San Juan de Ortega or Atapuerca?

[NJohn]

I wanted to find out which one you would recommend for an overnight stay - San Juan de Ortega or Atapuerca? Or Ages? Thanks so much for your help.

 

[irishrock]

I stayed in San Juan and wish I had continued (I had hiked from Granon and was at 40km for the day) I wish I had moved on to one of the other ones as there were more restaurants to choose from. San Juan's albuergue offered a pilgrim meal (and it wasn't top notch). Buen Camino

 

[Copper Image]

The municipal in Ages was great with a communal meal.

 

[adam lapp]

I’d say Ages, have stayed a few times and good albergue with restaurant down stairs. Have never stayed in San Juan but have hear bad reviews. And I passed through Atapuerca and the albergue looked nice, but it was randomly closed that day. I can’t remember the day of week. Not sure why, but it would be a let down to get there ready to sleep and it’s closed.

 

[Rick M]

Not much in San Juan, I have always walked through it, having stayed in both Ages and Atapuerca. Ages is a great pilgrim town, with a couple of places close to each other, and a lively vibe. Atapuerca is smaller, but the restaurant across from the albergue (Comosapiens) serves one of the best menu del dia on the camino. You can't go wrong either way.

 

[RJM]

I have stayed at all three pre pandemic. Liked them all.
Ages and Atapuerca are almost within sight of each other.

 

[OTH86]

Ages! With breakfast at Alquimista if it's still in business!

 

[Laurie Bryan Larson]

I stayed in San Juan and wish I had continued (I had hiked from Granon and was at 40km for the day) I wish I had moved on to one of the other ones as there were more restaurants to choose from. San Juan's albuergue offered a pilgrim meal (and it wasn't top notch). Buen Camino

The hospitaleros were also very crabby.

 

[JerryStroebele]

San Juan was nice last October, no crabby hospitaleros, and the nearby restaurant great. Buen Camino

 

[SBevington]

I stayed in San Juan de Ortega and it was the worst accommodations of my entire Camino. I was expecting a pilgrims Mass or Blessing and communal dinner and they had neither of those. The sleeping room was not clean, the mattress was so worn out that it felt more like a hammock and I saw mold on the walls. There was a very small restaurant on site and a bar a block away which was so packed one could barely get inside. (Which was a little scare in the age of Covid)
Others who walked on to Ages said it was a delightful place to stay.

 

[sshelto]

I recommend staying in Atapuerca. The albergue there is fine and the restaurant in town is amazing. Comosapiens is the name and it is a husband and wife but they do amazing menu of the dia. Atapuerca and the ‘first man’ archeological dig Is also the focus of the evolution museum in Burgos as well. Very interesting if you plan to visit the museum.

 

[lt56ny]

I stayed in Atapuerca many moons ago on my first camino at the Pilgrim Hostel. It was really nice then, Very relaxing and had a nice garden. I read on gronze that the walls were thin and could be noisy. I wear ear plugs so I do not have that issue. There was (and still is a restaurant across the street from the albergue. We went there because it was raining that night. I checked and it is still there. It is called Restaurante Comosapiens. It was over 10 years ago but the food was fantastic. The best pilgrim dinner I ever had. It was close to fine dining. The owner was a really unpleasant guy. He seated us and he cooked. We had a laugh before dinner because he was the exact opposite of what a restaurant host should be. But once we tasted his food wowwww. I have no idea if it is the same owner or if the food is still as good as it was that night. It still has 4.5/5 stars on Google with 559 reviews.

Restaurante Comosapiens · C. Cam. de Santiago, 24, 26, 09199 Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain

★★★★★ · Restaurant

www.google.com

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Depends where you stop the night before. I stopped at Hotel Restaurante San Antón Abad the night before (and it was great, with a real bed!) and so I walked on to Albergue Vía minera ( Calle Iglesia, 1, 09192 Cardeñuela Riopico), 13 klm from Burgos and with a swimming pool

 

[RJM]

I stayed in San Juan de Ortega and it was the worst accommodations of my entire Camino. I was expecting a pilgrims Mass or Blessing and communal dinner and they had neither of those. The sleeping room was not clean, the mattress was so worn out that it felt more like a hammock and I saw mold on the walls. There was a very small restaurant on site and a bar a block away which was so packed one could barely get inside. (Which was a little scare in the age of Covid)
Others who walked on to Ages said it was a delightful place to stay.

I stayed there twice. On my first Camino more than ten years ago and more recently in 2018 when a heavy rainfall came down just as I reached San Juan and being kind of superstitious kind of guy I took it as a sign to stop there (just like the time I found a 2 Euro coin on the street in front of a bar in Puente la Reina...providence wanted me to go in the bar and order a beer which cost 2 Euros!). The albergue is in a centuries old monastery and was only a few euros in cost, so no way was I going to gripe about the accommodations. I mean it's a centuries old monastery, lol.
I did go to a mass just before the communal dinner they had then, which was pre-covid.

