Burgos
Burgos is a monumental and historical city founded in times of the Reconquista (884 AD) as an outpost of the expending Christian frontier.
In the 11th century the city became a Catholic bishop's see and the capital of the Kingdom of Castile. Burgos' strategic and well communicated location caused a fast increase of its population. It was an important stop on the Saint James' Way and also a center of trade between the Bay of Biscay and the south. Main monuments were built: the Gothic Cathedral of Santa María, Monasterio de las Huelgas, Monasterio de la Cartuja de Miraflores, and churches like San Gil and San Nicolás. Due to its magnificent buildings and well-preserved old town, Burgos today owns the status of a UNESCO world heritage site.
The Cathedral of Santa María is situated in the heart of the old town. Its construction began in 1221 under the rule of King Ferdinand III and his Germanic wife, Beatrice of Swabia. Beatrice brought several German master builders to Burgos, among these famous Hans of Cologne, who designed the spires, which resemble a lot the ones of the huge cathedral he built in his hometown. The cathedral is famous for its immense size, its unique architecture and its magnificent art work collection. The coffin of Spain's most famous champion, “El Cid el Campeador”, who was born in Bivar close to Burgos and who fought in the reconquest, was placed in a side-chapel of the cathedral.
The Monasterio de las Huelgas with its Gothic chapter house, its Romanesque cloister, and the tomb of Alfonso VIII and other members of the Spanish royal family is considered one of the most important monuments in Spain.
A promenade through the charming old city center is a must! It is perfectly preserved until today.
Pamplona
Pamplona, the capital of Navarra, is famous worldwide for its Festival of San Fermín with the running of the bulls, “el encierro”. This 9-day festival, annually taking place in July, was first brought to widespread attention by Ernest Hemingway in his novel “The sun also rises”.
Basque people were the first settlers in this region and called their town Iruña (=town). Later on in 74 BC, Pompey founded a Roman camp at the same site and named it after himself: Pompeiopolis. Today the city has two official names: Pamplona and Iruña.
The oldest part of the old town is the Navarrería. During the 12th century, the boroughs of Saint Cernin and Saint Nicolás were established by incoming pilgrims who chose to stay. Lasting fights between these three boroughs finally caused Charles III to decree the unification under one single municipality in 1423. After Navarra's annexation to Spain (1512-1515), Pamplona acquired a key role in the military defence of the Pyrenees. Even today the town scape is dominated by its huge citadel and tall city walls.
Pamplona is a vivid city with a picturesque old town and the Plaza del Castillo in its center. On this square, bull fightings took place until the city finally built Spain's second largest bull fighting arena in the early 20th century.
The most important religious building is the Cathedral St. Maria La Real with its outstanding Gothic cloister. In the central nave, you will find a splendid mausoleum built of pure white alabaster in 1415. Here rest the remains of King Charles III and his wife.
Also remarkable are the fortified churches of Saint Cernin and Saint Nicolás built during the 13th century, and of course Pamplona's beautiful town hall. Pamplona is known to be a green city with many parks and green areas. Pamplona also features numerous tapas bars with excellent dishes.
León
León was founded as a Roman camp by the 7th legion (Legio Septima) in 68 AD to protect the gold that was transported from the region “El Bierzo” to Rome. The name “León” derives from the Latin word “legio”, and not from the Spanish “león”, which means “lion”. Nevertheless the lion became the symbol of León's city arms.
León grew into an important town situated in a region hotly contested likewise by Christians and Moors during the 8th - 9th century. It became the capital of the Kingdom of León in 914. In the 13th century León eventually lost its status when the region was definitely united with its younger neighbour, the Kingdom of Castile. 
León's main architectural treasures are the Cathedral of Santa María de la Regia, the Basilica of San Isidoro, and the Convento de San Marcos.
The construction of the cathedral started in the 13th century above the ruins of an old Roman bath and was completed 200 years later. With more than 250 remarkable stained glass windows including a large rose window the cathedral is a very impressive sight, by night, when it is illuminated, as well as by day.
The Basilica of San Isidoro is a Romanic church with a beautiful façade and holds the Royal Pantheon, the burial vault of the Kings of León. The Pantheon's ceilings are covered with excellent frescoes painted by order of King Ferdinand II in the 12th century.
One of the city's jewels is the Convento de San Marcos, today a luxury Parador, which you will pass on the pilgrimage route leaving León.
The Barrio Húmedo, situated in the heart of León's old town, stands out with its narrow pedestrian alleys surrounding the Plaza de San Martín and offers innumerable restaurants and tapas bars with elaborate dishes.
Astorga
In Roman times this old city, back then called “Asturica Augustea”, was one of the most important towns of the Iberian peninsula. It was built at the intersection of two important Roman Roads: the Vía Traiana and the Vía de la Plata (Silver Road).
Astorga kept its important status until the Middle Ages when these two roads were used as pilgrimage routes: the Camino Francés and the Vía de la Plata. Here, in one of the 21 hospices, the exhausted pilgrims would take a rest until they were strong enough to continue their strenuous pilgrimage across the following mountain pass. 
