We were staying in the historic city of Koblenz at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, setting aside one day to drive around the area surrounding Koblenz. In particular, the town of Cochem is a must-visit destination. Discover why you’ll love visiting the magical town of Cochem on the Moselle River.
The drive from Koblenz to Cochem
The one-hour drive from Koblenz to Cochem is filled with scenery. We wound our way along the Moselle River, catching glimpses of castles and small towns on the other side. Vineyards accompany us along the road and line the banks across the river.
Scenery on the drive betweeen Koblenz and Cochem
Cochem
Picturesque Cochem is best known for its castle, half-timbered houses sitting in small squares, medieval cobblestone streets, vineyards and its riverside promenade.Spend a day wandering the streets, strolling the river promenade, or sitting at a cafe watching the activity around you. We spent a few hours in Cochem doing a little of each.
Reichsburg Castle
Reichsburg Castle perches majestically on the hill, towering over the town and surrounded by grapevines. It is the first thing you catch sight of as you drive around the bend.
Reichsburg Castle perched on the hill above Cochem
A version of the castle has been on the site since the 12th century. It was heavily damaged during the Nine Years’ War in the late 17th century, and remained in ruin until the 19th century, when a wealthy Berlin businessman restored it.
A walk up the hill on a path from the town centre was the first thing to do on our itinerary. The terrace provided the perfect vantage point to gaze over the spectacular views of Cochem and the Moselle.
Views over Cochem and the Moselle River from the Reichsburg Castle terrace
With much more to see, we didn’t take a tour of the castle’s interior. The castle tour takes about 40 minutes, leading you through the displays of tapestries, wood panelling, Baroque paintings, and armoury.
A stroll around Cochem Altstadt
Back down in the old town, we meandered through the cobbled streets and alleys lined with beautiful old homes, stores and wine cellars to reach the main square (Marktplatz).
Beautiful half-timbered houses in Cochem’s Altstadt
Marktplatz is where you’ll find the Town Hall and the best collection of half-timbered houses in Cocham, along with Martinsbrunnen, the water fountain featuring St. Martin (the town’s patron saint) atop.
Enderttor City Gate
Wandering through the old town, we found ourselves at the city gate to find our perfect lunch spot, a busy little bakery with seating outside, from where we could eat our lunch, gazing at the Enderttor.
Endettor City Gate from our lunch venue
The largest of Cochem’s gates, built in 1332 with a guardhouse attached, Enderttor is one of the town’s major landmarks.
River promenade
Next to the old town, there’s a walkway next to the Moselle River that transforms into a pretty parkland path. as you walk further away. It’s a lovely spot to sit and watch the activity on the other side of the river. Walking back towards the town, you’ll find yourself looking up at the fantastic view of Cochem Castle up above.
Parkland by the riverfron promenade in Cochem
On the promenade closer to the town, you’ll find tour boats offering cruises up and down the river, while across the road, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to dine at while watching the river activity.
Next to the upper part of the old town, the riverside walkway broadens into a park, and just before the Skagerrak-Brücke (bridge), beside the quay for tour boats, you can turn back for the ultimate view of Cochem Castle on its high roost.
Skagerrak-Brucke
Stunning views from the bridge
The Skagerrak Bridge offers one of the best views of the Castle perched above the town amongst the grapevines, as well as the township itself. We didn’t find much else on the other side of the bridge, however, but it was worth walking across for another perspective of the landscape.
Drop into a wine cellar in the Old Town
Surrounded by wineries, there is no better opportunity than in Cochem to visit a wine cellar or two for tasting and to buy some renowned local wine.
One of the wine cellars in the centre of Cochem, where we purchased some local wine
We took the opportunity to visit a couple of wine cellars where helpful staff explained the local varieties and assisted us in purchasing a few bottles of wine to enjoy later.
Our conclusion
Cochem was a wonderful choice to take a day excursion to. Its proximity to Koblenz meant that it was not an onerous drive to reach, while giving us a chance to experience the magic of this fairytale town. We highly recommend visiting o staying in the town if you’re planning a trip to the Rhine Valley.
One more thing…
While you’re in the area, be sure to make a side trip to see the romantic medieval Burg Eltz located in the mountains between Cochem and Koblenz.
