From Los Arcos to Logroño

 

 

 

Today’s route is about twenty-eight kilometres, a bit longer than the previous stages. For this reason, I start earlier than usual this morning.

So, at 06:20, with the first light of day, I leave the hostel in Los Arcos.

 

The sun begins to peek over the horizon shortly after seven. I see it rise as I walk along a path winding through the usual green fields of wheat.

Once again, the sky is cloudless, and as the sun climbs higher, the landscape’s colours become more vibrant.

The temperature, needless to say, is still quite low.

 

After passing through Sansol, I continue for another nine hundred metres and stop in Torres del Río at eight o’clock.

First, I have breakfast in the square at the bar attached to the Albergue Casa Mariela.

The village is built along the slopes and at the top of a hill, so its narrow streets are quite steep.

The Baroque architecture of the buildings is very beautiful, but the true gem of the village is the small 12th-century Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Built in Romanesque style, the church has an unusual octagonal layout.

It’s a pity I can’t visit the interior, where there is also a distinctive star-shaped vault of Arab origin.

I pause for a while to admire and photograph it from various angles.

 

While examining the architectural design of the building, I notice that many pilgrims walk past without even glancing at this unique church.

– What a shame! – I think – The Way is also a journey, and it should be an opportunity to observe and enrich one’s knowledge. –

I realise, however, that for many, it’s more about covering kilometres than exploring the places they pass through.

Personally, I’ve decided to break up my journey following the classic stages, which average about twenty-five kilometres and can be completed in six to eight hours.

This way, by starting early, I can take breaks along the route and still have time in the afternoon to do other things, including sightseeing in the towns where I stay overnight.

I hear that many pilgrims extend their stages significantly, with some walking forty kilometres or more in a single day.

Of course, everyone has their own preferences and motivations, and I have no intention of judging others’ choices. But I do wonder—what’s the point of turning this into a gruelling march when part of The Way’s charm is to experience it slowly?

 

***

I start walking again at half-past eight.

Leaving Torres del Río, the dirt track resumes, winding through green fields of wheat and more.

The route also cuts through olive groves and vineyards, with long rows of vines becoming increasingly common as I approach the province of La Rioja.

 

From Torres del Río, it’s about eleven kilometres to the next village, Viana.

The route alternates between ascents and descents, and not all of it is on dirt tracks; some sections follow asphalt roads along the main highway.

 

Around nine o’clock, as I cross a rural area within the municipality of Bargata, I pass the 16th-century Hermitage of the Virgen del Poyo.

On the outer wall of this small country church dedicated to Mary, an inscription reads, “Bless the people of Bargata, protect the pilgrims.”

 

At 10:45, I arrive in Viana.

This town of 3,500 inhabitants sits on a hill and is the last stop along The Way in the province of Navarre.

On Calle Mayor stands the imposing Iglesia de Santa María, originally built in Gothic style.

Its most striking feature is the Renaissance façade, designed as a large stone altarpiece.

In the churchyard, under a marble slab, lie the remains of Cesare Borgia—prince, warrior, and politician, and son of Pope Alexander VI.

The interior of Santa María, divided into three naves, features several altarpieces, the most impressive being the one at the main altar dedicated to the Virgin.

Another notable building in Viana is the 13th-century Church of San Pedro.

Though it lies in ruins, with almost nothing left of its interior, its 18th-century Baroque façade is still in good condition.

 

A couple of kilometres after Viana, at noon, I pass the Hermitage of the Virgen de las Cuevas.

The “Madonna and Child” statue currently inside is a plaster copy, as the original has been moved to the Church of Santa María in Viana.

 

From here, it’s three kilometres to the border with the province of La Rioja and six and a half kilometres to the city of Logroño.

The landscape becomes sparser, with fewer wheat fields and more vineyards.

 

The wine from Rioja, labelled “Denominación de Origen Calificada” (DOCa), is produced from vines cultivated in the semi-arid regions of this province.

There’s a wide selection of red, white, and rosé wines, which are internationally recognised for their high quality.

 

***

After crossing the provincial border, Logroño comes into view, and the end of today’s stage seems near.

Contrary to appearances, however, there’s still quite a bit of walking to do, including traversing the city’s outskirts with its busy road junctions.

