The best running trails around Orbara

Reaching Roncesvalles meant the luxury of sleeping in a real bed at the famous pilgrim hostel (albergue de peregrinos). Marking the end of the legendary first stage of the Camino Francés from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port into Spain, this impressive, well-organized facility is wonderfully run by Dutch volunteers. Since there is no grocery store in Roncesvalles itself, a necessary 5 km round-trip walk was required to stock up, loading down my backpack with enough supplies for 5 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 5 dinners for the demanding days ahead.

At the foot of the Pyrenees on the Spanish side of the border, Roncesvalles is one of the most iconic and historic stops on the entire Camino de Santiago. Famous for its magnificent 13th-century Royal Colegiata of Saint Mary, this small hamlet has welcomed weary pilgrims and hikers for centuries after their demanding trek over the mountain pass from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Beyond its rich medieval history and legendary link to the Song of Roland, Roncesvalles offers essential comforts for travelers today, including pilgrim hostels, warm meals, and a deeply atmospheric sanctuary where you can rest, reflect, and prepare for the road ahead.

The Ibañeta Chapel is a moving and highly anticipated milestone for anyone walking the Camino de Santiago. After the grueling, steep ascent from the French side of the Pyrenees, crossing the border into Spain, and finally beginning your descent, this small chapel and the large stone cross beside it are a spectacular sight. The First Spanish Waypoint: It serves as the very first visible intermediate destination on the Spanish side of the mountains, signaling that the hardest part of the climb is officially behind you. Once you reach this point, you are almost done! Just a short walk further down the trail lies the day's final stage destination: the mighty and magnificent monastery complex of Roncesvalles.

Orreaga-Roncesvalles preserves the memory of heroic songs, ancient paths, and exhausted pilgrims on the way to Compostela. Kings who built hospitals, churches, monasteries, and chapels, innkeepers for whom welcoming strangers was and is sacred, and the love for their Holy Virgin, their brotherhood, and their pilgrims and their many crosses. Since the 10th century, Roncesvalles has been a place where pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela can rest after their arduous ascent. Santa María de Roncesvalles is above all a place for spirituality and pilgrimage. Pilgrim masses, pilgrimages, Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora. At the 1057m high Puerto Roncesvalles pass, Augustinians founded the Colegiata de Roncesvalles abbey in 1130. As early as 778, a battle took place here between the Franks under Charlemagne and the Basques. The warrior Roland was killed, and the Song of Roland was created.

Even if you don't plan or have the ability to walk the entire Camino Frances, the stage that reaches Roncesvalles is a must for the beauty of the landscapes and the evocative atmosphere it offers, especially when—descending from the Ibañeta Pass—the boundless Spanish landscape suddenly opens up before your eyes in the golden light of sunset. It's a magical moment, ideally shared with other pilgrims and then enhanced with a visit to the Collegiate Church. The stamp on the Credencial is also beautiful.

Don't miss a visit to the Pilgrims' Hospital and the Collegiate Church of Santa María. Also, learn about the history of Roncesvalles, as it's very interesting.

Roncesvalles, also known as Orreaga in Basque, is a small town in the region of Navarra, northern Spain. It is best known for the legendary Battle of Roncesvalles in 778, where Charlemagne's rearguard was defeated. This historical and spiritual site is also an important starting point for the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage route to the tomb of Saint James in Galicia. In Roncesvalles you can admire the impressive Gothic collegiate church of Santa María de Roncesvalles, where the image of the Virgin of Orreaga is venerated. Other places of interest include the Church of Santiago, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit and the Museum-Treasury, where you can see relics, paintings and sculptures from different periods.

The monastery complex is an impressive building and worth a visit. There are also two cafés, a hotel and the pilgrims' hostel.