Redecilla is the first town in Castilla y León along the Camino Francés and was an important stop along the way during the 12th century, when two pilgrim hospices cared for pilgrims. One of them, San Lázaro, lends its name to the municipal albergue.
The gem of...
San Roque is celebrated on the 16th of August.
Accommodation in Redecilla del Camino
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1 |
Albergue municipal San Lázaro Municipal
Mayor, 24
38 5€ |
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Albergue Essentia Private
Mayor, 34
10 10€ |
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3 |
Hotel Redecilla del Camino ⭑ Hotel
Mayor, 12
Booking.com |
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Small town with little more than a church, an ermita, and a truck stop restaurant with a reputation for serving up some decent hot chocolate.
The town gets its name from the born-here Francisco Delgado López, before that it was known as Villa de Pun. Francisco served as the Bishop of both Jaén and Lugo and was one of the most respected Counter-Reformation theologians at the Council of Trent.
Mind the traffic along the N-120 as you leave town.
Accommodation in Castildelgado
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1 |
Albergue Bideluze Private
Mayor, 8
18 11€ |
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2 |
El Chocolatero ⭑⭑ Hostal
N-120, km. 57,5
Booking.com |
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This sleepy agricultural town is best known for being the cuña (birthplace) of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. History did not see fit to preserve his house but the font in which he was baptized remains in the church.
Sandwiches and beverages are available at the Parada Viloria...
Accommodation in Viloria de Rioja
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Refugio de Peregrinos Acacio y Orietta Private
Nueva, 6
10 6€ Booking.com |
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2 |
Parada Viloria Private
Bajera, 37
16 5€ |
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3 |
Hotel Mihotelito ⭑⭑ Hotel
Plaza Mayor, 16
Booking.com |
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If you wish to stay in the albergue here, be advised that it is not in the village proper but rather set off from the main road a bit to the north.
Do not let the grandiose name of the village fool you, neither the town nor the river is remarkable.
Accommodation in Villamayor del Río
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1 |
Albergue San Luis de Francia Private
Carretera de Quintanilla
26 5€ |
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Belorado manages to maintain some of its advantages, but hard times have certainly taken their toll. A walk around the perimeter streets will reveal a quickly crumbling infrastructure. On the hillside sit the remains of a castle.
Several churches remain and the hospices have been...
After a long string of nearly abandoned villages, Belorado is something of a wonder. Once again we have geography to thank; Belorado sits right in the middle of a narrow pass that cuts through two hillsides. The difference in altitude is small, less than 200m, but the hills are...
The Fiesta of San Vitores is held on the 26th of August, and Thanksgiving is held on the first weekend in September. La Virgen de Belén is celebrated on the 25th of January.
Accommodation in Belorado
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1 |
Albergue Rural El Corro Municipal
Mayor, 68
40 10€ |
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2 |
Albergue de peregrinos Caminante Private
Mayor, 36
22 6€ Booking.com |
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3 |
El Salto Private
Los Cauces
24 15€ |
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4 |
Albergue de Peregrinos Cuatro Cantones Private
Hipolito López Bernal, 10
65 8-12€ Booking.com |
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5 |
Hostel.B Private
Cuatro Cantones, 4
8 15€ Booking.com |
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6 |
Albergue A Santiago Private
Camino de los Paules
89 6+€ Booking.com |
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7 |
Refugio parroquial de Belorado - Santa Maria y San Pedro Parochial
Barrio del Corro
20 Donativo€ |
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8 |
Pensión Toñi Pension
Redecilla del Campo, 7
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9 |
Pensión Casa Waslala Pension
Mayor, 57
6 |
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10 |
Hotel Belorado ⭑ Hotel
Burgos, 30
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11 |
Hotel Jacobeo ⭑⭑ Hotel
Burgos, 3
Booking.com |
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Hotel Rural Verdeancho Hotel Rural
El Corro, 11
Booking.com |
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In recent years, the diminutive Tosantos has grown up a bit and now has a bar. The albergue parroquial is somewhat unique and maintains a tradition of communal meals and singalongs.
The nearby Ermita de la Peña, built into the cliffs, is a must see. A statue of Jesus as a...
Accommodation in Tosantos
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Albergue Los Arancones Private
La Iglesia
16 10€ |
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Albergue Parroquial de Tosantos Parochial
Santa Marina
30 Donativo€ |
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Accommodation in Villambistia
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Albergue de San Roque Municipal
Plaza Mayor
20 6€ |
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Espinosa has seen better days. Even with centuries of passing pilgrims it struggles to stay on the map. In recent years, a few buildings have been rehabilitated into an albergue and a bar.
Accommodation in Espinosa del Camino
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1 |
Albergue La Campana de Espinosa del Camino Private
Espinosa del Camino
10 17**€ |
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Albergue La Cantina Private
Barruelo, 9
18 10€ |
To the right of the main road when entering are a pair of bars that serve food to a mix of pilgrims and long road truck drivers, the Meson Alba being the most authentic dive of the two.
From Villafranca, there are 12km of camino without a water supply.
