnect with the Camino. Thank you.

 

[mspath]

One pleasant excursion would be to walk from Najera via route LR 205 (17 km) to the Unesco World Heritage site of San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries, (10th and 6th c), stay overnight in a casa rurale since there is no albergue, visit the two sites the next day and return to the CF at Santo Domingo de la Calzada via route LR 204 (19 km) on the third day.

If you type San Millan into the blue search space at the top of this page you will find many posts re getting to and visiting the monasteries.
Happy planning and and Buen camino.

 

[Kanga]

I am considering walking the Monasteries route from Azofra. I will arrive probably sometime in May. My starting point is SJPDP on April 24 2023. I will be alone. Has anyone done this and can I have some feed back on their experience. Also, where can I stay because it will take a day to get there and a day to reconnect with the Camino. Thank you.

I am not familiar with a specific "Monasteries route". Maybe one of our well travelled members could help. As @mspath says, there are various ways of getting to monasteries nearby.

 

[MikeC]

I cycled to the monasteries a few years ago and found that it was not possible to visit as an individual, but only as part of a group tour and that the tours were for Spanish speakers.

 

[Gadflyparexcellence]

San Milian Yuso and Suso Monasteries used to be a destination for many pilgrims in the past. Even today some take a detour to visit these spots. Suso is still a living monastery today. @mspath's suggestion is very well taken. I used Laguardia in Rioja as a base to visit them, but there are other options available close to them.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I have walked to San Millan as part of my pilgrimage. It's a long day's walk, but very worth it.
I didn't have any trouble getting an individual ticket to see the monuments, but I speak Spanish. I don't think there English-language tour options.
There are several Casas Rurales in the little town, and there's also a big fancy Hospederia attached to the monastery, a four-star hotel with very comfortable rooms, a nice restaurant, and a Pilgrim Discount! It's still a bit of a splurge, but if you can swing that, go for it!
The following day you can follow the GR trail that's waymarked over the hill past the old Yuso cave-monastery where San Millan holed-up. It's a lovely walk through woods and tiny towns, it eventually takes you down a tarmac road to Santo Domingo de la Calzada and back onto the Camino Frances.
I did it on my own. No fear.

 

[Polly Wanna Cracker]

I have walked to San Millan as part of my pilgrimage. It's a long day's walk, but very worth it.
I didn't have any trouble getting an individual ticket to see the monuments, but I speak Spanish. I don't think there English-language tour options.
There are several Casas Rurales in the little town, and there's also a big fancy Hospederia attached to the monastery, a four-star hotel with very comfortable rooms, a nice restaurant, and a Pilgrim Discount! It's still a bit of a splurge, but if you can swing that, go for it!
The following day you can follow the GR trail that's waymarked over the hill past the old Yuso cave-monastery where San Millan holed-up. It's a lovely walk through woods and tiny towns, it eventually takes you down a tarmac road to Santo Domingo de la Calzada and back onto the Camino Frances.
I did it on my own. No fear.

Thank you. Your answer was the one I have been looking for. Thank you. I really want to do this. About how long of a walk if I walk at least 3 miles and hour. Can I see both monasteries in one day. Should I expect to walk there in one day, spend the night, see both monasteries spend another night and then get back to the Comino Frances. Last embarrassing question. What is the GR trail. I feel dumb!!!!!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Dear Polly, it's been a good while since I did this, but if I was walking the Camino again, I would do it differently. There are a couple of daily buses from Najera to San Millan, and I'd take one of those to town, and skip the long asphalt walk that seemed to be totally uphill. Depending on what time I got there, I'd check into my accomodation and then see about getting a tour ticket. I might have to wait til morning to see the monasteries. If I played it just right and saw them the afternoon before, I could leave early for my walk to Santo Domingo.
I don't know how long it would take at 3 mph. I don't think in miles any more. I did it just fine in a day, and I walk about 4 km. per hour. (Planning down to that degree of detail will drive you mad.) Take along a snack.
A GR trail is a "grand randonee" or "gran recorrido" trail. It's part of a European trail network that uses white and red blazes to mark a huge number of numbered trails all through the continent. When you get to San Millan, ask at the info desk and/or the hotel desk about the walking trail to Santo Domingo. If they don't know, the guy who drives the mini bus up to the upper monastery can show you were to pick it up.

 

[Polly Wanna Cracker]

Dear Polly, it's been a good while since I did this, but if I was walking the Camino again, I would do it differently. There are a couple of daily buses from Najera to San Millan, and I'd take one of those to town, and skip the long asphalt walk that seemed to be totally uphill. Depending on what time I got there, I'd check into my accomodation and then see about getting a tour ticket. I might have to wait til morning to see the monasteries. If I played it just right and saw them the afternoon before, I could leave early for my walk to Santo Domingo.
I don't know how long it would take at 3 mph. I don't think in miles any more. I did it just fine in a day, and I walk about 4 km. per hour. (Planning down to that degree of detail will drive you mad.) Take along a snack.
A GR trail is a "grand randonee" or "gran recorrido" trail. It's part of a European trail network that uses white and red blazes to mark a huge number of numbered trails all through the continent. When you get to San Millan, ask at the info desk and/or the hotel desk about the walking trail to Santo Domingo. If they don't know, the guy who drives the mini bus up to the upper monastery can show you were to pick it up.

Dear Rebekah, again, thank you for responding to all my questions. I still might have more to ask because it's quite a while before I start. Hope that is okay with you. You are perfectly right about detailed planning. Im actually trying to not do any planning. My question about timing of walking was more about distance. The only thing I have read is it is a long days walk. I also was under the impression that it was not on asphalt but more of a trail and when wet could be a little treacherous. You have been so great.

 

[islandwalker]

I am considering walking the Monasteries route from Azofra. I will arrive probably sometime in May. My starting point is SJPDP on April 24 2023. I will be alone. Has anyone done this and can I have some feed back on their experience. Also, where can I stay because it will take a day to get there and a day to reconnect with the Camino. Thank you.

Here are some tracks on Wikiloc that might help you with your planning. I couldn't find one using the GR route, unfortunately.

Camino de Santiago Detour Najera to San Millan de la Cogolla

Camino de Santiago Detour Najera to San Millan de la Cogolla Hiking trail in Nájera, La Rioja (España). Download its GPS track and follow the itinerary on a map. RUTA AMARILLA CAMINO DE SANTIAGO (VARIANTE A SAN MILLÁN DE LA COGOLLA) SAlIDA: Desde el ALBERGUE DE PEREGRINOS, Plaza de Santiago en...

www.wikiloc.com

San Millán de la Cogolla - Santo Domingo de la Calzada

San Millán de la Cogolla - Santo Domingo de la Calzada Hiking trail in San Millán de la Cogolla, La Rioja (España). Download its GPS track and follow the route on a map. Record your own itinerary from the Wikiloc app, upload the trail and share it with the community.

www.wikiloc.com

 

[islandwalker]

I couldn't find one using the GR route, unfortunately.

Aha - maybe this is it:

GR 93 Sierras de la Rioja

GR 93 Sierras de la Rioja Hiking trail in Cornago, La Rioja (España). Download its GPS track and follow the itinerary on a map. Tracks obtenidos de http://www.senderioja.es y los usuarios de wikilock Joselpo, Kirtash. Puede contener errores.

www.wikiloc.com

 

[Rebekah Scott]

It may not be an actual GR. And there may be better routes to San Millan now than the one I followed way back when... I am pretty sure I just took the road!