This map shows the two main routes for pilgrims coming from France on their way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northern Spain. The southerly route is the approximate itinerary followed by Titan Tours on a nine-night trip called 'The Way of Saint James'. After flying from Heathrow to Bilbao, a group of twenty-one tourists travel westerly to the site of the relics of Saint James, before flying from Porto (in Portugal) to Gatwick. Jeanette and David, and Janet and John are amongst this group of 'pilgrims' to Santiago de Compostella.

 

After landing at Bilbao, the first location visited is the resort town of San Sebastian, situated on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque Country, it's known for Playa de la Concha and Playa de Ondarreta, beaches framed by a picturesque bayfront promenade. The Maria Cristina bridge (above)  features the town's initials and ship logo.

 

(above and left) The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Chorus - located in the Parte  Vieja (Old Town).

(above) San Sebastian's City Hall -

located in a former casino.

(above and left) one of San Sebastian's beaches

and some of its harbourside buildings.

(above) Reconstruction by Dora Salazar -

the female figure with a basket of bricks on her head represents the part paid by the civilian population following the city's destruction by fire in 1813.

(above) Rose window of San Vicente church -

thought to be the oldest building in San Sebastian.

(above and left)

Konstituzio Plaza

and La Cepa bar where we sample

our first tapas (known as Pintxos in this

part of Spain) of the trip.

The doors of the balconies in Konstituzio Plaza

have numbers above them - a legacy from when

this square was used as a bullfighting ring.