Wednesday, July 28, 2026 – 9th day

La Rioja - Catalonia

Nájera – Santo Domingo de la Calzada 

21.50 km 

Today is the first day since we started that we walked at night 🌚. Almost every day we leave when it’s still dark, but we usually see the sunrise in the taxi on the way to the starting point or while having coffee in one of the bars that are open at that hour before we set off. We decided to leave so early to match our arrival at the destination with the schedule of the only bus that can take us back to Nájera, avoiding the need to call a taxi 🙃.

Starting to walk on those paths in the dark is a bit impressive; you can't see the arrows indicating the direction, so we relied on instinct and flashlights to avoid getting lost 😉. The exit from Nájera passes by the Gothic-style monastery of Santa María la Real and crosses the Pozuelos stream. Once we passed and left the village behind, we walked on dirt and asphalt until we reached Azofra, a small village that we crossed through the main street. By that time, it was already dawn, and we could enjoy its sleepy charm and the silence broken by the tapping of our walking sticks on the asphalt. 

After Azofra, you come across a housing development with a golf course that throws you off a bit, especially because if you’re not paying attention, you’ll go around Cirueña without stopping to enjoy its charm. We made our stop at Bar Jacobeo, an institution on the Camino that, as always, had the bar full of delicious sandwiches and tapas that we didn’t get to try due to our routine 😢. I don’t know if I’ve told you about the tortillas you see in this area… There’s such a variety that each one should have its own name… Always made with potatoes combined with chorizo, cheese, ham… goat cheese… and thick, super thick, they call to you from the tapas display, it’s amazing. 

Back to the village, I must tell you that it is by far the most “charming” of all the ones we’ve crossed. Walking through its streets, you find them decorated with burlap sacks both on the doors and hanging from the balconies, all adorned with motifs from the Camino. At one point, you stumble upon the old laundry where, as if by chance, you find the laundry of some of the pilgrims making their way. All of this set up like a stage through which you pass, enjoying every meter walked.

From the Alto de Vallejanco, we could see Santo Domingo de la Calzada. It is located just four kilometers from the village at about seven hundred thirty-five meters above sea level and is crowned by a sculpture by local artist Ramón Rodriguez titled “Santo Domingo de la Calzada, engineer of the Camino.”

From that point to our destination, it was a walk with a slight incline. As always, entering urban areas feels a bit heavy because it seems like you’ll never arrive; from the moment you spot the tower of the church or cathedral until you actually get there, the path feels endless, no matter how few kilometers it is.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada was founded in the 11th century by the hermit Domingo García, who built a bridge, a hospital, and a causeway to help pilgrims, around which the village grew with the aim of alleviating the suffering of those who dared to undertake the journey. 

I’ll leave you a note for the curious in case you want to investigate it: “in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where the hen sang after being roasted” 😉. It refers to a famous legend told in these streets.

In the end, we arrived, and since we had some time left, we sat at the bus station to regain our strength while waiting for the time to return. Once again, the path went through agricultural trails surrounded by vineyards at first, and as we approached our destination, it returned to the light brown of cereal crops. 

The stage was generally easy with few elevation changes. We were a bit worried because the profile showed a seven hundred meter climb from the Alto, but we barely noticed it because the incline was gradual with hardly any significant elevation changes.

Back home, we showered again at the sports center before moving to the motorhome area in Belorado. 

Good night… I’ll keep telling you 😘