Who we are
Welcome to VLTREIA eV!
We are a community of pilgrims from different countries and generations who are connected through their experiences on the Camino de Santiago.
Many of us have experienced deep, touching and formative moments there – encounters with people, with nature and not infrequently with ourselves.
These experiences have fueled our shared motivation to enable other pilgrims to have enriching experiences and heartfelt encounters as well.
In this spirit, we run a church-run pilgrim hostel in La Faba on the Camino Francés in Spain. There, we welcome pilgrims, accompany them on their journey, and create a place of peace, community, and hospitality.
Our association brings together people who share the enthusiasm for the Camino de Santiago and want to volunteer – be it as a hospitalera or hospitalero, in association work or in projects related to pilgrimage.
On the following pages you will learn more about our association, our hostel in La Faba, and the possibility of undertaking voluntary work yourself.
If you have any questions about the Camino de Santiago or are looking for personal recommendations for your next pilgrimage, we will be happy to help you.
VLTREIA – and onward on the way!
Our hostel
On the outskirts of the small mountain village of La Faba , on the Camino Francés in Spain, lies our church-run pilgrim hostel – a place of peace, encounters and welcome.
Here, people from all over the world come together to recharge after a long day of pilgrimage, to experience community and to share a part of the journey together in the spirit of the Way of St. James.
The operation of our hostel is the focus of our volunteer work. Many of our members are or have been hospitaleras or hospitaleros , welcoming, accompanying, and supporting pilgrims – with open hearts, helping hands, and often a warm meal or a good conversation.
For many of us, this work is far more than just a voluntary position: it is a living expression of charity and a manifestation of the pilgrim community that makes the Way of St. James so special.
If you would like to become part of this experience and undertake a voluntary assignment as a hospitalera or hospitalero , you will find further information on the tasks, requirements and application on the following pages.
Book recommendation
“Pilgrims and Hospitallers – Encounters on the Way of St. James”
Why do pilgrims sometimes walk backwards down a mountain?
Why is an American pilgrim wearing children's socks in her heavy hiking boots? And what are glass beads doing in a pilgrim's backpack?
You will find the answers to these and many other small wonders and curiosities of everyday pilgrim life in this book.
The Stuttgart-based association VLTREIA eV , which runs the hostel in La Faba, asked pilgrims and hospitaleras or hospitaleros about their very personal experiences – on the Camino Francés and on many other Camino de Santiago routes in Europe.
The result is a moving collection of stories, encounters and moments that capture the essence of pilgrimage in all its facets: cheerful, profound, sometimes quirky – and always human.
A book for everyone who loves the Camino de Santiago, has already walked it, or wants to embark on the journey.
Up to La Faba
Raimund Joos will take you along on the journey.
Raimund Joos, the well-known author of the outdoor guide to the Camino Francés – affectionately also called “The Yellow One” – describes the route from Villafranca to La Faba in his travelogue.
His words capture the special atmosphere of this stage: the climb through the mountains, the stillness of nature, and the anticipation of arriving at our hostel in La Faba. For many pilgrims, this section is not only a scenically impressive route but also a time for inner reflection.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Mr. Raimund Joos, the author, and Mr. Dünniger from Auditorium Verlag for their kind permission to publish this travel report here.
© Auditorium Verlag Winfried Dünninger eK
Weinbergstrasse 4, 97359 Schwarzach am Main
Affiliated clubs and interesting links
Become part of “VLTREIA eV - Stuttgart”
Would you like to support us?
Hospitalero/a become
A hospitalero assignment is the ultimate opportunity to give back the experiences you have had on your Camino - by caring for the people along your way.
become a member
We are open to all people who share a common path to Santiago de Compostela. Like-minded individuals meet here, fostering lively exchanges about pilgrimage and the Camino de Santiago.
Donate
If you would like to support the work of the non-profit association “VLTREIA eV - Stuttgart” and in particular the preservation of the hostel in La Faba through your donation, you can do so under the purpose “Support La Faba”.