Stage 26: Villafranca - O Cebreiro

With a population of just over 5,300 inhabitants, Villafranca has a lot to offer in terms of gastronomy, relaxation and lodging options.

Its development is largely attributed to its location on the French Way, as Alfonso VI established in the area a community of Franconian merchants and Cluniac monks. In the mid-12th century, half of the population was made up of foreigners, which gave Villafranca its name, meaning "city of foreigners".

Today we leave León and enter Galicia. A little more than a kilometer after the village of Laguna de Castilla, you will see some stones that mark the limit and the distance to Santiago from there: 152 km.

There are two well-marked routes that can be taken. The first follows the main road and continues up the valley. The second consists of climbing up and down 400 meters on a more scenic but much more strenuous trail.

The first route is gently uphill for the first 20 km. However, the last 8 km are hard with a climb from 700 meters to 1,330 meters.

There will be plenty of water fountains, but you'd better have breakfast in Villafranca before leaving as there will be no food options for 11.5 km until you reach Trabadelo. After that, there will be enough food and water stops for the rest of the day.

O Cebreiro is always full of people because it is a tourist stop. You will always hear Celtic music when you enter the village because it is characteristic of the area.