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Accommodation difficult this 1 May "puente"?

eamann

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2024 Le Puy - Cahors + Saint-Jean - León
I’ll be leaving Vàlencia on 16 April and, God being willing, hope to be in las Pedroñeras by Friday 27 April, the start of the long 1 May holiday weekend. Since the area from there to Tembleque, which I hope to reach on 1 May, is very much "Don Quijote" land (Las Pedroneras - La Mota - El Toboso - Quintanar del Orden - Villacanas - La Villa de Don Fadrique) I am wondering whether I would have difficulty finding accommodation unless I reserve well in advance? If any of the people on this forum know the region sufficiently well, I would be very grateful for their advice.
 
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I’ll be leaving Vàlencia on 16 April and, God being willing, hope to be in las Pedroñeras by Friday 27 April, the start of the long 1 May holiday weekend. Since the area from there to Tembleque, which I hope to reach on 1 May, is very much "Don Quijote" land (Las Pedroneras - La Mota - El Toboso - Quintanar del Orden - Villacanas - La Villa de Don Fadrique) I am wondering whether I would have difficulty finding accommodation unless I reserve well in advance? If any of the people on this forum know the region sufficiently well, I would be very grateful for their advice.
Labour Day (May 1st) is huge in Spain so you might have some difficulties. But you do have albergues/polideportivos/classrooms in most of the villages you'll walk through around that date. Maybe you should contact @JLWV from Amigos Office in Valencia and he can give you some hints.

Buen Camino!
 
hi @eamann - good on you.
I have ‘some’ notes from that area (I had to miss some sections due to injury) so I hope I can provide a few useful details for you.
In the pretty town of San Clemente (before Las Pedroneras) if I remember correctly I got the key for the lovely Albergue from the ayuntamiento (969307090) . The Alb has 3 BR, a bathroom but no kitchen.
Lovely walk from here to LP on farm tracks, vineyards and then the famous purple garlic fields. You’ll pass the abandonned ‘Santiago de la Torre’ on the way - great for a poke around. in LP I stayed at an apartment Casa Mauricio 610 878574 (a great recommendation by Kinky). Lovely owner Maria is super sweet and recommended Restaurant Castilla for lunch - one of my favourite meals.
Next day from LP to El Toboso is around 31km with sparse waymarking (lots of markers were covered by overgrowth or faded in 2017).
In Mota del Cuervo (where I had hoped to stay) I was unable to locate anyone at 'Hostal Plaza’ so I continued to El Toboso (another 9.5km). Here you can stay with the Trinitarias by calling first 925 197173 or Hostal El Quijote 925 197 398 (where I stayed). It’s on the main Rd and seems to have plenty of rooms. You should be able to book ahead. Here, do visit the Casa de Dulcinea and the crazy Museo de Cervantes while here. Bar Rocinante is friendly.
Next stage from ET to La Villa de Don Fadrique is about 24km. On the outskirts of ET the route splits between the Levante and the Sureste. If you take the Sureste route it is 2.6km shorter and misses the town of El Quintaner. The place to stay in Don Fadrique is with Rincon del Infante 925195651. Juan (hospitalero) is a camino afficionado and will be very helpful.
@eamann if you would like me to send you my preparation document please send me a PM with your email address.
Cheers, Grace
 
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I’ll be leaving Vàlencia on 16 April and, God being willing, hope to be in las Pedroñeras by Friday 27 April, the start of the long 1 May holiday weekend. Since the area from there to Tembleque, which I hope to reach on 1 May, is very much "Don Quijote" land (Las Pedroneras - La Mota - El Toboso - Quintanar del Orden - Villacanas - La Villa de Don Fadrique) I am wondering whether I would have difficulty finding accommodation unless I reserve well in advance? If any of the people on this forum know the region sufficiently well, I would be very grateful for their advice.

Eamann, you are in for a real treat. The Levante is a wonderful camino, especially in spring when the fields of emerald green punctuated with splotches of bold red poppies spread out in every direction. If you like castles, you will love the Levante. Or, now that I look at your avatar, maybe you are going back for your second Levante?! If so, I am very jealous.

