22 km | 7-10 hours | +1422m / -1259m
The route climbs steeply to the Alto del Fresno, where the Santuario de Nuestra Senora del Fresno and a large stone crucero offer panoramic views over the surrounding valleys. The descent drops into the valley of the Rio Narcea, passing through small Asturian parishes.
At Cornellana, the magnificent Monasterio de San Salvador is a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in 1024 by Infanta Cristina, daughter of King Bermudo II of Leon. The Romanesque-Baroque monastery sits at the confluence of the rivers Narcea and Nonaya. The town's name may derive from a Roman villa whose owner was called Cornelius. Look for the osa (she-bear) carved on the monastery and ask about her legend.
From Cornellana, the path follows the Rio Nonaya upstream through beautiful woodland via Sobrerriba and Quintana de Villazon (with its church of Santiago) to Salas, a declared Conjunto Historico Artistico. The Colegiata de Santa Maria la Mayor contains the alabaster mausoleum of Fernando Valdes Salas, Archbishop of Seville, Grand Inquisitor, and founder of the University of Oviedo, sculpted by Pompeyo Leoni.
Terrain: Steep climb, santuario, river valley descent, monastery, woodland paths, medieval town
A small Asturian market town with a charming old quarter, a weekly Wednesday market, and full services. The first overnight stop on the Camino Primitivo.
Small, green, and easy to miss, Dóriga is one of those Camino Primitivo villages that rewards a slower look. Its Romanesque church and fortified palace give this peaceful Asturian stop a surprising sense of age and local history.
Cornellana is a small Asturian town on the Camino Primitivo, known for its medieval Benedictine monastery of San Salvador, which once offered refuge to pilgrims and remains one of the route's most significant historic landmarks.
The Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor de Salas is a Gothic and Renaissance structure in the town of Salas, recognized by UNESCO as a key heritage site along the Camino Primitivo.
A historic Asturian town with a medieval castle tower, a pre-Romanesque church, and the Baroque Collegiate Church. Known for its cabrales-style cheese and traditional architecture.
4 places to stay between Grado and Salas
Accommodation at the start of this stage (useful for booking the night before)
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Accommodation at the end of this stage
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