Your travels bring you, at last, to the town of Sarria – the starting point of your Camino. Many pilgrims start their Camino here, for the distance from Sarria to Santiago is just over 100 km. This entitles the Pilgrims who walk this Trail to receive their Compostela (Certificate of Pilgrimage Completion) at the Pilgrims‘ Office in Santiago. Starting tomorrow, be sure to get at least two stamps per day in you Pilgrim’s Credencial, as the Pilgrims‘ Office staff will check them as proof of your Certificate entitlement. But, for now, check in in your hotel, enjoy your evening in Sarria’s quaint Old Town, and get ready for tomorrow – for Your Camino!

As you leave Sarria, take your time to enjoy the gorgeous medieval bridge at the very end of town. The Camino will then lead you up a forested hill and, once you reach its top, spaces will become wide-open and you will enjoy some lovely Galician countryside panoramas. The mornings here – as in many places in Galicia – tend to get quite foggy, which adds a special note of mystery and magic to be enjoyed by those who hike out early. Today’s terrain will please your eyes with lovely forested pockets, fields to meander across, charming little brooks to cross, and inviting places in cute villages to stop in. However, most of the time, the influx of pilgrims starting from Sarria is usually noticeable, and from here at the latest, the Camino becomes quite lively. Today’s stage ends in the town of Portomarín. In the 1960s, it was decided that this town, originally situated in the river valley, had to make way for a new reservoir and be moved just up the hill. The two medieval churches were dismantled stone by stone and put back together in their new location. As you walk across the bridge into town, the remains of the old village of Portomarín down in the valley can still be seen when the water levels are low, giving the whole panorama a kind of a tolkienesque feel.

Distance: 25 km. (15.5 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

A hilly forested path outside Portomarín eventually levels with the road until the village of Gonzar. Afterwards, a very gradual but lengthy ascent up the Sierra de Ligonde renders some truly picturesque, far-away vistas on the quaint Galician countryside. For the remaining half of today’s journey, the Camino levels off as it leads you past small, sleepy villages and beautiful green fields on to the town of Palas de Rei, where you can relax and enjoy the many wonderful culinary options to start getting to know the wonderful Galician cuisine.

Distance: 23.9 km. (14.9 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

More peaceful and beautiful Galician countryside is awaiting you today. Fields interchange with forests, and the terrain is not only pleasing to the eye, but also pleasant to walk. The magnificent medieval bridge over the River Furelos is the last larger one on the Camino Francés, and have the option to admire it from both sides. Consider having lunch in one of the famous Pulperías in Melide – the busy town toward the end of your day’s journey – here, you will get octopus served on wooden boards the traditional way: simply boiled, cut with scissors, accompanied by cooked potatoes and seasoned only with olive oil, salt and paprika. Pop into the charming little church of Santa María as you walk out of Melide to take a look at its well-preserved Romanesque wall paintings and its stunning altar dating back to the times of the Visigoths. The Camino will now take you into the beautiful Galician eucalyptus forests, passing a couple of more quaint villages until you reach you the end of your today’s in Castañeda.

Distance: 25 km. (15.5 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy

Leaving Castañeda, you will have a few hills to go up and down, and you can reward yourself with an early rest stop just 3.5 km. (2.2 mi.) as you reach the absolutely delightful little village of Ribadiso: sit at its waterfront by the cute little medieval bridge and soak up the sheer serenity of the scenery. The Camino then leads you across the busy, larger town or Arzua before it plunges backs into the pleasant, peaceful Galician scenery. It is an easy walking day, and you will spend most of the rest of in on forest paths with occasional villages and patches of lush green grasslands in-between. The fragrance of eucalyptus will have become as familiar to your senses as the sight of these pretty trees‘ tall and straight trunks. After the serenity of the forest, the atmosphere in the bustling little town of O Pedrouzo may seem a bit too busy, but it’s also worth enjoying it, as all the pilgrims are tingling with restlessness before the last Camino Francés‘ stage tomorrow.

