During the Middle Ages, the Pilgrimage
to Santiago in far northwestern Spain—
reputed site of the tomb of the Apostle
Saint James the Greater—was more
popular than pilgrimages to Rome or the
Holy Land. Art and commerce flowed
along the Road, the Reconquest of Spain
from the Moors was advanced, and
travelers saw new lands with new eyes.
EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
DE COMPOSTELA
FOLLOW THE THOUSAND-YEAR
ROUTE OF PILGRIMS ACROSS
SPAIN
We will travel in the footsteps of Druids,
Romans, Visigoths, Charlemagne,
Masons, El Cid, St. Francis of Assisi,
William of Aquitaine, Louis VII of
France, Pope John XXIII, and millions of
others. The Route of the Milky Way
passes through pine, chestnut, and
eucalyptus forests, over mountain passes,
and through historic and holy places on
what James Michener, in Iberia, called
“The finest journey in
Spain and one of the two or
three best in the world.”
In the tradition of Celtic and Christian travelers,
deposit a stone from home at the Iron Cross on a
heathered summit.
Self-Contained, Guided, Cycle
Travel on the Trail of History
Stop at a couple of reputed resting sites of
the Holy Grail.
Medieval Bicycle Tours Int’l
Receive the traditional document in Latin
certifying your pilgrimage.
If not now, ¿When?
226 East San Miguel
Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2045
719-634-4444
fax: 719-635-8476
www.DrGalvin.com
DrGalvin@earthlink.net
ITINERARY

Day one: Meet at Madrid airport, ride thru
Madrid to railway or bus station, travel to
León
OR meet at León airport, train, or bus station
and ride into town. Stay in the historic center.
Day two: Tour the Old Quarter with the
stunning French Gothic style cathedral and
San Isodore’s church with its “Sistine Chapel
of the Romanesque world.” Dinner in a
former bishop’s residence.
Day three: Ride rolling terrain to Astorga;
with its Roman walls, Gothic cathedral, and
whimsical palace by Gaudí. Dinner in the
restaurant praised by Michener.
Day four: Our short ride includes a stop in a
preserved historic town on the way to stay in
a village little changed since the Middle Ages.

Day five: Today begins with quite a climb,
thru an ancient village, then the longest
descent of the ride. Overnight in the best
refugio of the Camino near the castle of the
Knights Templar who once protected our
route.
Day six: Easier day thru villages and
vineyards to stay at the legendary refugio of
Jesús Jato, and possibly participate in La
Quemada, a nocturnal pilgrim ceremony with
flaming drink.
Day seven: Another challenging climb (with
optional even steeper historic primitive path
through remote villages) to an ancient Celtic
village. Dinner in an eleventh century pilgrim
hospital and former monks’ residence.
Day eight: Through mountains of Galicia to
stay at the monastery of Samos and hear
vespers (maybe in Gregorian chant).
Ride back in time thru Spain
Dates: Spring and Autumn 2015
by arrangement
Cost: $600 for this self-contained, “locallevel” tour. Includes guidebook with maps,
equipment list, reading list, URL list,
orientation, and interpretive lectures.
Day nine: Through historic Sarria and rustic
villages to stay in a refugio near the
peripatetic fortress-church of the Knights of
St. John of Jerusalem.
Guide is First Aid & CPR qualified
Day ten: Today’s ride includes an isolated
Romanesque church with rare murals and
tombs of the Knights of Santiago.
Other expenses including air/train/bus
transportation are handled by you, but are
kept to a minimum with accommodations in
pilgrim refugios and meals in non-touristy
venues.
Day eleven: Finally the last day of riding,
ending with our entrance into ancient
Compostela. Celebrate at dinner after settling
into our typical hotel in the historic town
center.
Days twelve and thirteen: Explore the City of
the Apostle, receive our Compostelas in
Latin certifying our trip, hear ourselves
welcomed in the cathedral during the pilgrim
mass, reunite with friends met on the Road,
relax, and maybe take the bus to Finisterre.
Day fourteen: To the Santiago airport or
train station for the voyage home.
As the Camino is always changing, details of
the intinerary are subject to modification.
“Where we had thought to travel outward, we
shall find ourselves.”
– Joseph Campbell
$300 deposit required.
BYOBike; we advise on how to do that.
Name ___________________________
Street ___________________________
City
___________________________
State and Zip _____________________
Phone __________________________
E-address ________________________
MBTI
226 East San Miguel
Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2434
719-634-4444
DrGalvin@earthlink.net