We have told you about the French Way countless times. And it is not for less, because we remind you that it is the one chosen by more than half of the pilgrims to reach Santiago. In addition, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco since 1993.
For this reason, we wanted to make a “to do list” of what you cannot stop doing if you go through it. You may not be able to mark the “fact” at all points, as some will depend on what your initial stage is.
In any case, here we leave it:
1. Enjoy DO La Rioja wine.
The Camino de Santiago can become a very complete experience that is not based solely on walking from point to point. You can enjoy everything it offers you. A good example is wine, something so characteristic of our land. We can confirm that each road has its wine, and we are not referring to the pairing, but to the Denominations of Origin that you can find on your journey. Clearly the DO that reigns in this case is La Rioja.
2. Visit Puente la Reina.
This population that is only 24km from Pamplona appears in the Calixtino Codex for being a meeting point for several routes. From here they will merge into one, leaving just over 680km for your destination. Here you will cross the medieval bridge, one of the most photographed icons of the Camino, and you will honor the ancient pilgrims.
3. Feel Don Quixote walking between windmills.
Specifically those of the Sierra del Perdón. Right between Pamplona and Puente la Reina, at almost 1000m above sea level is this point. There you can enjoy wonderful views and walk among the more than 40 wind mills that have been placed.
4. Enjoy the light through the stained glass windows of the Cathedral of León.
More than 730 stained glass windows fill the light that enters from the outside with color. A spectacle worth enjoying with more than 1800m2 of crystals.
5. Follow the tradition of leaving a stone behind as you pass through the Cruz de Ferro.
Here you will find yourself at the highest point of the Camino Frances. Between Foncebadón and Manjarín, in León. A large mound of stones accumulated by all the pilgrims who pass through this point throughout the year, placed next to a mast about 5 meters high. The reason for these stones has several explanations. Some say that it is as a sign of gratitude, others believe that it is to leave behind the bad and most do it as a sign of offering.
6. Visit the pallozas of Pedrafita do Cebreiro.
There are many attractions in the area, but one of the most requested photos is that of the set of pallozas that are still preserved and that shows us how the houses were designed to support the weight of the snow and where people and animals lived together.
7. Cross the Arch of San Miguel de Mazarreros
The last vestige of the church that disappeared in the fifteenth century. A combination of Gothic and Romanesque styles in danger of ruin.
8. Enjoy the most typical gastronomy of each of the points you pass through.
At this point it counts much more to make a selection. And it is that if our country is known for something, it is for gastronomy. In each place you will find a typical dish or a gastronomic custom to enjoy.
What has been the one you liked the most?
Live the experience of the Camino to the fullest. Enjoy every corner and its curiosities.
