The church here is dedicated to St. James. So too is the church in Santibañes. Both are worth a peek for their representations of Santiago.
Accommodation in Villares de Órbigo
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1 |
Albergue Villares de Órbigo Private
Arnal, 21
23 10€ |
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|
2 |
Albergue El Encanto Private
Camino Santiago, 23
10 14*€ Booking.com |
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The church is often locked up, but if you ask around for the key the locals are always happy to unlock it for pilgrims.
Between here and San Justo de la Vega there are no facilities, but a small kiosk run by pilgrims operates during the busier seasons. Just before the steep descent into San Justo de la Vega is the Cruceiro de Santo Toribio overlooking Astorga in the distance....
Accommodation in Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias
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1 |
Albergue Camino Francés Private
Real, 68
22 10€ |
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2 |
Albergue Parroquial Santibánez Valdeiglsias Parochial
Caromonte
20 6€ |
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Passing through San Justo, keep an eye out for a bar on the left-hand side called Bar Oasis. It has a corner entrance, a Foosball table, a littered floor, and the BEST tortilla in all of Spain. It is also the thickest tortilla and not to be missed if you are hungry. The owner and his...
Accommodation in San Justo de la Vega
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1 |
Hostal Juli ⭑ Hostal
Real, 56
10 Donativo€ Booking.com |
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In Astorga you may notice a sudden increase in the number of pilgrims, new faces will appear amongst the regular crowd you have grown accustomed to. They are likely Spanish, as this is a common starting point for Spaniards, or they have come from Sevilla along the Via de la...
At the junction of several Roman roads it is no wonder that Astorga is full of Roman ruins. Several dig sights are ongoing and can be toured, and nearly every structure in town has some Roman foundation. This was an important crossroad for the Romans and the gateway into El Bierzo...
Santa Marta is celebrated during the last week of August.
Market day is Tuesday.
The camino here leaves the last of the plains behind and begins, slowly at first, to climb. The ascent is slow and gradual until Rabanal, where it begins a more steep ascent to the alto and an equally quick descent into Molinaseca. On the way up it passes through several small but...
Accommodation in Astorga
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1 |
Albergue San Javier Private
Portería, 6
95 10€ |
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|
2 |
Albergue Só Por Hoje Private
Rodríguez de Cela, 30
10 20*€ Booking.com |
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|
3 |
Albergue de Peregrinos Siervas de María Association
Plaza San Francisco, 3
165 5€ |
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4 |
Pensión García Pension
Bajada de Postigo, 3
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5 |
Hostal La Peseta ⭑⭑ Hostal
Plaza de San Bartolomé, 3
Booking.com |
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6 |
Hostal Delfín ⭑ Hostal
Carretera N-VI, 417
Booking.com |
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7 |
Hostal Coruña ⭑⭑ Hostal
Ponferrada, 72
Booking.com |
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8 |
Hotel SPA Vía de la Plata ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Padres Redentoristas, 5
Booking.com |
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|
9 |
Hotel Gaudí ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Ingeniero Eduardo de Castro, 6
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hotel SPA Ciudad de Astorga ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Sitios, 7
Booking.com |
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|
11 |
Hotel Astur Plaza ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Plaza España
Booking.com |
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The town is one of a dozen that is considered to be a part of the Maragatería, whose inhabitants are characterized by their red hair, their hard work ethic, and their honest reputation.
Accommodation in Murias de Rechivaldo
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1 |
Albergue de Peregrinos Murias de Rechivaldo Municipal
Santa Colomba, 52
20 5€ |
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|
2 |
Albergue las Águedas Private
Camino de Santiago, 52
40 9€ Booking.com |
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|
3 |
Albergue Casa Flor Private
Carretera Santa Colomba, 54
8 15€ Booking.com |
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|
4 |
Casa Rural La Veleta ⭑⭑⭑ Casa Rural
Plaza Mayor, 1
Booking.com |
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5 |
Hostería Casa Flor ⭑⭑ Casa Rural
Carretera Santa Colomba, 52
Booking.com |
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The town is the only one on the whole of the Camino Francés to be named after a female Saint (St. Catherine of Alexandria). A relic of St. Blaise is kept in the parish church, and the town was known to have a pilgrim hospital. The ‘Somoza’ part of the name is a simple...
