Sunday, 9/24: Today we make our way to Astorga, a 51 km ride in clear weather that has warmed up considerably. As we leave Leon, we enter La Maragateria, the ancient historical region of the Maragatos in the Leon Province. It is the transition point between the never-ending plains of the mesa we’ve been traveling and the edge of the Leon Mountains.
We stop at the historical town of Hospital de Orbigo where we must cross the Orbigo River using the medieval Bridge of Orbigo, originally engineered by the Romans. Historically at a strategic point at the foot of the Cantabrian mountains, its beginnings trace back to the old Roman road called the Via Aquitania used to link the Roman cities of Asturica (present day Astorga) and Tarraco (present day Tarragona). Love and wars are intertwined in this site: for a fascinating story, read about the Passo Honroso tournament in 1434.
It was beautiful to see this ancient river and place being enjoyed by its residents today.
While Astorga has been a part of history for over 20 centuries, it is a beautiful blend of old and modern. They have roman ruins, as well as the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Mary and the second site of young Antoni Gaudi’s architectural genius, known as el Palacio de Gaudi.
We’ve visited 14 cities/towns/villages/hamlets over the past 14 days and no matter how far back their history, the common thread that is woven through all these places is the people: the joy of living, eating, drinking has been visible every day.