Convento de San Antón

The Convento de San Antón sits beside the road between Hontanas and Castrojeriz, roughly 3.6 kilometres before the town. It is one of the most atmospheric points on the entire Camino Frances, and one of the few places where the path physically passes through the surviving structure of a medieval building.

The route runs directly beneath a tall Gothic stone arch, part of what was once the entrance portico to a grand 14th-century monastery complex.

The convent was founded by the Order of Saint Anthony, a French religious order established in 1093 and charged with caring for sufferers of ergotism, a disease caused by contaminated grain that was widespread in medieval Europe and known at the time as Saint Anthony's Fire. Symptoms included hallucinations, convulsions, and the loss of circulation in limbs. The Antonine monks developed a reputation across Europe for treating the condition, and this monastery served as their principal Spanish headquarters. The Tau cross, the order's distinctive symbol, can still be seen carved into the stonework. The complex was closed during the 19th-century Spanish disentailment of church properties, sold into private hands, and fell gradually into ruin.

A small donativo albergue has operated within the ruins since 2002, run by the Fundacion San Anton. It offers around 12 beds on a first-come, first-served basis for pilgrims carrying a credential. The setting is deliberately stripped back: no electricity, no hot water, and no advance reservations. A communal dinner and simple breakfast are served on a voluntary contribution basis. The albergue is typically open from around April through October, though this should be confirmed locally. The nearest full services, including an ATM, pharmacy, and supermarket, are in Castrojeriz, a short walk further along the route.