Baños de Montemayor
Via de la Plata
Banos takes its name from the thermal waters that spring up here — the Romans knew them, and a 1st-century bathhouse was excavated beneath the current balneario. If you fancy a splurge, the thermal spa is the place. The mountains surrounding the town provide a temperate microclimate that the locals enjoy and that pilgrims must climb through.
From Banos the camino begins the ascent to the Puerto de Bejar along the original Roman road on the east side of town. Avoid the temptation of following the N-630 — the old calzada is the proper route, and the climb is steep but less than 3 km.
The thermal springs here were known and used well before the Romans formalized them. Under Roman rule, Banos became a waypoint on the Via de la Plata where travelers could rest and recover. The baths that survive date from the 3rd century AD -- the vaulted underground room with its twin pools is remarkably well preserved. The town's development has always followed the road; its main axis is the ancient route itself, now paved but running the same course it has for two millennia.
From Banos the camino begins its climb to the Puerto de Bejar. It begins along the old Roman road on the east side of town -- avoid the temptation of following the N-630 (though that will also get you to both the alto and the Albergue El Solitario). The climb to the alto is fairly steep, but less than 3 km.
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