San Antón is celebrated on the 17th of January, and a Romería to the Ermita de Oca is held on the second Sunday of August.
Villafranca Montes de Oca, named for the nettle-filled mountains to the west, sits at the foot of the Pedraja pass. If you have become accustomed to the gently rolling hills behind you, brace yourself for a climb. Between here and San Juan de Ortega lay 12km of fountain-less...
Accommodation in Villafranca Montes de Oca
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1 |
Albergue de Peregrinos San Antonio Abad Private
Hospital, 4
40 12€ Booking.com |
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2 |
Casa Rural La Alpargatería Casa Rural
Mayor, 2
Booking.com |
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3 |
Pensión Jomer Pension
Mayor, 52
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Pensión El Pájaro Pension
la Plaza, 2
Booking.com |
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The monastery has been partially rehabilitated into an albergue for pilgrims, and it is here that pilgrims were served garlic soup by the monks; a tradition that continued up to recent times. If you have never spent the night in a room full of pilgrims that have eaten garlic soup for dinner, you...
Contrary to popular belief, the village is not the birthplace of San Juan, he was born 20km away in the town of Quintanaortuño (north of Burgos). He was the disciple of Santo Domingo, and together they built many of the roads and bridges between here and Nájera...
Ignore the information board when leaving San Juan de Ortega. It is incorrect and may trick you into taking the wrong road to Castañares. Continue straight along the camino that heads back into the forest.
The communities surrounding San Juan holds a romería (a small pilgrimage) to the church every 2nd of June.
Accommodation in San Juan de Ortega
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El descanso de San Juan Private
San Juan de Ortega
12 7€ |
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2 |
Albergue del Monasterio de San Juan de Ortega Parochial
La Iglesia, 1
70 10€ |
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3 |
Hotel Rural La Henera ⭑⭑ Hotel Rural
La Iglesia, 4
Booking.com |
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A pleasant but small town with a quirky mix of albergues. Bar Alquimista is a friendly stop if you are passing through, and they do a decent dinner too.
Just outside of town, on your left-hand side and likely obscured by tall grass, sits one of San Juan de Ortega’s smaller engineering feats. It only takes one span to cross the diminutive río Vena.
Accommodation in Agés
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Albergue El Pajar de Agés Private
Paralela Medio, 12
34 10€ |
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Albergue La Taberna de Agés Private
Medio, 21
36 10€ |
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For the better part of the last 3 decades excavations have been underway to learn more about our prehistory. In the caves outside of town, the remains of early humans have been discovered; some as old as 800,000 years. Most of the discoveries have been transferred to the Museum of Human...
Atapuerca, its prolific prehistoric discoveries aside, remains a small outpost. It was here where King Garcia of Nájera-Pamplona lost his life in a battle against his brother Ferdinand I of León on September 1st, 1054. The large stone marker in the field before town that...
From Atapuerca, the camino climbs upward into the Atapuerca mountains before descending again into Cardeñuela.
Accommodation in Atapuerca
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1 |
Albergue de Olmos de Atapuerca Municipal
La Iglesia
24 7€ |
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2 |
Albergue el Peregrino de Atapuerca Private
Carretera, 105
42 9€ |
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3 |
Hostel La Plazuela Verde Private
San Polo
24 7€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Albergue de Peregrinos La Hutte Private
Enmedio, 36
18 6€ |
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Casa Rural Papasol ⭑⭑⭑ Casa Rural
Enmedio, 36
Booking.com |
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6 |
Pensión El Palomar Pension
Revilla, 22
Booking.com |
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Accommodation in Cardeñuela Riopico
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1 |
Albergue Vía Minera Private
Medio, 19
42 5-8€ |
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2 |
Albergue Santa Fe Private
Los Huertos, 2
10 8-10€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue municipal La Parada Private
Cardeñuela Riopico
12 5€ |
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Casa Rural La Cardeñuela Casa Rural
Vía Minera
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Neither of the two towns along the río Pico is remarkable for much. Pay attention when leaving the latter; shortly outside of town you will be faced with the first decision regarding how to enter Burgos.
Accommodation in Orbaneja Riopico
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Albergue El Peregrino Private
Principal, 1
18 5€ |
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Casa Rural Fortaleza Casa Rural
Principal, 31
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Burgos is a city that brings history to life. For many pilgrims it is the first place on the Camino Francés that beckons a two-night stay; and rightly so, Burgos has a tremendous amount of museums, churches, one cathedral, a few monasteries, and a healthy (or not) number of...
Burgos was originally founded at the end of the 9th century in a bid to repopulate these northern plains. From the expulsions of the Muslims (around the end of the 11th century) it quickly became one of Castilla’s most important city. It was here that the Catholic Kings Isabel and...
Once at the far end of Burgos be wary of misleading signs (some quite official looking) that point the way to Villabilla. That town has been severed from camino traffic by the construction of a rail track and some efforts have been made to surreptitiously reconnect it.
