Thousands of tourists decide each year to do the Camino de Santiago, either on foot, by bicycle, on horseback … There are several routes that can be followed, and although it is done every year, when people are most encouraged to do it is when it is Year Xacobeo . In case you don’t know, it is the Jacobean Year when July 25 (Santiago Apostol’s Day) falls on a Sunday, so a logic of every X years is not followed but that is when the calendar "sends".
The next Jacobean Year will be in 2021, but there are many people who will not wait that long and will do the Camino much sooner. Today I would like to recommend the best route there is to do it by bicycle , a way that has more and more followers. It is an itinerary of about 6 days, with a quite acceptable pace for anyone, whether you are an expert or a novice to the handlebar.
The tour
Day 1 : this route will begin in León, so you can get there by any means of transport. Stay overnight to be able to start at full speed in the morning.
Day 2 : you will do a route of almost 70 km., Going from León to Rabanal del Camino. Leaving León you will pass through San Miguel and San Martín until you reach Hospital de Órbigo, which, crossing a beautiful medieval bridge, you will continue to Santo Toribio. From there you will have a wonderful view of Astorga, the next municipality you will pass through, taking the detour to Castrillo Polvazares. The last destination of this day will be Rabanal del Camino, where you will spend the night.
Day 3 : the objective will be to reach Vilafranca del Bierzo, 55 km away. When leaving Rabanal del Camino you will pass through places such as Molinaseca (many pilgrims take a break here), Ponferrada and Cacabelos. The next destination will be Vilafranca del Bierzo, one of the oldest towns on the route and which is perfect for spending the night.
Day 4 : you will have 60 km ahead. until we reach Samos. On the way you have the climb to Faba, which is quite demanding and whose top is also a resting place for those who do the Camino. Then you will pass through Alto do Poio, where there are several descents so it will not take much effort to do this section, and through Tricastella, where you will already head to Samos to spend the night there.
Day 5 : the objective is to reach Melide, 75 km away. On your route you will pass through small beautiful Galician towns such as Sarria, Toxibo, Gonzar, Ligonde, Portos or Palas de Rei, the last one before reaching Melide to regain strength during the night and face the last day of the Camino.
Day 6 : you will be only 55 km away. to achieve your goal, reach Santiago de Compostela. In this last cycling stage you will pass through towns such as Arzúa or Pedrouzo, and upon reaching Monte do Gozo you will already have a spectacular panoramic view of the Galician capital. If you have enough time, you will arrive at the Cathedral of Santiago before eating, so you can do it in any of the bars and restaurants that are in the surroundings.