Santiago's Path

Santiago's Path

The way of Santiago has been, and continues being, undoubtedly, the most ancient, most crowded and most famous route of the old continent. 
It is possible to go to Santiago and to Galicia by different ways. But the best way of going is for the Santiago's Path. 



The journey to Sarria from Lepe will be a bus trip from Lepe to Seville and there we are going to take a train to Sarria with transfer in Madrid. It costs around 85€.

Materials 

We recommend you to carry: trekking bag, trekking shoes, two or three trousers, two or three shirts, short coat, small knife, water bottles, raincoat, trekking stick, sleeping bag, little first-aid kit, toilet paper...

Stages of Santiago's Path

Sarria-Portomarin                         22,4 km
Portomarin-Palas de Rei                 25 km
Palas de rei-Ribadiso da Baixo         25,8 km            
Ribadiso da Baixo-Pedrouzo            22,1 km
Pedrouzo-Santiago de Compostela   20 km

Stage 1: Sarria-Portomarin (22,4 km)

The French Way leaves Sarria across the bridge of A Rough, Barbadelo way. Passing through oak woods and meadows, enters the municipality of Paradela and then descends to the banks of the Miño to cross the bridge leading to the village of Portomarín. Sarria output is done through the parish church of Santa Marina, the Savior, the tower of the ancient wall and the convent of A Madanela. After leaving the village, a very steep descent leads to the bridge to Rough. Crossing the bridge the distance of the railway continues for about 1km. Then you cross to climb the hardest slope of the stage and then get on a flat road until Barbadelo, where you can visit the church of Santiago.

The road continues to Rent for a road in very good condition, passing Mercado da Serra, Leiman and Peruscallo, where a zone starts streams with berms and stone walkways to save them. After Lavandeira, Casals, A Brea and Morgade, reached after a tough climb to Ferreiros, the first village of Ribeira Sacra Lugo. Taking a detour from the highway to the entrance of Francos, continue along a rocky path where the downs, through numerous small villages predominate.

The valley landscape alternates with meadows full of cows, with typical slate roof constructions. The terrain in this section is very uneven, mainly downward, with large potholes and rocks. Leaving behind this road, you come to a road from where a first look Belesar reservoir is obtained. Crossing the bridge over the dam, the road enters the town by stairs that are directly opposite the road leading to the village center, where the hostel is located very close to the churches of San Pedro and San Nicholas, in the same town hall square and arcades area.

   

  

Stage 2: Portomarin-Palas de rei (25 km)

We leave Portomarín crossing the reservoir for a bridge for people. From there we begin an intense raise, following the course of the road up to coming to Gonzar. From Gonzar we follow up to Castromaior known by his Romanesque church, placed next to a small creek and near to the remains of a former hopscotch. We continue then towards a bridge on the general road to end in a regional route to Sales, where the small chapel of San Marcos is between centenary oaks. Later we come near to Ligonde with some historical remains but very few services, which are available in the following nucleus, Eirexe.

The Way continues passing for different villages, between which a lodging stands out with stables for horses, among Portos and Lestedo. In the next village you emphasize his cemetery, in which the niches are with a view to the road, covering of flowers the small border. We follow the route up to La Brea, where we turn aside during a small section for a way that joins later the general road, which will continue even just before entering Palas de rei.

  

  

Stage 3: Palas de rei-Ribadiso da baixo (25'8 km)

The road and the path get confused to the exit of Palas de Rei, and together they walk up to the kilometric point 36, where the road turns to the right and the path is straight towards Village of Riba and Gailoa de Riba. For the opposite side to the N-547, the villages of San Xiao do Camiño and Pontecampaña follow, to arrive finally to Casanova. For paths and following a soft slope we arrive to Campanilla, and between eucalyptuses walking on asphalted track we reach O Coto, and after crossing the river Pambre, we leave the province of Lugo to enter La Coruña towards Leboreiro, the first locality of the last province of the Santiago’s Path.

Leboreiro and Furelos are joined by an agreeable walker near the road. After overcoming an industrial, not very extensive estate, we descend to the river Furelos for wooded path. Overcome the river Furelos passing the medieval bridge, begins a soft ascent that leads to Melide's city for its principal street. After going out of the village, again the paths will lead us up to Boente. 

During the course of this section we will pass for Sta. Maria de Melide, we will cross San Lázaro's rill, will get down and leave behind the village of Scraped and, finally, the creek Valverde that us will lead to Boente. Between Boente and Castañeda is found the river Boente that works of border between both. After Castañeda, we descend towards the river Ribadiso da baixo and later we will arrive the village, where is found one of the most interesting and curious lodgings of Galicia.

  
  

Stage 4: Ribadiso da baixo-Pedrouzo (22'1 km)

If we attend to the Word “Da Baixo”, soon we will understand that Arzúa is the high. Therefore, this part is a constant ascent up to arrive at the entry of the locality. Leaving Arzúa, we return to cross many rivers and some places will be able bedaub due to the rain. We pass for Peguntuño’s hamlet, where we have to cross the N-547 using a tunnel, and later for the hamlets of Calzada, Calle y Boavista, which are small villages. It is very common to find dispersed houses along this part.

After, we arrive Salceda that is a village where you can find some services. From here, we will cross the hamlets of Ras and Brea in order to arrive to the top of Santa Irene and descend afterwards to the small village of the same name. This is done taking in reference the road. Later, we arrive a village called Rúa and finally Pedrouzo.

  

  

Stage 5: Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela (20 km)

The last stage of the Path, already closely of the goal. A tour full of expectations, from Pedrouzo to Santiago passing for Monte de Gozo.

We leave from Pedrouzo's lodging towards the gas station of the entry of the village, where we return to the Path. We cross then towards the following village, Santo Antón, where we begin the ascension up to the entry to the municipality Santiagués, for forests of pines and eucalyptuses, in some places, also some oaks. On having arrived to the top, we pass next to the airport and begin the soft decrease towards to Lavacolla.

To Lavacolla, already close to Santiago, is found closely together Monte de Gozo, a small elevation from which the pilgrims take as the first time vision of the cathedral of Santiago. Monte de Gozo was reconstructed into a place for pilgrims. From here, the tour is practically urban, coming to the Cathedral across San Lázaro's neighborhood, going down already directly to the cathedral and entering for the Holy Door or, if it is not A Holy Year, for Azabachería's door.