From San Juan de Ortega to Burgos

Today's journey begins in San Juan de Ortega with a pleasant walk through the Sierra de Atapuerca and turns into a cumbersome and interminable succession of industrial buildings before arriving at Burgos. We recommend taking the variant via Castañares, 500 metres longer but much more pleasant than the official route. The jewel of the stage is at the end, the Cathedral of Burgos, one of the most important monuments of our country.

We leave San Juan de Ortega in the direction of Burgos along a dirt track through a pine forest and arrive at Agés. From here we continue by road to Atapuerca, where we can visit the interesting archaeological site.

We begin the ascent to the Sierra de Atapuerca along a stony track. At the top we can already see Burgos in the background. We go down to Villabal and we get to a local road, practically without traffic.

Just at the exit of the village we turn left to take a track and start the ascent by the Atapuerca Mountains. We will continue the ascent to the Alto de Atapuerca, not very steep, but not very firm, so, with care, we will ascend until we reach the Cruz de Madera, from where we can see the city of Burgos. It was on the plain that we can see from here that the battle of Atapuerca was fought, which would govern the distribution of the Spanish kingdoms in the 11th century.

From here we will begin to descend through a complicated area until we reach Cardeñuela Riopico, right next to the river, where we will find a place to rest. We continue towards Burgos, passing through Orbajena Riopico, to reach the crossroads that will decide our entry into the Castilian city.

Here you can decide whether to take a shorter route, but through a completely urban and industrial area, or take the longer route that will take us around the airport, but we will enter Burgos through a beautiful park. And now we are in Burgos, where we will find the Cathedral of Santa María de Burgos, one of the most imposing in the country, as well as the home of the tomb of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Cid Campeador.

To consider

If on our way from San Juan de Ortega to Burgos we take the variant of Castañares We must cross a pedestrian crossing of the national road N-120, take Óbidus street until the end, skirt a big factory on the right, and cross the Arlanzón river by a pedestrian bridge; from there, and until the Old Town of Burgos itself, we follow a pedestrian walk along the Arlanzón river.

Pilgrims wishing to visit the Atapuerca Archaeological Site should make their reservation in advance at http://www.atapuerca.org/.

Places of interest

• Atapuerca Archaeological Site
• Burgos Cathedral - Burgos
• Church of San Nicolás - Burgos
• The Castle and its Viewpoint - Burgos

Typical dishes

• Suckling lamb
• Grilled cutlets
• "Rotten pot"
• Burgos black pudding
• Burgos Cheese
• Castilian soup
• Crayfish