 

[sarahchicago]

Ages! With breakfast at Alquimista if it's still in business!

Stayed in Ages a couple of days ago- fun vibe in the small town. had dinner at Alquimista. Cute place and the soup was good although the main dish was not great.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Another vote for Ages. I've only had one CF and so I can't compare it with the other towns but I had a lot of fun wandering the town and taking photos.

 

[MaryLynn]

The hospitaleros were also very crabby.

I stayed in San Juan de Ortega a few years ago and the albergue was not clean and the Hospitalero was irritable and disinterested in his work. There was a meal, but it was definitely mediocre. I would never recommend staying at the albergue unless it has been kept clean and the Hospitalero was friendly.
I heard that the little bar/restaurant to the left of the albergue has rooms to rent, so I would recommend staying there, as the owners were very nice and friendly or carry on another 3.5km to Ages.
The church is worth a visit.

 

[Baba John]

I stayed in San Juan and wish I had continued (I had hiked from Granon and was at 40km for the day) I wish I had moved on to one of the other ones as there were more restaurants to choose from. San Juan's albuergue offered a pilgrim meal (and it wasn't top notch). Buen Camino

Just add a bottle of wine... you'll notice an immediate improvement.

 

[williamlittig]

I wanted to find out which one you would recommend for an overnight stay - San Juan de Ortega or Atapuerca? Or Ages? Thanks so much for your help.

Ages! It’s delightful!

 

[Kathy F.]

San Juan de Ortega is the one place on the CF that I must stay in . . . for all the wrong reasons.

The facilities are poor, the hospitaleros disinterested at their best, discourteous at their worst. The bar/restaurant next door is crowded and has mediocre food. The only good part is the plaza outside where you can be away from the albergue and the bar.

Why do I stay there? Why, indeed.

San Juan de Ortega is buried in the Church next door. He is one of the many Saints who worked very hard to make the journey for pilgrims less dangerous, more comfortable, and decided to do his works at this specific place.

On my second Camino, although I had decided that it was not worth the disappointment of staying there again and would continue to the next albergue, a miracle (which I've written about here before) took place which convinced me to stay.

Long story short, it is the one albergue which breaks my heart, which fills me with hope (it feels like such a hopeless place), and in which I am compelled to stay.

*sigh*

I dream of one day being a hospitalera there and breaking the cycle of deterioration. It may be the one place on the Camino I could really make a difference - singlehandedly TO THE RESCUE!!. Hahaha. Hubris.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Different strokes for different folks. I found it all delightful. But I was very tired. Muchas gracias if you hospitalero there. Buen Camino

 

[Robi Diaz De Vivar]

I wanted to find out which one you would recommend for an overnight stay - San Juan de Ortega or Atapuerca? Or Ages? Thanks so much for your help.

Absolutely Ages. The bar at the municipal albergue is where all passing peregrinos stop. It is very welcoming..great food and really nice staff. It's a quirky little town.

 

[howardd5]

I stayed in San Juan de Ortega and it was the worst accommodations of my entire Camino. I was expecting a pilgrims Mass or Blessing and communal dinner and they had neither of those. The sleeping room was not clean, the mattress was so worn out that it felt more like a hammock and I saw mold on the walls. There was a very small restaurant on site and a bar a block away which was so packed one could barely get inside. (Which was a little scare in the age of Covid)
Others who walked on to Ages said it was a delightful place to stay.

My experience was the same

 

[vaiciusc]

I was in San Juan de Ortega last night. I stayed at el Descanso de San Juan across the street from the parochial albergue/church. Most people i talked with last night we unhappy with the poor kept facilities over there. El Descanso only has 7 beds so you should call a day or two ahead. Owner was fantastic and the rooms were clean. I was very happy at El Descanso and it was the same price - 15euros

 

[Karl Oz]

I stayed in San Juan and wish I had continued (I had hiked from Granon and was at 40km for the day) I wish I had moved on to one of the other ones as there were more restaurants to choose from. San Juan's albuergue offered a pilgrim meal (and it wasn't top notch). Buen Camino

I did something similar in 2013, a 38km day to make-up time. San Juan was not great. Everyone ate in shifts in the cafe, since the albergue had only a vending machine. But at least a meal was available, and I was too tired to continue that day. Maybe it has improved since then.

 

[irishrock]

I did something similar in 2013, a 38km day to make-up time. San Juan was not great. Everyone ate in shifts in the cafe, since the albergue had only a vending machine. But at least a meal was available, and I was too tired to continue that day. Maybe it has improved since then.

as of 2017, it had not. they had a pilgrim meal, but it was lousy. I was there on a Saturday night, and thought, "I'll pick up breakfast at one of these nearby towns" Nope, they were closed on Sunday (and it was early) I ate after I had made the climb up/down the big hill prior to Burgos. Actually, it was worth the wait, the egg casserole was excellent