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DISTANCE

70 miles

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DURATION

8 days

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LEVEL

Moderate

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ROUTE

Madrid - Sarria - Santiago

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  • 24/7 support

From:
$2,350

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El Camino, a spiritual pilgrimage in faith

  • TOUR TYPE: Guided
  • GROUP SIZE: 10
  • AGE: 14+
  • ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels & Rural Houses
  • TRANSPORTATION: Train, Walk

Join us on a camino pilgrimage through beautiful landscapes and small towns in northern Spain to the tomb of St. James the apostle in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Enjoy this unique opportunity to live a Catholic tradition on a trip you will remember for years to come.

Cathedral of Santiago

Living Pilgrimage

Experience firsthand the route that pilgrims have been walking since the Middle Ages and learn about their churches, the local customs, culture and language. Share your faith and spiritual experiences with others on the trail. Attend daily mass in the evening at each of the villages.

Seniors trekking on trail

Faith in Action

This pilgrimage is a physically active trip open to people of all ages. Many people over 60 complete a camino pilgrimage every year. Pilgrims walk for 5-6 hours a day in a safe environment with guides and a vehicle nearby to support them. It is an opportunity to share a meaningful experience with fellow Catholics while staying active and enjoying the outdoors.

Inside Santiago Cathedral

Trust the Experts

Our company is based in Houston and specializes in organizing guided pilgrimages to el Camino. Our founders lived 10 years in Spain and know the culture inside and out. Our tour guides speak English and Spanish and will make this trip a safe, comfortable and memorable experience for you.

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Highlights

  • Share the Catholic pilgrimage experience
  • Meet pilgrims from around the world
  • Live and reflect on your Catholic faith
  • Discover Spain's culture and history
  • Visit the tomb of St James the apostle
  • Experience an ancient Catholic tradition
  • Daily Mass available
  • Eligible for the official certificate of completion from the Church

pilgrims walking on el camino

Itinerary

Day 1. Meet in Madrid

Meet in Madrid

  • madrid train station backdrop with skyscrapers
Our team will meet you in Madrid where our journey will begin. Your welcome packet contains directions to the station and your meeting point. Our trip starts with a journey by train to Sarria, where we will have our welcome dinner and spend the night, resting as we prepare for the first walking day.

Meals: Dinner. Overnight: Sarria

Day 2: Sarria - Portomarin (14 mi)

Sarria - Portomarín

  • Cruceiro Sarria (main)
Sarria is strategically placed just over the 100Km mark away from Santiago which is the minimum distance eligible for the completion certificate (Compostela). It is the ideal starting place for new Camino walkers. The day starts at one of the most beautiful oak groves in El Camino. Along the way, you will see Romanesque building remains, rustic crossings and a medieval bridge together with several historical sites like the church of Santiago de Barbadelo or the church of San Fiz de Reimondez. As you reach the end of the stage you will cross over the Miño river.

Meals: B,L,D. Overnight: Portomarín

Day 3: Portomarin - Palas de Rei (16 mi)

Portomarín - Palas de Rei

  • Pilgrims on path leaving Portomarin (main)
Portomarín dates back to the Roman invasion of Spain and was an important stop along the route in the Middle Ages. You can visit its 13th century church and see the ancient roman bridge when the river runs low. This stage will take you through the region of Monterroso and Palas de Rei, crossing renowned villages like Gonzar, Castromaior (with its famous Castro) and Ligonde.

Meals: B,L,D. Overnight: Palas de Rei

Day 4: Palas de Rei - Melide (10 mi)

Palas de Rei - Melide

  • Cabazo in Leboreiro (main)
Palas de Rei was the old residence of the visigoth king Witiza in the 8th century where you can visit the church of St. Tirso dating from the 12th century. We will set on foot for Melide today, an important town where both the Northern Camino and the Camino Primitivo merge with the French. For this reason, you'll find more pilgrims on the following stages until you arrive in Santiago.

Meals: B,L,D. Overnight: Melide

Day 5: Melide - Arzúa (9 mi)

Melide - Arzúa

  • St Mary of Melide (main)
After enjoying the local food in Melide, we will make our way to Arzúa. The route is a mix of well conserved and repaired trails together with some more abrupt sections. You will cross the Iso river and reach the village of Ribadiso while walking through some of the most spectacular scenery in el Camino. We will make sure to try the renowned cheese varieties from this region (Arzúa-Ulloa). In March they hold a Cheese festival at the village dedicated to this local staple, famous enough to carry its own trademark.

Meals: B,L,D. Overnight: Arzúa

Day 6: Arzúa - O Pedrouzo (12 mi)

Arzúa - Rúa/O Pedrouzo

  • St. Irene Church (main)
After our stay in Arzúa, where you can visit the Convent of Mary Magdalen and the parochial church of Santiago, we'll get our pilgrim passports stamped and head out to the town of O Pedrouzo. This stage takes you through quiet forest paths with eucalyptus groves between villages that are so small with houses so spread out that it is hard to tell where one village ends and the next one begins. The scenery is one of the most beautiful throughout el Camino. Towards the end of the stage, we will visit the chapel and fountain of St Irene, built in the Baroque style.

Meals: B,L,D. Overnight: O Pedrouzo

Day 7: O Pedrouzo - Santiago (12 mi)

O Pedrouzo - Santiago

  • Cathedral of Santiago (main)
Ready with anticipation as this is the final stage of the journey on the Camino, some pilgrims eager to reach their final goal in Santiago usually make it through this stage pretty fast. Other pilgrims, sad to see their wonderful time on the Camino coming to an end, choose to take it easy through the leaf covered paths. Monte de Gozo (Hill of Joy) is the first place from where you can see the spires in Santiago's Cathedral. After that, you will arrive in Santiago where you can visit the famous Obradoiro square, the Cathedral and have a chance to hug the apostle.

Meals: B,L,D. Overnight: Madrid

Day 8: Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

  • San Martin Pinario Monastery
In the morning, take some time to tour Santiago's main landmarks. Find out about Santiago's rich cultural heritage and visit its famous monuments and squares. Your Camino adventure ends after breakfast. If you would like to extend your tour with other activities, let us know and we'll arrange them for you. Congratulations, you did it!

Meals: Breakfast.

$2,350
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Booking Policy

Prices

This tour is a land-tour only.
Tour prices listed are per person, in double occupancy accommodations.

Tour Options
  • SINGLE OCCUPANCY SUPPLEMENT: $449
  • ADD AIRFARE: Request a quote at checkout

Payment

  • RESERVE NOW: Only $500 due today
  • PAY LATER: Balance due 60 days before tour
  • CANCEL FOR FREE: up to 60 days before tour

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We're right behind you!

Guides: Our guides are great! They speak both English and Spanish and are here to respond to your needs on the spot. They will teach you the local culture, the secrets of el Camino and in short, turn your trip into a memorable experience.

Luggage Transfer: Carry just a small backpack on the trail as we transfer your luggage to your hotel for you every day. It will be waiting for you when you arrive from your walk.

Support Vehicle: Our support vehicle will meet you at checkpoints along the way to see how you are managing. Feel free to stop and take a break with us, drink some water and get any other assistance you need.

Welcome packet: Our complete information package includes your pilgrim credential, maps for the walk and hotels and all the information you need during the tour.