Camino De San Salvador
32 km, 865 m up and 935 m down, through 18 places, 2 of which have somewhere to sleep. Where you stop is up to you.
Every place on the path in order, with the distance from Pola de Lena. Most are too small to sleep in — a fountain, a chapel, a bar that may or may not be open — but they are what the day is actually made of.
Pola de Lena is the biggest town you've seen since León, spread lengthwise along the road through the Lena valley. There's an albergue with basic services near the train station, and plenty of bars and grocery shops to m…
Villallana is a small town between Pola de Lena and Ujo. There are limited services — a bar that may or may not be open. The town sits along the main valley road and has the feel of a place that was once busier when the …
Upon entering Ujo, keep to your left if you want to stop for coffee or breakfast. To your right is an exercise path that you can also take, but it bypasses all of Ujo's services. The church, the train station, and the b…
Included in the guide for the sake of measuring distances, Santullano for pilgrims is nothing more than a train station along the valley route. Don't confuse it with San Julián de los Prados (also called Santullano), the…
Cross over the river and into town. If you're not interested in Mieres and would rather pass through quickly, continue straight after crossing the bridge, through the first major intersection. At the second intersection (with a large car park on your right), turn left. You'll pass an urban park, and at the end of the park you have two options:
1. Carry on straight, turning left at the very end of the road and rejoining the camino.
2. Reconsider your intent to rush through town and turn right to visit the Iglesia de San Juan. If you choose this, just turn left when you get to the church. The road wraps around and meets option 1 quickly.
From La Peña you begin the 5 km climb to El Padrún. It's not as demanding as the mountain crossing earlier, but it's steady uphill. Rest places and small villages break up the climb. Take it at your own pace — you've already conquered the hardest terrain on this route.
Rebollada is a tiny village on the climb from Mieres to El Padrún. No services, but the houses and the green hillsides provide a sense of Asturian village life. You'll pass through in minutes.
Copián is a small hamlet on the climb to El Padrún. No services. The village clings to the hillside above the valley, and on a clear day the views back toward Mieres and the Caudal valley below are worth a pause.
Cardeo de Arriba is another small hillside village on the El Padrún climb. No services. The "de Arriba" (upper) distinguishes it from a lower settlement. Traditional stone houses, green pastures, and the quiet of the Ast…
Aguilar is a small village near the top of the climb to El Padrún. No services, but you're nearing the summit and the terrain is beginning to level off. The village is a handful of houses set among pastures — typical of …
El Padrún is the last high point on the Camino del Salvador. There's a fountain here, and beneath you — some 200 m below — runs the A-66 motorway. The contrast is striking: you're on an ancient path while traffic roars t…
Casares is a small village on the descent from El Padrún toward Olloniego and the Nalón valley. No services. The village sits on the southern slope of the hill, and the walking from here is increasingly easy as you desce…
Continue along the main road out of Olloniego, past El Cruce, and over the bridge to El Portazgo. Stay alert for traffic — the road can be busy here.
El Portazgo is more of an outpost than a village. The neoclassic building on your left once you cross the Río Nalón was originally the toll station — the portazgo — where travelers paid for the privilege of crossing the …
All of the steepest climbs are now behind you. From here to Oviedo the camino follows gently rolling hills through an increasingly suburban landscape. Pico de Lanza is a high point with views — on a clear day you can see…
Oviedo is now visible, weather permitting, to your north. The name Venta del Aire — "inn of the wind" — suggests this exposed hilltop has been a stopping point for travelers for a long time. There's no inn anymore, but t…
San Miguel is a small settlement on the approach to Oviedo. The suburban sprawl of the city is becoming apparent — houses, roads, and modern infrastructure increasingly replacing the rural landscape. No notable services …
Los Prietos is on the outskirts of Oviedo's urban area. The transition from countryside to city is well underway. Follow the arrows carefully through here — urban navigation can be trickier than mountain paths, as arrows…
Los Barreros marks the final approach into Oviedo proper. You're in the city's suburban fringe now. Keep following the arrows — they'll guide you through residential streets and into the old city center. The cathedral to…
Arriving along the Camino del Salvador: shells and arrows will bring you right into the old quarters of Oviedo, passing a plaza and the beautiful Ayuntamiento building. Head for the cathedral — you've earned it. The Salvadorana certificate can be obtained at the cathedral's pilgrim information desk.
If you plan to continue to Santiago, you have two main options: return to León to rejoin the Camino Francés (by bus or train — about 2 hours), or begin the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo. The Primitivo is roughly 320 km to Santiago and is considered one of the more challenging and rewarding routes. The pilgrim office at the cathedral can provide information on both options.
Distance, climb and descent are measured along the GPS track for this camino — 657 recorded points across this span, the same track the app carries. The town-to-town figures in my data put it at 31.7 km.
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.