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This stage of the famous Camino pilgrimage route offers the chance for time starved travellers to walk the final 115kms into Santiago and gain a wonderful appreciation of the historic significance of the route. To be eligible for the official Compostela certificate of completion, which is issued by the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago de Compostela, walkers must walk at least 100kms of the iconic pilgrim route. Walking through mixed landscapes, there are numerous reminders of the pilgrims past who travelled the route including crosses, statues and grain silos. The gates of Galicia lead to the fabled Santiago de Compostela with its famous cathedral, site of the tomb of St James.
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23kg of CO2-e PP per day
(158kg of CO2-e PP entire trip)
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Day 1
Arrive in Sarria
Make your own way to Sarria and the first hotel. A medieval town full of history and Jacobean tradition, Sarria is located on a hilltop with a river on either side affording you great views of the region. It is the most popular starting point to walk the Camino to Santiago. Dinner and overnight in Sarria.
Meals: D
Day 2
Walk through the hills of Galicia to Portomarin (6hrs)
We recommend visiting the Church of the Convent of La Magdalena before you set out today. On today's walk you will pass through many small villages dotted along areas of cultivated land, grazing pastures and woodlands, and see “horreos”, the typical raised grain silos of the area. It's a relatively easy walk until the steep descent to cross the bridge over the Miño River and the Belesar Reservoir, where you can see ruins of the ancient flooded village. Continue into Portomarin and your accommodation. Distance 22km/13.7mi
Meals: B,D
Day 3
To Palas de Rei (6-7hrs)
The route today takes you past farmland, charming hamlets and calvaries. You will pass through the hamlet of Ventas de Naron, over the gentle Sierra de Ligonde, then downhill through Previsa, Lameiros and Ligonde where you will find a church dedicated to the apostle St James. Emperor Charles V stayed here in the modest village of Ligonde, on 24 March 1520. Continue to Palas de Rei and your accommodation. Distance 24km/14.9mi
Day 4
Leave Lugo province to enter La Coruña, walk to Melide (4.5hrs)
Today's walk offers scenic beauty and heritage, from forests and quiet rivers to churches and medieval bridges, taking you through the small towns of Coto and Leboreiro. Crossing the River Seco on the Magdalena Bridge you will reach Furelos. Continue to your destination, Melide, one of the larger towns along the Galician section of the Camino Trail. We recommend trying the local speciality, ‘Pulpa a Feira’, octopus usually served boiled, sprinkled with salt and paprika and drizzled with olive oil. Delicious with a glass of Albariño! Distance 14km/8.7mi
Day 5
Through rural landscapes and villages to Arzúa (4hrs)
This stage connects Melide with Arzúa, home of the D.O. Arzúa-Ulloa cheese. Experience rural landscapes and villages that reflect the tradition and rural life of Galicia, offering an enriching experience for your palate and your spirit. The terrain becomes easier as you walk through small villages where you can stop for lunch, and past Eucalyptus trees. Continue to Arzúa, where your overnight stay is in a charming 'pazo' (Galician traditional house) a little out of town. Distance 14km/8.7mi
Day 6
Continue to Rúa or Pedrouzo (5-6hrs)
Today’s walk will bring you to the small town of Rua which has a population of only 50 people. The walking is lovely, with gentle slopes leading past green fields and rural landscapes, gradually becoming more urban. Distance 18km/11.1mi
Day 7
Arrive Santiago (5-6hrs)
The last day on the trail is always special. Today you will pass many ancient sites including monuments, chapels and bridges – all have a story to tell. Follow country lanes and forest paths through increasingly populated landscapes. At Monte do Gozo take a small detour for spectacular views of Santiago then continue downhill to the city. Arriving in fabled Santiago de Compostela there is plenty to see and do – or you can simply relax and celebrate the end of your journey. Dinner is not included tonight so you can try one of the many restaurants in town. Distance 21km/13mi
Meals: B
Day 8
Trip concludes Santiago de Compostela
Trip arrangements conclude after breakfast. If you'd like to add an extra night, please ask for our rates.
What's included
What's not included
During the trip you will stay in a collection of hand picked accommodation ranging from quality hotels, farmhouse B&Bs and guesthouses. Location is one of the key factors, with clean mainly spacious rooms, ensuite facilities, helpful staff and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere. Generally our meals will be taken at the hotel and this is another key factor in our selection process.
GRADE 3 - Daily walks are between 14 and 24km on well marked trails over diverse terrain – from relatively flat to mountainous. This is a well worn path where route finding will be reasonably straight forward (refer below for further details on self guided adventures). The main areas to concentrate on route finding are arriving and leaving towns and cities. The accent is on keeping a steady pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos. You will need a good level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure.
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There are many bars and cafes at various points along the trail where you can stop and fill up on a slice of Spanish Tortilla, or a bocadillo. These spots will also have facilities you can use if you're buying something, and will often be happy to refill your water bottle.
Card is accepted is most places, but please be aware that some individual bars or cafes may be cash only. You will also find along the way some special stamps offered for donations - it is worthwhile having some coins handy for these.
The fitter you are the more you will enjoy the trip. Please refer to the grading description which outlines fitness requirements for this trip.
In order to secure your place on the trip we recommend you book as soon as you are ready. Bookings open for the following year in mid September.
The closest airport is Santiago de Compostela, from the airport you need to take a bus to Sarria (with one change). Some people prefer not to fly into Santiago de Compostela and instead choose to fly into Madrid. From Madrid you can take the train to Sarria, the journey takes approximately 6 hours.
We are able to cater for gluten free diets, however at times, choices are limited. Breakfasts served at the hotels are generally continental style and we suggest bringing your own gluten free breads or cereals. We also recommend bringing your own snacks. Generally in Europe it is quite easy to purchase gluten free foods from supermarkets and shops, but can be harder in restaurants.
This trip can be booked from 1 February to 15 November. The summer months tend to be busy months on the Camino Trail and the weather can be quite hot. In our experience starting the trip in late April or May, or from September to early October, is the best time to travel. The trail is less busy and the weather is cooler. Galicia experiences rain year round.
The Pilgrim's Passport or 'Credencial' is included on this trip and you will receive one locally. The Pilgrim's Passport makes a great souvenir and way to track your walk. You can ask to have your Pilgrim's Passport stamped at churches, your hotels and many other places along the route.
The Compostela is a certificate of completion of the Camino de Santiago and you must walk at least the last 100km into Santiago to receive it. This trip starts in Sarria which is 110km from Santiago, so you will be able to receive your Compostela at the end of the walk. To show that you have walked the last 100km you will need to have at least 2 stamps per day in your Pilgrim's Passport.
The Camino Trail is exceptionally well waymarked, with yellow arrows and markers used frequently throughout the route. It is nearly impossible to get lost on this walk.
It is possible to book an extra night at any of the hotels we use which would allow you to have a rest day. However, this does need to be advised at the time of booking.
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
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We offer different levels of accommodation and comfort so that even the most budget conscious can treat themselves to active holidays on Europe's most celebrated tracks and trails. Our trips are great value for money because you only pay for what you want.
Our wide range of self-guided itineraries embody the UTracks philosophy of exploring Europe your way. We handle the logistics so all that's left for you to do is enjoy exploring Europe at your own pace. Most depart daily with a minimum of two people, meaning maximum flexibility.
With close to 400 trips in almost 50 countries, including the largest range of bike & boat holidays in Europe, we're confident that we can organise an Alps walk, Camino de Santiago or Via Francigena experience, Food Lovers' trip or a tour in a lesser-known pocket of Europe that you will love.
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