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Wise Pilgrim APPCacabelos is the wine capital of the Bierzo. The town sits on the Río Cúa, and its main street is lined with bars and bodegas offering tastings of the local Mencía — a red that's lighter and more aromatic than the Tempranillo-based wines you've been drinking since La Rioja. The Godello whites are excellent too.
The Museo del Vino near the archaeological site of Castro Ventosa tells the story of Bierzo winemaking. The Iglesia de Santa María has a fine Baroque altarpiece.
Several albergues and bars serve the town. A supermarket handles provisions. Cacabelos makes a good stop for anyone interested in wine — and after 600 km of walking, that should be everyone.
The Roman settlement of Bergidum Flavium once stood nearby, and the Castro Ventosa ruins on the hilltop above town preserve traces of the Roman fortifications. The wine tradition here is ancient — vines have been cultivated in the Bierzo since Roman times.
From Cacabelos the camino continues through vineyards to Pieros and then Villafranca del Bierzo. The walking is easy and the scenery pleasant — orchards, vineyards, and the mountains closing in as the valley narrows.
