General Description: The Camino de Madrid is a modern construct laid out to allow madrileños to reach the Camino francés and Santiago on a designated path. 321 km from Madrid through Segovia and Valladolid to Sahagún where it joins the Camino francés.

Waymarking: The route is extensively waymarked throughout with yellow arrows.

Terrain: The Camino de Madrid can crudely be broken into three sections. The first 100 km, from Madrid to Segovia, the route climbs through the Sierra de Guadarrama with at least one 8 km stretch with an 8% grade. From Segovia to the Río Duero the terrain is mostly flat and the Duero to Sahagún where he Camino francés is joined, the route is typical meseta. The route is almost entirely on footpaths and along historic sheep driving routes (cañadas), rarely on roads.

When to go: From Madrid to Segovia through the Sierra de Guadarrama the weather is montane with snow possible until May. Elsewhere the weather is like that encountered on he Camino francés between Burgos and Astorga - extremely hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Climate charts for Madrid, Segovia and León.

Accommodation: There are essentially no pilgrim albergues between Madrid and Segovia the first 100 km of the route. Even beyond Segovia many of the facilities are basic - as in not even any running water. But over almost the entire route there are adequately spaced hotels and hostales.

Guidebooks: Confraternity of Saint James: Madrid to the Camino Francés (2000). Asociación de Amigos de los Caminos de Santiago de Madrid: Camino de Madrid a Santiago de Compostela : Tramo de Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid – Sahagún. (1999) A guidebook for peregrinos on foot, on bicycle or on horseback. (Spanish)

Internet links: Contraternity of Saint James has an overview of the Camino de Madrid. The Associación de los Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Madrid has a huge amount of information on the Camino de Madrid including news and reports on events related to the Caminos in general. (Spanish) Their Boletín is particularly well written and there are archived issues online.

Other remarks: The Camino de Madrid is described as being a very quiet and peaceful route with, at least in 2007, very few peregrinos. Very little of the route is on paved roads and it affords the opportunity to walk ancient Roman roads and on the medieval cañadas (sheep driving routes). The route can be easily cycled almost the entire distance. Once away from Madrid the route passes through no large populated centers with the possible exception of Segovia. But even that is very attractive. And of course for those flying into Madrid, you are at your starting point almost getting off the airplane. Kilometer zero is the Iglesia Santiago on the Plaza Jacinto Benavente. We have seen one recommendation to use local transportation for the 35 km to Colmenar Viejo to avoid a full day's walk out of the center of Madrid through industrial outskirts.