Frómista to Carrión de los Condes
A short, flat stage beside the provincial road, with the Templar surprise of Villalcázar de Sirga and the legend of the hundred maidens at the finish.
Best season: Year-round
Map
- Frómista
- Carrión de los Condes
FEAACS track published by IGN. Follow current trail signs.
Source: IGN/CNIG · FEAACS · CC BY 4.0 · Accessed:
The Camino Bonsai Café team · Last editorial update:
From Frómista to Carrión de los Condes is 18.8 km along the French Way (Camino Francés). It's stage 16, with 73 m of ascent and 29 m of descent, completed in about 4 h 15 min. Difficulty: Easy.
A flat stage with a Templar surprise
An easy stage with barely any elevation change, through the by-now familiar cereal fields of the Meseta. The official route follows a fairly straight path beside the P-980 provincial road, which can feel a bit monotonous; a Villovieco variant moves away from the road for several kilometres for those seeking more peace and quiet.
The route passes through Población de Campos, Revenga de Campos, Villarmentero de Campos, and Villalcázar de Sirga before reaching Carrión de los Condes. Villalcázar de Sirga holds a surprise: the Church of Santa María la Blanca, known as the "Templar cathedral," tied to the Cantigas de Santa María of Alfonso X the Wise.
Carrión de los Condes, the stage destination, holds the legend of the hundred maidens and the Monastery of San Zoilo, a former pilgrimage centre where, according to tradition, pilgrims were given bread and wine.
What the terrain looks like, step by step
Terrain
Practically flat throughout the stage, with barely any elevation change.
Scenery
Meseta cereal fields, with a fairly straight route running beside the provincial road.
Trail type
Track beside the P-980 on the official route; a quieter variant through Villovieco.
Villages
Población de Campos, Revenga de Campos, Villarmentero de Campos, and Villalcázar de Sirga.
Water points
Good, with fountains in the various villages the stage passes through.
Shade
Scarce, typical of the open farm tracks of the Meseta.
Traffic
Moderate on the official route beside the provincial road; lighter on the Villovieco variant.
Key fact
If you'd rather avoid the road, the Villovieco variant is a quieter alternative and only slightly longer.
Staying in Carrión de los Condes
Carrión de los Condes, a town with a strong monastic and Jacobean tradition, has three religious albergues and even an 11th-century monastery converted into a hotel.
Albergue Parroquial Santa María
Run by the Augustinian Filipense Sisters, 26 beds. Open 17 March to 31 October.
Albergue Espíritu Santo
The town's largest, 109 beds. Open year-round.
Albergue-hospedería Convento de Santa Clara
Run by the Poor Clare Sisters, 48 beds across dormitory and private rooms. Closed in December, January and February. Not listed on Booking.com — book by phone.
Hostal Albe
16 rooms. Booking 9.2/10 (559 reviews), the best-rated in town. Large common area with a shared kitchen.
Hostal Plaza Mayor
Right on the Plaza Mayor. Booking 8.9/10 (1,281 reviews), with a café in the same building.
Hotel Real Monasterio de San Zoilo
11th-century former monastery by the Carrión river, with a Renaissance cloister and its own restaurant. 49 rooms.
Eating in Carrión de los Condes
Carrión de los Condes's centre offers bars and restaurants with pilgrim menus.
Bars and restaurants in the centre
The area near the Monastery of San Zoilo has a good share of the food options of the stage.
Restaurante Las Vigas
Traditional Castilian cooking with local produce, in the hotel-monastery itself; also open to non-guests.
Communal dinner
The Albergue Parroquial Santa María and the Convento de Santa Clara offer a shared dinner and prayer between hospitaleros and pilgrims.
Stops with history on this stage
The "Templar cathedral"
The Church of Santa María la Blanca, built on land belonging to the Order of the Temple, was one of 28 Templar commanderies in the Crown of Castilla and the only one in Palencia.
The Cantigas of Alfonso X
Miracles attributed to this church's Virgin inspired fourteen Cantigas de Santa María by King Alfonso X the Wise.
The legend of the hundred maidens
Tradition holds that King Mauregato paid an annual tribute of one hundred maidens to the Muslims; when the four from Carrión prayed for help, four bulls appeared to free them.
Monastery of San Zoilo
Founded in the 10th century and donated to the monks of Cluny in 1076, it was an important pilgrimage centre where, tradition says, pilgrims were given bread and wine.
Don't miss the façade of the Church of Santiago in Carrión de los Condes: its Romanesque portal depicts Christ in Majesty surrounded by medieval trades.
How to arrive and how to get back
If you're starting here: Frómista has a train station, with connections to Palencia and the rest of the rail network.
If you need to get back from Carrión de los Condes: there's a bus to Palencia, with good connections across Spain.
Good to know before this stage
Don't miss Villalcázar de Sirga
Though it may look like a village along the way, its Templar church is one of the most delightful surprises of the Camino Francés.
Consider the Villovieco variant
If the stretch beside the road feels monotonous, this variant offers a quieter walk.
Explore Carrión de los Condes unhurried
Its monastic heritage and medieval legends deserve more than a quick stop.
Take the chance to rest
It's a short stage with barely any elevation change: a good day to recover energy before heading into the Leonese Meseta.
Don't ruin this stage
Walking past Villalcázar de Sirga
Its Templar church and its link to the Cantigas of Alfonso X make it an essential stop.
Not learning about Carrión's legends
Knowing the story of the hundred maidens greatly enriches the visit to the town.
Rushing through the road stretch
Even if monotonous, it's a good time to walk unhurried and chat with other pilgrims.
Not visiting the Monastery of San Zoilo
It's one of the most important historical buildings of the whole stage.
What to pack, travel insurance and getting around
One single guide with the recommended gear, useful services (insurance, eSIM) and transport options for the whole Camino.
Work out how much it will cost you
Set the days, route and type of trip, and we give you an estimate of the total cost with a full breakdown.
Everything you want to know before this stage
How many kilometres is it from Frómista to Carrión de los Condes?
Is this stage hard?
Why is Villalcázar de Sirga called the "Templar cathedral"?
What is the legend of the hundred maidens?
What is the Monastery of San Zoilo?
Which villages does this stage pass through?
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Ideas for after you finish the Camino
A café waiting for you in Santiago
You still have many kilometres ahead, but once you finish the Camino in Santiago, Bonsai Café is a great spot for breakfast: right in the city centre, with Berraco by Bou specialty coffee and weekend brunch.
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