"Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar" (Walker there is no path, you make your path by walking) Antonio Machado (1875 - 1939)
We walked the Via de la Plata from Seville to Zamora (575 km) in the Spring of 2007. If you want to see the distances and profile, click here
- In 2015, we walked the Via Augusta from Cadiz to Sevilla, 190 km, click here
- Finally after 10 years, in 2017 we returned to Zamora to complete the 370km Camino Sanabres to Santiago, click here
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Map of the Via de la Plata |
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This is the hotel we stayed at in Sevilla's old quarter |
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Sevilla's golden tower - much Arab (Moorish) influence in Sevilla |
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A chapel in Triana after crossing the bridge on the way out of Sevilla |
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The Roman theatre at Italica (now Santiponce), near Sevilla |
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Inside the Roman amphitheatre at Italica |
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Roman amphitheatre, Italica |
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Detail of floor mosaic |
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River crossing |
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The path out of Guillena |
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Long abandoned castle along the Way |
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Ermita (Chapel) near Monasterio |
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Sea of wild flowers in the Spring |
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Fuente de Cantos |
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The old railway station at Zafra |
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Santiago (St James) |
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Crooked pillars of Zafra's town square |
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Again the Moorish influence |
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Los Santos de Maimona |
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Shells of the pilgrim at Los Santos de Maimona |
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Heading into grape country, beautifully kept, neat rows |
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Plaza de los Torros (bull ring) at Almendralej |
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The Roman bridge into Merida - 792 meters long, 60 arches |
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Aqueducto de los milagros - bought water 15 k to Merida |
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Storks nest on the old aqueduct at Merida |
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Templo de Diana - Merida |
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Merida - amphitheatre |
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Merida - Roman theatre, still used |
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Floor mosaic - crushing grapes |
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Roman version of the speed bump at Merida |
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Merida |
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We will leave Merida by a small Roman bridge |
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The Roman reservoir supplied water to Merida |
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Jamon Iberico |
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Aljuen |
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Detail of Santiago on church at Aljuen |
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Extremadura has descriptions of the Way on granite blocks |
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Yellow arrow waymark on cross |
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Packs beside the Roman road ahead |
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Today was Roman bridge day - Casa de Don Antinio |
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Crossing another Roman bridge |
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Roman bridge into Valdesalor |
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Into Caceres |
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Old Caceres in the background - the most intact walled city in Spain |
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Up the steps to the old city of Caceres |
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Santiago perigrino |
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Cathedral at Caceres |
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The tops of their towers were removed if the owners backed the wrong side years ago |
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Reflections in a window |
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Coat of arms |
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Moorish cistern at Caceres |
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Even the statue hides from the rain |
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Fallen miliario (Roman mile marker) reveals the square base |
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Graveyard of miliarios - originally placed a mile apart along the Roman road |
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Dawn at Embalse de Alcantara |
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Heading to Canaveral |
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Canaveral - proud of its chimneys, this one from 1882 |
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Resting at the Ermita San Christobal |
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The Way passes through cork trees |
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Approaching the walled town of Galisteo |
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Triumphal Arch, Caparra |
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Roman road leading to the Arch |
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This way |
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Normally dry |
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Up the Roman road |
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Aldeanueva del Camino |
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Cross the Roman bridge .... |
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.... and follow the path into Banos de Montemayor |
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Chapel - Banos de Montemayor |
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Into Castilla y Leon - immediate change in scenery |
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Puente de la Magdalena - Roman bridge, still used |
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The Via de la Plata |
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Calzada de Bejar - population 40 |
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Writing still visible on this miliario |
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Wayside cross |
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Refugio at Fuenterroble de Salvatierra |
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Lone wayside cross |
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Breakfast time at Pico de la Duena, the highest point for us at 1140 meters |
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Cross the Roman bridge and turn right into Salamanca |
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he arcaded Plaza Mayor is the most beautiful in Spain |
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Salamanca |
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Romanesque church - Salamanca |
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Salamanca |
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Santiago Matamoros - St James the Moor slayer |
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Casa de las Conchas (house of shells) - Salamanca |
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Decorative windows - Salamanca |
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Salamanca street |
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Courtyard in the Salamanca University - founded 1218 |
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Statue of el Toro |
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Another Romanesque church in Salamanca |
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Salamanca |
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Monastery at Salamanca |
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Heading out of Salamanca |
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Old window at Calzada de Valdunciel |
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On the Via de la Plata heading for Zamora |
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Romanesque bridge into Zamora - three mills downstream under the closest arch |
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Water mills, Zamora |
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Zamora, guarded by cliffs and walls |
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The street of bars (all closed for siesta) |
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Cathedral of Zamora |
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Fish scale roof of Zamora's cathedral |
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Romanesque church, one of 19 in Zamora |
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Detail of the church window |
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We leave by Zamora by the Bishop's gate to take the train to Avila |
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Map of the Via de la Plata |