Accommodation in Santa Catalina de Somoza
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1 |
Hospedería San Blas Private
Real, 11
24 5-7€ |
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|
2 |
Albergue y Centro de turismo rural El Caminante Private
Real, 2
16 5-8€ |
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|
3 |
Hotel Rural Vía Avis Hotel Rural
El Sol, 21
Booking.com |
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Water fountain adjacent to the church. Surrounding the town are several low stone walls that used to hold cattle and sheep, you will be forgiven for thinking that the village was falling down around you.
Home of the Cowboy bar, and that other bar.
Accommodation in El Ganso
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1 |
Albergue Gabino Private
Real, 9
30 10€ |
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Now home to 4 albergues and many pensions, Rabanal is a common (and wise) stopping point along the way. Ahead is a high mountain pass that demands a bit of rest.
Vespers are sung by the monks every night at 7pm at the small parish Iglesia de Santa María and a benediction for...
As the camino leaves Astorga, the terrain becomes more rugged and the risk to pilgrims (historically speaking) increased. It is for this reason that the Knights Templar settled here and in the larger town of Ponferrada on the other side of the mountain.
The camino leaves town along the same cobbled path that you found at the start of town, which leads past the church. It does NOT leave along the road.
Accommodation in Rabanal del Camino
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1 |
Albergue Municipal de Rabanal del Camino Municipal
Plaza de Jerónimo Morán Alonso
34 5€ |
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2 |
Albergue Nuestra Señora del Pilar Private
Plaza de Jerónimo Morán Alonso
72 5€ |
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|
3 |
Albergue La Senda Private
Real
34 5€ |
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4 |
Refugio Guacelmo Association
Plaza del Peregrino
44 Donativo€ |
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|
5 |
La Candela Casa Rural
Carretera de Rabanal
Booking.com |
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|
6 |
The Stone Boat Casa Rural
Real, 7
Booking.com |
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7 |
La Posada de Gaspar Casa Rural
Real, 27
Booking.com |
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|
8 |
Casa Indie ⭑⭑⭑ Casa Rural
Calle del Medio
Booking.com |
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|
9 |
Apartamentos Rurales Las Carballedas Casa Rural
Ganso, 1
Booking.com |
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10 |
Posada El Tesín Pension
Real
Booking.com |
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11 |
Hostal El Refugio Hostal
Real, 74
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Various guidebooks (and a few novels) have given Foncebadón a reputation for being the home of rabid dogs eager for a tasty pilgrim snack. While this may once have been true, it no longer is.
In fact the mountain outpost has experienced something of a renaissance. In between...
Foncebadón is perhaps best known as the home of the hermit Guacelmo. He cared for pilgrims as they navigated their way over the often treacherous mountain pass and was protected by King Alfonso VI. This pass was, until the mid 18th century, the preferred route into ...
The Cruz de Fierro, or Iron Cross, is a steady climb ahead. If you stopped at the road-side bar be sure to get back to the camino and avoid following the cyclists as they take the road.
Accommodation in Foncebadón
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1 |
Albergue Monte Irago Private
Real
35 8€ |
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|
2 |
Albergue La Cruz de Fierro Private 40 10*€ |
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|
3 |
Albergue La Posada del Druida Private 20 8€ Booking.com |
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|
4 |
Albergue Parroquial Domus Dei Parochial
Real
18 + 12 Donativo€ |
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|
5 |
Pensión El Trasgu de Foncebadón ⭑ Pension
Real
9 Booking.com |
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Manjarín wins the prize for the least inhabited inhabited town on the whole of the camino. Exactly one person lives here year round, joined occasionally by friends and pilgrims.
