Pilgrims on the road and friends along the way send me changes every day, and they go out the same day. The Camino Francés app carries all of it offline, and it's still being built — new features arrive routinely.
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The ground behind you: what the walk into El Acebo crosses, and where it could have been broken.
Tomorrow from El Acebo
Nothing says you have to stop here, or there. These are simply the towns within a comfortable day's walk, so you can decide tonight.
| Town | km from here | Shared | Private | The walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riego de Ambrós | 3.4 | ✓ Yes | — No | |
| Molinaseca | 7.9 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from El Acebo to Molinaseca |
| Ponferrada | 15.2 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from El Acebo to Ponferrada |
| Columbrianos | 20.2 | — No | ✓ Yes | The walk from El Acebo to Columbrianos |
| Fuentes Nuevas | 22.9 | — No | ✓ Yes | The walk from El Acebo to Fuentes Nuevas |
| Camponaraya | 25.5 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from El Acebo to Camponaraya |
| Cacabelos | 30.9 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from El Acebo to Cacabelos |
| Valtuille de Arriba | 35.0 | ✓ Yes | — No |
El Acebo is a beautiful mountain village strung along a single stone street, clinging to the hillside at about 1,150 m. Slate roofs, stone walls, and balconies overhanging the narrow road give it an alpine character that's quite different from the meseta villages behind you.
A memorial at the entrance honors a pilgrim cyclist who died on the steep descent from the Cruz de Ferro — a sobering reminder of how demanding this section can be.
Several albergues and bars serve the village. The Mesón El Acebo has a good reputation for home cooking. This makes a reasonable stopping point if the descent from the Cruz de Ferro has been hard on your legs.
El Acebo received a royal charter exempting its residents from taxes in exchange for maintaining the mountain path and assisting pilgrims in snow — a duty they took seriously, as the income from the exemption depended on the road staying open.
The descent continues steeply to Riego de Ambrós and then Molinaseca. The path is paved in sections but the gradient is relentless. Take your time.
27. April 2026 - 4:48
From El Acebo to Molinaseca can be treacherous in wet weather. Pilgrims without walking poles or who have issues with balance might find the road is a safer bet in stormy weather.
15. August 2025 - 15:58
Everyone from high dollar meals for locals to people from the community stop in just to swim and then there are the pilgrims. Pilgrims seem a last to serve even a glass of water is difficult to acquire. One washing machine for all pilgrims.
2. July 2025 - 8:59
Excellent homemade food and very cosy! The chocolate cake and vegan empanada were incredible. With a coffee it came to €10
17. September 2024 - 18:07
Stop here for wonderful food and drink!
Sweet or savoury crepes - delicious!
13. May 2024 - 21:21
Nice enough facilities but not thought out for pilgrims. No bag space, no place for boots so the room smelt of all our dusty feet. Dinner was 16€, good quality but not any other food options or kitchen. Pool not open, spa at a cost. Defs a business/resort vibe.
20. April 2024 - 23:07
La Casa del Peregrino at the far end of town is fabulous (there is a hostel with the same name at the beginning of town with the same owners). The people running it are lovely, ( we had originally booked the hostel, but when we got there, it turned out there was availability at the sister property-so always call to be sure of availability)the peregrino menu was excellent with a communal dinner, also a bar, outdoor patio, swimming pool & laundry service or do it yourself laundry sink and the vista of the mountains were spectacular especially at sunset! Breakfast in the morning! Rooms were nice with a GREAT SHOWER, some of the rooms overlook the mountain vistas!
29. March 2024 - 11:11
Absolutely delicious lemon cake and vegetarian quiche - so good to find something different and homemade. Temperatures were low with an icy Camino from Foncebadon so the cosy room and fire were so welcoming, it was hard to leave.
5. October 2023 - 16:42
The town lacked any Soul to us and others we spoke to .The Albergues were a business and treated the Pilgrims as a bit of a nuisance. Wish we stayed at the lovely village of Reigo de Ambros up the Way .
6. June 2023 - 20:35
I heard the dinner at the hotel wasn't the best so I wanted to go to la Rosa but found everything was closed. Ran into David the owner and he offered me the lentil soup as that's all they had left. I took the opportunity and so glad I did, it was so delicious and filling and they served with rye bread! I also got to have some of the delicious chocolate cake for dessert and I was so happy and fulfilled and so grateful to David for taking me in even though they were technically closed. So kind and so authentic, would highly recommend this place.
11. May 2023 - 14:42
There’s an alternative set of caminos (non Jacobean I think) that go into the montes de leon. Recommend the Valle del silencio route starting in El Acebo, spending the night in the albergue in the abandoned monastery san pedro De Montes, then continuing to ponferrada. Caution - some routes are much more hiking trails than full blown pedestrian paths, but you can always choose to go by road if you’re not a hiker).
7. May 2022 - 14:03
La Rosa del Agua - first bar on left as you enter town. The empanadas are fantastic (beef and tuna)! And the big salad, a god-send. If you’re wanting some vegetables, the salad is the best I’ve had since entering Spain - mache, spinach, frisée, strawberries, onion, clementine, cashew, almond, walnut, sunflower seeds, tuna, avocado. A true big salad - fresh and filling. (8 April 2022) The owner is a Texan, and told us to mention he’s handsome.
4. October 2021 - 19:02
Good bar, average dormitorio
8. September 2021 - 10:29
Stayed at La Casa del Peregrinos September 2021. Cost €57 for myself and my wife for bed, breakfast and 3 course evening meal, with wine. It is very clean, the staff are friendly and the views are spectacular. Has to be one of the best stops on the Camino.
18. August 2020 - 11:41
Great bar on the left as you enter town. The owner is from Texas and super friendly. Tortilla and empanadas were very good
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.
