P08 Pamplona - Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Eighth stage to the Algarve, from Pamplona/Iruña - Santo Domingo de la Calzada: 144 km and 2041 Hm, a very hilly ride. The highest point of the day is after 17 km and at the end after 136 km: 682 m. You ride from the region of 'Navarra' to the region of 'La Rioja', a famous wine region in the north of Spain.

After 28 km, in Puente la Reine you cross the river Arge. On the left of the bridge, you see the old Romanesque bridge, worth stopping for. After 44 km, in Estella you cross the river Ega, and after 94 km, in Logroño you cross the great river Ebro which flows into the Mediterranean Sea via a delta.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a municipality in the Spanish province and region La Rioja with about 6,500 inhabitants. The city is known for the cathedral where a hen and a rooster are kept. This is related to the following legend. In the fourteenth century, a German couple with their 18-year-old son were on a pilgrimage to Compostela. During the night in Santo Domingo, a girl tried to seduce the son, but the boy did not respond. The girl then accused the boy of theft. He was convicted and hanged. The grieving parents continued on their way. On the way back, they found their son alive hanging from the gallows. They went to the judge, who was just sitting down at the table. "That boy is as alive as this roasted chicken!" said the judge. The outcome is predictable: the chicken came back to life and the judge returned the boy to his parents.