Pilgrims on the road and friends along the way send me changes every day, and they go out the same day. The Camino de Invierno app carries all of it offline, and it's still being built — new features arrive routinely.
Get the appTosantos is tiny — a handful of houses clinging to the camino — but it has grown enough in recent years to support a bar and an albergue parroquial. The albergue maintains a tradition of communal meals and singalongs, the kind of Camino hospitality that makes small villages memorable.
The real draw is the Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña, carved directly into the cliff face just across the creek from the village. You'll see it from the camino — a small stone facade with a Renaissance arch set into the rock, topped by a tiny bell tower. Inside, the cave opens into a chapel that has served as a place of worship for centuries.
The statue of the Virgen de la Peña was hidden here during the 9th-century Muslim advance to protect it from destruction. It now spends half the year in the ermita and the other half in the Iglesia de San Esteban in the village. Ask at the church or the albergue for access — if you're staying overnight, the hospitalero will likely offer a guided visit.
The Fiesta de la Natividad de la Virgen is celebrated on September 8, when the villagers process through town and up to the cliff ermita. It's a small affair but genuine.
The ermita's origins are medieval. In the 13th century, a hermit lived in these caves and ministered to passing pilgrims, gaining the respect of the local population. The caves themselves show signs of much earlier habitation. According to local tradition, when the Moors advanced on Oca and razed the area, Christians hid a statue of the Virgin under a bell in this cave — its later rediscovery turned the site into a sanctuary.
The Renaissance facade that's visible today was a later addition; the cave chapel behind it is considerably older.
The walk from Tosantos to Villafranca Montes de Oca is about 7 km through Villambistia and Espinosa del Camino. Neither village offers much — Espinosa has a bar and an albergue in recent years, but don't count on either being open. Stock up in Belorado or wait for Villafranca.
29. May 2026 - 9:55
Is so amazing friendly owners and one of our favorite stops.
14. May 2026 - 16:26
The Ermita is open only in the weekend but it is special regardless - I would suggest it if you want to have a spiritual evening
27. April 2025 - 8:56
Cash only
And you will need a fair bit
E1.50 for a banana
Coffee is undrinkable
Orange Juice was oknonother choice in town
21. November 2024 - 10:34
It is November. But still. We hoped for coffee!
30. April 2024 - 16:11
The first cafe you meet is overpriced and poor quality. €6 for the worst quality toast I’ve ever had with a glass of orange juice.
25. April 2024 - 16:48
ThecErmita is not currently open but it merits a walk up the hill and thee views of the camino to come.. impressive rock face to build in
17. April 2024 - 20:11
Friendly welcome, nice chill out garden to relax after walk. Well worth pushing on past Belorado.
Pilgrim meal exceptional. Beds comfy, Lockers and nice showers ( including Shampoo!!! ) LOL
9. October 2022 - 15:54
Ermita only opens at 5pm, and hospitalero from the albergue isn't too much into giving the key.
28. July 2022 - 11:32
I walked through at around 10am and nothing open. There was a sign in the village to say that an albergue with bar would open at 11am.
24. April 2022 - 10:13
Tiny place, no supermarket, no caffè, no bar.
11. April 2022 - 10:43
Nice place just off trail and back on.
14. September 2019 - 8:05
Signage promised a cafe, but no.
28. May 2019 - 18:47
Small village, with not many options. all 18 beds in one room. bunks. did not bother me. No food, but across the courtyard is a bar/restaurant. we had lunch and dinner there. spent several hours there. worked out well. I would recommend this place to anyone.
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.
