The Iglesia de Santa María la Blanca dominates the village with the appearance of a fortress-church — which is exactly what it was. The Knights Templar built and maintained it, and the military architecture is unmistakable: thick walls, crenellations, and a massive presence that seems designed to intimidate as much as to inspire.
Inside, the Gothic interior houses a polychrome statue of the White Virgin that King Alfonso X credited with miraculous healings in his Cantigas de Santa María — the 13th-century collection of songs to the Virgin that is one of the great works of medieval Iberian literature. The double tomb of the Infante Don Felipe and his wife Doña Leonor, carved in stone, is among the finest Gothic funerary sculpture in Spain.
A couple of bars and an albergue serve the village. The church is sometimes locked — ask at the bar about visiting.
13. September 2026 - 7:24
Good albergue. Clean bathrooms with three showers and three toilets for 15 beds. Good amount of space, nice yard and place to wash and hang clothes. I didn’t have the dinner menu but was told it was good. Nice owner and his young, about 10, was helping out. I would recommend staying here. Church in town definitely worth a visit.
16. October 2025 - 11:03
Must agree it’s wonderful! Good food and coffee, friendly staff and clean toilets with soap and all!
18. June 2025 - 14:45
A really nice cafe with covered seating outdoors, fresh fruit, smoothies, ice cream and drinks. A great stop!
28. November 2024 - 14:11
Walking through here today (November!) and was able to purchase early afternoon smoothies! First time in days!
29. May 2024 - 15:57
At the end of May 2024 I booked a private room with a shared bath. After my shower I did a load of laundry (machine wash, hang dry). I was napping in my room during the drying and felt more and more allergic. A long time ago I had stayed at a place with bed bugs and have never forgotten that smell. Well, in the corner of the room, near the headboard of the double bed and from the small walk-in closet I smelled that bedbug smell. The ceiling was also crumbling in places, the window was paper thin with no metal shutters. I went to ask if they could change me to a different room. They put me in the premium apartment and the air quality was better with no smell, however it was not clean though it was presented as clean. I ended up sweeping the floor and lightly cleaning so I could feel more comfortable. I also paid an extra 50€. I should have just left but the owner was kind enough in our dealings. I would recommend skipping a stay in this town and definitely not staying at this hostal. Go all the way to Carrión de la Condes via taxi even if necessary. Carrión is a really cute town with lots more to offer.
21. April 2024 - 14:52
Las Contigas is a great place to have a cold beer and the best hamburger I’ve had on the Camino. The hosts are very welcoming and they certainly provide a good meal. Please take the time to visit them.
6. May 2023 - 10:43
Nice patio and service t restaurant in front of church
26. May 2021 - 12:41
a bar and a mini supermarket right next to the church seem to be the only places that aren’t closed here right now
28. May 2019 - 21:30
It sure would be nice if whoever created this guide would make SOME comment on the albergues listed. Obviously, few readers are doing it.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.
