Vega de Valcarce

Vega de Valcarce is a municipality in the province of León, Castilla y León, situated in the upper Valcarce valley on the Camino Frances as the last significant service centre in León before the Galician border crossing at O Cebreiro. The village has a compact character with the forested gorge walls rising steeply on each side.

Above the village, two ruined medieval castles occupy the gorge walls: the Castro de Sarracín and the Castillo de Veiga, their ruined towers visible on the ridges. The combination of the enclosed valley setting and the castle ruins gives Vega de Valcarce a dramatic visual character.

For pilgrims, Vega de Valcarce is the final full-service stop before the long and steep ascent to O Cebreiro, a climb of approximately 700 metres over 9 kilometres.