Camino Frances: Last 300km from Leon

León is one of the main cities of the Camino de Santiago, your starting point on this route, and the second most popular starting point from which the pilgrims start the Camino Frances, after Sarria. In León, a visit to the Cathedral, Gaudí's Casa Botines and the San Marcos Hospital is a must. Also a walk through the old town and a stop in the Barrio del Húmedo is highly recommended, to recover from the walk with some good tapas.

Today you’ll walk a variant of the French Way through Villar de Mazarife, which take you away from the N-120 national road. It is practically a flat stage, which runs between small towns and cereal fields, characteristic of this region.

Today you will start to tackle some bumps in the terrain, which will get bigger the closer you get to Galicia. The flat landscape of the plateau continues until Hospital de Órbigo, which you reach via a magnificent bridge over the river. It will be the last city in which you find only a slightly mountainous terrain.

Leave behind the plains of the Castilian Plateau as you enter a more mountainous area. Your goal will be the small city of Astorga, full of vestiges of Roman times where the French Way meets another Camino variant - the Vía de la Plata. Astorga is also the capital of the Maragatería region.

You are now penetrating ever deeper into the Montes de León. In this phase you will find even larger hills on the walk.

Today you leave the Maragatería region and walk into El Bierzo. This also means that you are returning to the bumps that are typical of mountain areas. The first climb takes you to a mythical place on the Camino de Santiago, the Cruz de Ferro on Mount Irago, the highest point of the French route, at 1,500 meters. From there you start a descent that leads to the city of Ponferrada, the capital of the Bierzo region. This entire region is known for its rich gastronomy with typical dishes such as botillo and especially for its wines with its own designation of origin.

In the middle of the Bierzo region, this stage leads over quite comfortable hiking trails. Walk through landscapes of fields and vineyards. In Villafranca del Bierzo you can visit the Church of Santiago, known for the Puerta del Perdón, which opened in the Jacobean years, as well as the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Santiago.

Today is a flat stage, which will give you a rest as Day 9 is a more challenging day. The route follows the old N-VI and runs down the Valcarce river for a final stretch of almost two kilometers.

In this stage you face the mythical climb to O Cebreiro, a gateway to the French route to Galicia and the biggest climb on the Camino Frances in Spain. Many say that it is the most beautiful stage on the Camino Frances, and possibly the most exciting. The difference in altitude is almost 700 meters along the dreaded La Faba hill. Arriving at the beautiful village of O Cebreiro the hill is forgotten, as you explore which the history of immense Jacobean tradition and great anthropological interest. The entry into the magical Ancares was worth it.

You start towards the top of San Roque, where there is a statue of the pilgrim, which will give you encouragement for the difficult climb to O Alto do Poio, where you will be at 1337 meters. Although it is not a long stage, due to this ascent it is one of the most complicated. Then you descend towards Triacastela.

Start this short stage towards San Xil. In a quiet area you take a pleasant walk through the beautiful landscapes. Cross the San Xil Valley, one of the most beautiful in Galicia, to get to your next destination: Sarria.

Sarria is the starting point for many pilgrims because it is very close to the mythical and last 100 km of the Camino Frances. This is the minimum distance that must be covered to get the Compostela. This first stage is flat, without many climbs. As you enter into the deepest Galicia let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of its chestnuts, oaks, rivers, meadows ... as well as charming cities such as Barbadelos or Ferreiros. The old town of Portomarin lies below the Belesar reservoir. The Miño river let’s you that you are getting close to Portomarin.

Start the hike towards Serra de Ligonde, where you climb up to 725 meters. On this day, the green landscapes are mixed with some paved areas and start to see the famous "Cruzeiros". The villages of Castromaior, Ventas de Narón and Ligonde deserve special mention.

Hike in the direction of Campo dos Romeiros, an important meeting point for pilgrims, and in the direction of Leboreiro, a pleasant hike in the middle of lush forests to finally cross a medieval bridge to reach the Melide river.

Leave the province of Lugo and enter the province of A Coruña. The few kilometers that await you again allow to enjoy some of the enchanting towns along the way like Boente and Castañeda until you reach Arzua, famous for its cheese.

This short and quiet stage allows you to process everything that was experienced during the trip, and prepare to arrive in Santiago tomorrow.

Expect excitement, reflection, relief and joy today. This is last stage and it is recommended that you start hiking early to take part in the pilgrimage, which is celebrated at 12:00 p.m. First you reach Lavacolla and continue climbing Monte do Gozo, where you can catch a glimpse of the long-awaited cathedral from distance. Finally arrive at the Plaza del Obradoiro and get well deserved personal satisfaction of having reached this point.

¡Buen Camino! See you next time.