From Astorga towards the Montes de León, the Camino crosses Maragatería. For centuries, Maragato arrieros transported goods by mule between Galicia’s ports and the Castilian interior. Their reputation depended on reliable networks, knowledge of roads and the ability to protect valuable cargo.
They carried salted fish, especially cod and conger eel, towards inland markets and returned with grain, cloth or manufactured goods. This traffic explains why seafood appears in the cooking of a mountain district far from the coast. Muleteers were logistical specialists before railways displaced much of their trade.
The origin of the name “Maragato” remains disputed. Attractive derivations from “Moor and Goth” or routes “from the sea to the cats” are folk etymologies, not settled history. The community’s distinct dress and marriage patterns encouraged outsiders to invent exotic origins.
Houses built for transport
At Castrillo de los Polvazares, stone houses open through large gates into broad courtyards. Animals, carts and bales could enter securely, while family rooms and storage occupied the surrounding ranges. The preserved streets show commercial architecture rather than a village arranged only for farming.
Santiago Millas has a municipal museum devoted to Maragato muleteering. Val de San Lorenzo preserves textile traditions, and Rabanal del Camino introduces the mountain section where transport became harder.
Cocido served backwards
The famous cocido maragato is served backwards: meat first, then chickpeas and vegetables, followed by soup. One popular explanation says muleteers began with the most valuable course in case the road called them away before the meal was finished. Whatever its origin, that serving order is now an essential part of the dish.
Eat it at lunch and allow time. It is poorly suited to an immediate steep walk. More revealing everyday traces include dried fish dishes, cecina and the courtyards built around animals and merchandise.
The Maragatos remind pilgrims that the Camino was never used by pilgrims alone. Pack trains, traders and carriers shared the road, supplied towns and connected the Atlantic economy to inland Spain.
Astorga is included in our longer French Way journeys. We can reserve a traditional cocido maragato lunch on a rest day or short walking stage.