Distance: 25.5 km. (15.9 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy

The Camino has yet just the perfect amount of beautiful scenery, peacefulness and calmness in store for you as you plunge into a beautiful eucalyptus forest right outside O Pedrouzo. As you pass a couple of villages, eucalyptus gives way to conifers, and you will find yourself walking alongside the Airport of Santiago – the feeling of reaching the journey’s end and the impending departure for home is often sensed quite strongly here. Walk up to the top of the Monte do Gozo – the Mount of Joy – and you will behold Santiago de Compostela for the first time!  Let the Camino guide you, one last time, into the heart of this magical City. Congratulations, dear Pilgrim: You. Have. Arrived. Celebrate, and enjoy!

Distance: 20.5 km. (12.7 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy

We strongly feel that, after this amazing journey, it is instrumental to spend (at least!) one full, extra day and another night in Santiago, which is why it is added in our program „by default“ (though you can opt out of it). This is both the time and the place to unwind, to reflect upon and enjoy your journey’s end and, most importantly, to take it easy on yourself with your post-Camino re-entry into the big, wide World. Aside from that, the UNESCO-listed city of Santiago is full of incredible places to explore, and you can collect your very well-earned Compostela (Certificate of Completion) as well as attend the Pilgrims’ Mass at the Cathedral.

Farewell, Santiago; farewell, Camino – and sage travels on your journey back home or to your next adventure! And here is another option well-worth considering: to continue the Camino on to Fisterra (the „End of the World“) and / or to Muxía – two stunning, mystical places on the majestic Atlantic coast.

¡Buen Camino!

Your travels bring you, at last, to the town of Sarria – the starting point of your Camino. Many pilgrims start their Camino here, for the distance from Sarria to Santiago is just over 100 km. This entitles the Pilgrims who walk this Trail to receive their Compostela (Certificate of Pilgrimage Completion) at the Pilgrims‘ Office in Santiago. Starting tomorrow, be sure to get at least two stamps per day in you Pilgrim’s Credencial, as the Pilgrims‘ Office staff will check them as proof of your Certificate entitlement. But, for now, check in in your hotel, enjoy your evening in Sarria’s quaint Old Town, and get ready for tomorrow – for Your Camino!

As you leave Sarria, take your time to enjoy the gorgeous medieval bridge at the very end of town. The Camino will then lead you up a forested hill and, once you reach its top, spaces will become wide-open and you will enjoy some lovely Galician countryside panoramas. The mornings here – as in many places in Galicia – tend to get quite foggy, which adds a special note of mystery and magic to be enjoyed by those who hike out early. Today’s terrain will please your eyes with lovely forested pockets, fields to meander across, charming little brooks to cross, and inviting places in cute villages to stop in. However, most of the time, the influx of pilgrims starting from Sarria is usually noticeable, and from here at the latest, the Camino becomes quite lively. Today’s stage ends in the town of Portomarín. In the 1960s, it was decided that this town, originally situated in the river valley, had to make way for a new reservoir and be moved just up the hill. The two medieval churches were dismantled stone by stone and put back together in their new location. As you walk across the bridge into town, the remains of the old village of Portomarín down in the valley can still be seen when the water levels are low, giving the whole panorama a kind of a tolkienesque feel.

Distance: 25 km. (15.5 mi.)
Difficulty: Moderate

A hilly forested path outside Portomarín eventually levels with the road until the village of Gonzar. Afterwards, a very gradual but lengthy ascent up the Sierra de Ligonde renders some truly picturesque, far-away vistas on the quaint Galician countryside. For the remaining half of today’s journey, the Camino levels off as it leads you past small, sleepy villages and beautiful green fields.

Distance: 12.6 km. (7.8 mi.)
Difficulty: Moderate

Today’s stage is short and very pleasant to walk. At the end of your walking day, you will find yourself in the charming town of Palas de Rei, where you can relax and enjoy the many wonderful culinary options to start getting to know the wonderful Galician cuisine.

