Camino de San Salvador - Stage 5 - Travel Blog
The final day on the Camino de San Salvador awaits. Just 18 km separate you from Oviedo, where your pilgrimage journey reaches its sacred destination.
A Piedi Per Il Mondo
In this article
From Mieres to Oviedo along the Camino de San Salvador
The path starts with a steady climb. From the guesthouse at La Peña, a long and monotonous asphalt road guides us past a series of small hamlets, now nearly abandoned, until we reach Olloniego, where a bar—fortunately open—allows us to grab a coffee.
We are exactly halfway there, the mist has cleared, and finally forest trails and rolling countryside replace the asphalt. We cross pastures, wildflower meadows, and begin to see the first buildings in the distance, and with them the entire city. Oviedo is near, our pace quickens, and soon we reach the outskirts.
Yellow arrows lead us into the city centre, but not before passing the municipal albergue, where some pilgrims are already waiting to enter (long wait until 3:00 PM).
Oviedo, the City and the Cathedral
Minutes later, we stand before the Cathedral of San Salvador. A ritual photo with its bronze lady in Plaza Alfonso II and we enter for our final stamp. We are in the place where it all began, the square from which the king and his men set out for Santiago to honour his tomb and make it the symbol of Christian struggle against Arab invaders.
Just inside we meet our friend Gregorio on his way out, and we arrange to have lunch together. The woman at the desk invites us in for the stamp and the Salvadorana, which we receive in the Cathedral's Shop section for 4 euros.
Fortunately this allows us to visit the building and its treasures without paying an entrance fee. A visit to the Camera Santa is a must, where alongside the Cruz de la Victoria (symbol of Asturias, appearing in yellow on its blue flag) and other relics, rests the sacred Shroud of Christ's Face, the reason for the origin of the Camino de San Salvador.
On our way out, to our right, a sign and a plaque on the ground indicate the direction to follow for both the Camino de la Costa and the Camino Primitivo.
Gregorio waits for us at a bar for a beer and a glass of wine. After lunch, another pilgrim menu, we say goodbye. Tomorrow we depart—us for Santiago, him for his Barcelona, and the embrace is a long one.
We head to our accommodation to drop our packs and immediately venture back into the streets of this magnificent city. Oviedo has been a truly wonderful surprise, and at the first opportunity we won't miss the chance to visit it again.
Tomorrow we set off along the Camino Primitivo …
```Share
A Piedi Per Il Mondo
New articles on walks, trekking and hiking trips. Free, no spam.
