Today is as dismal as yesterday, and in the morning I decide to go straight to Burgos. There are festivities aplenty here today as they are celebrating the patron saints of this medieval city founded in the 10th century. The fiesta of San Pedro and San Pablo, known locally as the Sampedros, is a big festival that take place at the end of June and continues for a week with parades, dancing, concerts, and fireworks. I also want time to explore Burgos Cathedral and the town in general, before travelling to Bilbao early the next morning.

It’s a good decision. I instantly fall in love with the old town, which is where I end up spending the entire day. This is the view as I enter Burgos alongside the river.

The first thing I do is visit the Cathedral of Burgos, Catedral de Santa María. The cathedral construction started in 1221, making it Spain’s first Gothic cathedral. It took about forty years to finish, and was expanded until 1765.

There is music everywhere in town and the square will soon be packed with people, as there’s going to be a concert on the terrace above the flower arrangement. I enjoy taking part in this local tradition and mingling with the locals, and I even take a short afternoon nap in the midst of them, sitting on a bench in the cathedral square, while I wait to get access to the place I will be staying. But first I go inside to visit the cathedral.

Unlike the cathedral in Pamplona, ​​this one is huge, light and airy and I’m completely mesmerised by it.

It is wonderfully ornate but it’s the soaring ceilings that capture my attention, as each ceiling is different from the other. Listen to the acoustics!

I keep craning my neck to look at the ceilings hovering high above me, with various artistic styles as the different sections were added on over the years. The one in the photo above is from the Baroque period.

Suddenly the church bells start to chime and I rush outside to the courtyard in the centre of the cathedral to listen. It’s pretty impressive and goes on for quite some time.

The Arco de Santa María, the gateway through the walls that surrounded the city.

The celebrations are ongoing everywhere with parades and loud music in every nook and cranny.

Outside the cathedral, two orchestras pass each other on their way to other parts of the city, each playing its own tune. It’s a festive atmosphere and everyone seems to be having fun.

Does all this feel overwhelming after the silence and tranquility of the camino, you might wonder? Absolutely not! I’m loving it! I needed to walk the camino this time because it was necessary for me to unplug, reset and reconnect with myself. Overwhelmed was how I felt before coming here. Now I feel I’ve been restored, and I’m ready to reconnect with life outside the camino again.

I indulge myself by staying in the middle of town beside the cathedral. When evening comes, the light is absolutely magnificent, with the illuminated cathedral right outside my window.

What I thought would be a quiet nook in town turned out to be completely wrong. There is a salsa concert going on in the square below, and I buy a take away and sit and watch people dance for hours.

What better way to celebrate life than to dance and be happy? I’m instantly reminded of Marcelino’s words of wisdom from when I met him outside Logroño, and smile to myself. Precious Camino! You have once again provided me with the gifts I need.

When I eventually go to bed, I even hear fireworks in the distance. What a splendid way to end my camino! With a grandiose celebration! I’m so grateful.

Check out my earlier posts to get the full context of this pilgrimage and the one I did the year before, and sign up to be notified when the next post is released. If you enjoyed this post, please give it some love by sharing and liking it!

All photos copyright Anita Martinez Beijer © All rights reserved