Albergue de Villaviciosa

Located in the center of Villaviciosa, this privately run pilgrim hostel occupies a converted former hotel, giving it a bit more space and comfort than many purpose-built albergues along the Camino. It opened in 2015 and is managed by Roberto Valdés.

The hostel offers 28 beds across four dormitory rooms of varying sizes, sleeping 4, 6, 8, or 10 people. Prices run slightly higher during the busier months of Easter, July, August, and September. A self-service breakfast is included at no extra charge, and there is a kitchen available for guest use, along with a washer and dryer, individual lockers, and secure bicycle storage. Bed sheets and towels are provided, which saves pilgrims from carrying their own.

Villaviciosa itself is worth a bit of exploration. The town is the historic capital of the comarca of El Gaitanes in Asturias and is particularly known for its cider culture, sitting at the heart of one of the main apple-growing regions in Spain. The Romanesque church of Santa Maria de Oliva, built in the 13th century, stands near the town center and is one of the finer examples of Asturian Gothic architecture in the region. The town also holds a small but notable place in Spanish history as the landing point of the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles I of Spain in 1517, when he first set foot on Spanish soil.