Distance: 11.6 km. (7.2 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy

Beyond Palas, More peaceful and beautiful Galician countryside is awaiting you today. Fields interchange with forests, and the terrain is not only pleasing to the eye, but also pleasant to walk. The magnificent medieval bridge over the River Furelos is the last larger one on the Camino Francés, and have the option to admire it from both sides. Consider having a traditional dinner in one of the famous Pulperías in Melide – the end of your day’s journey. Here, you will get octopus served on wooden boards the traditional way: simply boiled, cut with scissors, accompanied by cooked potatoes and seasoned only with olive oil, salt and paprika.

Distance: 14.9 km. (9.3 mi.)
Difficulty: Moderate

Pop into the charming little church of Santa María as you walk out of Melide to take a look at its well-preserved Romanesque wall paintings and its stunning altar dating back to the times of the Visigoths. The Camino will now take you into the beautiful Galician eucalyptus forests, passing a couple of more quaint little villages. You will have a few hills to go up and down, and you can reward yourself with a lovely rest stop as you reach the absolutely delightful little village of Ribadiso: sit at its waterfront by the cute little medieval bridge and soak up the sheer serenity of the scenery. The Camino will then lead you on to today’s final destination of Arzúa. before it plunges backs into the pleasant, peaceful Galician scenery. It is an easy walking day, and you will spend most of the rest of in on forest paths with occasional villages and patches of lush green grasslands in-between. The fragrance of eucalyptus will have become as familiar to your senses as the sight of these pretty trees’ tall and straight trunks.

Distance: 14.2 km. (8.8 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy

After the serenity of the forest, the atmosphere in the bustling little town of O Pedrouzo, which you will reach after the first couple of hours walking, may seem a bit too busy. The Camino has yet just the perfect amount of beautiful scenery, peacefulness and calmness in store for you as you walk into and out of beautiful eucalyptus forests before Rúa (O Pedrouzo). After the serenity of the forest, the atmosphere in the bustling little town of O Pedrouzo may seem a bit too busy, but it’s also worth enjoying it, as all the pilgrims are tingling with restlessness before the last Camino Francés’ stage tomorrow.

Distance: 17.7 km. (11 mi.)
Difficulty: Easy

After O Pedrouzo, the Camino plunges backs into the pleasant, peaceful Galician scenery. It is a longer walking day, and you will spend most of the rest of in on forest paths with occasional villages and patches of lush green grasslands in-between. The fragrance of eucalyptus will have become as familiar to your senses as the sight of these pretty trees’ tall and straight trunks. As you pass a couple of villages, eucalyptus gives way to conifers, and you will find yourself walking alongside the Airport of Santiago – the feeling of reaching the journey’s end and the impending departure for home is often sensed quite strongly here. Towards the end of today’s walk, you will reach the top of the Monte do Gozo – the Mount of Joy – and you will behold Santiago de Compostela for the first time! Let the Camino guide you, one last time, into the heart of this magical City. Congratulations, dear Pilgrim: You. Have. Arrived. Celebrate, and enjoy!

Distance: 20.8 km. (12.9 mi.)
Difficulty: Moderate

We strongly feel that, after this amazing journey, it is instrumental to spend (at least!) one full, extra day and another night in Santiago, which is why it is added in our program „by default“ (though you can opt out of it). This is both the time and the place to unwind, to reflect upon and enjoy your journey’s end and, most importantly, to take it easy on yourself with your post-Camino re-entry into the big, wide World. Aside from that, the UNESCO-listed city of Santiago is full of incredible places to explore, and you can collect your very well-earned Compostela (Certificate of Completion) as well as attend the Pilgrims’ Mass at the Cathedral.

Farewell, Santiago; farewell, Camino – and sage travels on your journey back home or to your next adventure! And here is another option well-worth considering: to continue the Camino on to Fisterra (the „End of the World“) and / or to Muxía – two stunning, mystical places on the majestic Atlantic coast.

¡Buen Camino!