Viloria de Rioja

Stage 10 · Santo Domingo de la Calzada – BeloradoBurgos Province
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What is there in Viloria de Rioja

Viloria de Rioja is a small municipality in the Montes de Oca district, in Burgos Province, on the Camino Frances.

Despite its name, it is already in Castile, in the transition strip known as the Burgos Riojilla. Fewer than forty people live here, but the village holds a place of honour in the history of the Camino: in 1019 Domingo García, the future Santo Domingo de la Calzada, was born in Viloria, the man who built roads, bridges and hospitals for pilgrims on this part of the route. Tradition points to the remains of his birthplace and, in the church, the font where he was baptised. Because of that link, Viloria is one of the associated elements of the Camino Frances declared World Heritage. It is a short, quiet stretch before carrying on, beside the road, to Villamayor del Río.

Accommodation in Viloria de Rioja

Refuge Peregrinos Acacio & OriettaHostelRefuge Peregrinos Acacio & Orietta

Distances from Viloria de Rioja

From Viloria de Rioja to Villamayor del Río it is about 3.6 km.

To Belorado it is about 8 km.

And to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Santiago de Compostela, about 550.7 km remain.

Viloria de Rioja and the Camino de Santiago

The link between Viloria de Rioja and the Camino has a name: Saint Dominic was born here in 1019, the man who devoted his life to improving the route, built roads and bridges, helped pilgrims cross difficult areas such as the Montes de Oca and gave rise to the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

Because of that link, UNESCO included the village in 2015 among the associated elements of the extension of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

What pilgrims will find

  • Simple accommodation, with very personal treatment.
  • Quiet corners beside the church and the saint’s birthplace.
  • Silence: a very small village, ideal for those looking for a slower Camino.

What to See in Viloria de Rioja?

Church
Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion Viloria de Rioja Camino de Santiago Frances 768x403

Church of Our Lady of the Assumption Viloria de Rioja

Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Viloria de Rioja (Burgos) Viloria de Rioja, despite its name, does not

Heritage

  • Parish church: it keeps up the devotion to Santo Domingo and holds the font where, according to tradition, he was baptised.
  • Birthplace of Santo Domingo de la Calzada: much altered over the centuries, but marked as the place where the saint was born.
  • House of the Ruiz de Vergara: the lineage that held the lordship of the town for generations.
  • Traditional Castilian architecture: stone houses and quiet streets.

The landscape: the Riojilla Burgalesa

Viloria lies in a land of transition between Castile and La Rioja:

  • Cereal fields and the odd vineyard, reminiscent of neighbouring Rioja.
  • Montes de Ayago and Montes de Oca on the horizon, with paths and good views.
  • Plenty of peace to rest before the mountain stages.

Viloria in history

The village appears in 1028 as Villa Oria, linked to the monastery of San Miguel de Pedroso. In the Middle Ages it was a lordship, above all of the Ruiz de Vergara, whose influence in the area lasted a long time.

Viloria today

With about 37 residents, Viloria is a clear example of depopulation in Castile, but the Camino gives it life: its people keep up the traditions, the fields and, above all, the memory of Santo Domingo.

In short

Viloria de Rioja is a tiny village with enormous weight on the Camino Frances: the birthplace of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

It is worth pausing for a moment in Viloria de Rioja and remembering that much of the Camino you walk in these lands is owed to a man born here.

CountrySpain
Autonomous communityCastilla y Leon
ProvinceBurgos Province
ComarcaMontes de Oca
Judicial districtBriviesca
Location42°25′32″N 3°06′01″W
Elevation801 m
Area6.95 km²
Population37 inhabitants (2024)
Density5.32 inhabitants/km²
Postal code09259
Websitewww.viloriaderioja.es
Camino de Santiago Frances
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