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LIVE from the Camino Cacabelos or Villafranca del Bierzo

Deanpf

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances May 2016 from Burgos to Finisterre
Sorry for the specific question but wondering if anyone has any thoughts about a great place to stop walking today out of these two?
No problem getting to either or if I push a bit I could do pereje but I don't think there's anything there.
Thank you!
Dean
 
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Villafranca - Albergue Ave Fenix for a good communal meal for veggies or meat eaters. Nice atmosphere and Villafranca is the nicer town IMO.
 
Villafranca del Bierzo is easier to find beds if you stop early enough, showing up later in the afternoon will make things difficult.
 
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If you stay in Villafranca del Bierzo and you wish a bit of private comfort and/or a very good reasonably priced meal with delicious local wine do stop at the Hostal de la Puerta del Perdon. Located on the CF opposite the castle it is a VERY comfortable stop especially on a cold winter night!

Margaret Meredith
 
Villafranca would definitely get my vote.
Or Pieros. There's a very albergue there, El Serbal y la Luna. I've never stayed there but want to some day: it gets glowing reports especially from vegetarians
 
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Be carefull with Ave Fenix albergue. Didnt never sleep there cause lot of pilgrims warming about bed bug. This said, I have heard they had been doing lots of efforts to clean and deinfected this albergue.
Pieros could be a good idea .
Buen Camino toyou all, honest people.
 
Either! I mean go with the flow! IMHO, Villafranca del Bierzo is nicer/has more to offer than Cacabelos but Cacabelos is nice enough and a great place to relax so none of those towns would be a bad choice.
 
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I was in Cacabelos last night and it's nice. River with big grassy area the local kids were enjoying. But when I passed through Villafranca, I didn't just want to stay there. I want to live there! Beautiful and lots to see.
 
Vilafranca is an enchanting little city, with old houses (many with shields on the facade, indicating a former aristocratic family), an impressive castle and a modest but historically relevant Saint James church.
I stayed in Albergue León. Warm reception, good, modernized building; cofee shop in the entry.
 
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Villafranca is my choice.

Buen Camino,

Texas guy
 
Should you decide not to stay in Pieros *insert sad face* haha I was a hospitalera there (out of choice, that's how much I liked it) so I'm biased both Cacabelos and Villafranca are excellent choices and the walk between the two one of my favorite parts of the Camino. Albergue de la Piedra is very good as someone already mentioned, but so is the municipal in Cacabelos. It's one of a kind, small double rooms arranged around a churchyard (sounds strange but it works and it's cheap and cheerful)

So basically go with the flow and don't forget to have a glass of Mencía!

Oh and you can stop at Pieros for lunch or drink!
 
And Villafranca has the wonderful church of San Francisco, near the center of town (above the plaza). You won't regret a visit there.
And tomorrow consider staying in the albergue in La Faba run by the German co-fraternity. Magical!--And it nicely breaks up the walk up to O Cebreiro.
 

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I thought Cacabelos had very welcoming locals, a nice albergue, and overall great facilities. I did moved on to Villafranca, which is a great town. I did stayed at Albergue Casa del Perdon and agree with MSpath, lovely stay, very welcoming owner who bikes/walks the Camino every year in the Winter. It was while walking the Camino that he saw the house for sale. He completed the Camino and walked back to Villafranca and bought the place! Wonderful, friendly family, strong supporters of Pilgrims. His son was on the Camino as well.
 
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The only problem with Cacabelos is that there is no communal sitting area when the weather is cold or raining. Or that's how it was the couple of times I've stayed there. Maybe things have changed.
 
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