Recommended starting place between Villafranca del Bierzo and Sarria

[Zoe7]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

a couple days before sarria puts in you O Cebreiro, maybe Herrerías... Triacastela is only a day away.

 

[markie6]

They re all nice spots. Another option would be to start at Sarria and pop to see Muxia and Finisterre after Santiago

just options. I do like the climb at O Cebreiro though

 

[Juspassinthru]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

You may consider Triacastela and go to Samos and then to Sarria. As far as I’m concerned, the walk into and out of Samos is some of the nicest walking on the Francés. The walk to Samos is short, makes for an easy Day 1 and you could tour the monastery too.

 

[thewalkingkat]

Ponferrada is easy to reach by train, if that’s an option and it has a templar castle to see.

That‘d be 90-100 km to Sarria, depending on which route you take after Triacastela.

 

[Anamiri]

You may consider Triacastela and go to Samos and then to Sarria. As far as I’m concerned, the walk into and out of Samos is some of the nicest walking on the Francés. The walk to Samos is short, makes for an easy Day 1 and you could tour the monastery too.

And the walk from Samos to Sarria is really nice.
Take the arrows along the road out of town, and they will send you across the road, and up a hill.

 

[CWBuff]

Ponferrada is easy to reach by train, if that’s an option and it has a templar castle to see.

That‘d be 90-100 km to Sarria, depending on which route you take after Triacastela.

Hmmm as per OP - a "couple" of days which usually means 2 but I'll stretch it to 3.
Not sure if I would advice a newbie to hit 30km\day straight from the gate.
I know it took me 5 days from Ponferrada to Sarria not going to Samos

My personal opinion would be either O Cebreiro or Triacastela - just as I see no reason to do above-mentioned 30km/day I also see no reason to start your Camino climbing up some steep mountain.....
... WAIT!.......

Seriously O Cebreiro to Sarria is about 41km; add couple of more if variating to Samos, but that is perfectly doable in 2-3 days. Triacastela will be closer (I think shave about 19km from the previous distance)

 

[thewalkingkat]

Hmmm as per OP - a "couple" of days which usually means 2 but I'll stretch it to 3.
Not sure if I would advice a newbie to hit 30km\day straight from the gate.
I know it took me 5 days from Ponferrada to Sarria not going to Samos

My personal opinion would be either O Cebreiro or Triacastela - just as I see no reason to do above-mentioned 30km/day I also see no reason to start your Camino climbing up some steep mountain.....
... WAIT!.......

Seriously O Cebreiro to Sarria is about 41km; add couple of more if variating to Samos, but that is perfectly doable in 2-3 days. Triacastela will be closer (I think shave about 19km from the previous distance)

That’s why I wrote „if that’s an option“ and didn’t suggest how many days that would add. No one was suggesting 30 km days.

I don’t know how many days „a couple of days“ is (5 days would still be a couple in my head), nor do I know OP‘s ability.

Edited to add: I just looked up the definition of “a couple” because I was curious. It seems we use the equivalent in German much more loosely (for anything between 3 and about 6 days) while “a couple” really is only 2 or max 3 days. Funny, since it’s actually the same word (also used as “a couple of” and “they are a couple”). So yeah, that’s why it was a bit more to me.

 

[CWBuff]

@thewalkingkat - duty noted and I most definitely did not suggest that you stated 30km/day.
As you note the word "couple" has different meaning in different counties so you went by your understanding and I went by mine.
No disrespect of any kind was intended and I'm sure that OP will make her decision based on all of our responses with the knowledge of her abilities

 

[André Normann]

Herrerias to Samos was an absolute pleasure to walk!

 

[JabbaPapa]

I'd say Triacastela, which seems to be increasing in popularity year by year.

DO eat at the amazing Complexo Xacobeo !!

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

Villafranca del Bierzo and especially Herrerias are two of my favorite towns along the Camino Frances. Tricastella is nice too. Yuck to O Ceibrero.

But I don't think any of those towns are especially easy to get to. Maybe buses. I think you have to look at transportation first.

 

[mattythedog]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

Take the mountain route from Villafranca to O Cebreiro, which is very beautiful. Then O Cebreiro to Sarria via the hill route. Again, very beautiful and tranquil. That is what I did last May, and it covers all of your villages. You can go to Sarria via Samos, but it makes for quite a long day.

 

[David Tallan]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

It really depends on how much time you have. Villafranca del Bierzo is a very nice little town. It is where I started most recently. But it is, for most people, more than a couple of days from Sarria. I could see starting from Herrerias if you are planning on taking the horses up to O Cebreiro and continuing walking from there. Otherwise, if you only have a couple of days to add, I would start in O Cebreiro, or Triacastela if you plan to walk via Samos. O Cebreiro is a very special place, although the past few times I've been there it is much more touristy than my first pass through the village, which may turn some people off. I don't think I've been struck that way so much by the changes in any other place on the Frances.

