French Way ClassicSelf-guided from Sarria

Welcome to Sarria, the best-known starting point of the Camino de Santiago. Take time to settle into your hotel and enjoy the town before your walking journey begins. Explore Sarria’s old quarter, with its stepped streets, stone houses, and views across the surrounding countryside. You may also wish to take a gentle walk beside the river, stop for a drink on one of the terraces, and enjoy your first taste of Galician hospitality before dinner. Tomorrow, your Camino begins.

Finally, the day has come to begin your pilgrimage. Your Camino starts by climbing through Sarria’s old medieval quarter before leading you into the green Galician countryside. Today’s route passes small villages, quiet meadows, oak woods, and traditional stone houses with slate roofs. Your destination is Portomarín, a distinctive riverside town overlooking the Belesar reservoir. The original village was moved stone by stone to higher ground in the 1960s before the valley was flooded.

The bridge across the Belesar reservoir leads you out of Portomarín and into peaceful woodland, where a steady climb accompanies much of the day. The route is particularly beautiful today, combining quiet country lanes, forests, and open Galician farmland. There are also several interesting places just a short distance from the Camino, including the ancient Celtic settlement of Castromaior and the 12th-century Romanesque church of Vilar de Donas.

The route you are walking has been protected by the Knights of the Order of Santiago since 1184, and they have left many surprises for us to discover as we walk to Santiago. Your destination is Melide, one of the liveliest towns on this section of the Camino. It is well known for Pulpo á Feira, Galicia’s traditional octopus dish served with olive oil, paprika, and salt. Melide is also where the Camino Francés joins the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo.

Today is a shorter and gentler walking day. By now, the rhythm of the Camino may begin to feel more familiar. Your body is getting used to the walking, your steps feel lighter, and there is more time to enjoy the simple moments along the way: a coffee in a village bar, a quiet stretch of woodland, or a conversation with fellow pilgrims. You will arrive in Arzúa, a traditional Galician town known for its local Tetilla cheese. Its mild and creamy flavor is one of the region’s best-known specialties.

With only around 40 km left to Santiago, the atmosphere along the Way begins to change. Pilgrims are increasingly aware that the end of their journey is approaching. The route today passes through eucalyptus forests, small villages, and quiet country roads, with long stretches that invite reflection before the final arrival in Santiago. The scenery becomes more wooded and enclosed, with tall trees and soft light filtering through the branches. Many of the villages you pass are small and peaceful, appearing almost untouched by time.

This is it. Only 20 km separate you from your destination: Santiago de Compostela and the Cathedral that has drawn pilgrims from across Europe for centuries. Soon, you will enter the city itself and make your way toward Praza do Obradoiro, where the Cathedral stands at the end of your journey. Take time to enjoy the moment, celebrate your arrival, and reflect on the days you have walked. You still have plenty to do today: check in at your hotel, collect your Compostela, attend the Pilgrim Mass, and admire the architecture of our beloved city.

Your Camino journey ends after breakfast. You may choose to extend your stay in Santiago, spend more time exploring the Cathedral and old town, enjoy a guided visit, or continue onward to Finisterre and the Atlantic coast. A wise pilgrim once told us, “The real Camino starts where the Camino de Santiago finishes, but I will not be afraid because the Camino will always be there for me.” We hope the Camino has brought you whatever you were looking for, and we hope to see you again soon.