24th Stage
Arévalo – Medina del Campo (34,0 km)
Leaving the hostel, look for the cobblestone road through Candil Street and Mortero Street in the church of San Miguel and leave Arévalo towards the hermitage of the Virgen del Camino, through the bridge of Medina.
From the hermitage, cross the road and continue towards the Industrial Estate, passing by the Funeral Home and continue straight ahead. To the right of the road there is a good hard shoulder that should be used and brings us closer to Palacios de Goda.
PALACIOS DE GODA
It passes in front of the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Fonsgriega, to whose Virgin the festivities of 8 September are dedicated. Before arriving, there is a bar.
The church of San Juan Bautista reflects great splendour, a large head with a pentagonal floor plan (inside, a precious Mudejar coffered ceiling) and, of course, the military tower recycled into a bell tower. It is one more case among many in this northern corner of La Moraña, which was a point of watchtowers in times of border with Al-andalus first and, later, with the kingdom of León.
- Town Hall: Plaza Mayor, 1. Tel: 920 308 136
- Municipal Reception
The path starts behind the San Juan church, Mayor square, Oro street and the cemetery path on the left. You will pass by Honquilana and always ahead on a good track until you reach Ataquines.
ATAQUINES
We are in the Province of Valladolid. This town belongs to the region of Tierras de Medina. The road does not enter the village but you have it to 100 meters if you want to refresh, you only have to cross the pass on the highway. Its parish church is dedicated to the beheading of San Juan Bautista, the building is baroque, XVI. An image of the Immaculate Conception attributed to Juan de Ávila is venerated.
- Town Hall: Plaza Mayor, 1. Tel: 983 815 905
- Hostal “Los Arcos”: Road N-VI, Km 141, next to the road. Tel: 983 815 350
The road is still lined with sunflowers towards
SAN VICENTE DEL PALACIO
An old legend tells that during the invasion of French troops at the beginning of the 19th century, twenty French died in Medina del Campo, and someone commented that they had been people from a village two leagues away, so the troops plundered San Vicente instead of Rubí de Bracamonte, who was who he really was. This is what they know today as “La Francesada”.
Today the town shows its galas from the plain that is located around the N-VI road. The most valuable building is the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It is an eighteenth-century Baroque construction, with a dome over pendentives, a Baroque altarpiece and a sixteenth-century silver processional cross. It is celebrated the festivity of San Vicente Mártir, the 22 of January.
- Town Hall: Plaza Mayor, 1. Tel: 983 825 006
- Municipal Reception in Polideportivo: Call the Town Hall in advance. Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning.
- Hotel-Restaurant Valcarce San Vicente: prices for pilgrims (15% discount). Tel: 983 103 120. 500 m, on the other side of the motorway.
- Bar at the petrol station, 100 metres from the square.
You leave in front of the church to look for Progreso Street and Vega Street, cross the Zapardiel River; our path goes straight on with a slight turn to the right, then turn to the left and then to the right; you pass through wooded area and lagoon, always straight and having to the right the highway you arrive at the service road, (old Cañada de Medina del Campo to San Vicente de Palacio), and already at sight a signpost.
MEDINA DEL CAMPO
You pass in front of the Hotel San Roque and the Ermita de San Roque; on the other side of the road there is a pedestrian sidewalk. Follow Ángel Molina and Simón Ruiz Envito streets to the Plaza Mayor de la Hispanidad.
The foundation of this city, of Arabic name, is very old, but it owes its importance to Los Reyes Católicos, who favored it with great privileges. During the 15th and 16th centuries its fairs and markets were the most important in Spain. Here, Queen Isabel La Católica dictated her will.
Due to the role it played in history, it is full of beautiful monuments: The Mota Castle dominates the entire city, is in the Mudejar style and rises above the walls of the medieval fortress; the Plaza Mayor with arcades; the Town Hall; the Collegiate Church of San Antolín, in the Gothic style from the beginning of the 16th century; the Church of Santiago which began to be built in the second half of the 16th century in a clear Jesuit style; the Church of San Miguel is Gothic-Mudejar in style and has a Renaissance façade; the Church of San Martín from the 16th century, today a Municipal Auditorium; the Royal Butcher’s Shop; the convent of Santa María La Real. For all these reasons, Medina has been declared a Historic-Artistic Site.
- Town Hall: C/ Gamazo, 1 bajo. Tel: 983 811 020
- Local Police: 983 800 659.
- Youth Point: 983 837 527
- Youth hostel: Ctra. de Peñaranda, nº 18. Tels.: 610 002 470 / 687 739 199. Economic prices. albergue@medinadelcampo.es. www.juventudmedina.es/albergue-juvenil. 120 places
- Hostel in the Convent of Carmelitas: Plaza San Juan de la Cruz, s/n. Tel: 983 800 126 / 669 211 481 (donation)
- Hotel “San Roque”: Carretera La Coruña, Km. 57. Tel: 983 800 612. reservas@hsanroque.es
- Hostal “El Orensano”: Claudio Moyano, 20. Tel: 983 800 341. www.hostalelorensano.es info@hostalelorensano.es
- Hostal “La Plaza”: Pl. Hispanidad, 34. Tel: 655 256 430. www.hostal-la-plaza.es. email: laplazamedina@hotmail.com
- Hostal “Doña Alicia”: C/ Nueva del Cuartel, 20. – Tel.: 983 810 331. www.hostaldonaalicia.com
- Tourist Office: Tel: 983 811 357
Health institutions are one of the most interesting chapters in its history. In the sixteenth century, the existing hospitals were fifteen, including: the Consolation, founded by Teresa Enriquez, the Pieta and San Antonio Abad, the Trinidad, Santa Maria del Castillo, the Palmeros, San Pedro de los Arcos, San Blas, the Bubas, the Compañeros, Our Lady of the Amparo, San Lazaro the Poor, San Lazaro de los Caballeros, San Andres, Quintanilla, the Hospital de la Concepcion and The Simón Ruiz Hospital building XV-XVI century. All these buildings speak to us of the great health concern that there was and the great medical care to the sick, poor and pilgrims.
