Spanish Camino de Santiago II

The first part of your walking tour leads you through Santiago de Barbadelo, where we recommend visiting the romantic church. The church from the 12th century has wonderful porches, which are decorated for instance with flowers and scallops. Via Brea with its 100-milestone the path leads to Ferreiros. After the visit of church Santa Maria de Ferreiros you continue to famous pilgrimage village Portomarin.

After your start in Portomarin you walk up to Monte S. Antonio and afterwards down to Toxibo and Gonzar, to church Santa Maria. Through green landscapes and past many romantic churches the route leads you into the small town of Palas de Rei. It is not definitely proved if Palas de Rei was a royal official residence in former times, the visit of the frescoes in church San Tirso is worth it anyway.

The pilgrimage path leads you through bewitching landscape, and past Leboreiro with its old pilgrims hospice to Mélide, where you can try the Galician delicacy “Pulpo á feira” (calamari). In the next village you reach, in Castañeda the lime for the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela was kilned. Via Ribadiso de Baixo, a village with rich pilgrim history you reach Arzùa, your goal for today.

On today’s hike you can see how the villages get bigger and more urban as you get closer to your destination  of Santiago. The Way of St. James meanders like a green ribbon through the gently rolling landscape, you pass medieval stone bridges and the pazos (country houses) characteristic for this region. You will stay overnight in the small village of O Pino or in the neighboring town of O Pedrouzo.

Enjoy the final kilometres of your Camino de Santiago adventure. Follow the Camino to the heart of the Apostle City, to the Plaza de Obradoiro and its world-famous cathedral. At the Monte do Gozo you can already take a first look at the longed-for destination of all pilgrims. Arriving in Santiago de Compostela you will feel the unique atmosphere and spirituality at every corner.

Tour and visit of the impressive and venerable cathedral of Santiago, one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Christians, visited by over 75 000 pilgrims every year. Before setting out to explore the historic old town, part of the UNESCO World Heritage, be sure to attend the impressive pilgrim mass.

The first part of your hike takes you comfortably through Barbadelos, where you can visit the Romanesque parish church from the 12th century. Along chestnut trees, oaks, rivers and meadows, you pass the 100-kilometre stone of Brea and reach the charming town of Ferreiros with its church of Santa María. You then make your way to today's stage destination Portomarín, on the impressive River Miño.

Today's hike begins with an ascent towards Serra de Ligonde up to 725 m. Green landscapes mix with paved sections and you will already see the first famous "cruzeiros", striking stone crosses, along the way. Via the villages of Gonzar, Hospital de la Cruz, Castromajor and Portos-Reboredo, you reach the lowlands of Galicia, Palas de Rei. There, we recommend a visit to the church of San Tirso with its frescoes.

You follow the Way of St. James through an enchanting landscape to Leboreiro, a small village with a late Romanesque church and a former pilgrims' hospice opposite. Then through lush forests until you cross a medieval bridge and arrive in Melide. Here you should definitely try the Galician specialty "Pulpo á feira" (octopus).

You leave the province of Lugo and follow the Way of St. James to Castañeda, a friendly town where the lime for the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela was burnt. Via Ribadiso de Baixo, a town with a long history of pilgrimage, you walk to Arzúa. The town is famous for its cheese and offers a wide range of leisure activities for its visitors.

During your hike, you can observe how the villages along the way become larger and more urban the closer you get to your destination of Santiago. The Way of St. James meanders like a green ribbon through the gently undulating landscape as you pass medieval stone bridges and admire the characteristic country houses of this region.

The last stage takes you through Lavacolla and then up to Monte de Gozo. There you can catch your first glimpse of the long-awaited cathedral of Santiago de Compostela from afar. You walk down to the center of the city of the apostles, the Plaza de Obradoiro. In the afternoon, you have the opportunity to take part in a cheese tasting and guided tour of the city.