ASTORGA-THE END OF THIS YEARS CAMINO

We should have time, late afternoon and evening, of 27 th May to take in some of the highlights of this City.

The capital of the county of Maragatería in the province of León offers a rich medieval legacy, the result of its location at the crossroads of: the Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela and the Ruta de la Plata (Silver Road). Its walled town preserves churches, convents and hospitals which take travellers back to the purest tradition of the Pilgrim’s Road. Another outstanding feature in the town’s streets is a culminating work by the Modernist architect Antoni Gaudí: the Bishop’s Palace. Astorga is, also, a good opportunity for enjoying the rich cuisine of this area.

Astorga stands at the confluence of two important Spanish routes which in past times were pilgrims’ itineraries. The older of the two, the Silver Route, dates from Roman times. This itinerary (Gijón-Seville) was the route used to transport the metal extracted from the mines in the north of the peninsula to the shipping ports in the south. During the Middle Ages it was used by Arab and Christian troops at the time of the conquest and the reconquest. This excellent communications route throughout the centuries then became the way for pilgrims heading for Santiago de Compostela.The Way of Saint James, the Jacobean route that has been declared a part of our World Heritage by the UNESCO, also runs through Astorga. This was part of a series of paths that criss-crossed Europe and northern Spain on the way to Santiago de Compostela, a holy city by virtue of being the site of the tomb of Saint James the Apostle. The historic quarter of this town in Galicia is also a World Heritage Site. WP States “ In Astorga you May notice a sudden increase in the number of pilgrims…they are likely Spanish, as this is a common starting point for Spaniards,or they have come from Sevilla along the Via de la Plata. A quick peek at their boots will tell the two apart”

“ Astorga also marks the beginning of the territory of Leon known as the Maragateria,home of a people called Maragatos….defined by the unique culture of strong mountain people, including arrieros ( traditional muleteers ) who transported goods over the mountains before there were railways and trucks and who were key to to Astoga’s rebirth as a centre for chocolate making”. BB

Continuing the Maragateria theme, the local cuisine – make a stop in any of the restaurants in the centre of town to sample the region’s **traditional dishes**. The exceptional quality of the pulses from León can be savoured in dishes like ‘cocido maragato’ (chickpea stew), which here is served in the reverse order from in other parts of Spain. Diners begin with the meat, chorizo and dumplings, and end with the chickpeas, cabbage and soup. ‘Cecina’ (cured dried smoked beef), ‘botillo’ (cooked smoked pork sausage meat), ’empanada’ (savoury filled pastry) from El Bierzo, cod and trout are some of the other delicious options.

I think I might know who would be up for the challenge.

Here are just six of the highlights in what JB describes as “ An attractive city ( more akin to a lively market town) set atop a steep ridge with an…interesting array of historic buildings all tightly packed within its medieval walls”.

Brierley’s guide book has a useful walking tour on P.199

On the morning of 27 th May we take a five minute walk to Astorga Bus Station to board the 10.20 ALSA coach to Madrid. On arrival at 15.00 we will make our way to TACH Airport hotel.