Where to stay between Toro and Zamora?

[peregrina2000]

This is a 36 km walk. There is an albergue in Villalazán, which is almost exactly halfway, but it is closed (Covid). The only other option seems to be Villaralbo, where there are two places. But this is a 29 km day from Toro. It is flat, true, but it may be a stretch for some.

Does anyone have other suggestions of places in the vicinity? I’m using googlemaps to no avail, but I’m just wondering if others have a creative solution.

From Villalazán to Zamora there is a bus, with a stop in Villaralbo. The bus company is Tamame, here is a link to their schedules. And a screenshot:



But the bus that might work for walkers, which leaves Villalazán at 3:10 pm, stopping in Villaralbo at 3:20, getting to Zamora at 3:35 pm only runs on Mondays and Fridays.

For those who don’t speak Spanish, the column IDA refers to Villalazan to Zamora. The column with the L y V underneath is the scheule for Monday and Friday. VUELTA refers to the return trip from Zamora to Villalazán.

The only downside of taking a bus from Villallazán to Zamora would be that you would miss the chance to navigate the cottonwood forest!!!

 

[OzAnnie]

You’re very kind to start this thread for the other pilgrim here with me @peregrina2000

I am okay — as I have a booking at Casa Aurelia at Villaralba.. the 28klms should be ok for me.

I relayed your advice about the closed albergue in Villalazan; to the other peregrino here (we are in Castronuno and both have booked hotel rooms at Toro for tomorrow night. /Wednesday 4th).
He was most appreciative and says he will get a bus from Toro to Zamora.
He needs to buy more warm clothes at Decathlon anyway and he will spend 2 days there. I don’t know if that bus runs during the week from Toro to Zamora. He will check it out tomorrow.

Annie

 

[OzAnnie]

There appears to be both trains and busses between Toro and Zamora.
He will decide which option.

 

[J Willhaus]

Looks like the train from Toro goes to Zamora in the evening at 6:30? The train station looks on the map to be a walk outside of Toro?
Or maybe walk to Villalazán and ask about whether the albergue is open then either take the bus or a cab to Zamora if it is not?

 

[peregrina2000]

Or maybe walk to Villalazán and ask about whether the albergue is open then either take the bus or a cab to Zamora if it is not?

That was my thought as well, but I have been in WhatsApp contact with the albergue and it is definitely closed. And unless it’s a Monday or Friday, there’s no afternoon bus from Villalazán to Zamora. So it would be calling a taxi from Toro or Zamora. My guess is that it would be at least 40€ since the cab would have to drive so far for the pickup.

Transportation from Toro to Zamora is plentiful, it’s just that the main bus and train routes go further north than the Camino, so none of the intermediate stops are in Villalazán.

So this means you will be navigating the cottonwood forest by yourself, @OzAnnie!

 

[DoughnutANZ]

If you want some luxury at a reasonable price in Zamora, Parador has its Spring sale on at the moment for Amigos de Parador and the Zamora Parador is €100 per night single or double. For everyone (including non Amigos) there is also a 3 for 2 offer at all Paradors at the moment where you can stay 3 nights for the price of 2.

 

[JabbaPapa]

There is a great deal of out-of-date information about this particular section of the Levante.

I am in Villalazan right now, waiting for lunch, and I have the key to the Municipal in my pocket right now, and it is one of those very rare Free Albergues.

The current situation in Toro is that the Albergue that was run by the nuns was permanently closed years ago, as they grew too few and old to continue. The Pension Zamora which had a cheap beds for pilgrims scheme seems to have gone bust. And the Municipal has been in mere project phase since 2018.

The source of the the confusion here in Villalazan is that the lady who was running the private Pension that housed pilgrims more comfortably has retired, so that those seeking to reserve a place to sleep are out of luck, and should instead just walk in, grab a drink at the bar, enquire, and obtain the key to the Municipal. No reservations.

The Municipal is very much open.

I'll add that you can pay with your card at the bar-restaurant, so that not all mod cons have vanished from this place.

 

[JabbaPapa]

The food is also both cheap and excellent, whereas the tinto is just amazing.

 

[mspath]

There is a great deal of out-of-date information about this particular section of the Levante.

I am in Villalazan right now, waiting for lunch, and I have the key to the Municipal in my pocket right now, and it is one of those very rare Free Albergues.

The current situation in Toro is that the Albergue that was run by the nuns was permanently closed years ago, as they grew too few and old to continue. The Pension Zamora which had a cheap beds for pilgrims scheme seems to have gone bust. And the Municipal has been in mere project phase since 2018.

The source of the the confusion here in Villalazan is that the lady who was running the private Pension that housed pilgrims more comfortably has retired, so that those seeking to reserve a place to sleep are out of luck, and should instead just walk in, grab a drink at the bar, enquire, and obtain the key to the Municipal. No reservations.

The Municipal is very much open.

I'll add that you can pay with your card at the bar-restaurant, so that not all mod cons have vanished from this place.

On Google their single beds look comfy. Stay cool and Carpe diem!

 

[JabbaPapa]

On Google their single beds look comfy. Stay cool and Carpe diem!

Repurposed hospital beds, and your impression is correct.

Outside of some pilgrim meals at the Parador, worthwhile in their own way but not necessarily by quality, my lunch today is in a group of memorable Camino meals by quality that were four this morning, and are now five.

And two of the others are in the list purely by reason of double or treble steaks for the price of one.

 

[peregrina2000]

The Municipal is very much open.

That is very good news, because the Villalazán albergue had been closed for covid. My original whatsapp was in Oct. 2021 and it was closed. Then again, in the beginning of May and it was still closed. Glad to see that it has opened.

The hospitalera lives on the same street as the albergue, next door to the restaurant, and she responds very rapidly to WhatsApp. So for those who use WhatsApp you could give a heads up ahead of time, especially if you are going to arrive outside of normal hours. If she isn’t there, her mother will be, and will give you the key.

Telephone number for WhatsApp is 34 652 25 25 79.

There is a great deal of out-of-date information about this particular section of the Levante.

Thanks for the update. I think the rest of our forum information is up to date about this section of the Levante. Recent Levante pilgrims had alerted us to the situation in Toro with the closure of the Pensión Zamora, and I don’t think anyone has thought about an albergue in Toro for a long time, but Villalazán was a problem. If you have any more updates, they’d be appreciated.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Well, going from the visitors book, which has very few entries, it was open last year between at least July and September, and a pilgrim slept here on May 18th, so that if it were closed when this thread was started, the Albergue will have opened just days later.

 

[Middo]

Well, going from the visitors book, which has very few entries, it was open last year between at least July and September, and a pilgrim slept here on May 18th, so that if it were closed when this thread was started, the Albergue will have opened just days later.

I am at the abergue now. There are 7 entries since the end of June. The welcome from Teresa was very warm. There are new appliances installed. New fridge , washing machine , dryer and microwave. The rooms are spotless.