His name is Tómas, and he holds himself to be the last of the Knights Templar. No services beyond...
There are a few stretches of road ahead, just before arriving in Acebo, that are rugged and slippery in wet weather.
Accommodation in Manjarín
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1 |
Refugio de Manjarín - Albergue Templario de Tomás Private 25 Donativo€ |
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Acebo is a typical mountain village, with rickety wooden balconies suspended over the road. All stone construction and slate roofs are common, the slate coming from a quarry not far off.
This mountain pass was maintained by the villagers of both Acebo and Foncebadón. They installed several hundred stakes to mark the way during heavy snowfall. For their efforts they received an exemption from the tax man.
You will first make sight of Acebo (from holly, as in the hardy evergreen shrub) as you descend from above. It is a single road town and typical of the area.
Accommodation in El Acebo
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1 |
Albergue Mesón El Acebo Private
Real, 16
23 7€ |
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|
2 |
Albergue La Casa del Peregrino Private 103 10€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue Parroquial Apóstol Santiago Parochial
La Iglesia
23 Donativo€ |
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|
4 |
Casa Rural La Trucha del Arco Iris Casa Rural
La Cruz, 10
Booking.com |
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5 |
Casa Rural La Rosa del Agua Casa Rural
Real, 52
Booking.com |
Accommodation in Riego de Ambrós
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1 |
Albergue de Riego de Ambros Municipal
Plaza San Sebastián
30 6€ |
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|
2 |
Pensión Riego de Ambrós Pension
Carretera de Astorga
Booking.com |
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Molinaseca is a popular weekend destination for ponferradinos, who make the short drive to swim in the dammed up río Maruelo. The riverfront makes for an excellent place to swim, cool down, and mingle.
If you are in Molinaseca on the 17th of August, beg borrow or steal a bucket and prepare for the citywide water fight. The day prior celebrates San Roque and the day after celebrates the Fiesta de las Angustias with a more traditional procession through town.
Between Molinaseca and Ponferrada you will be almost exclusively on the sidewalk adjacent to the road. Three kilometers from the center of Molinaseca the camino splits. The camino technically turns left at the curve in the road and passes through Campo on the way to...
Accommodation in Molinaseca
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1 |
Albergue de Peregrinos de Molinaseca San Roque Municipal
Manual Fraga Iribarne
28 6€ |
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2 |
Albergue Señor Oso Private
Real, 43
16 12€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue Molinaseca - Santa Marina Private
Manual Fraga Iribarne
59 7€ |
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4 |
Albergue Compostela Private
La Iglesia, 39
32 9-11€ |
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5 |
Casa Rural María Casa Rural
La Iglesia, 25
Booking.com |
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6 |
Casa Rural Pajarapinta Casa Rural
Real, 30
Booking.com |
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7 |
Casa Rural La Torre De Babel Casa Rural
Real, 42
Booking.com |
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8 |
Hostal Casa San Nicolas Hostal
La Iglesia, 43
Booking.com |
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9 |
Posada de Muriel Hostal
Plaza de Cristo
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hostal El Palacio ⭑⭑ Hostal
El Palacio, 19
Booking.com |
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11 |
The Way Hostel Molinaseca Hostal
El Palacio, 10
Booking.com |
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12 |
Hotel de Floriana ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Manuel Fraga Iribarne
Booking.com |
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Ponferrada’s Templar castle is one of the best-preserved examples of its kind and offers a glimpse into what castle life must have been like in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The Iglesia de Santa María de la Encina is named for a Templar legend according to which her image was...
Ponferrada was at one point one of the most important of the Roman settlements due to its location at the junction of two rivers (The Sil and Boeza) in a valley both fertile and rich in minerals. Its name derives from the construction of its original bridge. Built in 1082 it...
Saturday is market day. The Fiesta de La Encina begins on September 8th and celebrates the patron Saint of El Bierzo, La Virgen de La Encina (oak), and lasts a week.