 

[David Tallan]

Edited to add: I just looked up the definition of “a couple” because I was curious. It seems we use the equivalent in German much more loosely (for anything between 3 and about 6 days) while “a couple” really is only 2 or max 3 days. Funny, since it’s actually the same word (also used as “a couple of” and “they are a couple”). So yeah, that’s why it was a bit more to me.

In my dialect of English, "a couple of" is always two, like a couple. (Three is a "thruple", more recently. )
3 - 6 is "a few". That informed my response above to the original question.

 

[David Tallan]

I'd say Triacastela, which seems to be increasing in popularity year by year.

DO eat at the amazing Complexo Xacobeo !!

That's where my daughter and I stayed at and ate this year (although the albergue and restaurant are in separate buildings). I'm pretty sure I stayed there with my son eight years ago.

 

[thewalkingkat]

In my dialect of English, "a couple of" is always two, like a couple. (Three is a "thruple", more recently. )
3 - 6 is "a few". That informed my response above to the original question.

That’s why languages are fun.

The German “ein paar” translates to “a couple” as well as “a few”.
“Einige” can be “a few”, “a couple” and “several”.

I guess it’s just all the same to us.

(Sorry for the off-topic!)

 

[CWBuff]

I say tomAYto you say tomAHto

 

[David Tallan]

I say tomAYto you say tomAHto

Let's call the whole thing off.

 

[Zoe7]

Does anyone know how much the horses cost?

 

[CWBuff]

The owners name is Victor
Phone : +56 63 804 1823.
Email : v.vigaray@gmail.com
Victor’s on Facebook - his Facebook page is called Al Paso.
IIRC he used to charge €35.00 but I’m not sure of the current cost - Victor will let you know when you book.

Good luck and Buen Camino

 

[David Tallan]

The owners name is Victor
Phone : +56 63 804 1823.
Email : v.vigaray@gmail.com
Victor’s on Facebook - his Facebook page is called Al Paso.
IIRC he used to charge €35.00 but I’m not sure of the current cost - Victor will let you know when you book.

Good luck and Buen Camino

I think it was about €50 when we took the horses up to O Cebreiro earlier this year.

 

[Zoe7]

It really depends on how much time you have. Villafranca del Bierzo is a very nice little town. It is where I started most recently. But it is, for most people, more than a couple of days from Sarria. I could see starting from Herrerias if you are planning on taking the horses up to O Cebreiro and continuing walking from there. Otherwise, if you only have a couple of days to add, I would start in O Cebreiro, or Triacastela if you plan to walk via Samos. O Cebreiro is a very special place, although the past few times I've been there it is much more touristy than my first pass through the village, which may turn some people off. I don't think I've been struck that way so much by the changes in any other place on the Frances.

Is it so touristy now that you would not recommend it so much?

 

[David Tallan]

Is it so touristy now that you would not recommend it so much?

That would depend on how much the "touristy" bothers you. A lot of the charm is still there. You just have to look past all of the souvenir shops to see it.

 

[CWBuff]

Re: horses. In addition no backpacks allowed. You need to make baggage transfer plans to take your belongings yo your next destination

 

[Jodean]

Enjoyed the walk to and out of Samos, and then recommend going past Sarria to Barbedelo, and stay the night there in Casa Barbadelo, which will give you a wonderful morning of peaceful walking without the many pilgrims who are starting in Sarria. They won't catch up to you until almost lunch and will be more spread out.

 

[paddington]

Very easy to take the train from Madrid to sarria and then catch a taxi to traicastela and as others have suggested, start in triacastela and take the alternative route to sarria via samos . Spend the night in samos . That gives you two short days to get started and also gives you some time to explore sarria as you will be arriving pretty early in the day. Tour if the monastery in samos is great, usually in Spanish, if you don’t speak Spanish just use Google translate with microphone n your pgone

 

[David Tallan]

Re: horses. In addition no backpacks allowed. You need to make baggage transfer plans to take your belongings to your next destination

This is something worth repeating. It caught my daughter and I by surprise when we were waiting for the horses to arrive in Las Herrerias and we had to scramble to find transportation for them.

 

[CWBuff]

For yor bags, not the horses

 

[Thornley]

Thank you everyone for your input!

You have read all the options.
We have been over the Frances path many many times.
Only the big Camino from down South ( VLP) has not been undertaken.
We could recommend wonderful walking days on Le Puy , Norte & Primitivo .

One day we can remember vividly :
See below.

***** You have been advised about the beauty of walking into and from Samos.
Please take that advice , you will not regret it.
And to include if time allows
SDC to Muxia and then continue the walk to Finisterre

 

[Isabelpilgrim]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

O Cebriero, the bus goes there, great views. Depending on how you feel, you could stay in a village before Triacastela, and walk through to Sarria the next day, or walk through Samos. Herrarias would give you the climb up and the border into Galicia, though more planning to start there. I think there is a Pilgrims Mass in O Cebriero if you stay the night there.

