Day 14 – Burgos

A beautiful day of rest here in Burgos. No serious walking except to see the sights, but I still managed to log over 5 miles exploring this lovely city!

Spent a couple of hours at the Cathedral of Saint Marie and included a couple of pictures. There is really no way to capture the beauty and scope of this holy site with snap shots…think Medieval version of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia (still under construction) in Barcelona. Santa Marie is the most significant gothic church in northern Spain originally built in the mid-1,200’s, but then substantially expanded over the next 500 years. The chapels ringing the main nave and transept are essentially museums showcasing the best that the early renaissance had to offer in architecture, sculpture, painting, woodworking, etc. The relics of saints, and tombs of important clergy and secular sponsors are housed in the church. Not sure how much actual worship happens there. Since it was named a World Heritage Site, it is now more of a curated time capsule.

Burgos has a tame river running through it that acts as the anchor for a series of pretty parks and promenades. Spaniards of all ages come out in droves starting round 7PM to stroll, talk, and have dinner in the cafes. The weather here today is 70F with sun and low humidity…a perfect late Spring evening.

I did some shopping today for a few essentials and over-the-counter meds to control a cold that I have been nursing for a week. So I am ready to hit the high plains (meseta) tomorrow in my walk to Hornillos del Camino.