Ponferrada or Villafranca del Bierzo

[Davideansa]

Hi all,

I need to take a bus from Ponferrada to Villafranca to handle my camino in time (unfortunately I don't have many days and I need to skip one day from the book to reach Santiago in time for my flight).
The connection between the 2 villages is good, thanks to a bus from Alsa.
I can either leave from Ponferrada in the early evening and spend the night in Villafranca or spending the night in Ponferrada and leaving early morning to Villafranca.
Which is your suggestion for spending the night? Which of the 2 is the nicest village?

thank you!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Take the bus in the morning, then walk.

Calle Río Selmo, 22, 24400 Ponferrada, León, Spain
hostalrioselmo.com
+34 987 40 26 65

Hostal Rio Selmo

 

[november_moon]

Both are nice places to spend the night - I've stayed in both myself. I prefer Villafranca - it's a large town at the base of a mountain, with a charming main square surrounded by restaurants with outdoor terraces. Ponferrada is a small city - so it is much bigger and busier - not nearly as charming. But it has good restaurants and plenty of shops if you need to stock up on or replace anything. It also has the Templar Castle, which is good to visit. Both are good places for an overnight. I'd choose based on how your timing shapes up once you get there. The ALSA bus has several departures each day from Ponferrada to Villafranca.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'd prefer Villafranca, myself.

 

[Anamiri]

They are quite different, in my opinion Villa Franca was nicer, and I'm glad I stayed there, but do have a look over the Templar castle whilst in Ponferada.

 

[trecile]

Hi all,

I need to take a bus from Ponferrada to Villafranca to handle my camino in time (unfortunately I don't have many days and I need to skip one day from the book to reach Santiago in time for my flight).
The connection between the 2 villages is good, thanks to a bus from Alsa.
I can either leave from Ponferrada in the early evening and spend the night in Villafranca or spending the night in Ponferrada and leaving early morning to Villafranca.
Which is your suggestion for spending the night? Which of the 2 is the nicest village?

thank you!

You mentioned "the book". Does that mean that you are following stages in the Brierly (or other guidebook) exactly? Depending on where you are planning to start the Camino it's possible that you can walk your own stages without skipping anything.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

Villafranca definitely. Either way enjoy a few glasses of Bierzo red wine while you are there!

 

[jungleboy]

+1 for Villafranca unless you want to visit the castle in Ponferrada. Plus, I just think I'd prefer taking the bus the previous afternoon and being able to wake up and walk as per normal routine rather than taking a morning bus.