 

[David Tallan]

For yor bags, not the horses

True. The horses were their own transportation.

 

[Zoe7]

It really depends on how much time you have. Villafranca del Bierzo is a very nice little town. It is where I started most recently. But it is, for most people, more than a couple of days from Sarria. I could see starting from Herrerias if you are planning on taking the horses up to O Cebreiro and continuing walking from there. Otherwise, if you only have a couple of days to add, I would start in O Cebreiro, or Triacastela if you plan to walk via Samos. O Cebreiro is a very special place, although the past few times I've been there it is much more touristy than my first pass through the village, which may turn some people off. I don't think I've been struck that way so much by the changes in any other place on the Frances.

Wondering how you arrived to Villafranca del Bierzo, and which route you took, the mountainous one or the road/river one? Is the latter interesting, or only the mountainous one? Thank you!

 

[David Tallan]

Wondering how you arrived to Villafranca del Bierzo, and which route you took, the mountainous one or the road/river one? Is the latter interesting, or only the mountainous one? Thank you!

We took a bus from Madrid to Leon, where we spent the night. Then the next morning we took a train to Astorga and then another bus to Villafranca, where we stayed in an albergue before starting our Camino the next day. We took the mountainous route to Trabadelo (but not the even more mountainous Dragonte route from Villafranca). My previous Frances, in 2016, we took the road/river route. I would say that the high road is worth it but the valley road is not bad.

 

[Zoe7]

Thank you!

Would you recommend one day —or two days? — to explore Villafranca del Bierzo before beginning our Camino? Thanks

 

[Marbe2]

Have time to start a couple days before Sarria. Wondering which of the following you would recommend most to start by and not miss — Villafranca del Bierzo or O Cebrero or Herrerias or Triacastela? Thank you.

Hi Zoe, Welcome!

Where are you initially coming in? Are you flying from USA to SdC via Madrid, or? Can you be more specific? How much time are you allowing yourself to recover before walking? I see you are from the USA?The more info you can provide, the more helpful we can be.

 

[Tincatinker]

Would you recommend one day —or two days? — to explore Villafranca del Bierzo before beginning our Camino? Thanks

One day, two nights ought to do it. That gives time to enjoy " Mi Tienda", Calle Jesus Adran 6 and Restaurante El Padrino. Visit the spectacular San Nicolas el Real, perhaps even book a room there. Have a splosh in the Playa fluvial on the river bank just to the North of the town. The Chiringuito Playa Villafranca is worth a visit just to observe how the Spanish have fun. Casa Mendez is worth a visit if you can get a table by the window to watch the Swifts hawking like nothing else does.

A lot will depend on how much experience, affection for, small Spanish towns you're possessed of. I've spent over a week there and loved every moment. Some would be bored by the time lunch wore off

 

[Zoe7]

Hi Zoe, Welcome!

Where are you initially coming in? Are you flying from USA to SdC via Madrid, or? Can you be more specific? How much time are you allowing yourself to recover before walking? I see you are from the USA?The more info you can provide, the more helpful we can be.

Thank you! We’re coming from the U.S into Madrid, taking bus or train to Ponferrada arriving around 2 pm, and buying some trekking poles there, resting and looking at the old town, and sleeping in, and then taking a morning bus to Villafranca del Brierzo, and staying there that night, and possibly a second night, for recovery time (or alternatively just the one night and a short first day)

 

[Marbe2]

Zoe, How many days are you planning all together? WHEN do you plan to go? What kind of accommodations do you desire? I am sure you know this…allow for terrain to require more time both uphill and sometimes downhill (depends). Certain times of the year it is hard to get private room accommodations, especially near Spanish holidays.

Btw if you train into Ponferrada station you will be very close to Decathlon sporting goods store where you can purchase inexpensive hiking poles.

 

[Thornley]

Thank you! We’re coming from the U.S into Madrid, taking bus or train to Ponferrada arriving around 2 pm, and buying some trekking poles there, resting and looking at the old town, and sleeping in, and then taking a morning bus to Villafranca del Brierzo, and staying there that night, and possibly a second night, for recovery time (or alternatively just the one night and a short first day)

One night and a short day

 

[CWBuff]

If that. I'm sorry but looking at all the threads you have posted ( and they are quite shall I say " repetitive ") IMHO you are paying too much attention to a lot of side issues.
I don't mean to sound floppy or arrogant but you have a given number of days to walk from point A to point B - concentrate on that.
Use Gronze and Godesalco web sites to figure out where your waypoints are based on how far you want to walk on any given day. Take it from there.
It's ok to ask all of us questions but then what is totally awesome to me is of no interest at all to you ( and vice versa).
So in re: VdB the visit to the church is a good thing to do but I would not stay an extra time for that. It is up to you if you want to allot that time or start walking....
I hope you understand what I am saying
Good luck and Buen Camino