Villafranca del Bierzo is a beautiful mountain town on the Camino Francés, the last major stop before the great climb into Galicia — and one of the most meaningful places on the whole route. Known as ‘la pequeña Compostela’, “little Compostela”, it’s famous for a remarkable privilege: pilgrims who cannot complete the journey to Santiago can still receive forgiveness here, at its ancient Door of Forgiveness. Set where the rivers Burbia and Valcarce meet, ringed by the mountains of El Bierzo, it’s a place to slow down, look up, and take it all in.
The Church of Santiago and the Door of Forgiveness
Villafranca’s Romanesque Iglesia de Santiago (Saint James Church), built in the 12th century, is home to the Puerta del Perdón — the Door, or Gate, of Forgiveness. This is the only other church along the Camino de Santiago, besides Santiago’s Cathedral itself, where pilgrims could — and still can — receive a plenary indulgence.
The requirements are specific: having walked the necessary distance, attending mass and saying their prayers, and being able to prove that they cannot physically continue all the way to Santiago de Compostela, due to illness or physical weakness. For a sick or injured medieval pilgrim, this door was nothing less than a second Santiago — the reason the town earned its nickname.
Open only in Holy Years
The Door of Forgiveness in Villafranca, like the Holy Door of Santiago’s Cathedral, is only opened during Holy Years — the Jacobean Years, when the 25th of July falls on a Sunday. That makes 2027, the next Holy Year, an especially significant time to pass through Villafranca del Bierzo and see the Puerta del Perdón open.
What else to see in Villafranca del Bierzo
There’s far more to this town than its churches. While you’re here, be sure to:
- Visit the 16th-century Castle-Palace of the Marquises of Villafranca, a striking square fortress with four corner towers.
- Stroll down the Calle del Agua (Water Street) and admire its grand palaces and noble houses, such as the Casa Torre, the Casa Morisca and the Palacio de Torquemada.
- Enjoy a coffee on the lively Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the heart of local life.
- Explore the town’s many religious and historic buildings, including the Colegiata de Santa María (Collegiate Church of Santa María), begun in 1070, and the Convento de San Francisco.
Take time, too, for the local table: this is the heart of the El Bierzo wine region, so a glass of red Mencía with a plate of local produce is the perfect end to the day.
Villafranca del Bierzo on the Camino Francés
Villafranca sits after Ponferrada and marks the last town before the Camino leaves Castilla y León and climbs steeply to O Cebreiro and into Galicia — a place where you can already sense Galicia ahead, as Galician is still spoken here. It’s a natural — and lovely — place to spend the night before the mountains. Many pilgrims include it by walking the Camino from Ponferrada, and it’s rightly counted among the most magical towns on the Camino de Santiago.
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FAQs about Villafranca del Bierzo
Because its Church of Santiago has a Door of Forgiveness (Puerta del Perdón) where pilgrims who cannot reach Santiago can receive a plenary indulgence — just as they would at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
It’s the Door of Forgiveness in the 12th-century Iglesia de Santiago. Pilgrims who have walked the required distance but are too ill or weak to continue to Santiago can receive the same Jubilee graces they would obtain there.
Only during Holy (Jacobean) Years, when 25 July falls on a Sunday.
