Camino de Santiago „Camino Francés“

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.

The next to last part of your pilgrim journey to Santiago de Compostela passes many small villages, which are located hidden in eucalyptus forests. Finally you reach Arca, the starting point of the last section to Santiago.

Now the path is leading you via river Rio Lavacolla, where pilgrims wash themselves before meeting the apostle to San Marcos, the last village before you reach Santiago. You can see the cathedral already from afar. Via mountain Monte do Gozo with memorial remembering of the visit of pope Johannes Paul II. you walk down into the city of St. James.

Loop tour and visit of the impressing and antique cathedral of Santiago, a popular place of pilgrimage for Christians, with more than 75.000 pilgrims visiting yearly. Before you explore the historic old city, which is part of the UNESCO world cultural heritage, you should participate at the impressing pilgrim Mass.