San Martín del Camino

San Martin del Camino sits on one of the longest, straightest stretches of road on the entire Camino. The village exists almost entirely because of the pilgrimage route. Look back the way you came and forward the way you are going. The road stretches to the horizon in both directions. There is a simplicity to this that many pilgrims find unexpectedly moving.

A modest parish church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, the patron saint of the village. The interior is simple and cool, a welcome escape from the sun if you are walking in summer. Saint Martin was a Roman soldier who famously cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar. His spirit of generosity to strangers echoes through the Camino.

There are a couple of bars and restaurants in San Martin that serve hearty pilgrim menus. After the flat, exposed walk from Hospital de Orbigo, a slow lunch with a glass of wine is exactly what your body needs. The food is simple Castilian cooking. Do not rush. The afternoon heat on the Meseta is best spent indoors.

Tomorrow you reach Astorga, one of the great stops on the Camino, where the Meseta finally ends and the mountains begin. San Martin is quiet and unassuming, the perfect place to rest and gather energy for what comes next. Sit on the bench by the church, stretch your legs, and enjoy the last of the flat walking.