Only in Spain would a holiday on Tuesday May 1 mean that a "long holiday weekend" starts on Friday, April 27. :) I am frequently on some camino or another on May 1 and have never had a problem, though. Since the albergue situation on the Levante has improved so much since I walked, I think you will probably be fine, even if the crowds are out in full force to see the windmills and Dulcinea´s home.
 
A big thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply!

This is my second go at the Camino del Levante. I did it first in 2009, all the way to Fisterra. This time I have to stop at Toledo.

In 2009, until I arrived in Zamora, I met only one cyclist and two other walkers, and then only briefly; one was following the Camino del Sureste and the other the C. del L.

I did contact the Amigos in Vàlencia about the "puente" and they recommended playing it on the safe side and reserving already. I am reluctant however to tie myself down so far in advance. I feel inclined to put my trust in Providence and hope that, as Peregrina says, everything will work out alright. I might though contact Casa Mauricio since it seems to be the only decent place in Las Pedroñeras. Last time round I arrived in Tembleque on Easter Saturday and I did have trouble in finding a room. On the other hand I am encouraged to see that on the websites that promote Don Quijote tourism the only place mentioned that I will pass through is El Toboso and even there I think most visitors would only come for the day.

Thank you, Grace, for your list of accommodation and eating places which completes what I already knew.
 
Casa Mauricio is very nice and just some 100mts from Plaza Mayor. No curfew etc.
I also have this info for Las Pedroneras (the garlic capital of the world :) ) from 2015 but I did not check it out personally:
AC (max.2pl, Casa Parroquial, Montejano 86, 967-160-067) 10€
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Casa Mauricio is very nice and just some 100mts from Plaza Mayor. No curfew etc.
I also have this info for Las Pedroneras (the garlic capital of the world :) ) from 2015 but I did not check it out personally:
AC (max.2pl, Casa Parroquial, Montejano 86, 967-160-067) 10€

I stayed in the roadside hotel which is more of a truckers place than anything else so I would imagine no problem there. It was a one star and very clean. Hostal el Bomba. The Casa parroquial has space for three I think.

Wow a return trip to the levante. I am jealous!!!
 
Thanks Kinky for the information about the albergue. It confirms the information on the Amigos site.

In 2009 a storm broke out just before I arrived in LP and I arrived drenched to the skin, freezing cold and with a sore knee which was slowing me down seriously. I went first to the albergue, but, despite its attractive patio, I found it cold and dirty (breadcrumbs in the bunk bed) and there was no hot water. In search for some creature comfort and consolation I booked in to the truckers hostal La Bomba. But my meal was only so-so and the room was drab and unheated; I see in TripAdvisor that it has not improved since. Afterwards I spent a miserable afternoon wandering around the cold and windy streets in the rain looking for a cream to massage my knee.

The next morning I was glad to limp out of LP, but feeling sorry for myself and depressed by my sore knee and wondering whether I would make it to Santiago or be forced to return home. As I was leaving the village a dog started to follow me. I tried to shoo him/her away, but to no avail. He/she then followed me for the next hour all the way to El Pedernoso. I set down there on a bench in the sun to rest my knee and the dog lay down on the ground before me panting from the exertion of the walk. When I got up to continue on my way, I did not need to tell him/her to go home - he/she circled a few times around me and then trotted off back in the direction of LP. His/her company and the unspoken affection which had developed between us chased away my negative thoughts and helped me reach Mota del Cuervo that early afternoon. As you can see, it was an encounter that I shall not forget!
 
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... When I got up to continue on my way, I did not need to tell him/her to go home - he/she circled a few times around me and then trotted off back in the direction of LP. His/her company and the unspoken affection which had developed between us chased away my negative thoughts and helped me reach Mota del Cuervo that early afternoon. As you can see, it was an encounter that I shall not forget!
That's just so nice. The thing that can happen (only) on the Camino. If you are walking Levante again I guess you really have fond memories of it :)

Wish you all the best on your Way!
 
