"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
 |
Map of the Via de la Plata |
 |
This is the hotel we stayed at in Sevilla's old quarter |
 |
Sevilla's golden tower - much Arab (Moorish) influence in Sevilla |
 |
A chapel in Triana after crossing the bridge on the way out of Sevilla |
 |
The Roman theatre at Italica (now Santiponce), near Sevilla |
 |
Inside the Roman amphitheatre at Italica |
 |
Roman amphitheatre, Italica |
 |
Detail of floor mosaic |
 |
River crossing |
 |
The path out of Guillena |
 |
Long abandoned castle along the Way |
 |
Ermita (Chapel) near Monasterio |
 |
Sea of wild flowers in the Spring |
 |
Fuente de Cantos |
 |
The old railway station at Zafra |
 |
Santiago (St James) |
 |
Crooked pillars of Zafra's town square |
 |
Again the Moorish influence |
 |
Los Santos de Maimona |
 |
Shells of the pilgrim at Los Santos de Maimona |
 |
Heading into grape country, beautifully kept, neat rows |
 |
Plaza de los Torros (bull ring) at Almendralej |
 |
The Roman bridge into Merida - 792 meters long, 60 arches |
 |
Aqueducto de los milagros - bought water 15 k to Merida |
 |
Storks nest on the old aqueduct at Merida |
 |
Templo de Diana - Merida |
 |
Merida - amphitheatre |
 |
Merida - Roman theatre, still used |
 |
Floor mosaic - crushing grapes |
 |
Roman version of the speed bump at Merida |
 |
Merida |
 |
We will leave Merida by a small Roman bridge |
 |
The Roman reservoir supplied water to Merida |
 |
Jamon Iberico |
 |
Aljuen |
 |
Detail of Santiago on church at Aljuen |
 |
Extremadura has descriptions of the Way on granite blocks |
 |
Yellow arrow waymark on cross |
 |
Packs beside the Roman road ahead |
 |
Today was Roman bridge day - Casa de Don Antinio |
 |
Crossing another Roman bridge |
 |
Roman bridge into Valdesalor |
 |
Into Caceres |
 |
Old Caceres in the background - the most intact walled city in Spain |
 |
Up the steps to the old city of Caceres |
 |
Santiago perigrino |
 |
Cathedral at Caceres |
 |
The tops of their towers were removed if the owners backed the wrong side years ago |
 |
Reflections in a window |
 |
Coat of arms |
 |
Moorish cistern at Caceres |
 |
Even the statue hides from the rain |
 |
Fallen miliario (Roman mile marker) reveals the square base |
 |
Graveyard of miliarios - originally placed a mile apart along the Roman road |
 |
Dawn at Embalse de Alcantara |
 |
Heading to Canaveral |
 |
Canaveral - proud of its chimneys, this one from 1882 |
 |
Resting at the Ermita San Christobal |
 |
The Way passes through cork trees |
 |
Approaching the walled town of Galisteo |
 |
Triumphal Arch, Caparra |
 |
Roman road leading to the Arch |
 |
This way |
 |
Normally dry |
 |
Up the Roman road |
 |
Aldeanueva del Camino |
 |
Cross the Roman bridge .... |
 |
.... and follow the path into Banos de Montemayor |
 |
Chapel - Banos de Montemayor |
 |
Into Castilla y Leon - immediate change in scenery |
 |
Puente de la Magdalena - Roman bridge, still used |
 |
The Via de la Plata |
 |
Calzada de Bejar - population 40 |
 |
Writing still visible on this miliario |
 |
Wayside cross |
 |
Refugio at Fuenterroble de Salvatierra |
 |
Lone wayside cross |
 |
Breakfast time at Pico de la Duena, the highest point for us at 1140 meters |
 |
Cross the Roman bridge and turn right into Salamanca |
 |
he arcaded Plaza Mayor is the most beautiful in Spain |
 |
Salamanca |
 |
Romanesque church - Salamanca |
 |
Salamanca |
 |
Santiago Matamoros - St James the Moor slayer |
 |
Casa de las Conchas (house of shells) - Salamanca |
 |
Decorative windows - Salamanca |
 |
Salamanca street |
 |
Courtyard in the Salamanca University - founded 1218 |
 |
Statue of el Toro |
 |
Another Romanesque church in Salamanca |
 |
Salamanca |
 |
Monastery at Salamanca |
 |
Heading out of Salamanca |
 |
Old window at Calzada de Valdunciel |
 |
On the Via de la Plata heading for Zamora |
 |
Romanesque bridge into Zamora - three mills downstream under the closest arch |
 |
Water mills, Zamora |
 |
Zamora, guarded by cliffs and walls |
 |
The street of bars (all closed for siesta) |
 |
Cathedral of Zamora |
 |
Fish scale roof of Zamora's cathedral |
 |
Romanesque church, one of 19 in Zamora |
 |
Detail of the church window |
 |
We leave by Zamora by the Bishop's gate to take the train to Avila |
 |
Map of the Via de la Plata |