Lebanese Castellano Way
The Castellano Lebaniego Way connects Palencia with the Monastery of Santo Toribio. A lesser-known route that crosses the Palatinian Mountains and links to Lebonese tradition.
Organize your Lebanese Castellano WayOrigin
PalenciaDestination
Monasterio de Santo Toribio de LiébanaDistance
227 km
Days
9
Difficulty
Media
General Description of Lebanese Castellano Way
This route offers a different perspective on Lebonese pilgrimage, covering landscapes of the meseta, river valleys and the slopes of the Cantabrian Range. It is a less-traveled path with limited infrastructure, requiring good planning but allowing for discovery of rich Romanesque heritage and enjoying rural Castilian tranquility.
Connections of Lebanese Castellano Way
Lebanon Way
Distance:
72 km
Days:
3
Difficulty:
Media
The Lebaniego Way leads to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, one of the five holy sites of Christendom with a Jubilee Year. This monastery safeguards the Holy Cross, the largest piece considered to be from the cross of Christ. The main route, approximately 72 km long, begins in San Vicente de la Barquera and traverses beautiful valleys and mountains, with the Picos de Europa as its backdrop.
Although it does not lead directly to Santiago, many pilgrims undertake it as a pilgrimage in itself or as a precursor, connecting afterwards with the French Way through the Vadiniense Route. It is a moderately difficult path with great spirituality.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: St. Vincent of the Harbour to Cades
Stage 2: Cades to Cabanes
Stage 3: Cabanes near Santo Toribio de Liébana
Vadiniense Route
Distance:
212.3 km
Days:
10
Difficulty:
High
The Vadiniense Route, or the Santiago Vadiniense Way, is a historical itinerary that connects two important pilgrimage centers: the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana (Cantabria) and the French Way. Starting from Potes, it covers 150 km to Mansilla de las Mulas (León).
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: St. Vincent of the Harbour to Cades
Stage 2: I couldn't find any information on "Cades a Cicera". Could you provide more context or clarify what it means?
Stage 3: Cicero to Pompey
Stage 4: Potatoes in Spaghetti Sauce
Stage 5: Spider's web around Queen's gate
Elevation Profile of Lebanese Castellano Way
Visualize the ups and downs of the route.
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Stages of Lebanese Castellano Way
Etapa 1: Palencia to Amayuelas de Abajo
Description:
The first stage of the Castellano Lebaniego Way starts from the capital palentine to enter the vastness of the Land of Campos. It is a long and completely flat journey, that runs along earth paths bet...
Origen: Palencia
Destino: Amayuelas de Abajo
Etapa 2: Amayuelas de Abajo to Frómista
Description:
This is a short and flat stage that connects two key points of the Palentian Romanesque. The route follows the plains of Tierra de Campos on an enjoyable stroll that allows for rapid progress. The rou...
Origen: Amayuelas de Abajo
Destino: Frómista
Etapa 3: Frómista to Osorno la Mayor
Description:
This stage continues across the Plain of Tierra de Campos, on completely flat terrain. It is a transitional day that runs through an agricultural landscape with extensive areas. The route, comfortable...
Origen: Frómista
Destino: Osorno la Mayor
Etapa 4: Osorno la Mayor to Herrera de Pisuerga
Description:
This stage says goodbye to the Field of Campos to enter the Pisuerga River valley. The profile remains mainly flat, on a pleasant stroll through a landscape that is becoming increasingly green and woo...
Origen: Osorno la Mayor
Destino: Herrera de Pisuerga
Etapa 5: Herrera de Pisuerga to Perazancas de Ojeda
Description:
This stage marks the beginning of the ascent to Palentina Mountain. The profile becomes more demanding, with a continuous up and down through a landscape of hills and valleys. The route enters the La ...
Origen: Herrera de Pisuerga
Destino: Perazancas de Ojeda
Etapa 6: Perazancas de Ojeda to Cervera de Pisuerga
Description:
This stage continues through the Palentine Mountains, on a wavy terrain of great beauty. The road approaches the Natural Park of Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre, an area of high mountain. The route...
Origen: Perazancas de Ojeda
Destino: Cervera de Pisuerga
Featured Towns of Lebanese Castellano Way
Explore the key towns and cities of this route.
