Frómista sits at the southernmost point of the Camino Francés and at the historical center of Spain's wheat country. The arrival of the Canal de Castilla in the late 18th century stabilized a town whose fortunes had risen and fallen with the grain harvests.
The Iglesia de San Martín is the reason to stop. Rebuilt and restored in the early 20th century to something close to its 11th-century form, it's considered one of the purest examples of Romanesque architecture in Spain. The proportions are harmonious, the carved corbels on the exterior are lively (animals, humans, grotesques), and the interior is bare and beautiful. Whether the restoration went too far — making it look too perfect — is a debate that has occupied art historians for a century. Judge for yourself.
Several albergues, restaurants, and a supermarket serve the town. All basic services available.
San Telmo is celebrated on the Monday after Easter Monday — a major event for Frómista. San Telmillo follows the next Sunday. Santiago on July 25. The Virgen de Otero in September.
Pedro González Telmo, patron saint of sailors and the namesake of Saint Elmo's Fire, was born in Frómista. The town's strategic position at the canal junction made it a commercial hub in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Leaving Frómista requires retracing your steps to the main intersection — don't wander blindly through town. If you're departing before dawn, scout the arrows the evening before. The trail follows a straight path alongside the road toward Población de Campos.