After arriving at the parking lot, the beautifully maintained castle of turrets and towers is reached by a short walk on a forest trail after arriving at the car park. Alternatively, regular shuttle buses run between the car park and the castle.
On a sunny afternoon, we found the walk pleasant with the castle appearing impressively before us as we rounded a corner.
Eltz Burg appeared out of nowhere in the countryside as we rounded a corner
The castle is one of the best medieval fortresses in Germany. Built over 900 years ago, it’s been owned by a branch of the Eltz family since its construction.
In case you’re interested
We visited Cochem on a day trip from our base in Koblenz, a beautiful city on the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. We arrived in Koblenz by driving the scenic Rhine Castle Route. Read more about our time in the Rhine Valley and our recommendations by clicking on the links below.
Our first day in Germany, and the pick for our first stop on our drive to Koblenz, where we were staying, was Mainz, a short 35-minute drive from Frankfurt Airport. We weren’t disappointed. Discover Mainz, the beautiful wine capital of Germany, with us.
Sitting on the left bank of the Rhine River, Mainz is the official wine capital of Germany and is surrounded by the largest wine-growing area in the country.
The city has more to offer than just wine, though. It has an old city filled with historic buildings and monuments—one of the reasons why we picked the city as our first stop.
Our top things to do in Mainz
Spend time in the Marktplatz
As with any medieval city, the Marktplatz is the hub. Mainz was no exception. It was still early in the day; however, locals had started to emerge, gathering at the cafes in the square for coffee.
The colourful buildings in the Marktplatz
A blend of coloured and decorated gabled houses stands opposite the most distinctive building in the square, the Mainz Cathedral.
Marktbrunnen Fountain
We took a closer look at the Marktbrunnen, an ornate three-columned fountain built, like the cathedral, of red sandstone, before we visited inside the cathedral. The fountain sits to one side, in a corner of the square and was built in the 16th century.
Marktbrunnen, the ornate three-columned fountain
The fountain was commissioned by the elector Albert of Mainz and crafted by the Mainz sculptor Hans Backoffen. The Marktbrunnen is one of the first Renaissance fountains in Germany.
The Prince-Elector had the fountain built to commemorate his successful survival of the “Peasants’ War” of 1525 and to seal the deal with the adoption of the 31 articles of grievance that the peasants demanded from their ruler.
Mainz Cathedral
St Martin, the Romanesque cathedral, is over a 1000 years old. The red sandstone building with its six distinguishing towers, including an octagonal tower, dominates the Altstadt.
Mainz Cathedral
Built in 975 AD, the interior of the cathedral is as impressive as the exterior. The interior has a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architecture and ornate tombs of prince-electors and archbishops. The small, well-manicured cloister is also accessible to the public.
The pretty cloister
The cathedral also has a museum section with religious artefacts and items from the treasury.
The Gutenberg Museum
The Gutenberg Museum honours the inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg
Instead of visiting the museum, we opted to explore more of Mainz’s outdoor attractions; however, when researching things to do in Mainz, the museum was highlighted as a great place for book lovers and history enthusiasts. It has two of the 49 remaining Gutenberg Bibles, as well as a working reproduction of Gutenberg’s press.
In 1946, the city’s university, which was founded in 1477, was renamed Johannes Gutenberg University to honour the publisher.
Walk a little further to Schillerplatz
Next, we walked to another significant square, Schillerplatz. Lined with notable palaces, the square is named after the poet Friedrich Schiller, whose statue stands in the centre.
Another notable feature in the square is the Fastnachtsbrunnen fountain standing in the centre of the square. The fountain is decorated with 200 quirky bronze statues celebrating the Mainz Carnival, which starts in the square on 11 November every year.
Schillerplatz is surrounded by beautiful, noble houses with the Fastnachtsbrunnen fountain in its centre
With its colourful garden beds and benches under shady trees, the square is the perfect spot to relax and take a breather when exploring the city in the summer.
Old Town (Altstadt)
Mainz’s Old Town is a great place to explore. It’s full of narrow streets lined with half-timbered houses and some lovely squares.
St Stephan’s Church
St. Stephen’s Church is located above the old town. We walked up to this Gothic church, renowned for its stunning blue stained glass windows. The nine windows, created between 1978 and 1985, depict scenes from the Old Testament and fill the space with a blue glow.
Disappointingly, the church was closed to visitors when we arrived, and we were unable to visit inside. Instead, we enjoyed some of the views over Mainz from the church’s terrace.
