Overview: Cami de Llevant or El Camino de Levante
From Valenica via Toledo and Avila to Zamora; thence by one or other of the branches of the Vía de la Plata to Santiago.
The Route. Starts in Valencia and initially goes south to Xátiva, then westerly/northwesterly via Albacete, San Clemente, Toledo, Avila, Arévalo, Medina del Campo, and Toro to Zamora. From Zamora there are three options: continue to Astorga and thence by the Camino Francés to Santiago, go directly through Galicia on the Via de la Plata via Puebla de Sanabria and Ourense to Santiago or turn west after Zamora and go via Bragança and northeastern Portugal, joining the southern variant of the Vía de la Plata in Verín. The distance from Valencia to Zamora is c. 900 km and to Santiago c.1300 km. Allow 7 weeks or so for the full trip.
Distinctive features of the route. The route is long and passes through some of the most beautiful and historic parts of Spain. There is little pilgrim infrastructure but there is adequate low cost accommodation in convents and hostales at regular intervals. Daily planning is necessary because there are times when pilgrims have to carry food and water for the day.
This is a solitary route and there are few other pilgrims however the local people are aware of the route and are invariably pilgrim friendly. However most people in rural Spain cannot speak English and some knowledge of the Spanish is essential.
The route is suitable for mountain bikes and given its length the majority of pilgrims at this time travel by bicycle.
Waymarking. Waymarking is good throughout this route. It cross a number of other routes on the way including the Camino Sureste and the Don Quijote with its distinctive green markers. Care should be taken at the intersections with these routes – particularly when leaving Medina del Campo. The maps provided in and with the Guide to the route produced by the Amigos in Valencia are very useful. In 2011 there continued to be some disruption to the route caused by major road works. However the maps in the guide make the direction of the route very clear. Some pilgrims may wish to take a compass with them.
Terrain. Generally not strenuous but care should be taken to deal with the effect of walking in the heat which can be exhausting. There are many days with very little or even no shade: days of vineyards, orange groves, and maize affording no shelter from the elements. La Mancha although beautiful is particularly barren with long stages. A few steep climbs including the Alto de la Paramera, 1345m, approaching Avila.
Weather/when to go: NOT July/August for the Valencia-Zamora stretch. September/October is a good time although it can still be very hot, 30/35º C., but it has the advantage that the grape harvest is in full flow and the oranges, figs and apples are all in full fruit, which adds to the interest and beauty.
Accommodation: The Guide produced by the Amigos in Valencia and translated into English lists the accommodation along the way. There are few albergues although some Convents and local authorities make pilgrim accommodation available. Otherwise there is an adequate number of hostals.
What to see. Spectacular scenery, beautiful villages, towns and cities. The major sights such as Toledo and Avila are well known tourist destinations but you also get to see places such as Chinchilla, a hill top town with castle, cave dwellings and a Santiago peregrino in natural stone on the external wall of the apse of Iglesia de Santa María; San Clemente is a mediaeval town with a 15th c church dedicated to Santiago Apóstol; Tembleque has a beautiful balconied Plaza Mayor. Every town in Castilla La Manch seems to have a castle.
Guide Books.
Camino del Levante : VALENCIA TOLEDO ZAMORA OURENSE - SANTIAGO Nouveauté 2008 par Gérard du camino. 22 E + 2 E de frais de port. Obtainable from LEPERE EDITIONS - 13 Le Bourg - 27 270 GRANDCAMP (Délai de livraison : 3 jours ) www.chemin-compostelle.fr . Reported much more up-to-date than the following:
Topoguia: El Camino de Levante. 3rd ed Summer 2009. 320pp. ISBN 978-84-86715-31-8. €20. Excellent and now available in English. This guide covers the whole route from Valencia to Santiago via Zamora and Ourense. It has useful strip maps for the whole route (printed in the book and separately) and lists services along the entire route. It is available from: Amigos del Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana, Dr. Gil y Morte, 24 -1º, pta 3 46007-VALENCIA. Tel/fax. 96 385 99 82. It is also available from a selection of bookshops in Valencia.
The Valencia Association meet from 17.00-20.30 every Thursday and Friday from 15th July until 15th September (only on Friday outside these dates ) at the above address, which is within easy walking distance of the city centre. More information can be obtained by visiting their website-www.vieiragrino.com.Discussion Forum. Visit the Pilgrimage to Santiago Forum to join in the current conversation.
Language. While it is not impossible to take this route without any command of Spanish prospective pilgrims are strongly urged to learn as much as possible before they set out. We recommend the BBC's Get By In Spanish - a small slim book in 5 chapters, with a single cassette, or Talk Spanish, an expanded version of the above, with 2 cassettes or 2 CDs.
Websites. http://www.vieiragrino.com/; and click here for a variant of the route starting in Alicante. To begin with, it follows the Ruta de la Lana.
The website www.mundicamino.com provides lots of route details.
Thanks to Johnnie Walker, August 2011