What to see in Castildelgado?
Where it is
Castildelgado lies in the Montes de Oca district, at 770 metres above sea level, with a municipal area of barely five square kilometres. It borders Redecilla del Campo and Ibrillos to the north, Redecilla del Camino to the east, Bascuñana to the south and Viloria de Rioja to the west.
Traces of traditional life
The old bread oven and the forge with its shoeing frame still survive, two places that for generations were a centre of work and conversation for the residents.
Festivities
Virgen del Campo
On 16 September the village celebrates the Virgen del Campo, its patroness, with Mass, a procession and festive events; thanks are also given that day for the harvest.
Saint Agatha
On 5 February, the feast of Saint Agatha, after the morning Mass it is customary to have the «atrancón»: a glass of sweet wine shared among neighbours.
Castildelgado on the Camino
Castildelgado lies right on the Camino Frances, between Redecilla del Camino and Viloria de Rioja, some 554 kilometres from Santiago de Compostela, where the tomb of Saint James the Greater awaits in the Cathedral of Santiago. This stretch runs close to the road, so the village comes as a welcome break.
Accommodation and services
Despite its size, the village has accommodation for pilgrims: the Bideluze hostel, with about sixteen beds, opens in season, roughly from March to October.
Population and local government
With about 35 residents, Castildelgado is run as an open council: decisions are taken by the assembly of residents, a direct form of government that survives in many small villages of Castile.
Walks in the surroundings
The tracks of the district let you link villages and landscapes. A long route of about 42 kilometres joins Castildelgado with Atapuerca via Viloria de Rioja, Villamayor del Río and Belorado, largely following the Camino itself.
In short
Castildelgado is a small village, one you cross quickly, but with a history of hospitals, living customs and a simple welcome that is much appreciated on this stretch.