Complete Guide to Madrid Path

The Way of Madrid is the Jacobean route that starts from the symbolic kilometer zero of Spain, connecting the capital of the kingdom with "Main Street of Europe", the French Way. Although its configuration as a cohesive and signposted itinerary is relatively modern, its roots lie in ancient communication routes that have crossed the peninsula since time immemorial, including an important Roman road.

The history of Madrid as a Jacobean starting point is unique. Unlike historic cities on the French Way such as Pamplona, Burgos or León, Madrid was a secondary village of importance during the Middle Ages and does not appear in medieval texts like the Códice Calixtino as an initial route. Its destination changed radically in 1561 when King Philip II made it the permanent capital of Spain. From then on, Madrid became the central hub of the radial network of roads in the peninsula. It is logical to assume that from that moment on, pilgrims of the court, officials and inhabitants of the growing city who wanted to walk to Santiago began their journey from the capital itself, following routes leading north-west.

The current route known as the Way of Madrid takes advantage of these historical routes. Its most emblematic and ancient section is the crossing of the Sierra de Guadarrama. To overcome this formidable natural barrier, the path follows the route of a Roman road of the 1st century that ascended to the Puerto de la Fuenfría. This mountain pass, with its Roman bridges and pine forest, is one of the most beautiful and evocative segments of any Jacobean route, an authentic journey through time.

However, the articulation of the Way of Madrid as a continuous, signposted, and infrastructure-supported route is a phenomenon from the end of the 20th century. The main merit lies with the Association of Friends of Santiago's Ways in Madrid, founded in 1987, which embarked on the monumental task of researching historic passes, defining the most logical itinerary, signaling it with yellow arrows, and editing the first guides. Their work and that of the volunteers who followed them rescued this connection from oblivion and, in practice, "created" the Way of Madrid for modern pilgrims.

The itinerary starts at the Church of Santiago and John the Baptist in the center of Madrid. After leaving behind the great city, it enters the pre- Sierra de Guadarrama and faces the challenge of the mountain range. Once on the Segovian side, the landscape changes dramatically, giving way to vast plains of Castile and León. The path passes through villages loaded with history and art Mudéjar such as Santa María la Real of Nieva, and goes through important cities like Valladolid.

The final objective of this route is to reach the historic village of Sahagún in the province of León. Sahagún was one of the most powerful centers of power on the French Way due to its immense Cluniacense monastery. It is here that pilgrims from Madrid join the great river of walkers coming from France, to share the final stages until Santiago. Today, the Way of Madrid is a consolidated and increasingly popular route, an excellent option offering the unique experience of starting the pilgrimage from Spain's heart.