By request of a pilgrim friend , today I am going to write about Astorga.
It is his favorite town along the French ways. He was at the Camino with his wife one year ago and he still remembers most of the stops, all the tiny villages that he has to walk through and all the delicious recipies. He wants to go back to the Camino, but next time he will start walking from Portugal until the city of Santiago.

260 km to Santiago
Astorga is the touristic capital of the Maragatería, the land of mule drivers and of houses with unique architecture, its historic collection and four major monuments, declared of Cultural Interest, attract visitors to the enclave. It is a transitional zone between the vast plains and the mountains of León, thriving from the fertile land surrounding the River Tuerto, here, in the summer, pilgrims can have a dip and refresh in its waters. Leisure tourism is made complete by the rich, traditional gastronomy of the enclave.
Cocido maragato, cured beef, thick hot chocolate and various puddings, desserts and sweets, magnificent mantecadas (cupcakes) and pastries, will tempt more than one pilgrim.

Sweet historial background

For those with a sweet tooth, and thus seeking a taste of the local chocolate, a specialty of the enclave, one recommended establishment to indulge in a rich hot chocolate for breakfast is Chocolatería Sonrisas, situated on Calle Pio Gullón.
You cannot miss the Chocolate Museum (open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30 to 14.00 and from 16.30 to 19.00 and, on Sundays from 10.30 to 14.00. Tickets cost 2.5 euros). The production of chocolate was one of the main industries in the region during the XVIII and XIX centuries. All this tradition is reflected in the museum where visitors can see lithographic pieces, gifts from the different factories and the entire process from handmade crafts to mechanization.

Who wants to start planing a trip to Astorga?

Read about more reason to go to Astorga… Gaudi on the Camino

Sweet tooth readers… A dozen typical sweets for Easter time

Lunch time in Astorga