Today, Astorga is considered the capital of the Maragatos people, a small ethnic and cultural community with distinctive customs and architecture.
The small old town preserves an impressive cathedral built on top of a Romanesque church. Its construction began in the 15th century and was not finished until the 18th century, so that its structure is basically late Gothic with Baroque and Renaissance elements.
Another major attraction is the Episcopal Palace, built by Antoni Gaudí between 1899 - 1913. This neo-Gothic building is absolutely worth-seeing due to its mythical interior, and, last but not least, due to its interesting pilgrimage exhibition.
Astorga's vivid main square features another notable monument: the Baroque city hall with a beautiful façade built in the 17th century. Colasa and Perico, the popular figures in traditional costumes sound the hours on a huge bronze bell. Be sure not to miss shopping in one of Astorga's fine chocolateries!
Cruz de Ferro
The Cruz de Ferro (or Cruz de Hierro) is a long wooden pale with a small iron cross aloft on the top. It is a famous landmark on the top of the mountain “Monte Irago”. Situated at a site of 1,500 m high in elevation the cross marks the highest point of the French Way (Camino francés). Possibly the Cruz de Ferro was set up orginally to guide pilgrims over the high Rabanal pass during snowy winters.
At the bottom of the cross pilgrims traditionally place a stone they brought from home or throw it over their back onto the pile of stones. By doing so, they symbolize that they have cleared one of the hurdles on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Some pilgrims also leave personal things or letters at the Cruz de Ferro.
It is believed that long before the people of the Iberian peninsula were christianized, Pagans, Romans, and even the Celts used road junctions and other outstanding locations as cult sites and possibly also left stones at this site in homage to their gods.
It is said that the stone cluster was relocated to the current site in the 1950's because its original location (300 meters further away) would be too far away for tourists traveling by bus. Since 1982, there has been a small chapel next to the cross dedicated to the apostol Santiago. In the 1990's the Cruz de Ferro became a victim of vandalism. Unknown people cut the pale down with a motor saw. Today, the cross on the pale's top is a copy of the original cross, which is exhibited in the Museo de los Caminos in Astorga.
Santiago de Compostela
The area around Santiago de Compostela was already populated in Celtic times. Today, however Santiago is known all over the world as the pilgrimage city.
The first chapel in honor of the apostle Saint James was built in the 9th century. Soon it was replaced by a bigger church, which was destroyed by the Moors in 997. A nice legend tells that an old monk was praying by the tomb of Saint James while chaos resigned around. The Moorish warlord himself burst in and was so impressed by the old man's courage that he swore by his honor to safeguard the tomb and the monk from all harm.
The present Cathedral of Santiago was built from 1075 to 1122. Pilgrims came from all over Europe and used to bed down for the night inside the cathedral. The cathedral became an episcopal see in 1075 and raised to an archiepiscopal see by Pope Urban II in 1100. It has been embellished and expanded between the 16th and 18th century.
Nowadays Santiago de Compostela certainly is one of Spain's most monumental towns, full of churches, monasteries, and other historic sites of interest. Although many of its monuments were built in the Middle Ages, Baroque is the predominant style in the city. In the 17th and 18th centuries decorative Baroque claddings were built to shroud the obsolete Gothic buildings behind.
Santiago is the capital of Galicia, it is an UNESCO world heritage site, a pilgrimage destination, a cultural capital, and a town plenty of life with a large number of students and of course plenty of pilgrims and tourists.
Destination of all pilgrims is the Cathedral of Santiago with the grave and golden statue of St. James being hugged by incoming pilgrims. On festive days the famous “botafumeiro” is being swung across the lateral nave. It is the biggest thurible in the world with a weight of 80 kg and a hight of 1.60 m, and needs eight men to be moved. Originally, it was used to ameliorate the air inside of the muggy cathedral often overcrowded with pilgrims.
Worth seeing are also the Parador, which was built as a pilgrims' hospital in 1492 and the Plaza de la Quintana with the Monastery of San Pelayo de Antealtares, one of the oldest buildings in Santiago built in the 11th century.
Within the old town there are many narrow winding alleys full of historic buildings.
Cape Finisterre
The Romans believed this cape to be the end of the earth and called it “Finis Terrae”. Today, we know that Spain's most western point lies a little bit further up the coast and Europe's most western point in Portugal.
However, Cape Finisterre's unique position at the peak of the peninsula has long been captivating the heart of many people who come to enjoy the wonderful view. Until today it is the final destination of many pilgrims. Traditionally they burn their clothes at the end of their journey next to a famous monument: an artist created a sculpture consisting of two hiking boots. Some years ago the right pair got stolen and left the other one behind. 
Even until today, the often befogged Cape Finisterre is surrounded by legends and myths some of them dating back to pre-Christian times! The Celtic Nerios, for example, were the first settlers in this area. The legend tells that they lived in a city called Duio, which was flooded as a result of divine punishment and stayed buried forever.
The peninsula of Finisterre is full of historic heritage sites: prehistoric constructions, Roman relics, Romanesque buildings, Gothic churches, medieval castles, old alleys, villas, etc. It also offers a couple of nice sandy beaches surrounded by eucalyptus trees.