This site is emblematic of the question of what does it takes to tick off a site (does this one counts ?). It is a route (el camino) about 700 km long, from the French border in the Pyrenees mountains to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostella. The site boundaries includes the entire 700 km or so of camino and extend from 3 to 100 meters on both sides of the camino. It also includes about a few hundreds of associated monuments close to the camino.

Traditionnally, the pilgrimage needs to be done by foot, bicycle or on horse. To be validated, the pilgrims need only to cover the last 100 km, or 200 km on bicycle, and then recieve the compostela (the pilgrimage certificate).

Most people walking or cycling the camino nowadays are not religious. They do it for meditation, adventure or just for fun vacations.

I decided that I needed to complete the 700 km in order to tick off the site. Lacking time, I decided to cycle the route. I rented a bicycle in Roncevalles (the first village after the French border) and cycled all the way to Santiago. It took me 11 days, during which I almost didn't leave the boundaries of the site.

The camino is well indicted with yellow arrows or scallop painted on walls, stones or trees. A detailed map is therefore not necessary. It follows all kind of differents tracks, dirt roads or concrete roads, but all efforts are made to avoid cars.

Every few kilometers is an albergue, a pilgrim's rest, with huge room of bunk beds. Not very confortable, but very cheap (from donation to 10 euros). There are several paradores (luxurious hotels in historic buildings) however. Every few kilometers are shops or pubs for food.

I strongly recommend doing the Camino, either walking or cycling. It is a completely different kind of vacation, with long days of effort, with many differents landscapes, from desertic plains to high hilly and rainy mountains, from nice little village to big medieval cities. Walking is a great way to meet people, either on the route during the day, or in albergue in the evenings. It is safe to walk alone, as in almost no place you will be left alone for long. Cycling is a more lonely alternative.

It is also a very strange feeling to strictly stay within a WHS boundary for so many days.

Along the way, or close to it, is Atapuerca, Burgos, Yuso and Suso monasteries. A bit further is Las Medulas, Lugo and Tower of Hercules.

Arrival in Santiago after so many days of pilgrimage route is magical and adds another tick-off, as Santiago is a separate World Heritage site.

If you need a bicycle, I recommend bicigrino.com, for one-way rental from any point on the camino to any other point.

So far, the Camino was the hardest site to tick off. 11 days, about 700 km, two long rainy days, two big passes to climb, one flat tire, a pair of shoes ruined. But also so far one of the most rewarding site.

To note, a possible extension on the TL with the Camino del Norte, and a possible separate similar TL site with the Via del Plata