The Camino Francés crosses most of Spain from east to west, and goes through 4 different regions. The biggest (and one of Spain’s biggest too) is Castilla y León.
My guest on the podcast today is Sara Castro, a Spanish teacher and host of the podcast Spagnolo a 360 gradi. Although she lives in Italy and mainly teaches Italian students, Sara is originally from Castilla y León, which is crossed by several other Camino de Santiago routes too.
We talk about the Meseta, that long, flat stretch of the Camino Francés between Burgos and León. Sara explains why this part of the Camino can be tough, with its extreme weather and seemingly endless landscape, but also deeply rewarding for those seeking a more introspective journey.
Of course, we also talk about food. The hard weather we mentioned earlier influences Castilla y León’s cuisine: you’ll find lots of hearty dishes like sopa de ajo (garlic soup), lechazo asado (roast lamb) or lentils and chickpeas stews. The Ribera del Duero wine is produced in this area too.
Valladolid, Sara’s town, hosts a national pinchos and tapas competition. You have to pay for those, but right on the Camino, in León, you get a free tapa with your drink.
More on tapas and pinchos here.
Sara also invites us to discover the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage: the cathedrals, castles and other monuments as well as centuries of history: El Cid, Christopher Columbus, kings and queens like Isabel de Castilla and Felipe II, Cervantes…
If you’re planning your Camino or simply want to learn more about this part of Spain, this episode will give you plenty of reasons to slow down, explore, and enjoy every step through Castilla y León.
More about Sara and her work: https://www.saracastro.net/
Her podcast, Spagnolo a 360 gradi (don’t let the name fool you, the podcast is all in Spanish!): https://open.spotify.com/show/7vjXdkLC5TLYvqXHMGle4B?si=fd6275b07c52464d
And here is when she invited me to her podcast.
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