La Casita de Aba Hostel

Located in the valley town of Pola de Allande, Albergue La Casita de Aba serves walkers navigating the Camino Primitivo. The hostel provides a necessary resting point before pilgrims face one of the most physically demanding sections of the entire trail. Pola de Allande sits at the bottom of a deep river valley, and the route out of town requires a steep, sustained climb up to the Puerto del Palo mountain pass.

The name translates to "Aba's Little House," reflecting the small-scale, privately run nature of the accommodation. Unlike the massive municipal facilities found on the more populated Camino routes, private hostels on the Primitivo tend to be modest operations integrated directly into residential neighborhoods. The town surrounding the hostel has a distinct historical footprint. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many local residents emigrated to the Americas. Those who found wealth returned to their hometown to build grand, brightly colored homes known as Casonas de Indianos. Walking the streets near the hostel reveals several of these colonial-style mansions standing in sharp contrast to traditional slate-roofed Asturian stone structures.

Inside, the hostel focuses heavily on the practical recovery of long-distance walkers. It features a limited number of bunk beds in shared dormitories, resulting in a quieter environment than larger pilgrim hubs. Guests have access to hot showers, a washing machine, and indoor heating. This heating is a vital amenity, as temperatures in the Asturian mountains can drop sharply overnight even during the summer months. A communal kitchen allows visitors to prepare their own meals, and a small lounge area provides space to tend to feet and review the next day's steep elevation profile.

A notable geographical fact for route planning is that staying in Pola de Allande means a pilgrim has bypassed the infamous, high-altitude Hospitales route, which splits off earlier in the trail at Samblismo. Walkers who check in here have committed to the valley route. This path leads directly out of town and immediately begins a grueling 600-meter vertical ascent through shaded forests and open mountain scrub to reach the summit of the Puerto del Palo.

Visitors should use their afternoon at the hostel to prepare for that specific climb. Pola de Allande has supermarkets, bakeries, and pharmacies, making it the final reliable place to restock trail provisions, snacks, and blister supplies before heading higher into the mountains. Travelers often step out in the evening to eat local Asturian cuisine, particularly the hearty white bean stew known as fabada, which provides dense calories needed for the morning ascent. When leaving the hostel at dawn, it is wise to pace the initial walking carefully. The trail begins its upward climb almost exactly as the town pavement ends.