Today, you will depart Madrid and head to Sarria. The drive will take approx. 4.5 hours. You will stop in Astorga for lunch.

Astorga is rich with the heritage of its past. It was the capital of the legendary Iberian tribe of the Astures. It was also an important Roman city and key stop along the Pilgrims Way in Medieval times. City highlights include the Roman walls, the Cathedral and the neo-Gothic Bishop’s Palace built by the Catalan architect Gaudí.

You will enjoy lunch at a rustic restaurant, which features highly acclaimed hospitality, fruity Bierzo wines and specialties such as “Cocido Maragato”. After lunch, you will continue to Sarria.

As we leave the town, we will be able to enjoy panoramic views of the Sierras in the distance. You will pass through the villages of the Maragatos.

This part of the Camino has a unique culture owing to the mysterious origins of its inhabitants. The beauty and simplicity of their villages, Castrillo de los Polvazares, Santa Catalina de Somoza or Rabanal del Camino, adds to the magnificent natural surroundings, making your first contact with the Camino an unforgettable journey.

You will drive through some emblematic places connected with the history of the Camino. The Cruz de Ferro (Cross of Iron), a humble monument, yet one of the Camino’s most significant, is situated on the highest point of the Pilgrims Way at 4,933 feet above sea level.

This geographic location divides the Maragatería from the Bierzo, a region protected by high mountains. The resulting microclimate is said to be the reason for the excellent quality of its wines and farm products.

Upon arrival in Sarria, check in to your hotel. Dinner is on your own. You can either explore this charming town or enjoy dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

Today we start the first stage along the Camino Frances!

Stage: Sarria – Portomarin (22km)

Level: Moderate

Walking this section of the Camino is considered by many to be the highlight of the trip. We traverse a maze of tracks and footpaths through enchanted forests, granite hillsides covered in gorse, heather and broom and a patchwork of primitive farms worked as they were a thousand years ago.

After crossing the River Miño, we enter Portomarín. In 1962, the old village was submerged to create a reservoir. The town’s treasure, the 13th Century Church of San Juan (once belonging to the order of St. John of Jerusalem), was moved stone by stone by the townspeople to higher ground where the current town of Portomarin is located.

Enjoy a pilgrim’s lunch in Portomarín – Our picnic lunch outside a pilgrim’s refuge includes local cheese, ripened red tomatoes, crusty loaves of bread and cured jamon.

Check in at your hotel in Portomarín where you will stay for the next 2 nights.

We dine this evening at a restaurant called Santa Mariña (+34 982 54 51 05; Travesia Santa Mariña, 1, 27170 Portomarín, Lugo). The restaurant is located in a Casa Rural surrounded by vineyards, vegetable gardens and horse stables on the banks of the Miño. The hospitality of our hosts, Mario and Olga, combined with their home-grown produce provide a perfect backdrop for a memorable meal. We take part in the tradition of the queimada, a magical fiery brew made with coffee beans, sugar and a grappa-like liqueur called orujo. (According to Mario, the queimada fortifies the mind, body and spirit of weary pilgrims!)

Stage: Portomarin – Palas de Rei (23.9km)

Level: Moderately high 

Today we trace quiet paved roads past small villages, cruceiros (carved granite crosses that served to mark the Camino in medieval times), horreos (stone granaries), and tiny Romanesque churches. The abundance of Romanesque architecture in this area makes it one of the most important regions for art historians in all of Europe. Our destination is Palas de Rei, a town once inhabited by Visigoths, Celts and Romans. Its name is derived from the Visigothic king, Witiza who held court here (Palas de Rei meaning, The Palace of the King in Gallego).

At lunch today in a local pilgrim’s restaurant, we enjoy the camaraderie of other pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, many from Europe but others from more far-flung corners of the globe.

In the afternoon, you will take a short shuttle back to Portomarin.

Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Stage: Palas de Rei – Melide (12km)

Level: Moderate

Today we take a short shuttle to Palas de Rei where we start walking.

Our shady path weaves through pine, oak and eucalyptus forests dispersed with tiny villages. On the Camino, local people feel honoured to see peregrinos pass through their village. The only traffic we are likely to encounter is that of gentle, lazy cows returning to village barns in the late afternoon.

In Furelos, we cross the magnificent ponte velha, a medieval bridge with four arches spanning the river. Soon after we arrive in Melide, a town dating back to pre-Roman times and where the former monastery houses interesting 15th century frescoes depicting St. James the Moor-slayer

For lunch we will dine at Pulpería Ezequiel (+34 981 50 52 91; Rúa Cantón San Roque, 48, 15800 Melide, A Coruña, Spain; www.pulperiaezequiel.com). Here you will try the Galician style octopus, known in Galicia as “polbo á feira”. This is without a doubt one of the most popular dishes of Galician traditional cuisine. On your way to Santiago you’ll find countless places where to try it, but Ezequiel is a classic!!!

