Villasana de Mena
Camino Olvidado
Villasana de Mena is the main town in the Valle de Mena and deserves a stop. Hotel Foramonteros provides accommodation. But the real draw is a marked off-road path, frequently alongside a stream, to visit two Romanesque churches — San Lorenzo in Vallejo and Santa Maria in Siones.
San Lorenzo de Vallejo sits in a small hamlet, while Santa Maria de Siones stands alone in the countryside. Both have exquisite apses, capitals, and doorways. Neighbors hold the keys — call ahead. San Lorenzo: Miguel Angel, +34 947 126 427 or +34 660 233 798. Santa Maria: Angelines, +34 947 126 132. The round trip is about 10 km and highly recommended.
Villasana has basic services — cafes, shops, and a pharmacy.
From Villasana de Mena, it's 28 km to Espinosa de los Monteros. The two routes (from Nava de Ordunte and Villasana) join at the Taranco chapel outside Ordejon de Mena. If you leave from Villasana, you'll miss the reservoir near Nava, but the walking is pleasant through Valle de Mena's green countryside.
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