Palencia
Capital of the Land of the Camps and starting point of the Way of St James Castellano. Its Cathedral, the "Beautiful Unknown", and its Romanesque are a great beginning to pilgrimage.
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Amayuelas de Abajo
Small Palentine town in the Land of Camps, known for its rural and quiet atmosphere, ideal for relaxation. It is a point of passage on the Castilian plain.
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Frómista
Romanesque Way in the French Way. Frómista is an indispensable stop in Palencia, famous for St Martin of Tours Church and the locks of the Castile Canal.
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Osorno la Mayor
Historic Palentine village and crossroads. Osorno the Greater is an important service center, offering pilgrims a functional stop on the Way of St. James.
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Herrera de Pisuerga
Palentine Villa in the Vega of the River Pisuerga and stage of the Calzada de los Blendios. Its Roman past and its natural surroundings make it a place of great interest.
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Perazancas de Ojeda
The Romanesque Joya in the La Ojeda region. The Parzancas of Ojeda surprises with its church of St. Pelayo, a cultural stop in a peaceful rural Palentine setting.
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Cervera de Pisuerga
Capital of the Palatine Mountains. Cervera de Pisuerga is the entrance to the Fuentes Carrionas Natural Park, a paradise for nature lovers, hikers and Romanesque enthusiasts.
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San Salvador de Cantamuda
Capital of Romanesque in the Palatine Mountains. Its Collegiate Church is one of the region's architectural jewels, an indispensable stop for art and history lovers.
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Camasobres
Mountain village in the Palentine region. Camasobres, at the foot of the Sierra de Híjar, offers a spectacular natural setting and the authenticity of villages in the Cantabrian Mountains range.
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Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana
The Way of St James and one of the five places of Christian pilgrimage. It houses the Holy Cross, the largest piece of Christ's cross. A universal place of pilgrimage.
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Pesaguero
Pesaguero is a quiet passage point in the Cantabrian region at the heart of the Liébana valley. It's situated on the route to the Monastery of Santo Toribio, surrounded by a lush mountainous environment.
More InformationMillenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Lebanese Castellano Way
Discover the origins and evolution of Lebanese Castellano Way
Its origins are in the medieval network of roads that underpinned Castile. Pilgrims from Palencia, Valladolid or further south who wanted to pilgrimage to Liébana did not need to make the long journey to the Cántabrian coast to start their ascent. Instead, they followed established routes that led directly north towards the imposing barrier of the Cantabrian Mountains. Although there are various variants, the most recognized and recovered in modern times traditionally starts from the city of Palencia, an important ecclesiastical and civil center in medieval times.
From Palencia, the route goes north, following its initial stages through the fertile valley of the River Carrión. It passes through the Tierra de Campos comarca, a landscape of cereal fields that contrasts radically with the mountainous environment that awaits the pilgrim. A point of interest in these early stages is its crossing with the Camino Francés near Carrión de los Condes. Here, the two great flows of pilgrimage touched but followed perpendicular directions: one towards the west to Santiago; the other towards the north to Santo Toribio.
As the route progresses, it enters the Palentina Mountains, one of Europe's areas with the highest concentration of Romanesque art. Localities such as Saldaña and Guardo mark the transition to a more abrupt and mountainous landscape. The medieval pilgrim found not only spiritual comfort in the Romanesque churches and hermitages of the area but also an artistic reflection of their own faith. This section of the route is an authentic outdoor museum.
The most demanding part of the journey was undoubtedly the crossing of the Cantabrian Mountains to enter the Liébana comarca. The pass was made through mountain passes such as Piedrasluengas, a challenge that tested the endurance and determination of walkers. Once the dividing line had been crossed, the route descended precipitously into the valley of Liébana, offering the pilgrim breathtaking views of the Picos de Europa as a reward for their effort. The final stretch ends in Potes, the capital of Lebonia, where it joins other pilgrims to complete the final stage to the Monastery of Santo Toribio.
Although historically it was a more regional and less traveled route than the great Jacobean paths, its importance as a corridor of faith between the Meseta and Liébana is undeniable. Its modern recovery offers today an alternative that is more solitary and demanding, ideal for those seeking a deep pilgrimage experience, enjoying the incredible transition from the infinite plain of Castile to the majesty of the Picos de Europa.