24h truck stop and road interchange between the A-66 and the N-630, named for the small river here. To your right is the rather bizarre looking Iglesia de San Isidro.
From the truck-stop, the camino navigates around a pair of heavily trafficked roundabouts to pass beneath the A-66. From there if follows adjacent to the N-630 all the way into Monesterio.
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Complejo Leo 24H ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Polígono de la Encina, 14
Booking.com |
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The streets of Monesterio are paved with cured ham. The monesterienses celebrate the día del jamón, and the local town hall has built a wonderful, incredibly informative, and free museum in its honor. Make time to go and you will get the inside scoop on where to find the...
A new type of trail marker appears for the first time near Monesterio. It is a square bollard which depicts a Roman arch and pathway, is painted with two colored stripes, and is meant to indicate that you are following along a Roman road.
WARNING: The road beyond...
The camino through Monesterio keeps along the N-630 but there are a few arrows which direct you left and into the town and the municipal albergue. At the far end of town, the camino leaves the N-630 by turning left just after the football field.
This stretch of the camino is poorly...
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Albergue Las Moreras Municipal
Ronda Segura de León, 3
50 10€ Booking.com |
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Albergue parroquial de Monesterio Parochial
Extremadura, 218
12 10€ |
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Hostal D.P. El Pilar ⭑ Hostal
Extremadura, 221
Booking.com |
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Hotel Leo ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Extremadura, 2
Booking.com |
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Hotel Moya ⭑ Hotel
Extremadura, 278
Booking.com |
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Situated directly on the camino, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Granada is a fine example of baroque architecture and a smart way to beat the heat while taking in a bit of culture.
There are as many marked routes through town as there are pilgrims to follow them, it is a bit of a mess. Follow whichever set you can find carefully and they will eventually exit the north side of town (NOT along the N-630) onto another farm track. It is level walking all the way to ...
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Pensión Casa Vicenta Pension
Real, 33
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Hotel La Fábrica Hotel
Real, 117
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El Zaguán de la Plata Apartment
Llerena, 40
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The municipal albergue which was located outside of the village has closed. A replacement in town is planned but no opening has been confirmed.
Pass straight through Calzadilla and pick up the farm track once again. It returns to the road but only for 500m before it turns left sharply away from the road to return to farm tracks all the way to Puebla de Sancho Pérez, passing the Arroyo Atarja (4.7km).
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Pensión Los Rodríguez Pension
N-630, km 696
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After passing the Plaza España and Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) the camino passes to the right of the Iglesia de Santa Lucía and heads straight to join the BA-160 out of town. It bears left after passing a gas station to follow a smaller paved road into Zafra.
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Hostal El Monte Hostal
San Antonio
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The albergue Van Gogh is run by volunteers who promote the Vía de la Plata and their rooftop terrace is the perfect place to wrap up an evening of exploring the old town.
The Museo Santa Clara (adjacent to the convent) is donativo and has a fine collection of medieval...
A whopping 221 of Zafra’s inhabitants joined Hernando de Soto on his journey to the New World in 1539.
The camino through Zafra crosses most of the important landmarks. It enters town near the train station (if you arrived by train, leave the station and turn right) and follows the boulevard straight towards the Plaza España and the large Parque de la Paz. It turns left at...
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Albergue Turístico Vía de la Plata de Zafra - Convento de San Francisco Private
Ancha, 1
20 10-12€ Booking.com |
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Albergue de Peregrinos Van Gogh Zafra Association
Estación, 17
40 12€ |
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Hostal Carmen ⭑⭑ Hostal
Estación, 9
Booking.com |
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Hotel Victoria ⭑ Hotel
Plaza de España, 8
Booking.com |
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Hotel Cervantes ⭑⭑ Hotel
Cervantes, 7
Booking.com |
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Hotel Plaza Grande ⭑ Hotel
Plaza Grande
Booking.com |
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Parador de Zafra ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Parador
Plaza Corazón de María, 7
Booking.com |
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Pack extra water when leaving Los Santos de Maimona, the next source is 15km away.
