The Silver Route from Salamanca by bike

Route for Pilgrims

Day 1: Arrival at Salamanca and accomodation

You will arrive in Salamanca on your own or if you wish, we can arrange your transfer to Salamanca from any airport or station you arrive at. We also offer you the possibility to rent a bike with us and pick it up at the point you indicate or, if you prefer, we offer you the delivery of your own bike from your home to the start of the stage. From here, depending on your arrival time, you can visit different points of interest in the city, such as the New and Old Cathedrals, the Plaza Mayor, the Convent of San Esteban or visit some of the beautiful faculties of what is considered to be the oldest university in Spain and the Hispanic world, as well as being the third oldest in Europe. It also has an important historical and architectural heritage and the old town has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Day 2: Stage Salamanca – Zamora

You will wake up in your accommodation in Salamanca, where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged, and you will begin the stage to Zamora. During the route there will be no major changes in level and there will be the possibility of making stops in small towns where you can recharge your batteries, such as Calzada de Valdunciel or El Cubo del Vino, the first town in Zamora that you will enter after leaving behind a small forest, and where you can visit different points of interest in the area such as the parish church, in honour of Santo Domingo de Guzmán or the cross in honour of Santiago Peregrino, located just in front and which is a replica of the one located in Santa Marta de Tera. On arrival in Zamora, as well as having all the services at your disposal, you will be able to visit its old quarter, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, with its Romanesque buildings, which make up the largest ensemble of this architectural style in Spain, and where the impressive Cathedral stands out. In addition, there are other places of great interest that you will be grateful to have visited, such as the numerous churches, the castle and the city walls.

Day 3: Stage Zamora – Santa Croya de Tera

You will wake up in your accommodation in Zamora, where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged, and you will begin the stage to Santa Croya de Tera. A long stage in which, in the first section, you will ride along country tracks and endless straights that characterise the landscape of Zamora, making stops in Montamarta or in Granja de Moreruela itself, where you will take the alternative of the Sanabrés Way, much more suitable for the pilgrimage by bike than the Vía de la Plata. Afterwards you can avoid the pitfall of a rather steep path just before Puente Quintos by following the road to Faramontanos de Tábara. The final stretch to Santa Croya de Tera will be characterised by the presence of quite a few steep slopes, but most of them will be gentle and will not be to hard for your legs. Once in the town, you can rest while visiting the church, whose belfry stands out. The baptismal font, in Gothic style, marks the age of the church, which dates back to the 16th century. It is very well preserved and has baroque altarpieces.

Day 4: Stage Santa Croya de Tera – Puebla de Sanabria

You will wake up in the accommodation in Santa Croya de Tera, where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged, and you will begin the hike to Puebla de Sanabria. This stage will separate pilgrims walking and pilgrims by bike, the latter choosing a road course, thus avoiding the passage through numerous paths of difficult access. You will pass through small villages such as Mombuey, where you can visit the Church of the Asunción and its tower, or Palacios de Sanabria, a few kilometres before reaching your destination.

After arriving in Puebla de Sanabria, you can visit different points of interest in the area and enjoy emblematic tourist sites such as the Church of Nuestra Señora del Azogue, the Convent of San Francisco or the castle of the Counts of Benavente, famous for its keep, popularly known as “El Macho” and the main part of the fortress.

Day 5: Stage Puebla de Sanabria – A Gudiña

You will wake up in the accommodation in Puebla de Sanabria, where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged, and you will begin the hike to A Gudiña. This stage was marked by the ascent to the Alto de Padornela, which was sometimes affected by the works of the AVE. Again, you will be interspersed with paths near rivers and streams as well as secondary roads and the well-known N-525. You will then bid farewell to the region of Castile-León, saying goodbye to it through the town of Lubián, where you will be able to appreciate the typical architecture of Sanabria, both religious and civil. Afterwards, after climbing up to the natural barrier of the Alto de A Canda, you will descend and pass several ascending but relatively smooth points.

Specifically, you will enter Galicia through the province of Ourense, in the municipality of A Gudiña, which will make you feel that the finish line is getting closer and closer. Here you will finish your stage and besides resting from the stage, you can visit places such as the Chapel of San Martiño, the Church of San Pedro or the Statue of the Blessed Sebastián de Aparicio.

Day 6: Stage A Gudiña – Xunqueira de Ambía

You will wake up in the accommodation in A Gudiña, where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged, and you will begin the hike to Xunqueira de Ambía. As in previous stages, you will be separated from the pilgrims traveling by foot to continue by road most of the way to the town of Verín, where you can visit the Sanctuary of Los Remedios or the Church and Convent of La Merced. You will continue the stage passing through another town well known for its carnival celebrations, Xinzo de Limia, just before finishing the stage in Xunqueira de Ambía.

On arrival in this town and depending on the time of arrival, you can visit different points of interest such as the Church of Santa María la Real, the Chapel of San Pedro or the river beach, where you can relax and rest from the hard stage of that day.

Day 7: Stage Xunqueira de Ambía – Castro Dozón

You will wake up in the accommodation in Xunqueira de Ambía where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged and you will begin the stage to Castro Dozón. During the route you will alternate rural and paved roads, leaving behind towns such as Reboredo or Seixalbo before reaching the city of Ourense, where you can enjoy all the attractions that the thermal city can offer to tourists. You will then continue on to Castro Dozón, after passing through Cea, where you will be able to taste the famous artisan bread for which the town is famous.

Once you have arrived in Castro Dozón and depending on the time of arrival, you can visit different points of interest, the main one being the Romanesque church of San Salvador, located right next to the Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago de Compostela. The main attractions are located nearby, so if you have time, you should visit places such as the monastery of San Pedro de Vilanova, in O Mosteiro.

Day 8: Stage Castro Dozón – Santiago de Compostela

You will wake up in the accommodation in Castro Dozón, where a good energetic breakfast is included to start the day with your batteries fully charged, and you will begin the hike to Santiago. A similar stage to the previous ones, pleasant to walk through the beautiful surroundings and having already reached the province of A Coruña. You will pass through towns such as Silleda, where you will visit the Siador cork oak, the Toxa Waterfalls, the Carboeiro Monastery and the Church of Santiago de Taboada.

Day 8: Santiago de Compostela

Breakfast in your Accommodation A day off to visit all those monuments that, besides the Cathedral, have made this town so special.

After breakfast our services will be finished.