Mansilla de las Mulas

Mansilla de las Mulas, a historic town on the banks of the Esla River, is an important pilgrim crossroads. It is the final stage of the Ruta Vadiniense, which arrives from the Picos de Europa, and an essential stop on the Camino Francés, just before reaching the great city of León. That confluence of routes gives it a very special pilgrim atmosphere. The town preserves large stretches of its imposing medieval walls, which invite a walk around the perimeter. Its old quarter, with the Plaza del Grano and its arcades, carries the traveler back to another era. For the pilgrim, Mansilla is an oasis of services and hospitality, with good albergues and a Leonese cuisine in which the region's tomato stands out. The Museo de los Pueblos Leoneses, housed in the former Monasterio de San Agustín, offers an interesting look at local ethnography. It is a perfect place to rest, to share experiences with walkers from different routes and to prepare, mentally and physically, for the triumphal entrance into León, the capital of the old kingdom.