Salas to Tineo
A steady climb from Salas at 240 m up to nearly 800 m, through oak and chestnut forest.
Best season: Year-round
Map
- Salas
- Tineo
FEAACS track published by IGN. Follow current trail signs.
Source: IGN/CNIG · FEAACS · CC BY 4.0 · Accessed:
Gaps in the source file are preserved; no connections have been added.
The Camino Bonsai Café team · Last editorial update:
From Salas to Tineo is 19.6 km along the Camino Primitivo. It's stage 3, with 676 m of ascent and 241 m of descent, completed in about 5h. Difficulty: Moderate.
A long climb to La Espina, with a thousand-year-old Jacobean history
A fully rural stage, through meadows and oak and chestnut forest. The first 8 km climb from Salas's 240 m up to La Espina at 660 m, the only intermediate settlement with full services. It historically had two pilgrim hospitals, one with origins dating back to the year 883, making it one of the oldest hospices in the entire Jacobean world.
Past La Espina, the Way continues with gentler but frequent elevation changes up to nearly 800 m, crossing Bodenaya — with its church of Santa María next to a cruceiro — and La Pereda, with its 15th-century Chapel of Cristo de los Afligidos, before descending into Tineo.
What the terrain is like, kilometre by kilometre
Terrain
A steady climb in the first 8 km up to La Espina, followed by gentler but frequent elevation changes up to nearly 800 m.
Scenery
A fully rural stage, through meadows and oak and chestnut forest.
Path surface
Mostly rural tracks and trail, with some low-traffic road sections.
Villages
La Espina, Bodenaya and La Pereda before reaching Tineo.
Water stops
La Espina is the only intermediate settlement with full services; the rest offer little.
Shade
Good through the oak and chestnut forest sections.
Traffic
Generally low, fitting for a very rural stage.
Key tip
Stock up well in La Espina — it's the only settlement with full services on the entire stage.
Accommodation in Tineo for pilgrims
Tineo has several albergue options, from budget to more comfortable.
Albergue de Peregrinos Mater Christi
Public albergue with 24 beds, the most affordable option in Tineo.
Albergue Palacio de Merás
A former palace converted into an albergue, with 54 beds and plenty of character.
Refuel on this stage
La Espina is the best midway stop; Tineo has every service at the end of the day.
The only full-service stop
Bars and restaurants in the only settlement with complete services on the whole stage.
Pilgrim menu
Tineo has a good choice of bars and restaurants to end the stage.
Historic stops on this stage
History of the pilgrim hospitals
Two pilgrim hospitals once stood here, one dating back to the year 883 — among the oldest on the whole Camino de Santiago.
Church of Santa María and cruceiro
A small religious ensemble in one of the most charming villages on the route.
Chapel of Cristo de los Afligidos
A 15th-century chapel, a calm stop before the descent into Tineo.
None of these stops require booking ahead — visit them freely as the Way passes.
Getting there and back
Starting here: Salas has regular bus connections to Oviedo.
Heading back from Tineo: the town has regular bus connections to Oviedo and other Asturian towns.
Good to know before this stage
Stock up in La Espina
It's the only settlement with full services on the whole stage — don't skip it.
Pace the climb to La Espina
It's 8 straight kilometres of steady climbing from Salas's 240 m up to 660 m.
Take a moment for La Espina's history
Its old pilgrim hospitals, dating back to the 9th century, are a key part of the Camino's history.
Enjoy the oak and chestnut forests
It's one of the most rural, green stages on the whole Camino Primitivo.
Don't get this stage wrong
Not stocking up in La Espina
After this point, services are scarce all the way to Tineo.
Underestimating the climb because it's "only" 676 m
It's concentrated mostly in the first 8 km, so a steady pace from the start helps.
Not knowing La Espina's Jacobean history
Its pilgrim hospitals are among the oldest on the Camino de Santiago — worth knowing.
Rushing the final stretch into Tineo
The gentle but frequent elevation changes are more noticeable if you rush them.
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 from Salas to Tineo?
Is this a demanding stage?
Why is La Espina significant?
Are there services between La Espina and Tineo?
What is there to see in Bodenaya and La Pereda?
Where can I sleep in Tineo?
Browse the stages
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.
Transparency: this page contains affiliate links. If you book or buy through one of them, Guía del Camino de Santiago may receive a commission. Read our affiliate policy