Travel tips: Walking the Camino de Compostela - should we fly or take the train to get there?

WE PLAN TO WALK THE CAMINO DE COMPOSTELA FROM LEON TO SANTIAGO. SHOULD WE FLY INTO MADRID AND TAKE A TRAIN OR BUS INTO LEON? ANY OTHER PLACES WE SHOULD VISIT AND WOULD FLYING TO BARCELONA AND RETURNING HOME FROM THERE WORK? B. FALLON, CASTLE HILL NSW

Flying into Madrid is a good option, and there are several airlines that can get you to the Spanish capital on a one-stop flight from Sydney. The high speed Alvia train (renfe.com/EN) takes about two hours 15 minutes, bus (goeuro.com)] at least an hour more.

Seville, the villages of Andalucia, Cordoba, Girona, Valencia and Malaga would also be on my shortlist. Flying from Santiago to Barcelona sounds like a good plan. Ryanair has non-stop flights. You can also do this by train in about 9½ hours. Barcelona to Madrid is only about 2½ hours by train and starting and finishing your Spanish trip in Madrid might be cheaper than flying into Madrid and out of Barcelona.