The Way of El Cid (Camino del Cid)

El Camino del Cid is a cultural tourist itinerary and an approved Long Distance Trail (GR-160) in Spain based on a historical character, Rodrigo Díaz, and a literary work: El Cantar de mí Cid. In both cases they are international references: El Cid, “Castilian hero par excellence, the most exalted knight of medieval Spain” and El Cantar, “one of the great classic works of European literature”.

The route crosses eight Spanish provinces (Burgos, Soria, Guadalajara, Zaragoza, Teruel, Castellón de la Plana, Valencia and Alicante) belonging to four autonomous communities (Castile and León, Castilla-La Mancha, Aragón and Valencian Community). It can be traveled both by road and by trail.

The Camino del Cid has a wide variety of resources. In addition to the World Heritage Sites of medieval origin such as the Burgos Cathedral, the Aragonese Mudejar, the Lonja de Valencia or the Palmeral de Elche, there are numerous places and towns of significant heritage value such as Covarrubias, El Burgo de Osma, Sigüenza, Daroca, Albarracín, Morella, Játiva or Elche and Orihuela.

In addition to these places, there are other enclaves of interest. Examples of Romanesque, Mozarabic, Mudejar, Islamic and Gothic art coexist on this itinerary along with places of environmental value such as the Arlanza juniper groves (Burgos), the Alto Tajo natural park (Guadalajara), the Gallocanta lagoons (Zaragoza), the Sierra del Maestrazgo (Teruel and Castellón), the Albufera de Valencia or the Palm Grove of Elche (Alicante).

There are 4 ways of following the itinerary:

Hiking routes

The Way of El Cid for hikers covers a total length of 1497 km. It is divided into seven thematic routes joined together over a length of between 50 and 308 km. All the routes are signposted and most have been approved as long-distance hiking tracks (GR 160 – Way of El Cid).

Road cycling tourism routes

The road cycling routes on the Way of El Cid (touring, trekking, hybrid and road bikes) cover a length of 2041 km. There are 10 routes of between 66 and 362 km long.

Routes by car or motorbike

The routes by road along the Way of El Cid cover 2021 km and cross a wide variety of lands. There are 11 routes of between 45 and 357 km each, joined together so that can combining.

The alternative popular routes to see Spain are the Camino de Santiago and the Don Quixote Route.

See here Pyrenees travel guide

See here France travel guide

See here Spain travel guide

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