Difficult to prognostic that...
Probably it will be difficult to get a room in a casa rural, as people on holidays will book them, but I think there will be no problem in albergues and municipal or parroquial accomodations.
The problem may be to contact with the people in charge of those accommodations. Don't worry calling them by phone soon before arriving.
Buen Camino
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Thank you eamann for starting this thread. You made my aware I night have difficulty finding a bed/room the weekend around 1 May. I will leave Valencia 19 April and plan to be in Las Pedroñeras 30 April. I now have made sure i will have somewhere to stay at that time. Looking forward to start walking.
 
Well, there is movement on Levante.
Yesterday we were visited at the Associación by three ladies (from Stocholm, Amiens/France and Bordeaux/France) and a Swiss man, all starting today.
And today I also met on the way a man from Albi/France.
Last friday we were visited by a pilgrim from Brighton/Sussex/UK and four from Innsbruck/Tirol/Austria.
It is very difficult for us to know how many pilgrims walk Levante, as only some of them visit our Associación.
Buen camino to all .
 
Jean-Luc it looks like the Levante is becoming the ‘flavour of the month’ :) You and the team at the Pilgrim Office do a wonderful job of maintaining the arrows and promoting the walk. Thanks so much and say hi to the Pilar’s from me xx
 
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I stayed in the roadside hotel which is more of a truckers place than anything else so I would imagine no problem there. It was a one star and very clean. Hostal el Bomba. The Casa parroquial has space for three I think.

Wow a return trip to the levante. I am jealous!!!
I was there 3 days ago.
New casa parroquial, calle montoya nr 2 has 6 individual rooms, kitchen and washing machine
Hostal Bomba very nice. 25 €
Nice to speak with Valentín
 
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If you are on Levante in this moment, specialy Toledo and Madrid areas, be very carefull to book before arriving. Yesterday only possible place in Don Fabrique was at polideportivo, and today all casas rurales and hotel in Tembleque are full.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
"long holiday weekend"

Just two mores details about that:
- May 2nd is regional festivity for Madrid, so the week-end this year in this area is five days long!!!
- and this is a nice moment for weddings
As various steps on our way are little villages, when inhabitants get married their families from other cities occupy most of the Casas Rurales and hotels.
This is why on Friday I had problem for a place where to sleep, and on Saturday I had no option. Not a problem for me, as in few hours I could be back to home, to continue next month, but a possible concern for the foreign fellows I met those days.
 
Back from my walk from Valencia to Toledo.

In Bar/Restaurante Los Tejares (+34 619 11 99 64) in El Pedernoso, the first village after Las Pedroñeras, at 10h00 on Saturday morning 28 April, the barman said that he had counted 11 pilgrims the previous day and I was the 7th. to have come into his bar that morning.

Perhaps the Amigos should telephone the barman and ask him if he would be willing to keep a daily count for them?

I slept in hostales or casas rurales and tended to start my mornings late, with the result that I did not meet all the other walkers, but nevertheless I did meet up with a group of three Swiss, an Italian lady, an Austrian lady, a German lady, a German couple, a young German man and a Spaniard.

In comparison, when I walked this Camino in 2009 I only met three other pilgrims in the 33 days from Valencia to Zamora - a cyclist, a man following the Sureste and another man following the Levante.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
As regards the 1st. May holiday, on the advice of the Amigos and Patricia Plaza in La Mota del Cuervo, I booked accommodation for the four nights Friday 27 April to Monday 30. It turned out that it was unnecessary in Las Pedroñeras, La Mota del Cuervo and Quintanar del Orden. In Villacañas it was very necessary because the town celebrates an annual fiesta on 30 April.

In retrospect it seems to me that the need to book in advance depends first of all on whether or not 1 May falls on a day which lends itself to a "puente", secondly on the size of the village/town, the volume of accommodation available, whether it is a tourist attraction or not and finally on imponderables such as weddings, local fiestas and the weather.
 
Back from my walk from Valencia to Toledo.
Perhaps the Amigos should telephone the barman and ask him if he would be willing to keep a daily count for them?
.

I have just transmited that idea to the secretary of the Asociación. Thanks Eamann.
 

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