Villares de Órbigo

Villares de Orbigo sits in the province of Leon, a short walk west of Hospital de Orbigo on the way to Astorga. The Camino climbs gently out of the Orbigo river valley and runs through the village.

The village takes its name from the river Orbigo, on whose west bank it sits, and from villares, a medieval term for a small estate or chartered settlement. The parish church of Santiago has medieval origins and contains a Baroque retable. The Order of Saint John of Jerusalem held lands here in the Middle Ages alongside the pilgrim hospital across the river at Hospital de Orbigo, and the village has been a Camino settlement for nearly a thousand years.

Villares has albergues including the parish-style albergue, a bar-restaurant, and a small shop. There is no pharmacy or ATM. The village is quieter than neighbouring Hospital de Orbigo and is sometimes chosen by pilgrims who want a calmer overnight.