June 18, 2025 : Logroño to Nájera.

The Long, Hot Road

Today was going to be a long one—probably our longest walk yet—at around 28–29 km. So we had a simple plan: get up early and get moving before the heat had a chance to catch us.

We were out the door by 6:05 a.m.

It was still dark outside, but the birds were already wide awake and chirping away. We were also starting to see other pilgrims making their way through the streets. The temperature was cool and refreshing, and we enjoyed our morning ritual of a cappuccino and espresso in our travel cups, along with a yogurt we’d picked up at the market the day before.

There was something special about walking through Logroño at that hour. The city was quiet, the streets were mostly empty, and the occasional pilgrim was making their way toward the same destination.

From City Streets to Vineyards

Getting out of Logroño was actually quite enjoyable. For a while, we were still surrounded by tall buildings and the urban landscape before quickly leaving the city behind.

Soon we were walking along dirt paths surrounded by vineyards.

The change was almost immediate.

One minute we were in the city, and the next we were surrounded by green vines and open countryside.

Not long after, we came across a beautiful lake with ducks swimming around and mountains visible in the distance. It was a peaceful little scene and a welcome break from the city.

We also had our first sighting of red squirrels.

They were ridiculously cute, with their fuzzy ears and fluffy tails. We probably spent more time watching them than necessary.

Eventually, we met up with Anthony and Corinna, the couple from Virginia, who were also heading to Nájera. We ended up walking together for a while.

The Heat Arrives

Eventually, the trail began running parallel to a major highway.

It was an interesting contrast: a busy highway filled with cars and trucks just a few feet away, while we were walking along a dirt path surrounded by vineyards.

Unfortunately, the temperature was also beginning to climb.

I was getting hot enough that we pulled out our umbrellas and used them to create our own portable shade.

This may not have been the most glamorous Camino accessory, but at that moment it felt like genius.

We took quite a few breaks because the combination of heat and distance was starting to wear us down.

One particularly difficult part of this stretch was the lack of services. There were no places to stop for refreshments between the previous town and Nájera, so we had to rely on what we’d carried with us.

A few moments later, Anthony and Corina came out of the church and said that we simply must check out the super tall golden altar inside. So, we did, and boy were they right. The 16th century renaissance style church featured three naves of varying heights, all covered with gilded reliefs and polychrome figures. The altar was in excellent state of preservation and shined beautifully with gold colors.

The Cold Stream

Along the way, we came across a beautiful cold stream.

We didn’t hesitate.

Shoes came off, feet went into the water, and suddenly everything felt better.

There is something incredibly satisfying about putting hot, tired Camino feet into cold water.

It was one of those simple moments that probably wouldn’t seem particularly exciting at home, but after walking for hours in the heat, it felt like we had discovered a five-star spa.

The Camino Ice Cream Angel

As we got closer to Nájera, we came across one of those wonderful unofficial acts of Camino kindness: a donation-based food and drink station.

And they had a refrigerator just sitting outside the house.

We were delighted.

Then we opened the freezer.

Inside were ice cream cones.

At that point, there was absolutely no question what was happening next.

We grabbed the ice cream and sat down to enjoy every single bite.

It was glorious.

After several hours of walking in the heat, an ice cream cone felt like the greatest gift imaginable.

Entering Nájera

The beginning of the walk into Nájera wasn’t particularly inspiring. We entered through an area dominated by commercial buildings and urban development.

But then everything changed.

We crossed a bridge and suddenly had an incredible view of the town.

Reddish cliffs rose above the houses below, creating a landscape that looked almost like something you’d see in Utah or Colorado.

After spending the day walking through vineyards and along highways, the dramatic cliffs were quite a payoff.

We had finally made it.

Santa María la Real

After checking into our hostel and taking a much-needed shower, we headed out to see the place we’d been hearing about all day: Santa María la Real.

After paying just over €5 per person, we entered the monastery complex.

It was impressive from the start. We enjoyed seeing the tombs of former royalty and the intricate carvings and details throughout the church. 

But the real highlight was the cave.

According to legend, in 1106, a king was out hunting on horseback with his falcon. The falcon suddenly disappeared, so the king dismounted and went looking for it.

He eventually discovered the falcon sitting beside a dove, next to a figure of Mary holding a lily and a bell.

According to the legend, this discovery inspired the king to establish a monastery at the site.

Walking into the cave was an incredible experience.

It genuinely felt like we were following in the footsteps of the person who supposedly discovered it centuries ago. Even more amazing was the way the cathedral and cave seemed to become one structure—the cathedral almost appearing to pierce into the rock.

The combination of natural cave and monumental architecture was unlike anything we’d seen so far on the Camino.

Beers by the River

After the monastery, we walked along the riverside and found a bar where we could finally sit down with a couple of cold beers.

And then we got a pleasant surprise.

Anthony and Corinna joined us.

After chatting for a while, it was time to think about dinner.

Our hostel had recommended a restaurant offering a €15 pilgrim’s meal, so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant was known for grilled meats, which sounded perfect after walking nearly 30 km.

For starters, we both ordered soups and a bottle of wine to share.

I had a potato soup with sausage that was absolutely fantastic—rich, flavorful, and exactly what I wanted after a long day of walking.

Ashley had garlic soup with a quail egg, which was equally delicious.

For the main course, I ordered lamb ribs, which I enjoyed very much, while Ashley had steak.

Both were excellent.

For dessert, I went with flan and Ashley ordered a chocolate torte.

At this point, we were full, tired, and ready for bed. We really enjoyed having great conversations with fellow pilgrims over some great food and good wine.

Racing the Hostel Curfew

There was only one problem.

It was getting close to 10 p.m., which was when the hostel said they would lock the doors.

So we hurried back.

After nearly 30 km of walking, the last thing we needed was to discover that we’d been locked out of our hostel because we were too busy eating dessert.

We made it back to our room just in time and quickly went to bed.

It had been a long, hot, exhausting day—but also one filled with some of our favorite Camino moments so far.

The vineyards, the squirrels, the cold stream, the surprise ice cream, the dramatic cliffs of Nájera, the incredible cave at Santa María la Real, beers by the river, and a hearty pilgrim’s dinner with a nice couple all made the effort worthwhile.

And now, finally, we could sleep.

Tomorrow, our feet could worry about tomorrow.

⭐ Day Highlights

Distance: 28–29 km
Walking Time: About 9½ hours door-to-door, including breaks and stops
Weather: Cool and refreshing early, followed by a hot and tiring afternoon ☀️
Highlight: Exploring the cave and monastery at Santa María la Real in Nájera.
Simple Pleasure: Soaking our tired feet in a freezing cold stream after hours of walking in the heat.
Best Surprise: Finding an ice cream cone waiting for us at a donation station along the Camino.
Wildlife Sighting: Our first red squirrels—complete with fuzzy ears and fluffy tails. 🐿️
Best View: The reddish cliffs and houses of Nájera viewed from the bridge, which looked surprisingly like Utah or Colorado.
Food Highlight: The potato soup with sausage at dinner—exactly what a tired pilgrim needs after 29 km.
Drink of the Day: Cold beers by the river with Anthony and Corinna. 🍺
Camino Achievement: Completing one of our longest walking days so far despite the heat and lack of services along the way.
Funniest Moment: Pulling out umbrellas to create our own personal shade while walking beside a highway. Not exactly the Camino postcard image, but highly effective.
Tomorrow: Whatever distance it is, hopefully it’s shorter. 😳
Camino Lesson: On a long, hot Camino day, never underestimate the power of cold water, a shady umbrella, and a surprise ice cream.