I have planed a trip with my grandson to hike the Camino de Santiago. I have to get to Bilboa from Madrid, coming in from Canada, then find a way back from Santiago to Madrid. My Grandson being 13, would also see Paris before or flight back to Toronto We have lots of time. The pilgimage starts on the 6 of July and ends on the 16.
Can some one help?
mellow

The train journey is now faster thanks to the opening of a new high speed line. The fastest journey is 4 hrs 46 mins. Schedules are on www.bahn.de, and schedules and fares are on www.renfe.es.
Note that the city on the north coast of Spain is Bilbao, not "Bilboa".

train, plane or car?

I forgot the bus.

I recommend flying from Madrid to Bilbao and from Santiago to Madrid. check Spanair, Iberia , Air Europa.

Out of curiosity, is this an organized walking tour?

The walk from Bilboa to Santiago is the Camino de Norte and that segment is approxiamtely 300 miles.

Thus it is far too much for a ten day walk.

Please provide more inforamtion as to the route and the means of transportation.

There are daily flights from Santiago and Bilboa to Madrid and there is a reasonably fast trains from Madrid to Bilboa.

I am sorry I spelled Bilbao wrong every time. Sorry.

Bilbao, not Bilboa (there´s a thread on this so common mistake).

In any case, 10 days for this pilgrimage, including the trips to and from Madrid, is not much...

A 300 mile walk in 10 days? Buena suerte.

My wife is planning a Camino as we speak where she will take the French route.

El Camino de Norte is supposed to be more beautiful but more rugged with fewer refugios.

Again I do not how I misspelled Bilbao three times.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34904961

There are numerous forums regarding the Camino, here is an excellent one:

http://www.mundicamino.com/


By the way I live in Manhattan and you would not believe how many Americans spell it Manhatten.

Are you sure that you are leaving from Bilbao, or is it an organized trip?
It´s not enough time for a walking trip from Bilbao to Santiago (even less if you are doing the coastal road, it´s not so well organized as the French one).

I am just back from Bilbao, this time by train. When I went home a week ago there were quite a few pilgrims in the train that took it to get to Burgos, their beginning point. I can certainly recommend it.

To get back from Santiago to Madrid, the fastest way will be the plane. Check Vueling, or Easyjet from La Coruña.

Rgds, Cova

ttt for ttvilla