San Martín del Camino to Astorga
Romance
- Distance
- 23.7 km
- Climb
- 190 m up, 188 m down
- Ground
- 820 to 880 m
- Time
- 5 to 7 hours
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Underfoot
- dirt, paved
Where this day sits on the Camino Francés
Above, the highest and lowest ground of each of its 33 stages. Below, the word each day is given.
From open-pilgrimages: each stage's highest and lowest ground and its interior theme.
The day
The medieval bridge at Hospital de Órbigo is the longest on the Camino and the site of a 15th-century jousting tournament — a knight fought 300 bouts to win back his lady's honor. The story is ridiculous and romantic and somehow fitting for the Camino, where extravagant gestures feel possible. Astorga welcomes you with Gaudí's fairy-tale bishop's palace and chocolate shops. After weeks of austerity, this day is playful, even whimsical. The Camino is reminding you that not everything needs to be solemn to be meaningful.
What pilgrims often meet here
- Crossing the ancient bridge at Hospital de Órbigo
- Chocolate and maragato stew in Astorga
- The surprise of Gaudí's palace in a small town
- Lightness and laughter after weeks of intensity
When did you last do something extravagant for no practical reason?
The ground
Crosses the medieval bridge at Hospital de Órbigo — site of a famous 15th century jousting tournament.
The light
Sunrise and sunset in San Martín del Camino depend on the day you walk.
Walk it with Pilgrim
In Pilgrim's Honor mode you can walk this stage as it is drawn here, and save its maps for days with no signal. The morning opens with this day's word, Romance, and its story. When you arrive, it asks the question above, and you can answer out loud. Your walk stays on your phone.
With Pilgrim on your phone, this opens the stage, ready to begin. Without it, you'll see the stage and where to get the app.