A small town dating back to the 10th c. There is a modern church to the right of the route. The statues of the apostles on the façade include St. James, pointing the way to Santiago. Friendly Dominican priests have a sello and may offer a tour of the church.

Many bars and restaurants.

Just after Virgen del Camino, there is a choice of route, as shown by yellow markers on the road surface and a map on a post. The traditional route follows the main road with the hazards and noise of modern traffic. The other is quieter, but slightly longer. For ease of reference they are here called The Road Route and The Walkers Route (but OK for cyclists as well). Both are fully waymarked.

Road route to Hospital de Orbigo (26.8 km)

Walkers route to Hospital de Orbigo (30.0 km)

Turn left off the road as indicated by waymarking about 100 m before the flyover. Follow the road signs which indicate the route. Head first for Fresno del Camino (road signs indicating ‘Camino de Santiago’ will take you back to the N120).

Virgen del Camino gets its name from an apparition of Our Lady in 1505 to a local shepherd boy. There has been a long tradition of veneration of Our Lady of the Camino and the modern church which is dedicated to her has the status of a Basilica being a centre of pilgrimage in its own right. There have been many miracles attributed to Our Lady of the Camino over the years but the most famous (if not the most reliable) concerns a Christian captive in Algiers in 1522. The story goes that the captive called Alonso de Ribera was kept chained and made to sleep inside a chest with his guard sleeping on top of the chest to prevent him running away. Alonso prayed to Our Lady of the Camino to be freed and miraculously he, the chest, his chains and even his guard were all transported to Virgen del Camino. Subsequently, Alonso and his guard spent the rest of their lives serving in the sanctuary in thanksgiving of their miracle. The chest and chains are still kept in the Basilica.

The impressive Royal Aero Club of León is on your left as you pass through Virgen del Camino but the airport is actually behind Virgen del Camino on your right. It is a tiny airport and part of me hopes that it stays small so as to protect the hidden gem of León. Typically, the bus stop opposite the gates of the Royal Aero Club is the point that many people bus out to avoid the long and relatively ugly walk out of León. Just after you pass the modern church of the Basílica de la Virgen del Camino (virgendelcamino.dominicos.es)on your right you should cross the road and follow the small road/path at the left side of the main road. About 300 metres down the path the Camino splits (GPS 42.57775, -5.64507) with the left route heading towards Villar de Mazarife and the right route heading towards San Martín del Camino.