Slower-Paced French Way (Camino Frances) Pilgrimage

Today you will arrive at your hotel in Sarria. Once you’ve checked in you will enjoy a delicious dinner to prepare you for your pilgrimage that starts tomorrow.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will follow the ancient pilgrim’s path from Sarria to Morgade. There’s plenty of architecture for you to enjoy, from gorgeous medieval bridges to pretty Romanesque churches. Joining a winding path beneath the trees, you will cross a gurgling stream and pass by the traditional farm buildings that travelers have walked by for hundreds of years. Arriving in Morgade, you can check into your hotel for the night where you will indulge in your well-earned dinner.

Starting the day with breakfast in your hotel, you will set off for the beautiful town on Portomarín. Portomarín is a unique destination on the Camino Frances, technically just 50 years old after the original town was flooded by the reservoir. You can visit the church of San Juan which was lovingly moved stone by stone by the residents, and in autumn months you might catch a glimpse of the old town’s ruins in the depths of the river Miňo! After exploring Portomarín you will have dinner at your hotel.

Refreshed by a good night’s sleep, you will enjoy breakfast at the hotel and get ready for today’s walk to Ventas de Narón. Breathe in the smell of pine as you meander through the forests and picturesque hamlets along the way. Check out the beautiful Santa María de Castromayor church in Ferreiros, a hamlet which was built by blacksmiths to serve the pilgrim’s horses on the Camino de Santiago. You will have dinner at your Hotel in Ventas de Narón.

After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, you will continue your pilgrimage to the town of Palas de Rei. Stopping at the famous cross by the Ventas de Narón chapel, you can contribute to the famous box of notes where pilgrims post messages about their journey. Relish the scent of the Eucalyptus trees as you follow the gently sloping trail.

The scenery on the Camino Frances will be particularly beautiful today. You will push on to the small town of Melide, famous for its ‘pulpo a feira’, a traditional octopus dish. Today you will reach the point where many different routes to Santiago converge, giving you the opportunity to meet pilgrims that have travelled far and wide to reach this stage of the trail. Don’t forget to sample the town’s famous glazed doughnuts!

After the gentle terrain of the day before, you will prepare yourselves for some steeper climbs. The terrain is more challenging today, but you will be rewarded with breathtaking scenery and the gorgeous medieval town of Ribadiso. You will spend the night in Arzúa, where you can taste its world-famous local cheese.

Today’s walk is relaxing and easy-going after the slightly more challenging route the day before. Listen to the birds singing in the trees as you enjoy the nature of rural Galician forests. Your hotel is in the small hamlet of A Salceda, where you can enjoy a delicious dinner after a reflective day in the peaceful countryside.

You will continue to experience the lovely rural atmosphere as you walk though forests and traditional hamlets. Before arriving at O Pedrouzo, you can visit the legendary fountain at the St Irene chapel which is said to have healing powers. After enjoying a meal at your hotel, you could take an evening walk to the Romanesque-Gothic church of St Eulalia to enjoy the age-old tradition of pilgrim’s mass.

As the end of your walking holiday approaches, you will arrive in Lavacolla. Now a much more industrial area, Lavacolla was historically known as the pilgrims washing place. Tired travelers would clean themselves in the stream for their arrival at Santiago after hundreds of kilometers on the trail. After a hearty dinner you can have a good night’s sleep to prepare you for the final stage of the French Way.

Congratulations! Today you will arrive at the Cathedral of Santiago, where you can partake in traditions like visiting the crypts and Apostle’s relics. Look out for the cathedral’s spires from the heights of Monte de Gozo where you can reflect on your achievements before descending to the ancient place of worship. You can also attend the pilgrims’ mass, get your Certificate from the pilgrims’ office, and explore the old quarter of the city.

After a restful sleep at your hotel in Santiago, you will eat one last breakfast as a pilgrim of the French Way. It’ll be a bittersweet farewell to your Spanish walking adventure as you reflect on the experience and look forward to sharing it with your loved ones.