Reflections and Lessons from the Camino de Madrid

Advice for the Camino de Madrid

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. … But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.” - Thomas Merton 

From the city to the sierras, through forests, fields, and faith
 
Simply put, the Camino de Madrid surprised us.

 
It is one of the quietest, least-travelled pilgrimage routes in Spain, but it offered some of the richest moments of solitude, wilderness, kindness, and personal reflection we’ve experienced on any of the Caminos. Starting at the heart of Spain’s capital city and ending in the fields of Sahagún, this Camino took us through a full spectrum of landscapes and emotions. 

A Walk Between Worlds

There’s something symbolic about walking out of a bustling metropolis and into stillness. From the graffiti-tagged alleyways and historical statues of Madrid to the silence of pine forests in the Tierra de Pinares, we transitioned not just geographically, but spiritually. Each step carried us farther from the noise of the world and closer to the quieter truths we often miss in our daily lives.

 
We found joy in the little things: stepping stones across a cold stream, storks clacking on bell towers, fields bright with wildflowers, and the solitude of an empty trail. 

Rain, Wind, and Resilience

The Camino de Madrid is not easy. The elevation gain through the Sierra de Guadarrama is real. The weather, even in spring, can be cold, wet, and unpredictable. And there are few pilgrim services along the way. 
 
We spent many days soaked to the skin, windblown and sunburnt in equal measure. But the hardship carved space for growth. It reminded us that pilgrimage is not about comfort - it’s about presence, patience, and perspective.
 
And even in those moments when we questioned our choice, the trail offered unexpected blessings: the kindness of strangers, the shelter of an open church, the quiet companionship of birdsong and wind in the pines. 

Nature Lovers Camino

For those who walk to reconnect with the natural world, the Camino de Madrid offers a quiet and wild beauty that few other routes can match. From the moment we stepped beyond Madrid’s urban edge, we were immersed in a landscape alive with sound and movement, including the calls of raptors circling high above golden fields, the chatter of sparrows and storks nesting on bell towers, the rustle of lizards and snakes sliding through sun-warmed stones.

 
We crossed grassy hills dotted with gorse and sage, wandered through pine forests heavy with the scent of resin, and followed ancient Roman roads past streams alive with frogs and songbirds. Each day brought new and unexpected encounters, such as spotting a glossy snake winding through dry scrub, or noticing a burst of butterflies in a flowering meadow, or spying a flock of storks following a plough.
 
This Camino wasn’t just a journey through Spain; it was a walk into the heart of a living landscape which is raw, rich, and full of wonder for those who take the time to look and listen.

A Camino for the Soul

If the Camino Francés is a walk of community, and the Camino Primitivo is a walk of mountains, the Camino Madrid is a walk of stillness and reflection.
 
We were often the only pilgrims in town, and in that solitude, we reconnected with what drew us to the Camino in the first place: time to think, to breathe, to listen. The route forced us to slow down. To be resourceful. To be present. To accept that not everything would go to plan - and that was okay.

 
This Camino reminded us that a pilgrimage isn’t made by scallop shells or bustling albergues - it’s made by the intention we carry in our hearts and the way we choose to walk.

Lessons learned on the Camino de Madrid

Short, Quiet, Wonderful.  The Camino de Madrid is undoubtedly a shorter route, which is less travelled but that does nothing to take away from its wonders.   In the years that followed we were reminded of the Camino de Madrid while hiking the Via Augusta, which shared these same qualities.
 
Camino Perfected.  Beyond the time in nature, and amazing trails the Camino de Madrid offers terrific pilgrim facilities along the route.  The albergues are cozy, clean and well spaced.  Given that few trek this route it also often means that you have the amenities of each albergue all to yourself.

 
Wonderful Diversity.  The Camino de Madrid offers hikers not just a pilgrimage but a wonderful mixture of city exploration, time in nature, and the option to explore Roman History (hint – take a day off in Segovia!)
 
Pilgrimage amid Pilgrimages.  When paired with the Camino de San Salvador and Camino Primitivo, the Camino de Madrid makes for a wonderful longer trek to Santiago de Compostela. 

Reflecting on Pilgrimage 

We arrived in Sahagún with tired feet and grateful hearts. The Camino Madrid is not the easiest walk, nor the most well-known, but it may be one of the most rewarding. It is a pilgrimage in the truest sense - humble, sacred, and quietly transformative.

 

And for those who seek the road less travelled, it offers an unforgettable path through beauty, challenge, and grace.
 
In Sahagun, we reconnected with the Camino Frances for a long day of hiking to Leon before venturing along the Camino de San Salvador.
 
See you on the Way!