Mainz Rhine Promenade
After exploring the sights around the old town, we strolled to the promenade alongside the Rhine River. It’s a beautiful spot to take in the scenery and watch the river and cargo boats go by.
Our conclusion
Mainz is unquestionably a town we would have liked to have had the time to explore further. It’s a city full of history, culture, monuments and landmarks, coupled with picturesque scenery.
We stayed for several nights in Koblenz to explore the historic city, situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Read about this fascinating city through the link below.
With a long history, scenic landscape, and surrounded by mountain ranges and vineyards, the city was the first stop on our driving tour of Germany. Introducing fascinating Koblenz, the one German city you must visit.
Koblenz sits conveniently at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. This makes it the perfect city from which to explore the greater Rhine and Moselle valleys.
Koblenz
Koblenz, founded by the Romans and with a history spanning over 2,000 years of various rulers, has evolved into a treasure trove for its visitors.
Our top things to do in Koblenz
Jesuitenplatz
In the heart of Koblenz’s Altstadt is a square named for the Jesuit order. The order was part of the city’s community for almost 200 years, until they were expelled from the city in 1773. The Baroque building and portal on one side of the square, formerly the Jesuit College, is the Town Hall.
Jesuitenplatz
Take some time to look out for the small Jesuit Church built in the 1610s, which stands quietly in the corner of the square. It’s easy to miss!
Visit the History Column in Görresplatz Square
Another lovely square in Koblenz’s old town is Görresplatz. Surrounded by beautiful buildings, the square’s main highlight is the History Column.
The History Column in Görresplatz Square
The fountain was built in 1992, marking the 2000th anniversary of the city. A column recounts the city’s detailed history. The scenes depicted on it span from Roman times to the Middle Ages, the Electorate (see the section on the Electorate Palace below), the French occupation, and up to the present day.
Deutsche Eck Monument
The Deutsches Eck Monument on the riverfront in Koblenz
The Deutsche Eck Monument celebrates two important features of Koblenz: the spot where the Moselle and Rhine Rivers meet, and the large statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I. It pays tribute to the German emperor, who was the first head of state of a united Germany.
Basilica of St Castor
The Basilica’s twin towers peek out from between the trees a short distance from the Deutsches Eck. It’s the oldest church in Koblenz.
Basilica of St Castor
Most of the architecture dates back to the 12th century. Like other parts of the city, some sections of the Basilica were damaged during World War II, but they were reconstructed to their original condition.
Wander around the pleasant gardens in the complex behind the Church building.
The gardens of the Basilica of St Castor
Florinsmarkt Square
Another Altstadt square to pass through is Florinsmarkt Square. Formerly the political and economic centre of the city, it houses four historic buildings. Unfortunately, three were in a state of disrepair, boarded up and in need of major renovation when we visited. The only building of significance which has survived the times is the old shopping and dancing hall. It stands proudly at the back of the square.
The shopping and dancing hall building in Florinsmarkt
Under the tower clock, there’s a small inlay of a knight. The knight’s eyes move back and forth in time with the clock’s pendulum and sticks out its tongue every full and half hour. Legend says he is reminiscent of the robber baron Johann Lutter von Kobern, who was executed on the Florinsmarkt in 1536. Apparently, he twisted his eyes on the scaffold and stuck his tongue out at the spectators.
Walk along the riverfront promenade
A walk along Konrad Adenauer-Ufer Kastorhof, gazing up at the fortress on the hill across the river, is the perfect way to savour some downtime in Koblenz.
At the far end, away from Deutsches Eck, you’ll see the imposing Prussian Government Building. It cuts a striking imperial presence on the waterfront. Inside are monumental staircases with vaulted halls and outstanding stonework.
The former Prussian Government Building
Today, the building houses the Presidium of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). The southern part has housed the Koblenz Higher Regional Court since 1993.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
High above on the right bank of the Rhine, looking across over the city, is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. There has been a fortress here since the 11th century.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress on the hill overlooking Koblenz
After hundreds of years of changing rulers and destruction, the current fortress was reconstructed by the Prussians and is now the second largest in Europe.
The best way to access the fortress is by taking the scenic cable car ride from the Konrad Adenauer-Ufer Kastorhof promenade. A bonus is the spectacular scenery over Koblenz on the way to and from the fortress.
