Overview - Via de la Plata from Sevilla via Salamanca to Santiago de Compostela

The development of these pages on the Via de la Plata in 2005 has been assisted by the Xunta de Galicia
This page is designed to give you a quick overall impression of what it is like to walk the Via de La Plata from Seville. To see more details of any of these stages, please click on the numbered button above.
	The Via de la Plata is the longest of pilgrim routes in Spain, starting from Seville in Andalucia, and running northwards through the proviinces of Extremadura and Castilla y Leon to Salamanca and Zamora. After Zamora, the pilgirm has to make a choice - whether to continue on the Via de la Plata in the same northerly direction to Astorga, and then to join up with the Camino Francés to continue to Santiago, or to go directly to Santiago along a route known as the Galician variant or the Camino Sanbrés which turns to the north-west and goes through Ourense to Santiago. Both routes are around 1,000 km. in length, and can be walked in around 6 weeks. Compared with the Camino Francés, the Via de la Plata has very few pilgrims, yet it still has a good network of refugios, though some of the stages between them are quite long (over 30 km.) There are a number of good guides, including the indispensible Pilgrim Guide #2 of the Confraternity of St. James which can be obtained from their bookshop
Day 1 - Seville to Guilleria
Seville Cathedral	the first camino de tierra
Day 2 - Guilleria to Castleblanco
entering the nature reserve Cortijo de Chaparral	view from the refugio in Castilblanco
Day 3 - Castelblanco to Almaden de la Plata
Finca entry	view over Almaden de la Plata
Day 4 - Almaden de la Plata to Monasterio
a typical Andalucian black pig
walking into El Real de la Jara	Chapel and waymark
Day 5 - Monasterio to Fuente De Cantos
waymark for the albergue turistico in Fuente	courtyard in the albergue
Day 6 - Fuente de Cantos to Almazara
	church in Los Santos
Day 7 - Almazara to Torremeija
main church, Villafranca de los Barros	There are a few trees!
Day 8 - Torremeija to Aljucen
door of the albergue turistico in Torremejia	Distant view of Merida
Roman bridge, Merida	Roman aqueduct
Day 9 - Aljucen to Alcuescar
early morning, leaving Aljucen
prickly pear	entrance to the refugio, a monastery in Alcuescar
Day 10 - Alcuescar to Caceres
Roman bridge, Casas de Don Antonio	approaching Caceres
main square, Caceres	altar in St Juan
Day 11 - Caceres to Casar de Caceres

Day 12 - Casar de Caceres to Canaveral
pedestrian alley way into Casar de Caceres	Roman milestone
	Passing lake Tajo
Day 13 -Canaveral to Galisteo
Canaveral
A dodgy bit of path	coming in to Galisteo, which has its ancient wall round the old town
Day 14 - Galisteo to Carcasboso
Tower in the town wall	Water!
Day 15 - Carcaboso to Aldanueva del Camino
irrigation is doing a good job in this area
Roman arch at the archaeological site at Caparra	Stepping stones
tiles illustrating the Via de la Plata	Aldanueva
Day 16 - Aldanueva del Camino to Calzada de Bejar
Commemorating the original Roman road	and a part of the Camino on a modern one
restored section of Roman road in Bano de Montemayor	View from the refugio in Calzadade Bejar
Day 17 - Calzada de Bejar to Fuenterroble
Dawn - and al long road ahead
	refugio in Fuenterroble
Day 18 - Fuenterroble to Morille
1st cross of 5 erected by the local St James association	windmills on the approach to the Pico de Duena
Magnificent views	Pico de la Duena with Santiago-cross
Happy black pigs	Approaching San Pedro
Day 19 - Morille to Salamanca

