June 23, 2025 : San Juan de Ortega to Burgos.
San Juan de Ortega to Burgos: Fog, Castles, and a Birthday in the City
We were ready to go by 6:05 a.m.
The moment we stepped outside, we knew this was going to be a different kind of morning.
Fog. Everywhere.
This was the first time we’d encountered anything like it on the Camino. The forest ahead of us was completely shrouded in mist, and it made the trail feel almost magical.
Unfortunately, we hadn’t exactly gotten the best night’s sleep to prepare for it.
At some point during the night, somebody had closed the window in our room. With several people sleeping in a relatively small space, the room quickly became hot and stuffy.
Neither of us slept particularly well.
Still, once we were outside in the cool fog, none of that mattered much anymore.
We were back on the trail.
A Magical Walk Through the Fog
The first part of the morning took us through a completely fog-covered forest.
It was eerie in the best possible way.
The trees disappeared into the mist, visibility was limited, and the usual sounds of the Camino seemed muted. After days of walking through vineyards, wheat fields, and open countryside, this felt like we had stepped into another world.
Eventually, we reached Agés, where we stopped for our now-standard Camino breakfast:
Tortilla, coffee, and orange juice.
At this point, we had our breakfast routine pretty well perfected.
No need to overthink it.
If there was tortilla, coffee, and orange juice, we were in.
A Bridge With a Legend
After breakfast, we continued toward Burgos and crossed a beautiful stone bridge.
According to local tradition, the bridge is associated with San Juan de Ortega, the medieval saint and builder who helped develop this stretch of the Camino.
It was another one of those moments where the history of the Camino feels almost impossible to separate from the trail itself.
You’re not just walking on a modern hiking path.
You’re following routes that people have been using for centuries.
A Welcome Path Beside the Road
At one point, the Camino appeared to send us onto a road for a fairly long stretch.
Nobody was particularly excited about that.
Thankfully, someone had created a nice hay-covered path alongside the road, allowing pilgrims to stay safely off the pavement.
We were extremely grateful.
Little improvements like that become much more appreciated when you’ve already walked hundreds of kilometers.
We passed through several small towns along the way, but most of the restaurants and churches appeared to be closed, so we kept moving.
Eventually, at one of the final towns before Burgos, we found an open spot and stopped for beers and a donut.
At that point, it was hard to argue with the Camino’s nutritional logic.
Choosing the Longer Way
As we got closer to Burgos, we reached a decision point.
There were two different routes into the city.
Naturally, we chose the slightly longer one.
Because apparently, after walking all morning, what we really needed was additional walking.
The route took us near the airport and then onto a long, pleasant path running parallel to a river.
It was actually a nice way to enter the city. Rather than immediately dumping us into busy streets and traffic, the trail gradually transitioned from countryside into civilization.
Soon we passed the Museum of Human Evolution, then crossed a bridge toward the center of Burgos.
And suddenly, there were people everywhere.
Cafés were packed.
The city was buzzing.
After days of small villages and quiet streets, the energy of Burgos was a welcome change.
A Birthday Surprise
Eventually, we reached our hotel, the AC Hotel by Marriott Burgos.
And this was where Ashley had a surprise waiting for me.
For my upcoming birthday on June 26, she had booked us a junior king-bed suite.
And not just any room.
It was a corner unit with windows looking out in practically every direction.
After all the basic albergues, communal rooms, bunk beds, and pilgrim accommodations we’d experienced over the previous weeks, this felt like royalty.
We spent some time relaxing and enjoying the room before heading back out to explore the city.
Burgos From Above
Our first stop was the castle overlooking Burgos.
The climb was worth it.
From the top, we had an incredible panoramic view of the city.
You could clearly see the historic old town, the neighborhoods where modern residents lived, the surrounding mountains, and the wide-open countryside beyond them.
After weeks of experiencing Spain at walking level, it was fascinating to finally see the landscape from above.
You could actually appreciate how much ground we’d covered.
Birthday Pinchos on San Lorenzo
By now, we were hungry.
So we headed toward Calle San Lorenzo, one of Burgos’ lively food streets, to sample some of the local offerings.
Our first stop featured some interesting combinations.
I tried blood sausage on toast with a hot pepper, while Ashley had chorizo on toast with a hot pepper.
The pepper was much spicier than expected.
We washed everything down with wine for me and sangria for Ashley.
Then we moved two doors down.
Because that’s how you properly explore a Spanish food street.
At the next restaurant, we tried steak with foie gras and fries, while Ashley had cheese-covered fries.
Both were good, but honestly, the most entertaining part was simply walking around and seeing all the different restaurants, dishes, and people.
After so many days on the trail, being back in a lively city felt exciting.
The Patxaran Incident
We continued down the street and eventually stopped at La Fábrica to try a drink we’d heard about called Patxaran.
There was just one problem.
The bartender had no idea what we were talking about.
We tried explaining it, but apparently our Spanish wasn’t quite good enough to solve the mystery.
Then a Spanish guy who had clearly enjoyed a few drinks himself wandered over.
And somehow, he knew exactly what we wanted.
He told the bartender which specific brand to use and then enthusiastically demonstrated how much to pour.
His instructions were essentially:
Keep pouring until the glass is full.
We took a photo with him, and he seemed absolutely delighted to have become our unofficial bartender.
The drink itself was really good, with a distinctive flavor that we both enjoyed.
The whole encounter was one of those random Camino moments that you couldn’t possibly plan.
We had gone into the bar expecting to order a drink.
Instead, we got a mini Spanish-language performance from a slightly tipsy local who took it upon himself to make sure two American pilgrims got their drink exactly right.
A Birthday Night in Burgos
By now it was getting late.
Very late.
It was approaching 11:30 p.m., and after the early wake-up, long walk, castle climb, and evening food crawl, we were exhausted.
So we called it a night and headed back to our hotel.
After sleeping in albergues, walking through forests, climbing hills, and spending weeks following the Camino, ending the day in a beautiful birthday suite in Burgos felt pretty special.
It was a long day.
But it was also a very good early birthday.
⭐ Day Highlights
Distance: Approximately 25–27 km
Start: 6:05 a.m.
Finish: Around 3:00 p.m. in Burgos, followed by an evening exploring the city
Weather: Cool and foggy in the morning, becoming more pleasant as the day went on
Highlight: Walking through the fog-covered forest in the early morning
Best Birthday Surprise: Ashley’s junior king-bed suite with panoramic corner windows
Best Snack: Beer and a donut
Food Highlight: Blood sausage and chorizo on toast with spicy peppers
Funniest Moment: The slightly tipsy Spanish man taking over the Hacha ordering process and teaching the bartender exactly what we wanted
Camino Achievement: Another long-distance day completed — and realizing how much stronger we were compared with the beginning of the Camino
Camino Lesson: After weeks of walking, it’s amazing how quickly your perspective changes. A long walk that once seemed impossible becomes something you can finish — and still have enough energy left to explore a city afterward.
Tomorrow: Burgos day 2 — time to slow down, explore the city, and give our feet a break.