Finally, check in at your hotel and relax. Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Stage: Melide – Arzúa (12km)

Level: Low

After Melide, the Camino passes through Boente and Castañeda and arrives at Arzúa, a cheese-making village with the important attraction of rural and active tourism, especially in the vicinity of the reservoir of Portodemouros.

The road is easy to walk on and in very good condition at this stage. It is composed of a mixture of earth and stone together with small-asphalted roads or tracks between towns, with gradual climbs and descents, alternating with flat stretches.

In Boente there is a fountain with four pipes and a Calvary, separated from the church by the main road. From there we reach Ribadiso by a bridge over the River Iso. After Ribadiso, the Camino follows the road to Arzúa, the land of cheese par excellence.

Arzúa is the last big village on the road a bit further than 30km from Compostela. In the centre of the village is the Church of La Magdalena, which a few years before belonged to the Convent of the Agustines who supported an important hospital in Arzúa.

Check in to your hotel and relax. Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Stage: Arzúa – Arca (20km)

Level: Low

After a restful sleep deep in the countryside, we set off through heavy eucalyptus forests dotted with small hamlets. Our way today is idyllic and peaceful, as we grow closer to our final destination. The Pilgrim’s Way weaves through sweet-smelling eucalyptus groves and neatly sowed fields and vegetable patches.

We depart from the town of Arzúa by the Rúa do Carme. In this stage the landscape is of meadows and woods (carballos (oaks), eucalyptus, fruit trees and cultivated fields). We cross the River Raído and then pass through several hamlets: Cortobe, As Pereiriñas, A Taberna, some with Jacobean echoes such as A Calzada, A Rúa, Ferreiros — again a reference to the ancient trade of those engaged in shoeing horses among other functions — and A Salceda.

When ready, you will shuttle back to your hotel in Arzúa. Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Stage: Arca- Santiago (19km)

Level: Moderate

After breakfast, you will have a short shuttle back to Arca. Here you will start your last stage of the Camino.

One tradition we do take part in is the ascent to Monte de Gozo (The Mount of Joy), where pilgrims catch their first glimpse of Santiago de Compostela. Excitement builds as we get closer to the Holy City. Following now familiar yellow arrows and Camino markers to the Cathedral, we arrive in the Plaza del Obradoiro – the heart and soul of Santiago and a place of constant activity.

Exuberant groups of pilgrims stand in awe in front of the grandiose façade of the Baroque Cathedral. Wrought-iron balconies and granite homes and public buildings lend a medieval air.

Some pilgrims have traveled for months, on foot like us or by bike or horseback. Though distinct reasons (cultural, adventurous or spiritual) compel us to experience this ancient pilgrimage – we arrive in Santiago united by our quest.

Check-in to your hotel, and relax; you have completed the Camino! Tonight you are free to dine wherever you would like.

Today you will enjoy a private half-day tour of Santiago de Compostela.

Known to trekkers and pilgrims over the centuries as the culmination of the legendary pilgrim’s trail Camino de Santiago (Saint James’ Way), the magical medieval city of Santiago de Compostela was, until the 18th century, the most important pilgrimage destination in the entire Christian world. It remains a bewitching and alluring town that combines majestic medieval architecture, a buzzing café culture, and a storybook historic center where ancient monuments, modern boutiques and wonderful restaurants rub shoulders along narrow cobblestone streets.

According to legend, the remains of the Apostle St. James were found in 813 on the site of the present Cathedral by the bishop of Iria Flavia, and by the mid-10th century masses of pilgrims were traveling from all over Europe to visit his shrine. During the tour you’ll traverse the ancient lanes, visiting the open-air market of Plaza Los Abastos and of course the Cathedral where St. James´s remains lie. From the center of Plaza de Obradoiro, with the Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos to your left, the immense size of the Cathedral’s Baroque facade can be appreciated. You may also visit the museum “Pobo Galego”, which offers a good insight into the Galician way of life and especially the influence of the sea in Galician culture.

Tonight we will enjoy a celebratory farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant in the old quarter.

This morning, you will be transferred to the Santiago de Compostela Airport where you can depart for your international flight home.

¡BUEN CAMINO!

Along the Camino accommodation is scarce. We always select the best hotels possible without getting far away from the original path. We use mostly small, family-run hotels and rural inns in stylishly restored historic buildings. All rooms have en-suite facilities and modern fittings. All properties are chosen for comfort, character, location and overall quality.

Before and after the Camino, we use hotels in restored historic buildings in great locations, just steps from the magnificent cathedrals.

All rooms are Double Standard rooms.