First glimpse of Salamanca	Salamanca still far away
Day 20 - Rest day in Salamanca
Plaza Mayor	Casa de las Conchas, covered from top to bottom with scallop shells
The old library	Fine carving on a stone balustrade
Day 21 - Salamanca to El Cubo de Tierra del Vino
Leaving the road at the left fork onto a camino de tierra	Castellanos de Villiquera
An unusual waymark	Comfortable beds in the refugio attached to the church
Day 22 - El Cubo de Tierra del Vino to Zamora
New Roman-style milestone and distant view of Villanueva de Campeán	Church at San Marcial with storks
Puente de Piedra crossing the Rio Douro into Zamora	Church of Santiago del Burgo (with two murals of Santiago inside)
Day 23 - Zamora to Riego de Camino
Acres of sky and no shade for miles	View across the dry embalse towards the Ermita de la virgen del Castillo
Historicalmarker in Fontanillas de Castro	iwith a new refugio in this building, which has a private yard with clothes drying and safe bike storage.
Day 24 - Riego de Camino to Tábara
First view of Granja de Moreuruela	The dividing of the ways - Ourense to the left or Astorga to join the Camino Francés to the right
An unusual waymark	A steep climb to a good viewpoint
Day 25 - Tábara to Santa Marta de Tera
	Bercianos de Valverde
Rio Tera between Santa Marta and Santa Croya	11th century statue of Santiago in the porch of the church at Santa Marta de Tera
Day 26 - Santa Marta de Tera to Mombuey
Back to the canal	Swimming area in Rio Tera on the edge of rionegro del Puente
Amazing layered altar with death apparently triumphant (It was not possible to photograph this in one piece!)	Entering Mombuey The municpal refugio in Mombuey
Day 27 - Mombuey to Pueblo de Sanabria
San Salvador de Palazuelos: ermita with unusual crossaes and (dry) fountain	Approaching Asturianos
Remesal - the plaque explains that here a meeting between kings (Fernando V el Catolico andFelipe 1 el hermoso) changed history!	View showing the commanding situation of the town of Pueblo de Sanabria
Day 28 - Pueblo de Sanabria to Lubián
The castle at dawn	A new waymark
Steep descents crxossing Ifrrigation channels	Machinery of the old watermill in Aceiberos
Day 29- Lubián to A Gudina
Many abandoned houses in Vilavella	The first of the special waymarks of the province of Ourense
Tougher going with the higher passes of Galicia	The first of the Galician waymarks with the blue tiles and the brass plate showing the distance (in metres!) to Santiago wih one of the Ourense waymakrs
Day 30 - A Gudina to Laza (northern route)
The way divides at this double waymark in A Gudina	The enormous wooden cross at the top of the pass near Portocambo

Day 31 - Laza to Ourense (northern route)
500 metres of ascent to Albergueria	The bar at Albergueria Cross on Monte Talariño

Southern route - Day 1 - A Gudina to Verín
but fortunately the road winds down into the forest	Bridge for the N525 making interesting pattens in the early morning sun
Verín; the Casa de Escudo, named after the huge coat of arms: the Tourist Office and the munipal refugio are on the ground floor	Castilio de Monterrei, 2 km. outside Verín (and a fairly steep climb - there is another refugio here too)
Southern route - Day 2 - Verín to Xinzo de Lamia

This area was formerly the largest lake in Spain until it was drained by a canal Gigantic statue of a warrior - one of the typical carnival figures of the town -in the public park (right)
Southern route - Day 3 - Xinzo de Limia to Ourense
Narrow winding streets in Alleriz	Main square of Allariz
Puente de Vilanova (12th century	First view of Ourense
Day 32 - Ourense to Cea
Cathedral of San Martín	Detail of portico
Rio Miño from the Ponte Vella, with the new bridge	Another dividing point - straight on for the Quintela route illustrated here, or right for the Viduedo route
The old paved road	A 5-star hotel for ducks
Day 33 - Cea to Castro Dozón
Part of the restored group of buildings which includes the refugio	The monastery at Oseira (where it is possible to stay if you book in advance)
	Castro Dozón
Day 34 - Castro Dozón to Ponte Ulla
The New Refugio at Laxe Early morning mist	The 10th Century Ponte Taboada
Day 35- Ponte Ulla to Santiago de Compostela
Views from the New refugio at Cappilade Santaguino	The magnificent new refugio at Cappilade Santaguino
Santiago de Compostela in a thunderstorm	Journey's end after 1,000km; the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela

Via de la Plata from Sevilla via Salamanca to Santiago de Compostela

The stages of the Via de la Plata from Seville to Santiago de Compostela

Via de la Plata
from Sevilla via Salamanca
to Santiago de Compostela