St James self-guided bicycling tour - Cycle the Camino de Santiago on your own from the city of Léon
This is the best of self-guided bike tours for any bicyclist wanting a taste of the traditions and history of the "Camino de Santiago". For centuries, it has been used by pilgrims. One needs no religious beliefs, just curiosity and the wish to learn. On the route, the pilgrims are united by their course.
Listed as the main European Cultural Itinerary and scattered with delightful monuments such as old pilgrims' hospitals in Leon and Santiago de Compostela, we are constantly reminded that this route is the oldest, most celebrated and most frequented in Europe. It crosses the north of Spain beginning from the Pyrenees and provides views of breathtaking landscapes in the following regions of Navarra, Castile and Leon and Galicia, ancient monuments and most typical villages and cities from Pamplona to Burgos, Leon and to Santiago. Your accommodations are charming 2 and 3-star hotels, you may also choose some of the the highest quality: of three state-run Paradores on the bicycle route, two are very luxurious and the other hotels are of superior quality with a special charm. Savor the best of Spanish cuisine, traditional to the regions and accompanied by excellent wines from La Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Your luggage will be transported from hotel to hotel.
You will get to know Spain´s most spectacular landscapes, historical monuments and charming villages pedaling on a bike.
WHAT´S INCLUDED IN THE SELF-GUIDED TRIP:
Price p. person in 2 & 3-star hotels
Luggage transport hotel to hotel included.
From Léon EURO 880 6 nights in charming 2 & 3-star hotels in double occupancy. Single supplement EURO 125
Price p. person in 2 & 3-star hotels
Without luggage transport hotel to hotel.
From Léon EURO 696 in double occupancy. Single supplement EURO 125
Possibility to store your luggage at our office in Madrid.
Price p. person in 4-star hotels & Paradores
EURO 1165 starting from Léon - 6 nights standard rooms in Paradores & 4-star hotels
in double occupancy. Single supplement EURO 255 in accommodation at Paradores in Léon, Villafranca del Bierzo & Santiago de Compostela or 5-star hotel if latter should not be available. Early booking is recommended for the paradores in Léon and specially the one in Santiago.
Other
options
Route can
also be started from Roncesvalles (750 km/470 miles to Santiago) 10 nights, 11 days.
We also offer self-guided tours from Ponferrada (last 210 km or 130 miles which are necessary to get the certificate "la Compostela" or any other starting point.
Please ask for complete information. Optional: Flying back
from Santiago airport to Madrid Barajas at own expense. There is a night train leaving Santiago for Madrid which allows to transport the bicycles reserving a sleeping cabin.
Bravo Bike also offers support and logistics for groups, availabilty of two vehicles (Minibus VW transporter 9 seater each and two trailers for the bicycles).
Departure dates
2009 starting
any day of the year. Nevertheless, we recommend the months of late April, May, June, early July, late August (July & August are overcrowded with pilgrims), September and October. 2010 will be a Holy Year as St. James festivities fall on Sunday July 25th 2010. Early booking needed.
Difficulty level
B (Intermediate) and C (Advanced). From Léon 5 mixed routes mostly paved with some dirt tracks with no tecnical difficulty of 45-75
km rolling terrain with two pretty demanding climbing (Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro in Galicia. (25 to 47 miles) Routes are also perfect for road bikers although roads getting some more traffic towards Santiago de Compostela. important:NO BICYCLE LANES into Santiago de Compostela.
Days/nights
7 days/6 nights
Included in the price
6 nights accommodation, all continental breakfasts (4-star hotels buffet breakfast), taxes, transport with bike from Madrid to Léon or any other starting point and back from Santiago to Madrid by bus (ALSA), individually adapted 27-gear mtb bicycle (Trek 4300) equipped with panniers and front handlebar basket, repair kit, luggage transport (1 bag, max. 20kg) from hotel to hotel, documentation & maps, Bravo Bike welcome gifts.
Supplements
SENDING the bicycles directly to the starting point and back to Madrid has an extra charge of EURO 60.- each way.
For any extra night or further information before or
after the trip, please consult.
Discounts
For groups please ask for discounts.
Bicycles pick-up
Office Bravo Bike S.L., calle Juan Alvarez Mendizabal, 19, E-28008 Madrid near Plaza de Espana (town center)