Views from Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
The fortress buildings are now home to the Koblenz State Museum. Even if you’re not interested in museums, it’s worth crossing the river for the panoramic view of the city. There’s also a wooden viewing platform which gives expansive views of the city and the rivers.
Electoral Palace
We found the groundkeepers hard at work tending the gardens of the grand building, which is not far from the riverfront promenade.
Prince Clemens Wenceslaus built the Electoral Palace (you’ll find his statue on the street leading to the Palace) over nearly 20 years from 1777 to 1793. The Palace was taken over by the Prussians in 1815 after the Prince was forced to leave Koblenz after the French Revolution. For the next 100 years, it was a residence for Prussian royals for 100 years.
The Electoral Palace
The building was damaged by a bombing during WWII and rebuilt to its original structure, but it became evident as we moved closer that the building was abandoned. Paint was peeling from the facade, and it no longer looked as majestic as close-up.
One of the groundsmen approached us as we peered through the windows to ascertain the state of the interior. He indicated that we could walk through an entrance from which we could access the gardens on the other side.
The riverfront gardens of the Electoral Palace
While the building was indeed in a state of disrepair, we are thankful for the encounter with a groundsman who found us peering through the windows into the building. He indicated that we could walk through an entrance into a hallway, from which we could access the beautifully terraced gardens in front of the river
Visit a biergarten
On a hot summer day, after visiting the sights around the city, there is nothing better than enjoying the river breezes while sampling local beer at the biergarten on the Koblenz riverfront. It’s the perfect place from which to watch the riverboats cruise by, people-watch, and have a banter with the locals.
Where we stayed
We booked a charming apartment in the heart of the Altstadt, which was within walking distance of all sights and attractions and close to the river.
The apartment was spacious for the two of us, tastefully decorated, and featured a balcony. Our host met us on-site to provide access and assistance to the garage. The “icing on the cake” was the bottle of local wine that our host had generously left for us to enjoy. A lovely welcome gift for our first night in Germany!
Fresh off a morning arrival on our flight into Frankfurt, we hopped into our car and headed north. We were driving the scenic Rhine Castle and Romantic Rhine route. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed route is divided into two parts.
The Rhine Castle route
We would drive the first half to Koblenz and stay there for a couple of days before completing the second half to Bonn. Koblenz, situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers in the Upper Rhine Valley, is one of Germany’s oldest cities. The Mitterhein wine region also runs between Bingen and Bonn.
Driving the scenic Rhine Castle and Romantic Rhine route
The drive from Bingen to Koblenz
Dotted with over 40 castles, the route is also part of the Rhine Valley wine region. The city of Mainz, approximately a 90-minute drive from Frankfurt, serves as the gateway to the wine region, while the Castle route begins from the town of Bingen. Bingen is a sleepy town with a lovely main street with cafes and restaurants. We stopped to have lunch there before continuing.
From Bingen onwards is a real treat for anyone wanting to drive this route. The road winds its way alongside the river while riverboats slip gently past. Along the way, there are castles and fortresses on high peaks or set lower amongst the vineyards on both sides of the river. While it isn’t practical to visit all the castles, nor are many open to the public, it was fun driving along, spotting them all. The drive between Bingen and Koblenz should only take an hour; however, to enjoy the scenery, making short stops at designated viewing points and allowing yourself a detour to a castle or two on the way, you should allow at least two to three hours.
The fairytale Philippsburg Castle in Marksburg on the Rhine Castle route
With so many castles and options, we strategically chose a few spots to look out for on the route.
Burg Reichenstein
Sankt Goar (Rheinfels Castle), from where you can look across to the Lorelei
At Boppard, we stopped to look across the river to Sterrenberg Castle
After Boppard spotted Marksburg Castle
Looked out for Stozenfels Castle just before arriving in Koblenz
A visit to Schonberg Castle
A castle that wasn’t on our list, but we couldn’t resist visiting after seeing it perched on the hillside from afar, was Schonberg Castle. A short distance off the main road in the town of Oberwesel, we wound our way up the hill to the castle’s car park.
Outside Schonburg Castle walls
The castle, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, was built in the 12th century; however, there are records of a dwelling on the site in 900 AD. From the car park, it’s a couple of minutes walk to the small arched entrance into the cobbled carriage path and inside the castle walls, from where a narrower walkway continues into the castle courtyard.