With such a long history it should come as no surprise that the fiestas and festivals celebrated in Burgos range from solemn to spectacular. Among the more notable celebrations are the processions of Semana Santa (Holy Week), Corpus Christi (a moveable feast, celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which depends on Pentecost Sunday, which of course depends on Easter Sunday… the place to be is at the Monastery of Las Huelgas), and the festival of San Pedro and San Pablo (known together as Sampedros) in June.
Additionally, there are a number of more archaic events, some Moorish in origin and others pagan, that take place throughout the year. Burgos is a lively city.
The road out of Burgos is, thankfully, much shorter than the road in. The camino from here enters the meseta, with its endless plains of wheat. The landscape, while seemingly unremarkable, offers a wealth of flora and fauna and opportunities for peaceful contemplation.
Accommodation in Burgos
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1 |
Casa del Cubo y de los Lerma Municipal
Fernan González, 28
150 5€ |
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2 |
Hostel Burgos Private
Miranda, 4
68 17€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue Emaús Parochial
San Pedro de Cardeña, 31
20 Donativo€ |
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4 |
Albergue Santiago y Santa Catalina Association
Lain Calvo, 10
16 6€ |
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5 |
Pensión Bella Vista Pension
Villadiego, 19
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Pensión Santiago Pension
Santiago Apóstol, 8
Booking.com |
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Hostal Vía Láctea ⭑⭑ Hostal
Villadiego, 16
Booking.com |
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8 |
Hostal Manjón ⭑⭑ Hostal
Gran Teatro, 1
Booking.com |
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9 |
Hostal Hilton ⭑⭑ Hostal
Vitoria, 165
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hostal Lar ⭑⭑ Hostal
Cardenal Benlloch, 1
Booking.com |
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Hostal riMboMbin ⭑⭑ Hostal
Sombrerería, 6
Booking.com |
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Hotel Abba Burgos ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Fernán Gonzalez, 72
Booking.com |
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Hotel Abadía Camino de Santiago ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Villadiego, 10
Booking.com |
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Hotel Cordón ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
La Puebla, 6
Booking.com |
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Hotel Alda Entrearcos ⭑ Hotel
Paloma, 4
Booking.com |
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Hotel Mesón del Cid ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Plaza Santa María, 8
Booking.com |
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17 |
Hotel Puerta Romeros ⭑⭑ Hotel
San Amaro, 2
Booking.com |
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There are a few bar/bakeries and a pharmacy on your right as you enter the town, the former serve up Torta de Aceite, a type of flatbread that is both delicious and unique to the area.
Passing through Tardajos, along the shortest path possible, the average pilgrim would be forgiven for overlooking its historical significance.
In fact, Tardajos lies at the intersection of the two primary and ancient trade routes that bisected this land. It was once...
San Isidro (not to be confused with Isidoro) is celebrated on the 15th of May.
The camino departs from the main road in Tardajos and from here you won’t return to anything resembling a busy road until Frómista, do not be tempted to keep on the main road but rather cross the street and pass through the village.
Accommodation in Tardajos
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1 |
Albergue de Tardajos Municipal
Asunción
18 Donativo€ |
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2 |
Albergue La Casa de Beli Private
General Yagüe, 16
30 10€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue La Fábrica Private
Camino de la Fábrica, 27
32, 14 in the albergue. 12€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Pensión Mary Pension
Pozas
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The camino has now entered the central Meseta, and the landscape here has had a lasting effect on the character of the people, but its lack of naturally durable building materials has meant the opposite for the architecture. Many of the treasures that once stood here are all but lost, the...
There is a fountain and a picnic area 2.4 km outside of Rabé de las Calzadas.
Accommodation in Rabé de las Calzadas
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Albergue Liberanos Domine Private
Francisco Ribera, 6
24 9€ |
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Óspital Santa Marina y Santiago Private
Francisco Ribera
8 5€ |
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3 |
Hostal La Fuente de Rabé Hostal
Santa Marina, 17
Booking.com |
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Hornillos is one of the best examples of a “Royal” camino road: in this case one long street (the aptly named calle real) stretched out along the camino. This layout allowed every building to face the camino, a trait which reminds us that the current heavy development along the...
Accommodation in Hornillos del Camino
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1 |
Albergue de Hornillos del Camino Municipal
Plaza de la Iglesia
30 7-9€ |
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2 |
Albergue El Alfar de Hornillos Private
Cantarranas, 8
20 10€ |
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3 |
Hornillos Meeting Point Private
Cantarranas, 3
32 10€ Booking.com |
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Casa Rural La Casa del Abuelo Casa Rural
Real, 44
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Casa Rural de Sol a Sol Casa Rural
Cantarranas, 7
Booking.com |
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The spring that gives this arroyo (creek) its name, also cures your feet. The operations of the albergue here were passed to a nearby municipality, who electrified and modernized this former hippy hideaway.
The small deviation from the camino that takes you there is worth the...
Do not let the endless expanses of wheat worry you. Hontanas remains out of site until you are quite close, it is hiding in a small depression in an otherwise flat landscape.
Accommodation in Arroyo San Bol
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Albergue Arroyo de San Bol Private 12 5€ |
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