Today’s walk carries you deeper into El Bierzo, where history, nature, and anticipation blend beautifully. Leaving Cacabelos, the Camino winds through gentle hills and vineyards, gradually guiding you toward one of the most charming towns on the route: Villafranca del Bierzo.
Villafranca is a jewel of the Camino, with its cobbled streets, stone buildings, and the peaceful Church of Santiago, a Romanesque treasure dating back to the 12th century. This church holds special meaning for pilgrims—those unable to continue to Santiago due to illness or hardship could receive the same spiritual grace here as if they had reached the cathedral itself.
From Villafranca, the trail begins to gently rise and fall, inching ever closer to Galicia and the legendary climb to O Cebreiro. The landscape becomes more wooded, the air cooler, and the path quieter. You pass through small hamlets and forested stretches, each step bringing you closer to the mountains.
Your day ends in Trabadelo, a peaceful village nestled in a narrow valley surrounded by green hills. It’s a quiet place to stop and prepare for the dramatic ascent that awaits tomorrow.