Schonburg Castle courtyard and entrance
The Dukes of Schonburg and their families lived in the castle from the 12th century until 1689, when much of it was destroyed by troops during the Nine Years’ War. Partially reconstructed in the late 19th century, it wasn’t until the town purchased it in 1950 that it was completely revived.
The castle is now a 4-star hotel, Burghotel Auf Schonburg, with a museum in the castle tower, which is open to the public. The castle’s gardens are, however, available for only hotel guests to roam. For others, there is a vantage point overlooking the Rhine River, giving you splendid views. The picturesque scenery from above was worth making the small detour and was one of the highlights of our drive.
View from Schonburg Castle lookout
There is also a small lookout before entering or after exiting the castle walls, from where there are excellent views of the grapevines of the hills of the valley behind the castle.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz
In Koblenz, we had anticipated taking a morning walk up to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress high on the hillside over the city from the other side of the Rhine River. Unfortunately, there was no easy way to cross the river on foot.
Instead, we waited until after we returned from our day excursion to the beautiful town of Cochem, to go across by cable car to look around the fortress. The cable car ride provides fabulous views over Koblenz’s old town.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is a complex of buildings sprawling over a large area of the eastern bank. The fortress buildings are now home to the State Museum, displaying antiques and war memorabilia.
If you’re not a museum-lover, you can take a wander around the extensive fort area, savouring the views, especially from the viewing platform, which is a piece of art itself. The triangular-shaped wooden platform was originally built for a Horticultural exhibition, then repurposed and placed on the fortress’s grounds. From the platform, you get spectacular views of Koblenz, the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.
The Rhine Castle route from Koblenz to Bonn
The Rhine Castle route is determined to run from Bingen to Bonn. However, we were disappointed not to find any noteworthy castles or fortresses on the drive along the Rhine River between Koblenz and Bonn. Maybe they are well hidden from the roadside.
Our opinion
The first section of our drive, between Bingen and Koblenz, mesmerised us with the centuries-old, magnificent castles and fortresses as well as the terraced vineyards on the rolling hills on both banks of the Rhine River. The entire journey is picture-postcard worthy, and we would consider driving again at a much slower pace, making more stops and detours to visit select castles.
Note: Some castles and fortresses charge an entrance fee to visit inside.
In case you’re interested
During our journey, we stopped in the beautiful old town of Mainz, stayed in the historic city of Koblenz, which dates back to 8 BC, and from Koblenz, took a day trip to the charming town of Cochem, located along the Moselle River. Click on the links below to read more about these beautiful places in Germany.
We were now walking in the heart of the Meseta, the dry plains of Spain. Days 15 and 16 of walking the full Camino de Santiago path took us through wheat fields to the hilltop village of Castrojeriz and then along a canal to the historic town of Fromista on Day 16.
Day 15 – Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz
Our early-rising fellow guests woke us as they prepared to leave our overnight lodgings in Isar. Consequentially, we were up and ready for breakfast earlier than expected. Downstairs, the dining table was set for us with toast, yoghurt, traditional Spanish tomato paste, orange juice, scrambled eggs and a ham and cheese platter. Louise, our fellow guest joined us as we completed our breakfast.
We were delivered back to Hornillos del Camino at exactly 7:30 am and after a quick stop at the grocery store to buy bananas for morning tea, we were on our way.
Hontanas
The initial part of the day’s walk was uneventful. Fields of wheat and barley continued to accompany us on our ascent before the small town of Hontanas appeared in the valley below.
Our gang are all there. We waved at Veronika and Kevin sitting on a small rise overlooking the town. Pilgrims had gathered at the cafe at the beginning of the township for breakfast/morning tea. For us, it was morning tea time so we stopped and found Debra and Martin. Louise arrived not long after.
Arriving in Hontanas
After a short break to eat our fruit, have a cold beverage and toilet break we powered on.
Convento de San Anton ruins
A steady trail of comfortable walking brought us to another iconic Camino structure, the ruins of the San Anton Convent four kilometres from Castrojeriz.
Built in the 11th century, the Convent was a pilgrim’s hospital. What remains of the architecture is impressive and pilgrims stop to stand amongst the ruins to imagine how it may been in medieval times.
