The same great content and more in your pocket, the most up-to-date guidebook to the Camino Olvidado available.
Wise Pilgrim APPCacabelos marks the end of the Camino Olvidado, where it joins the Camino Frances. The town is best known for wine production — a modern building at the entrance was built to promote the Bierzo wine region.
The municipal albergue has a distinctive horseshoe shape wrapping around the church, with semi-private two-person rooms. Wander the side streets for restaurants that are better than the ones on the main road.
Cacabelos has all services — supermarkets, restaurants, banks, and accommodation.
Cacabelos owes its prosperity to Archbishop Diego Gelmirez of Santiago de Compostela, who ordered its rebuilding in 1108. Few of the original churches remain, but the Iglesia de La Quinta Angustia near the river houses a unique sculpture of Baby Jesus and Saint Anthony of Padua playing cards.
During the Peninsular War, Sir John Moore's retreating army scored a small victory here at the Battle of Cacabelos. Rifleman Thomas Plunket famously shot French Brigadier General Auguste Colbert from 500 m, then hit the officer who came to Colbert's aid — an extraordinary feat of marksmanship.
The camino leaves Cacabelos along the road over the Rio Cua, past the church and albergue. From here, you're on the Camino Frances heading west toward Santiago.
