Camino Primitivo Map 2
If you are starting your camino in Oviedo be sure to leave enough time to visit the Cathedral, which is the origin of the camino itself. It is also the place to pick up your credential (pilgrim passport) which will cost you 2.5€ but will include a visit to the Camara Santa, the oldest part of the Cathedral which was originally built to secure relics.
The greater Oviedo area is home to more pre-Romanesque architecture than any other place in Asturias; including the Iglesia de San Julián de los Prados, Santa María del Naranco and San...
When Oviedo was founded in 761 it was all but deserted apart from two monks; Fromestano and his uncle Máximo. These two dedicated their church to San Vicente, and 20 years later it would grow to become a monastery. In that monastery was born the future King Alfonso II...
The road out of Oviedo is notoriously confusing. To make matters worse, there are too many shells on the ground to be helpful, especially in the center. They mark several of the caminos into, and out of, Oviedo. There is no distinction between the two directions.
This is how it is done:...
Accommodation in Oviedo and the Start of the Camino Primitivo
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1 |
Albergue de El Salvador de Oviedo Association
Leopoldo Alas, 20
50 6€ |
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2 |
Albergue La Peregrina Hostal
Covadonga, 8
32 7€ |
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3 |
Hostal Los Arcos Hostal
Magdalena, 3
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4 |
Hostal San Juan Hostal
Palacio Valdés, 4
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5 |
Hostal Fidalgo Hostal
Jovellanos, 5
Booking.com |
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6 |
Hostal Álvarez ⭑⭑ Hostal
Independencia, 14
Booking.com |
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7 |
Hostal Romero ⭑⭑ Hostal
Uría, 36
Booking.com |
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8 |
Hotel El Ovetense ⭑ Hotel
San Juan, 6
Booking.com |
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9 |
Hotel Santa Clara ⭑⭑ Hotel
Santa Clara, 1
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hotel Campoamor ⭑⭑ Hotel
Argüelles, 23
Booking.com |
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11 |
Hotel Confort Oviedo ⭑⭑ Hotel
Joaquina Bobela, 3
Booking.com |
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12 |
Hotel Blue Longoria Plaza ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Covadonga, 13
Booking.com |
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13 |
Hotel Favila ⭑⭑ Hotel
Uria, 37
Booking.com |
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14 |
Hotel Vetusta ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Covadonga, 2
Booking.com |
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15 |
Hotel Rosal ⭑ Hotel
Cabo Noval, 2
Booking.com |
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16 |
Hotel NH Principado ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
San Francisco, 6
Booking.com |
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The first hamlet after leaving the suburbs of Oviedo. The bar is on your right.
The camino goes straight through the hamlet along the road but leaves it in favor of a track on the right. This track crosses the countryside into Lampajúa.
Camino Primitivo Map 3
There is a small chapel here, the Capilla de Carmen, where you can get a stamp.
Follow the track in front of the chapel as it veers to the right and away from the road. There are a fountain and picnic area a short distance ahead.
Follow the road through Lloriana. It will merge with the larger AS-232 in La Bolguina.
Beyond La Bolguina the camino keeps to the road, passing through Fabaria, and only leaves it just before the río Nora. It does so in favor of crossing the river via the Puente de Gallegos and quickly returns to the road as it passes through...
The Bridge of Gallegos belongs to the town of Gallegos (just up the road). It originally dated from the 13th century but was destroyed in 1934 during the run up to the start of the Civil War; this was a common fate for many other bridges along the way, a deliberate effort meant to slow the enemy.
If you chose to stay on the road, remember that drivers expect you to be on the trail.
After crossing the bridge, continue along the road. It will take you uphill and straight through town. The arrows at the end of town turn right into the forested countryside. This is officially the camino, but on very wet days it is very muddy and it is just as easy to stay on the road into ...
Two bars, one at the start of town and another (El Tendejón) closer to the albergue. The latter bar keeps the keys to the albergue. They are closed on Wednesdays and the key is then available at the shop on the road closer to the albergue. The albergue here is located in the old school building; its 14th century predecessor is now a private home.
Exit town via the road (turn left from the albergue). Before Valsera, the camino will leave the road for 400m.