Arriving at the ruins of San Anton Convent
The road and Camino path pass under the arch to lead us to the hilltop town of Castorjeriz. The temperature was rising so we were glad that it was not long to go before we reached our overnight stay.
The remainder of our walk, until we reached the path into Castrojeriz, was on the road or alongside. Cars and trucks whizzed past us quite closely. The temperature was affecting a young pilgrim we walked past. She looked hot and tired and barely acknowledged us as she walked intensely towards her next stop.
The tree-lined path leading to Castrojeriz
Castrojeriz
Castrojeriz sits high on a hill and the scene from the road was dramatic. The ruins of the Castillo dominated the town below.
Views of Castrojeriz from the Camino path
The Collegiate of Santa María del Manzano sitting at the foot of the hill welcomed us to Castrojeriz. These days it serves as a museum and we took a quick peek inside before continuing uphill.
The streets were quiet as we walked up to Castrojeriz’s small but charming Plaza Mayor. Spotting a cafe in a leafy arcaded building in the square we stopped for lunch. They weren’t serving lunch until 1:00 pm so bolstered by a cafe cortado we continued towards our accommodation. We were hoping to find another lunch venue on the way.
The charming little Plaza Mayor
Arriving at our accommodation, we found it closed until 1 pm. A little bar a few metres away had caught our eye so we retreated there to see if they were serving lunch. They weren’t. A cold beer and olives sufficed. British Deb arrived and joined us for a beer and after our thirst was quenched we returned to our lodgings. It was still closed.
Phoning the number on the door, the owner picked up and told us he would be there in a minute. He appeared from the bar we had all just been sitting in!
We checked in and found our bags in our room. Our stomachs filled with olives and beer, we settled for our protein bars (which we had brought from home) to top us up until dinner time.
A hot afternoon in Castrojeriz
Refreshed, he went out to check the small township for how we could spend the afternoon and check out pre-dinner options. He came back with none. “The town is dead”, he said.
It was still hot outside and we had a very comfortable room, so we passed the time catching up on an episode of The Crown before walking to the supermarket due to open after siesta time. Our lodgings had a beautiful common area and we decided to buy a bottle of wine and nibbles to enjoy in the seating area while we journaled before dinner.
Louise appeared and joined us for a glass of wine and a recount of her afternoon. She had seen a meditation session advertised at the beginning of town and decided to attend. “It was a strange experience”, she said.
Fortified, we walked to El Meson de Castrojeriz for dinner. It’s a restaurant behind the bar we had stopped in earlier in the day also owned by our host, Oscar! We entered to find Martin and Debra sitting at a table in the corner. They beckoned us to join them telling us that Kevin and Veronika would be arriving soon. We were all staying in the same digs.
We enjoyed a pleasant evening with a wholesome meal, good conversation and wine. It was a late night as we sat chatting and farewelling Deb who was leaving us to continue her summer holiday in Portugal.
Our accommodation
La Posada de Castrojeriz was a little gem. Our room was comfortable and spacious with a seating area where we relaxed during the day’s heat. The communal seating area downstairs where we enjoyed aperitifs before dinner was tastefully decorated and included a separate reading room for guests.
Our hotel room at La Posada de Castrojeriz
The well-appointed common lounge area at La Posada de Castrojeriz
La Posada de Castrojeriz’s guest library
Dinner at El Meson de Castrojeriz, was substantial and flavoursome Castillian cuisine as was the breakfast the following morning.
Walking statistics
21km
4.45 hours including a rest break
Day 16 – Castrojeriz to Fromista
We’re ready before 7:30 am for a longer day’s walk to Fromista. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Deb before bidding her farewell and left Castrojeriz.
It was a pleasant walk out of the town before the steep but manageable to Alto de Mostelares started. The vistas at the top looking over towards Castrojeriz and the valley are captivating. However, walking across the ridge to the other side, the views are even more stunning! It’s a patchwork of sunflower and wheat fields as far as the eye can see. Customary mounds of stone and rocks made by pilgrims before us are laid at the top of the ridge from where we surveyed some of the Camino trail’s best scenery.
Views of the track up Alto de Mostelares as seen from the path leading out of Castrojeriz
The Meseta and walking the full Camino de Santiago
At the top of the hill, we met a young French Canadian lady who was equally in awe of the scenery. Camille, a teacher from Montreal commented that writings about the Camino misrepresent walking on the Meseta. Impressions are given of walking long stretches on flat land omitting mentioning big uphill climbs, walks on plateaus above and breathtaking scenery.
