Camino de Santiago Day 3

Day 3: I woke up at 7:30, ate breakfast at Casa Tau (pound cake and a coffee), and then departed at 9 AM for the hike to Pamplona. The camino first passed through farmland, then a forested path snaking along a river, and then into and out of several small towns separated by forest and hills. I paused briefly at a medieval bridge in Iroz but my first major stop was at Iglesia de San Estaban, a medieval church from the 13^th century. After taking in the church, I climbed to the bell tower and rang the bell twice as instructed by the nun below. The church sits on a hill and has a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Following the church, I continued onward and enjoyed the rolling hills, making another small stop for water and a snack a few miles later (a man was selling provisions from his van parked along the camino). I then continued on and crossed another old bridge into Trinidad de Arre. From there I walked along a main road into Villava-Atarrabia and then through the suburbs of Pamplona before finally entering the city. Arriving in Pamplona, the camino passed beside the wall of a fortress, entered through a medieval gate, and then continued into the ancient city streets (Pamplona was founded in 74 BC), bustling with activing from the San Fermin festival. The San Fermin festival goes from July 6 through July 14 this year so the streets were packed with people, music, and festival. Everyone wears white with a red sash and red scarf during the festival. It’s a joyous atmosphere and every morning there is a running of the bulls. I will be running tomorrow morning. So after weaving my way through the crowded streets, I arrived at Hostal Arriazu, where I met up with Tatiana (who had arrived 10 minutes earlier)! She had just flown in from the United States. I then took a shower while she took a nap, and then we went off to explore Pamplona together. We visited several bars/restaurants for tapas and drinks and strolled the city before heading back to Hostal Arriazu early to prepare for the next day.

Distance hiked: 10 miles

Vlog: CAMINO DE SANTIAGO HIKE GUIDE/VLOG: NAVARRE JULY 2022 DAY 1-8 - YouTube

Praire

Bell of San Esteban

Farmland

Iglesia de San Esteban

Nice View

Bridge into Trinidad de Arre

Crossing the Bridge

Fortress coming into Pamplona

Gate into Pamplona ancient city

Pamplona

Pamplona