Spain Ancient Pathways: Trekking through History along the Road to Santiago

Orientation in Madrid

Your adventure begins with an action packed, three-day orientation in Madrid. Put your Spanish to use as you order tapas in a local café, ask for directions to the Palacio Real, and explore the city’s medieval streets. Visits to the Prado Museum on Madrid’s “museum mile,” discussions in city parks, and exploration of diverse neighborhoods strengthen your understanding of contemporary Spanish life and culture. Your orientation concludes with a full-day excursion to historic Toledo.

Homestay and Trekking Adventure

Lace up your walking shoes and set off on an unforgettable pilgrimage. Following your two-week homestay, you and your group hike the final stretch of the 500-mile “French Way,” a historic, medieval pilgrims’ route beginning in the French Pyrenees and ending in the beautiful cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela. Join peregrinos from around the world through peaceful villages, lush vineyards, and spectacular mountain scenery. Your weeklong trekking adventure ends in the historic city where you receive a well-earned certificate for completing your Experiment pilgrimage.

Sample activities:
Take part in the Galician Sardinada festival where locals dance, listen to live street music, and sample delicious seafood; travel into Portugal; relax on the beaches of Compostela; go oyster fishing with host brothers and sisters to learn about a centuries-old Galician tradition.

Sample host communities: Gexto, Vilagarcia