What is the Via de la Plata, a 700km route in the west of Spain?
From Seville to Gijón, passing through monumental cities like Mérida, Salamanca, León, and Astorga, this route follows the historic Roman road that connected the north and south of Spain, one of the most important in the Iberian Peninsula. This fascinating journey allows you to discover the cultural, gastronomic, and landscape diversity of four regions in Spain: Andalusia, Extremadura, Asturias, and Castilla y León.
What is the Vía de la Plata?
The Vía de la Plata is an ancient 700-kilometer route divided into 27 stages. Also known as the Ruta de la Plata, it connects the southwestern part of the peninsula with the northwest, starting from the city of Seville and crossing six Spanish provinces to the Leonese city of Astorga. The current path is based on a set of Roman roads thousands of years old, originally linking the settlements of Emerita Augusta (capital of Lusitania) and Austriaca Augusta.
Where does the Vía de la Plata start and end?
The route begins in Seville, the ancient Hispalis. From there, passing by the ruins of Itálica, an ancient city of Roman Bética, the route takes you through Zafra and Almendralejo to Mérida, known as Roman Hispania. It continues to Cáceres and Plasencia. Once in Castilla y León, the route goes through Béjar and Salamanca. Always heading north, you'll reach Zamora and, through cereal fields and lagoons, Benavente, and from there to Astorga and León. Campomanes and Pola de Lena are the first Asturian landmarks that lead to Oviedo and Gijón, the final point of the long journey that passes through 29 municipalities.
Stages of the Vía de la Plata:
- Stage 1: Sevilla - Guillena (22.7 km)
- Stage 2: Guillena - Castilblanco de los Arroyos (17.5 km)
- Stage 3: Castilblanco de los Arroyos - Almadén de la Plata (29.3 km)
- Stage 4: Almadén de la Plata - Monesterio (34.5 km)
- Stage 5: Monesterio - Fuente de Cantos (21.6 km)
- Stage 6: Fuente de Cantos - Zafra (24.6 km)
- Stage 7: Zafra - Villafranca de los Barros (19.2 km)
- Stage 8: Villafranca de los Barros - Torremejía (27 km)
- Stage 9: Torremejía - Mérida (16 km)
- Stage 10: Mérida - Alcuéscar (36 km)
- Stage 11: Alcuéscar - Cáceres (38.2 km)
- Stage 12: Cáceres - Embalse de Alcántara (33.4 km)
- Stage 13: Embalse de Alcántara - Grimaldo (20.9 km)
- Stage 14: Grimaldo - Carcaboso (30.8 km)
- Stage 15: Carcaboso - Aldeanueva del Camino (38.6 km)
- Stage 16: Aldeanueva del Camino - La Calzada de Béjar (22.2 km)
- Stage 17: La Calzada de Béjar - Fuenterroble de Salvatierra (20.2 km)
- Stage 18: Fuenterroble de Salvatierra - San Pedro de Rozados (28.6 km)
- Stage 19: San Pedro de Rozados - Salamanca (23 km)
- Stage 20: Salamanca - El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino (36.4 km)
- Stage 21: El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino - Zamora (31.8 km)
- Stage 22: Zamora - Montamarta (18.6 km)
- Stage 23: Montamarta - Granja de la Moreruela (22.9 km)
- Stage 24: Granja de la Moreruela - Benavente (27.2 km)
- Stage 25: Benavente - Alija del Infantado (20.5 km)
- Stage 26: Alija del Infantado - La Bañeza (22.1 km)
- Stage 27: La Bañeza - Astorga (24.2 km)
