Leon to Hospital de Orbigo

The walk from León to Hospital de Órbigo was one of those long, sun-drenched stages on the Camino de Santiago that tests your legs and rewards your spirit. We left León early, weaving through the city's industrial edges before the urban sprawl gave way to the open plateau of the Meseta. The trail stretched flat and wide under a cloudless sky, bordered by dry fields and the occasional pop of green near irrigation ditches. Villages like La Virgen del Camino and San Martín del Camino offered places to rest, refill water, and exchange nods and smiles with fellow pilgrims. As we approached our destination, the landscape softened, and the majestic medieval bridge of Hospital de Órbigo appeared—an unforgettable sight after a long day of walking.

Hospital de Órbigo itself felt like stepping into a medieval postcard. The cobbled streets, stone buildings, and that 13th-century bridge—the Puente del Paso Honroso—evoke stories of knights, pilgrims, and ancient trials of honor. But the true heart of the town, for us, turned out to be the bar/restaurant Arnal. After settling into our albergue, we wandered in for a drink, and that’s where I met the owner, a jovial and slightly mischievous man with a clear passion for fine spirits. He seemed to size me up instantly and, with a conspiratorial grin, invited me behind the bar. I found myself standing in front of his top-shelf liquor collection, scanning rare bottles while his wife looked on—already a little wary.

With a flourish, Arnal poured me a generous glass of Macallan Scotch, smooth and smoky, and as we clinked glasses, he whispered that he had something even better. From behind a hidden panel, he revealed a beautifully packaged bottle of Macallan Time Space Mastery Scotch—easily worth over $2,000. Just as we were admiring its rich color and exquisite bottle design, disaster struck. His wife reappeared, eyes narrowing, and with a practiced glare that could stop time, she snatched the bottle mid-pour and marched it back to its hiding place. Arnal shrugged with a sheepish grin, clearly not the first time he’d been caught breaking his own house rules. It was a hilarious, human moment—one that turned a good walk into a story we’ll never forget.