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  4. Stage 12

Stage 12 · Camino Francés

San Juan de Ortega → Burgos

514km km to Santiago
25,8 km Distance +180 m Ascent −430 m Descent 27,6 km Effort 8 h 36 Time needed · On foot

Atapuerca and the approach to Burgos

A long stage that ends in a city: 25.8 kilometres with 180 metres of ascent and 430 of descent, medium difficulty. You leave San Juan de Ortega through woods and fields to Agés, a small village with bars, and from there to Atapuerca, famous for the sites in the nearby hills where the oldest human remains in Europe were found. Both villages fall within the first hour and a half and are the place for breakfast.

Leaving Atapuerca you climb the ridge on a short but awkward stony track up to a wooden cross, and from the top you see Burgos for the first time, far off across the plain. The descent leads to Cardeñuela Riopico and Orbaneja Riopico, which has a bar, and then the route draws close to the airport and the motorway.

Here it is worth choosing carefully: the official entry goes through Villafría and the industrial estate, kilometres of pavement and traffic, while the variant via Castañares drops to the river Arlanzón and enters Burgos through the riverside park, slightly longer but far more pleasant. Both end in the historic centre beside the Gothic cathedral, in a city with everything you could need.

Tips

Have breakfast in Agés or Atapuerca: after Orbaneja Riopico there is nothing until the city.

The climb up the Atapuerca ridge is loose stone; in the rain, tread carefully.

Take the river variant from Castañares to enter Burgos: it walks better and brings you to the centre through the park.

Get your arrival stamp at the cathedral or the hostel, and use the afternoon to see the cathedral inside.

If you need new kit, Burgos has shops for everything: it is the last big city for many days.

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Profile and services

Elevation profile of the stage from San Juan de Ortega to Burgos, 25.8 kilometres, with services placed at their kilometre point.

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San Juan de Ortega 25.8 km Burgos

The weather

11°C

Clear

Feels like
11 °C
Wind
3 km/h
Daylight
08:24 – 19:35
  1. Today ⛅ 22° 11°
  2. Wed ⛅ 25° 11°
  3. Thu ☀️ 25° 12°
  4. Fri 🌦️ 18° 12° 23 %
  5. Sat 🌧️ 12° 6° 30 %
  6. Sun 🌦️ 9° 3° 9 %
  7. Mon 🌫️ 9° 2° 13 %

Data from Open-Meteo, refreshed every half hour.

What's there today

Nobody has reported anything on this stage.

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Tips from people who walked it

The things that do not expire: where the fountain actually is, which bar opens at six, where not to go in the rain.

None here yet. If you have just walked this stage, you know something tomorrow’s pilgrim does not.

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Emergencies

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Say where you are I am walking the Camino Francés, on the stage from San Juan de Ortega to Burgos.

The map

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What to see on this stage 8

  1. iglesia de San Juan de Ortega Church km 0,0
  2. capilla del Santo Church km 0,1
  3. Santa Eugenia Church km 3,3
  4. Iglesia de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora Church km 5,9
  5. Iglesia de San Martín Church km 10,6
  6. Iglesia de San Quirico Church km 18,4
  7. Iglesia de San Vicente Mártir Church km 20,7
  8. Hechos Church km 22,3

What you will find 334

Bar Burgos km 18,6