Days 21 and 22 walking the full Camino de Santiago continued through small towns and villages in the countryside, similar to Days 19 and 20. These were our final days on the Meseta with the highlight of arriving in Leon at the end of Day 22 where we spent an extra night exploring the ritzy city.
Day 21 – El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas
We were up early and ready for breakfast by 6:30 am. Unlike the day before, the cafe at Hostal Restaurante el Ruedo was open. A few locals were already there having coffee and watching highlights of the America’s Cup yachting race underway in Barcelona.
After devouring another substantial breakfast at leisure we waited in the Plaza for our pick-up. As agreed the previous day, he arrived at 8:00 am for the short drive back to El Burgo Ranero to continue on the Camino trail.
Reliegos
Like the past couple of days, the trail was lined with oak trees and surrounded by wheat fields for 11-12km until we reached the small village of Reliegos. The trail to Reliegos was relatively empty of pilgrims because everyone was breakfasting at a small cafe by the town’s entrance.
We noticed a few familiar faces as we sat down to rest over a cold drink. A middle-aged American couple we had seen a few days before were amongst them. The woman seemed to be struggling with blisters on her feet and problems with her knees having braces on both.
Louise the young English woman walking most of the trail with us was there with two young people. Like many others, she had left El Burgo early. After her friends left, she told us that her accommodation and dinner in El Burgo Ranero hadn’t been great, her foot was sore and she was tired. We moved on and despite her injury, she caught up and overtook us.
The rest of Reliegos deserted as we walked through and left it behind.
The Road to Mansilla de las Mulas
Outside Reliegos, the landscape changed from wheat fields to beautiful green vegetable gardens. There were still a few cornfields on the way.
Crossing the vehicle bridge, the small town of Reliegos suddenly appeared. A long main street lined with buildings selling farming equipment and infrastructure led to the old walled city where we spent the night. Two ladies welcomed us to the town with maps just outside the walls.
Following a quick wander around the old town, we had lunch at a bar across the street from our accommodation. After checking in, yoga, and showering, we went outside to explore.
The streets were still quiet as we walked to the Esla River to view the old Roman walls surrounding the town. Finding the churches closed we were back at the hotel/hostel within an hour.
An unexpectedly relaxing afternoon and evening
We relaxed while watching Netflix in our room before going downstairs to the hotel’s pretty courtyard to journal over a glass of wine. It was early evening and apart from a couple of young Dutch and Austrian pilgrims who were loudly discussing their personal lives, we were the only people there.
Louise arrived just as we finished journalling and joined us for a glass of wine and dinner. She was staying at another accommodation but our hostel’s bar and restaurant are highly recommended for an excellent meal.
The recommendation was confirmed as the evening progressed and many pilgrims and locals filtered in and out for their evening meal. Camille, the young French Canadian teacher we met on Day 16 of walking the full Camino de Santiago also arrived.
Our accommodation
When we first walked into the reception area Albergueria del Camino looked quirky. However, our first impressions were quickly replaced with delight once we entered our tastefully furnished room overlooking the indoor courtyard.
The courtyard, covered in grapevines, provided the perfect ambience for relaxation after walking. Dinner was also served in the courtyard.
Our evening meal lived up to expectations: fresh juicy peaches stuffed with crab for entree; fish or chicken meatballs with a rich homemade tomato sauce and vegetables were the options for the main dish; and a choice of custard sprinkled with cinnamon, Greek yoghurt with honey and nuts or lemon cream for dessert.
Walking statistics
- 19km
- 4 hours including a rest break
Day 21 – Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon
We were downstairs for breakfast before 7 am to find that we were the only ones ready for breakfast. We were served a hearty breakfast of yoghurt topped with honey and dried fruit, toast, fried eggs, cheeses, fresh orange juice, and coffee.
There was a chill in the air, so we checked the outside temperature and donned our rain jackets to provide warmth and protection from the morning chill. Within 90 minutes, the sun had warmed up and we packed them into our backpacks.
Meandering through the final stages of the Meseta
The Camino path took us back to and over the Roman bridge before leading us along a tree-lined trail. At first, it is along the roadside and, after a while, meanders into the countryside, but it is never far from the main road and State highway passing through two towns: the smaller Villamoros de Mansilla and the larger Puente Villarente.
