Are you physically ready to walk the Camino?

  • By Eva May 06, 2019
Seniors training for the camino

We get asked this question a lot! And for good reason, as the Camino itself can be remote and not easy to “get off” of in the middle of a stage. But that being said, the Camino is accessible for all ages and all fitness levels. The last 100 km of the French Camino are by far the easiest, as you’re not crossing the Pyrenees and the uphills and distances are manageable.

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Same-day rooms on el Camino

  • By Jackie Apr 30, 2019
closed albergue

I recently received a call from a family that wanted some advice on walking the Camino de Santiago this summer. They had booked their flights into Spain and were going to start walking from St. Jean Pied de Port, walk a few days, then take a train down to Sarria and walk the last 100km. They had read from guide books and forums that it is easy to find overnight accommodations upon arriving at the major towns, even if it is in a crowded albergue (hostel), and they wanted to confirm that this was the case.

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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.

Five Reasons to walk el Camino

  • By Jackie Dec 18, 2018
fountain
Walking the Camino is a liberating experience. You are away from your daily life and there is something magical about taking part in a 1000-year-old tradition. It is not only the physical aspect of walking, but the inward journey everyone is taking and the solidarity that brings people together.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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