The Camino de Santiago in Villafranca del Bierzo

posted in: Europe, Leon, Spain | 6

Villafranca del Bierzo was founded in the 11C by French monks who belonged to the order of Cluny, establishing a Monastery where they could care for pilgrims who were walking the Camino de Santiago. Judging by the grand palaces in the Calle del Agua the town was also very prosperous and significant at one point in history.

Villafranca is unique for two reasons: firstly it is the last resting place on the Camino before a steep climb up to Piedrafito O Cebreiro and the crossing into Galicia. And secondly, pilgrims who are too ill to continue can receive a Pardon here. Villafranca and Santiago are the only two places on the Camino de Santiago where the Pardon can be given and so Villafranca del Bierzo is a very special town.

The Camino enters Villafranca past the Church of Santiago which was built during the 12C and it is here that Pilgrims can receive a Pardon.

The Church of Santiago
The North Door of the Church where the Pilgrims can receive the Pardon
the Church of Santiago and its Cemetery
The Church of Santiago looking towards the Church of San Francisco

From here I have found two different routes for the Camino through the town – well, why not? Both routes pass the Castle and then separate. I am going to follow the route through the centre of the town first, which I suspect is the ‘modern’ route, winding down below the Church of San Francisco. This was originally a Grey Friars Monastery, dating from 1285, but was taken over by the State in the 1830s and now all that remains is the Church. I believe this has a wonderful Mudejar ceiling – how does one get into these closed buildings?

The Church of San Francisco
The Church of San Francisco
The Church of San Francisco
The Castle-Palace of the Counts of Villafranca, seen from The Church of San Francisco
The Collegiate and the Church of San Nicolas seen from The Church of San Francisco at the far end of the town

From here the route goes through the Plaza Mayor where we always found lots of Pilgrims, particularly in the early afternoon and towards the end of the day. Cafés and restaurants line the square and they were always busy

The Plaza Mayor in Villafranca
A corner of The Plaza Mayor in Villafranca, with the Town Hall (R)

Walking on from the Plaza Mayor brings us to St Nicholas la Real which was built as a Jesuit College in the 17C but now is an Albergue for the pilgrims; I had thought it was an hotel and didn’t venture inside so didn’t see the interesting cloister, which is a shame.

St Nicolas la Real
St Nicolas la Real
St Nicolas la Real

The day we arrived there was a street market in this area, and it was here that I first saw octopus snack bars. The octopus are boiled in a large drum and then cut into pieces with a large pair of shears and served on small plates, turned in olive oil and paprika – absolutely delicious!

Cooking and serving octopus

From here the camino passes alongside the Alameda Garden and a very grand building which I can’t identify, past the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria (once a Cluniac Monastery, and another post to come on this building), and over the River Burbia via the old stone bridge.

The grand building I can’t identify – clearly a palace!
Treed walk around the Alameda Gardens
The Collegiate of Santa Maria

And so over the River Burbia via the old bridge from the Calle de Agua.

The second Camino route, which I suspect is the original route, passes down the hill from the Castle and then along the Calle del Agua to the old stone bridge. This is wonderfully atmospheric street, filled with palaces and mansions and impressive crests which again, sadly, I can’t identify.

The start of the Calle del Agua on the main road
Chapel? on the Calle del Agua
The former Convent of San Jose in the Calle del Agua, now a boarding school
In the Calle del Agua
In the Calle del Agua
In the Calle del Agua
In the Calle del Agua

And so over the River Burbia and onwards on the Camino de Santiago. 

The River Burbia in Villafranca del Bierzo with the Collegiate of Santa Maria (R)

This is a wonderfully calm and atmospheric town, a must-visit for a few days if you are travelling in the area by car, and the Parador is an extremely comfortable and friendly hotel.

Further information
Detailed maps of the Camino
Cultural Heritage of Villafranca
Information about the Bierzo and the town – interesting!

6 Responses

  1. The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria in Villafranca | London Traveller

    […] In the 12C the Benedictine Monks built a Monastery in Villafranca with an attached hostel. Here they housed and cared for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Nothing remains of this first church which gradually declined as pilgrims dwindled from the 14C onwards.Today’s church, the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria, started building in 1529, commissioned by the second Marquis of Villafranca, Pedro de Toledo. […]

  2. wanderessence1025

    Great captures of Villafranca del Bierzo, Candy, and a great deal of history. It was raining when I was there. It finally stopped raining and I headed straight uphill from the town, shortly after the bridge to take the alternate route. It went along the ridge of the mountains for what seemed an eternity, and I never saw a person ahead of me or behind me. Here’s my post about coming into Villafranca and then leaving it for Trabadelo: https://wanderessence.com/2019/10/13/camino-day-38-cacabelos-to-trabadelo/

    I wish I’d had more time to explore the town as you did. 🙂

    • Candy Blackham

      Thank you! You had lovely photographs too, and the Church of Santiago was open when you passed. One always wishes there was more time – I could easily have lingered for another day or two in Villafranca. Perhaps the ‘trick’ is just to be super-aware and super-charged about special times such as these

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