We left Camille to continue enjoying the scenery and started our walk in the real Meseta!
Our guidebook advised us to take care on the steep decline into the Meseta. In fact, we found it relatively easy. The path down was paved instead of the gravelled uphill climb. The paving turned into a dirt track and we were suddenly amid the fields we had admired from above.
The path leading down into the Meseta from Alto de Mostelares
Walking amongst the sunflower fields of the Meseta on the Camino de Santiago
We passed by a young pilgrim perched on a stone at the side of the path sketching. What a fantastic way to capture the amazing scenery.
Itero de la Vega
The small settlement of Itero de la Vega appeared as we emerged out of the fields It was a good place to rest and eat our fruit under the shade of the big oak trees of its little park.
Our rest stop
Rolling hills accompanied us to the Ermita de San Nicolas and Puente de Itero, an 11th-century Romanesque bridge spanning the River Pisuerga – beautiful and serene.
We peeked inside the Ermita de San Nicolas as we passed by. The hermitage offers overnight accommodation maintaining some of what one may have experienced when completing the Camino in old times. Our guidebook told us of communal dinners by candlelight and no electricity except in the shared bathroom.
Boadilla del Camino
Almost immediately after crossing the bridge, we were walking along a manmade canal. The canal irrigated the wheat fields that surrounded us. The canal ran for the next five kilometres when we reached the farming village of Boadilla del Camino.
The path leading into Boadilla del Camino
We stopped at Albergue En El Camino for lunch. We found a light-filled outdoor seating area overlooking a garden to enjoy our lunch. Not long after, Miss Austria arrived as did a Korean couple we had noticed earlier. Both wore knee braces.
The path to Fromista
From Boadilla, there was only 6-7km to Fromista. We could see the poplar tree-lined track surrounded by sunflower fields not long after leaving.
Out of nowhere, a group of people stood on a rise ahead. They were waiting to board a small water taxi to take them along the Canal de Castilla to Fromista. We were encouraged to continue walking buoyed by the beauty of the wildflower-lined canal.
Wildflowers lined our path to Fromista alongside the Canal de CastillaThe shuttle boat to Fromista
Only one other person was on the leisurely canalside walk. At the dam gate, we stopped to watch the lock system at work before crossing the bridge into Fromista proper. Farming is a major contributor to the area’s economy and the canal plays an important role in irrigating the fields that reach out as far as the eye can see.
Canal de Castilla at Fromista
Fromista
The afternoon was hot and few people were about when we reached the town. We met Louise on her way to the public swimming pool to cool off. She had arrived much earlier and told us about her early afternoon adventure being locked in the Iglesia de San Martin when it closed for siesta. She had to phone the hotel and ask them to contact the custodian to return to let her out.
Because it was still hot outside after we had done our yoga and showered, we decided to go down to the hotel bar to journal about our day.
Iglesia de San Martin de Fromista
The Romanesque church was built in the 11th century and was part of a Benedictine convent. The gem of the town, it stands grandly in the centre of Plaza San Martin.
Inside the Iglesia de San Martin de Fromista
We visited inside when the church reopened after the siesta time to find the interior relatively unremarkable.
An evening in Fromista
Returning to our hotel across the Plaza, we joined Louise for a beer before we all sat down for dinner in the restaurant. A delicious meal of traditional white bean soup, garlic soup and steamed trout was followed by rice pudding and ice cream.
The rest of our walking comrades stayed in a different hotel from us. The temperatures had dropped after dinner so we decided to take a turn around the rest of the small town. We stopped by Martin, Kevin and Veronika’s hotel to see how their day had gone but they were all out so it was back to our hotel for an early night.
Our accommodation
Hotel San Martin was our accommodation for the night. It is a simple, small family-run hotel with all the facilities required for an overnight stay. They have a restaurant and bar onsite with a lovely outdoor area where we enjoyed our pre-dinner drinks before dinner in the restaurant.
Situated in Plaza San Martin, the highlight was the view from our window which looked straight to the Cathedral.
The view of Iglesia de San Martin de Fromista from our hotel room window
Walking statistics
27km
6.5 hours including a rest break
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In case you missed it
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