The Way of El Cid is a cultural and tourist route that crosses Spain from the northwest to the southeast, from Castilla to the Mediterranean coast. It follows the history and the story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Cid Campeador, a famous medieval knight of the 11th century and, together with Don Quixote and Don Juan, one of Spain’s greatest characters. Unlike the latter two, El Cid is not only a literary character, but also a historical figure.
The main travel guide on the route is the Poem of El Cid, the great Hispanic medieval epic poem written at the end of the 12th century or beginning of the 13th. It tells of the adventures of El Cid Campeador as from his exile, fighting to survive against Moors and Christians. The places, landscapes and castles of the Song of El Cid make up the backbone of this Way. It also crosses through places that do not appear in the poem but are related to the historical figure of El Cid.
Statue of El Cid, in Burgos.
The route runs through large natural areas and small, very quiet villages with a wealth of heritage. The Way of El Cid includes eight World Heritage Sites of the medieval world. Its diversity makes it a unique opportunity for seeing Spain in a different light, free from clichés.
Owing to its length (around 1400 kilometres of tracks and 2000 km of roads), the Way of El Cid is divided into interconnected thematic routes from 50 to 300 km aproximately, so you can adapt the journey to your holidays. All the routes are signposted.
Rev. ALC: 15.05.18