Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon
Stage 20 · Camino Francés
Mansilla de las Mulas → Leon
About this stage
Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon · 19 km · up 200 m, down 170 m
A short stage that approaches and enters Leon, one of Spain's great cities. The walking is flat and the suburban approach, while not scenic, leads to an extraordinary urban reward. Leon is one of the top three cities on the Frances alongside Pamplona and Burgos.
The approach passes through the suburb of Puente Castro before entering the city along tree-lined avenues. The old town reveals itself gradually, with the stunning Gothic cathedral visible from a distance. Leon's cathedral is famous for its stained glass windows, among the finest in Europe.
Leon has world-class attractions including the cathedral, the Basilica de San Isidoro (with its Romanesque frescoes, the 'Sistine Chapel of Romanesque art'), and the Casa Botines designed by Gaudi. The Barrio Humedo (old quarter) is one of Spain's best tapas districts. Full services at every level.
Terrain: Flat approach roads, suburban streets, urban walking, cobblestoned old town
The day, stop by stop
- 0km
Mansilla de las Mulas is a walled medieval town in Leon, founded as a fortified Camino stop by King Fernando II in 1181. Walls largely intact. Has albergues, hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, pharmacies, ATMs.
View town guideRestaurantCafeGroceryPharmacyATM - 4.8km
Villamoros de Mansilla
villageVillamoros de Mansilla is a small village in Leon a short walk west of Mansilla de las Mulas. Has a bar-restaurant. No albergue, shop, pharmacy, or ATM. A passing point rather than a stop.
View town guide - 6.5km
Villarente
villagePuente Villarente takes its name from the long medieval bridge over the river Porma, in Leon. A pilgrim hospital operated here from the 11th century under Alfonso VI. Has albergues, bar-restaurants, and a small shop. No pharmacy or ATM.
View town guide - 10.6km
Arcahueja
villageArcahueja is a small village in Leon on the southern approach to the city, in the low farmland below the suburban ridge. Has an albergue and a bar-restaurant. No shop, pharmacy, or ATM. Final overnight option before walking into Leon.
View town guideRestaurantCafe - 18.5km
See the Casa Botines by Gaudi
Worth stopping forOne of only three buildings Antonio Gaudi designed outside Catalonia. A neo-Gothic fortress-like structure that shocked Leon's residents when it was built in 1894.
- 18.8km
Cathedral of León
Worth stopping forKnown as the 'House of Light' for its 1,800 square metres of medieval stained glass windows, more glass than stone, making it one of the greatest Gothic cathedrals in Europe.
- 19km
Visit the Basilica de San Isidoro
Worth stopping forAn 11th-century basilica whose Royal Pantheon is covered in Romanesque frescoes so extraordinary they are called the 'Sistine Chapel of Romanesque Art.'
- 19km
Leon
cityLeon is a Roman-founded city in northwest Spain and the medieval capital of the Kingdom of Leon. Famous for its French Gothic cathedral, the Romanesque Pantheon of Kings at San Isidoro, and the parador hotel at San Marcos. Has full city services.
View town guideRestaurantCafeGroceryWaterPharmacyATMBusTrainPilgrim OfficeClinicPost Office
Places to stay along this stage
Koala Picks first, then each town in walking order. Where a place does not book online, walk in, call or message them.
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Planning the Camino Francés?
Add this stage to your day by day plan and see how it fits with the stages around it. Day 0 is the night you arrive in Mansilla de las Mulas. Choosing is never booking.