1. The towns of northern Spain

Both capitals of past kingdoms, the cities of Burgos and Leon are rich in history and architectural beauty, with impressive and vast cathedrals. On our trip we had guided visits of both cities, with plenty of time to linger and learn. I was surprised by how charmed I was by Logrono, the capital of La Rioja, and Astorga. Smaller than Burgos and Leon, both are interesting, lively and have a great vibe. 

2. Our knowledgeable guide

Our guide Jorge really made the trip for me. He was interesting, fun, incredibly knowledgeable over a broad range of topics and generally very good company. It was great to have a Spanish speaker on hand at tapas bars to help with the formalities and explain things to us that we otherwise would have missed.

 

3. Flexibility

What set this trip apart from others for me was being able to choose how much I wanted to walk each day. Every morning we had the option of being dropped off with Jorge at the furthest spot, or we could opt to stay in the van and be driven further westward, reducing our time on foot. I enjoyed the freedom I had to walk the way I wanted each day – sometimes I felt like powering on and completing the bulk of that day’s walk in one go, other times I wanted to move at a slower pace, stopping at viewpoints or in villages I passed through for coffee, snacks or to soak up the atmosphere and reflect on the day’s walk. Sometimes I enjoyed chatting and walking with others in the group, other times I felt like walking by myself. I really felt like I had the best of both worlds on this trip! 

4. Afternoon strolls

You would think that after a full day of walking, that last thing you’d want to do would be more walking! However, I thoroughly enjoyed hitting the town every afternoon or evening for a wander, either alone or with the group, to get my bearings and soak up the local scene.

 

5. Dinners

The quality of the food throughout the tour was fantastic. Every day I looked forward to sharing a tasty dinner with a glass or two of wine with the group and talking through the day’s events as well as the plan for the following day. A highlight for me would be when our driver joined us one evening for tapas – we loved practicing the Spanish we’d picked up with him and teaching him some English.

 

6. Self discovery

The relaxed rhythm of walking is great for contemplation, and over the course of the tour I learned a lot about myself, and a lot was revealed amongst the group. The only thing more fascinating than people is people on pilgrimage. 

7. The Camaraderie

I shared the route with so many different nationalities – people from Latvia, France, Italy, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, Norway, Iceland, and other Australians. It was truly a melting pot, with everyone walking the same way, with the same end point, but in their own unique way. The relationships I made and memories I shared with my diverse group and people I met walking will stay with me forever. I've already decided that I want to do the Best of the Portuguese Way next year, and look forward to comparing the two trips!

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