Exiting Ponferrada takes you past the castle and briefly through the old town before crossing over the río Sil. At the end of that bridge turn right. The way curves left and at the next large intersection turn right. Keep straight through the first roundabout, and turn right at the...
Accommodation in Ponferrada
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1 |
Albergue Alea Private
Teleno, 33
18 11€ |
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2 |
Albergue Guiana Private
Castillo, 112
90 12€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue de peregrinos San Nicolás de Flüe Parochial
Loma
175 Donativo€ |
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4 |
Hostal Nirvana ⭑⭑ Hostal
Lago de Carucedo, 12
Booking.com |
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5 |
Hostal Río Selmo ⭑⭑ Hostal
Río Selmo, 22
Booking.com |
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6 |
Hostal San Miguel Hostal
Juan de Lama, 14
Booking.com |
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7 |
Hotel Los Templarios ⭑⭑ Hotel
Flórez Osorio, 3
Booking.com |
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8 |
Hotel Aroi Ponferrada ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Marcelo Macías, 4
Booking.com |
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9 |
Hotel El Castillo ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
El Castillo, 115
Booking.com |
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Compostilla is a curious place. It was largely built by a private mining and energy company and its rectilinear streets, complete with football pitches and schools, is reminiscent of something out of an upper class North American neighborhood.
On your way through you will pass ...
You will pass underneath the highway, and past the Ermita de San Blas and San Roque before arriving at Columbrianos where a large zebra crossing takes you over the busy road.
You will pass through Columbrianos quickly and continue along a quiet country road, bypassing much of the industry around Ponferrada. Along the way, you will pass along the outskirts of Fuentes Nuevas and you will get your first good glimpse of the mountains ahead.
Accommodation in Columbrianos
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1 |
Albergue San Blas Private
San Blas, 5
20 10€ Booking.com |
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|
2 |
Casa Rural El Almendro de María Casa Rural
Real, 56
Booking.com |
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The road here begins to enter vine country, and soon the source of El Bierzo’s delicious products become evident. Resist the urge to sample the grapes; they are frequently sprayed with insecticides. So too are the cherry trees, but that doesn’t stop most pilgrims.
Accommodation in Fuentes Nuevas
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1 |
Hostal Monteclaro Hostal
Antonio Cortés, 24
Booking.com |
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The way through town is along its busiest road. At the end of town the camino crosses over the motorway and continues through the countryside, back among the vines.
Accommodation in Camponaraya
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1 |
Albergue Naraya Private
Galicia, 506
26 9€ Booking.com |
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|
2 |
Albergue La Medina Private
Camino de Santiago, 87
20 10€ Booking.com |
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|
3 |
La Casita Casa Rural
Plaza Constitucion, 35
7 Booking.com |
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Cacabelos is best known for the production of wine, you’ll notice a modern building at the start of town that was built to promote the region.
Take the time to wander the lateral streets and you will be rewarded with several out of the way restaurants. The municipal albergue here...
Cacabelos owes its prosperity to the once Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela Diego Gelmírez who gave the instructions that it be rebuilt in 1108. Very few of the churches remain, but the Iglesia de La Quinta Angustia near the river houses a positively unique sculpture of...
The camino leaves town along the road over the Río Cúa and past the church and albergue.
Accommodation in Cacabelos
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1 |
Albergue de Cacabelos Municipal
Plaza del Santuario
70 6€ |
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2 |
Albergue La Gallega Private
Santa María, 23
30 10€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Hostal La Gallega Hostal
Santa Maria, 23
Booking.com |
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4 |
Hostal Saint James Way Hostal
Santa Maria, 60
Booking.com |
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5 |
Hostal Santa María ⭑⭑ Hostal
Santa María, 20
Booking.com |
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6 |
Hostal Siglo XIX Hotel
Santa Maria, 2
Booking.com |
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7 |
Hotel Moncloa de San Lázaro ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Cimadevilla, 97
Booking.com |
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8 |
Hotel Villa de Cacabelos ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Constitución, 12
Booking.com |