The arrows bring you through Los Santos, but near the albergue they are not too clear. In fact, they pass behind the albergue which sits like a walled island between two small roads. It returns to the countryside for a long (15km+) road to Villafranca.
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Albergue Turístico Vía de la Plata de Los Santos de Maimona Municipal
Maestrazgo
12 7€ |
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Pensión Sanse II Michey Pension
Guadiana 10
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Hostal Rosa Hostal
Constitución, 38
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Villafranca de los Barros is a large city with all of the services you could need, including 4 albergues for pilgrims.
The stretch of the camino between Villafranca and Torremejía includes a long straight gravel section which is an original Roman road. It makes a few minor twists and turns but eventually heads directly into, through, and out of Torremejía.
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Albergue El Carmen Private
Carmen 26-A
15 10€ |
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Albergue Las Caballeras Private
Las Caballeras, 19
12 12€ Booking.com |
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Albergue Extrenatura Private
Carvajales, 2
18 10€ Booking.com |
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Casa Perín Private
Carrillo Arenas 40
12 15€ Booking.com |
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Pensión La Marina Pension
Ctra. N-630 km 665
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Hotel Acosta Ciudad de la Música ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Ctra. N-630 km 666
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Hotel Diana Hotel
Plaza Juan Carlos I, 1
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The stage between Villafranca de los Barros and Torremejía 26.5km can be shortened by making a detour to the nearby city of Almendralejo. This alternate route turns left off of the camino along the long straight section of the former Roman road.
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Hotel España ⭑⭑ Hotel
San Antonio, 77
Booking.com |
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Hotel Los Ángeles ⭑⭑ Hotel
Macarena, 17
Booking.com |
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Hotel Acosta Centro ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Plaza de Extremadura
Booking.com |
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Most services are located on the N-630, which runs parallel to the camino two streets to the west (your left).
If you made your way to the N-630 while in Torremejía there is no need to retrace your steps. Follow it out of town and you will rejoin the camino which emerges from your right. If follows adjacent to the road before arrows and a bollard direct you towards a path on your right. It passes...
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Albergue Rojo Plata Private
José de Espronceda, 23
24 12€ Booking.com |
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Hostal Milenium Hostal
Extremadura, 56
Booking.com |
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The Puente Romano (Roman bridge) over the Río Guadiana carried cars as recently as the early 90’s before being retired to pedestrian use only. It remains the longest surviving ancient bridge and from the entrance, at the park, it is over 400m to the other side.
Once over the bridge the camino immediately turns left to follow a path along the river, avoiding altogether any meaningful entrance into the city of Mérida.
The land where Mérida stands has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but it is the Romans who have made the most lasting impact. In 25 B.C. it was known as Emerita Augusta and together with Astorga (Asturica Augusta) it formed the original Vía de la Plata, an important route...
The camino does not make any real entrance into the oldest parts of Mérida and with the exception of the Alcazaba (the castle at the end of the bridge) and the Acueducto de Los Milagros it avoids passing any of the most significant buildings in the city.
From the...
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Albergue Molino de Pancaliente Municipal
José Fernández López
22 8€ |
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Hostal Anas ⭑⭑ Hostal
Reina Sofía, 9
Booking.com |
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Hostal Salud Hostal
Vespasiano, 41
Booking.com |
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Hostal Senero ⭑ Hostal
Holguin, 12
Booking.com |
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Hotel Rambla Emerita ⭑⭑ Hotel
Rambla Mártir Santa Eulalia, 17
Booking.com |
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Hotel Romero Mérida ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Autovia A-66 salida 630
Booking.com |
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Hotel Lusitania ⭑⭑ Hotel
Oviedo, 12
Booking.com |
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Hotel Vettonia ⭑⭑ Hotel
Calderón de la Barca, 26
Booking.com |
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Parador de Mérida ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Parador
Almendralejo, 56
Booking.com |
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