Espinoso is a village with a long history.

The Romans extracted gold from its mountains and it was a route used by pilgrims on The Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago) towards The Valley of Silence. For a time it belonged to the Knights Templars and to the Monastery of Compludo (which no longer stands) and the village was mentioned by the Bishop of Astorga in 1084.

After being semi-abandoned for several years, most of the houses have now been given a new lease of life, being rebuilt using traditional materials, stone, timber and slate, keeping its traditional rustic features.

Notable amongst its features is St Michael's Church, with its mixture of Romanesque and renaissance styles and its churrigueresque altarpiece. The “Era”, is a viewing point from which you can see most of El Bierzo. The Trout Fountain is of medieval origin; The “Nogal del Tio Eusebio”, a walnut tree over 100 years old, which is now protected; and nearby is “Corona de Murcia” a pre-roman village; Las Miedulas, the remains of the roman gold mines; and the old watermills.

Espinoso and its surroundings support an enormous variety of animal life; from amphibians such as small frogs and newts, small mammals, including mountain cats, weasels and foxes, to bigger mammals like wild boar and roe deer. The region is an excellent location for bird watching, with species ranging from house martins to imperial eagles, and one cannot fail to enjoy its rich vegetation, with the oak forests, walnut, chestnut and cherry trees that surround the village.