The heavy traffic isn’t just on the ground but also in the sky: while covering this section leading into the city, several military aircraft of various types fly overhead, one after the other, followed by a commercial airliner.

In the end, the reason for this unusual aerial activity remains a mystery to me.

I cover the last metres of today’s stage by crossing one of Logroño’s landmarks—the famous Puente de Piedra over the Ebro River, also known as the Puente de San Juan de Ortega.

This bridge, built in the late 19th century to replace the old medieval one that had fallen into disrepair, marks the entrance to the city.

 

Shortly after crossing the bridge, at 13:30, I arrive at the Albergue de Peregrinos Municipal de Logroño, located in the historic centre on Calle Ruavieja.

Once I’ve checked in at the hostel, I follow my usual afternoon routine.

After resting a bit, taking a shower, and having a nap, I’m ready to explore the city.

 

My first priority, taking advantage of being in a big city, is to solve a practical issue.

As I’ve already mentioned, during the first few days of The Way, I discovered my ATM card inexplicably broken into two pieces. Fortunately, the chip remained intact, and I was able to fix it temporarily with adhesive tape.

Since then, I’ve avoided using ATMs for fear that the machine might retain the card due to the visible damage.

Now, however, I decide to take the risk, relying on the presence of bank staff who can assist me if anything goes wrong.

The transaction is successful, and I can continue my journey without worrying about running out of cash.

 

***

Logroño, twinned with the Italian city of Brescia, has more than 150,000 inhabitants and is the capital of the autonomous community of La Rioja.

Today, as in the past, it remains an important stop for pilgrims travelling towards Santiago de Compostela.

 

Together with Paolo from Bergamo, I spend part of the afternoon touring the city’s main attractions, visiting them in the following order:

The Cathedral of Santa María de La Redonda, built in the 15th century in Gothic style.

Its façade features two imposing Baroque towers flanking a Rococo portal.

Inside, the gilded altarpiece of the main altar stands out for its splendour.

The Church of San Bartolomé, dating back to the 13th century, has an impressive Gothic façade on the outside.

Its iconography narrates the life of the saint, and it also boasts a 16th-century square tower.

The Church of Santiago el Real, whose 17th-century façade includes two sculptures representing Saint James—one as a pilgrim and the other as a mounted warrior.

Saint James the Pilgrim is also depicted in the magnificent altarpiece at the main altar.

 

In the evening, we dine at Café Moderno, which, despite its name, is a restaurant with antique furnishings.

Its central location on Calle Francisco Martínez Zaporta makes it easily accessible.

Although it doesn’t look like a typical pilgrim’s restaurant, it serves generous and tasty dishes for about ten euros.

Dinner is shared with the usual group of Italians.

The occasion also gives us a chance to say goodbye to our two friends from Palermo, Rosario and Nicola, who end their journey here as planned for work reasons.

They will continue their experience in the future, picking up The Way again from Logroño.

 

Throughout dinner, a television placed near our table broadcasts bullfighting, showing its brutality.

Clearly, this controversial spectacle is still popular in Spain, enough to warrant its own dedicated TV channel.

 

After dinner, while walking through the streets, I run into Fernando—the athletic seventy-nine-year-old Argentine pilgrim—who tells me he has knee pain.

– So he’s not bionic after all! – I think. – At least some parts of him are still human. –

I recommend an anti-inflammatory cream widely used by pilgrims. Although I’ve never tried it myself, I’ve heard it’s considered almost miraculous for relieving the aches and pains of The Way.

I accompany Fernando to a nearby pharmacy, and I can’t help but be amused by his vitality.

Even at nearly eighty, his charm knows no bounds—he flirts confidently with the young and pretty pharmacist, who could easily be his granddaughter.

After enduring Fernando’s persistence for a while, the pharmacist finally sets aside her professionalism and exclaims:

– It’s true what they say—the Camino does go to your head at a certain age! –

Half amused and half embarrassed, I pay for the cream and drag the enterprising Casanova out of the pharmacy.

 

After bidding farewell to Fernando, who heads back to the hostel to tend to his knee, I meet up with Juaní.

We take a short stroll, and then we, too, return to the hostel.

 

Before 22:00, I’m already in bed.

© Aldo Lardizzone 2020

CREATIVE COMMONS