Estella to Logrono

A very colorful sunrise while leaving Estella

Camino January 2025

Don’t be that person who is too busy when you are young and then too tired when you are old

Day 6 January 8, 2025

Estella to Torres del Rio – 18 miles

Since I was doing a longer day, I got an early start for a winter Camino. I stayed in a quiet hotel room again in Estella. The first two nights I stayed in an Albergue. I had walked around the town last night but was still back at the hotel by 7:30pm. I had stopped at the local Dia, my favorite Spain grocery store chain, about bought fresh squeezed orange juice, a chocolate croissant and a yogurt with granola. I was out the door a bit after 7am. The first mile is through the town, so street lights were enough to light the way. Then I needed my headlamp for a bit. I did stop at the famous wine fountain, but did not take any. I did stop for the mandatory picture. Shortly after this I stayed on the primary Camino route. We have always taken the alternate through the forest. The primary route was much nicer than I had expected. It was typical rolling hills of this area. It does go through two towns (no open in either) before joining up with the alternate route a few miles before Los Arcos. I saw the place where typically there is a mobile café, but just an empty grassy spot today. I stopped in Los Arcos for lunch and sat outside in the 48 degree weather enjoying a hot pasta dish in the main plaza. No pilgrims passed through as I sat there for 45 minutes. Total pilgrim count for the day – 2 young Korean women, one in the morning, one in the afternoon.

After lunch it was off to Torres del Rio, about 5 more miles. I arrived at the albergue and on the reservation sheet was my Italian friend and Florida. They both arrived shortly after me, so that was fun. We will have dinner together this evening.

So after dinner now – Vincente is the host here. An Italian guy. He is quite the character. He and our Italian friend had quite the banter all night. Florida is fluent in Spanish, so he was in on most of the conversation, but Vincente would switch to Italian. A German guy also was there but he was grumpy and quiet. We were supposed to have pasta as the main course, but for some reason they did not have enough to feed the four of us, so we had salad, soup and dessert. It is fun how even though the food was not great, the conversation for 2 hours was very entertaining. The reviews for this place were all over the board and I can see why. It was the most expensive place I have stayed so far, and probably the worst accommodations, but the best stories.

The famous wine fountain outside Estella
Sunrise
Sun on the mountain
I am now in wine country. Castle on mountaintop.
It is very green for January, but no pilgrims.
Approaching Los Arcos
Walking through Los Arcos

Day 7 January 9, 2025

Torres del Rio to Logrono – 12.5 miles

Leaving my room this morning, Florida started the exact same time. We walked together all day. It was clear and sunny, started in the mid 40s and reached 60 once we arrived in Logrono. We saw the same young Korean woman that I think I have seen every day. We also saw the gentleman I thought was Korean, but he is Chinese and does speak some English. We stopped in Vianna to get a snack and Italy was there. As we were leaving we agreed to meet up for dinner in Logrono. Florida and I headed backwards to a bakery while Italy went forward, so we did not see him on the path. Once we arrived in to Logrono I just followed Florida to his place and got a room there. It is a very nice hotel and less than $75 including taxes. Probably a $200 room in the US. We will meet up at 6 for dinner.

We agree in the cities it is great to stay in the nicer hotels. In the smaller towns you do not have options, so we take what we can get. After arriving – I took a shower, headed out to the grocery store for snacks and breakfast, then posted this journal. Tomorrow – 18 miles to Najera.