We found the French family of mum, dad, son, and the American couple at our rest and comfort stop in Arcahueja. The American lady who had been distressed the day before looked more comfortable. Canadian Camille was there too and we continued walking and chatting for a while but she was quite unwell with a heavy cold. In the interests of our health, we kept a wide berth.
On the outskirts of Leon
The 7 km trail leading into León runs alongside the road, but it is never on the road. Approaching León, there are many industrial buildings. Our guidebook recommends that pilgrims who want to avoid the roadside consider taking a bus to León.
Then suddenly, walking over a rise, Leon City appeared before us! We made out the spires of the Cathedral and the old town in the distance with the suburbs surrounding it.
Leon
The last few kilometres gradually led us through the suburbs and the official Camino path across the old Roman Bridge into the walled old city.
Our hotel was located just outside the old city walls so we continued through Puerta Moneda, the town’s original Roman walls and into the medieval streets and alleyways.
We entered a small church where Mass was underway before continuing to the elegant Plaza de San Marcelo. Stepping out of Plaza de San Marcelo, we found ourselves in Calle Ancha, leading to the spectacular Catedral de Leon. The street was bustling with well-dressed locals and Camino pilgrims, and the buildings lining the street took our breath away.
Santa Maria de Leon Cathedral
We had the fortune of arriving in Leon on the most iconic day of the Camino calendar. St James Feast Day is celebrated on 25 July every year. It was a public holiday and many were visiting the Cathedral.
The Cathedral de Leon dominates Plaza de Regla at one end. Cafes and restaurants look out to it from the other three sides. It’s a spectacular church with distinctive rose and beautiful stained-glass windows.
Kevin, our young fellow pilgrim from Mexico, spotted us as we emerged from the Cathedral, ran over, and invited us to join his mum and him at the cafe overlooking the square. We enjoyed catching up on their experience as we had not seen them on the trail for a few days.
A quick wander around Leon
Leon is an artistic treat with regal buildings inside and outside the Roman walls, churches and museums, fountains and statues at roundabouts. After checking into our hotel we returned to the Old Town. There was much to see and do.
We started by visiting the Plaza Mayor before walking through the back streets to the Cathedral. We enjoyed a Tinto de Verano (red wine spritz) in the plaza people-watching and the atmosphere.
Kevin’s mum, Veronika, Kevin’s mum, walked past and we beckoned her to join us for an aperitif. She’d been out exploring. We discussed her life in Mexico and her feelings about walking the Camino. Our discussion was conducted over Google Translate. Veronika speaks little English, and our Spanish is not fluent enough to converse intelligently. Her perspective on the whole Camino de Santiago experience was refreshing. She was living a lifelong dream by completing the pilgrimage.
We bid Veronika farewell, she and Kevin would be continuing their journey the next day while we stayed on to explore. An extra day to explore, we returned to a quiet local bar across from our hotel to journal before dinner saving the best for the next day when we were rested.
Our accommodation
Our accommodation for the next two nights was the Hotel Silken Luis de Leon. It is a comfortable, modern hotel close to the old city, making it the perfect place to stay.
Our standard hotel room provided us with all the usual amenities and was spacious enough to accommodate us for the extra night we stayed in Leon.
Dinner on our first evening and breakfast on both mornings were in the hotel’s restaurant, Las Medulas. Unfortunately, the restaurant was on the lower floor with no natural lighting. While our meals were delicious and substantial, our dining experience on our first evening was not as would be expected from a hotel of this calibre.
We described the experience as our “Fawlty Towers experience”. A lone waiter contended with serving guests in the restaurant while juggling answering the phone to take orders for room service and delivering these to the kitchen. He was up bright and early to host breakfast but this time, he had assistance.
- 20km
- 5 hours including a rest break
Want to know more about walking the full Camino de Santiago?
The Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) is a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. You don’t have to be a pilgrim to walk the Way. Above all, it’s a wonderful way to see and experience northern Spain.
Learn more about walking the Camino de Santiago here.
In case you missed it
Follow our 38-day journey walking the full Camino de Santiago from Day 1 by clicking the link below.
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