Accommodation in Escamplero
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1 |
Albergue del Escamplero Municipal
El Escamplero
33 5€ |
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2 |
Pensión El Tendejón de Fernando Pension
Lugar de Navió s/n
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Capilla de Fatima.
The camino rejoins the road in the small hamlet of Valsera, be on the lookout for a marker on your left where you will once again leave the road and follow a track through the countryside. You will once again meet a road shortly before arriving in ...
There is a small picnic area on the way into town. Bar Feliciano is the only place for a drink in town and is on the left past the Capilla de Santa Ana de Premoño.
At the end of town, the camino turns to the right near a large horreo (the square plan structure on stilts) and onto a country track. Cyclists should leave town by staying on the road, down the hill, and to the right at the first junction (PALADIN 1km...
Paládin offers a bench and shaded rest area, as well as a fountain, the ‘fuente lavadero la sierra’, which is 20m away behind a house. To get to the fountain turn right at the first road, and then right again at the entrance to the first house, then head straight back.
Between Paladin and Peñaflor you will be walking with the río Nalón and the train tracks on your left-hand side. You will pass through the roadside villages of Puerma and Laracha. Peñaflor is on the opposite side of the river when you get to...
Accommodation in Paládin
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1 |
Villa Palatina Hostel Municipal
Paladín, 4
30 15€ Booking.com |
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If you are accustomed to using road signs to know where you are, then Peñaflor might confuse you. It is signed twice, once before the bridge and again afterward. For the sake of distance measurements, this guide uses the latter as it is closer the actual town. However! If you are looking for the bar, it is the one that is before the bridge.
The camino leaves the main roads and crosses underneath the railway in Peñaflor, and will cross back over them at the outskirts of Grado.
With close to 10,000 inhabitants the city of Grado is the first opportunity to stock up on supplies since leaving the capital. There is a tourist information office in the park at the start of town and several grocery stores throughout the town. If you would like to stop and look around (or shop) cut through the park towards the more pedestrian streets to your left. Along this route you will pass near the Capilla de los Dolores and the Iglesia Parroquial de San Pedro.
Los Indianos. In the late 19th century, during a period of great poverty, a great many Gallegos, Asturianos, Cantabrians, and Basques emigrated to Central and South America; their proximity to the sea enabled them to travel more readily. A great many left but only a few struck...
Beware guidebooks which erroneously place the Villapañada albergue in Grado, when it is in fact 3.5 km outside of town.
There is a traditional market held every Wednesday and Sunday.
Leave Grado along the main road (N-634). You will pass the 18th century Fuente de Arriba, from which the people of Grado drew their water before the installation of running water, on your right. Shortly beyond a cruceiro (stone cross) on your left the camino turns left...
Accommodation in Grado
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1 |
Albergue de Peregrinos de Grado Municipal
Maestra Benicia, 1
16 Donativo€ |
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2 |
Albergue La Quintana Private
Eulogio Díaz de Miranda, 30
24 12€ |
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3 |
Hotel Auto Bar Hotel
Flórez Estrada, 29
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Hotel Areces ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Alonso de Grado, 20
Booking.com |
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Hotel El Lacayo de Sestiello ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Sestiello, 1
Booking.com |
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San Juan de Villapañada and the albergue are about 700m up the road and off the camino. If you spend the night there, retrace your steps to rejoin the camino.
On the way up to El Friesnu you will pass through La Pelona.
In the 13th century the Order of St John operated a hospital for the poor and for pilgrims here. These days the hospitality is provided by Domingo in the modest albergue.
Retrace your steps to get back to the camino as it ascends to El Friesnu.
Accommodation in San Juan de Villapañada
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1 |
Albergue de San Juan de Villapañada Municipal
San Juan de Villapañada
22 5€ |
Warning! There remain several yellow arrows directing you uphill from the church in El Fresno. These are from a detour which existed during the construction of the nearby A63. The camino has returned to it's original route which goes downhill from here.
Where the camino meets the road before El Fresno, a new information board indicates your options. Descend to the left, following the old access road left behind from the construction of the adjacent highway.
At the far end of Samarciellu, where the road meets a roundabout, the camino turns left onto a trail to Reaz, and beyond it Doriga.
