Overview
Spend a week on the last section of the Camino Frances, walking from Sarria to Santiago in 7 days, with five walking days in total. This is the last 100km of the Camino de Santiago Frances route, which is the minimum required to earn your Compostela Certificate, strolling at a moderate pace and enjoying the camaraderie and culture of Galicia. Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses, all welcoming pilgrims and walkers on the camino, with luggage transfers.
- Portomarín
- Melide
- Catedral Basilica de Santiago de Compostela, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Santiago de Compostela
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Sarria
Arrive in the small Galician town of Sarria. If time allows, visit Mosteiro de San Xulián de Samos, an active Benedictine monastery in the nearby town of Samos (15mins by taxi, payable locally).
- Accommodation: Hotel DP Cristal or similar in Sarria
Day 2: Sarria – Portomarín | 22km
Leave Sarria behind, passing Torre de Sarria, a medieval fortress located on the outskirts of the town. Today marks your first walk on the Camino Frances and it is mainly along small country roads, and some pathways. Most of the roads are tree-lined, providing welcome shade from the sun, and the route passes through many hamlets and villages, so there are plenty of places to stop for refreshments along the way. The trail leads through Barbadelos and Ferreiros, before reaching Encoro de Belesar, where the remains of the former site of Portomarín lie beneath the water, due to the creation of the reservoir in the 1960s. The final stretch of today’s route follows the banks of the River Miño to Portomarín, where we recommend visiting Igrexa de San Xoán de Portomarín, a church that was transported brick by brick during Portomarín’s relocation.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5-6h, ↑200m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Pensión Mar or similar in Portomarín
Day 3: Portomarín – Palas de Rei | 25km
Today’s section of the camino begins by crossing the Miño, followed by a steady climb to reach the neighbouring hamlets of Gonzar and Castromaior. Take a break to visit the tiny Romanesque church, Igrexa de Santa María de Castromaior. Continue along country roads lined with bright yellow gorse flowers, pine and oak trees, up to the highest point of today’s walk, Sierra de Ligonde (750m), before descending to the hamlet of Ligonde. For the last 3km, follow a dirt track alongside the main road and head towards Palas de Rei.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 6h, ↑450m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Hotel Mica or similar in Palas de Rei
Day 4: Palas de Rei – Arzúa | 29km
Leaving Palas de Rei, enter the province of A Coruña and embark on one of the longest, but technically very easy, sections of your journey. Pilgrims consider this section as the start of the countdown to Santiago de Compostela, since shortly after Coto, stone markers along the path indicate the remaining distance. Much of the route is shaded, particularly after Melide, where the trail winds through oak and eucalyptus forests. Melide is where the Camino Primitivo merges with the Camino Frances and it’s a great place to stop for a rest. Try the famous Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician-style octopus) before continuing on your way to Arzúa, a town famous for its cheese.
- Walking for the day: 29km, 7h, ↑225m ↓400m
- Accommodation: Hotel Arzúa or similar in Arzúa
Day 5: Arzúa – O Pedrouzo/Amenal | 19-22km
In Arzúa, be sure to pick up some delicious local cheese for lunch, before heading on your way. Walk through the historic quarter of the town, and continue on the trail past large oak trees, which soon give way to meadows. Spend some time in the village of Santa Irene and visit the medieval shrine and the Baroque water fountain, known as the Fountain of Eternal Youth, which was said to cure the plagues of pilgrims. Arrive at O Pedrouzo or Amenal, where your accommodation awaits.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4-5h, ↑200m ↓225m (22km if staying in Amenal)
- Accommodation: O Acivro or similar in O Pedrouzo (Hotel Amenal or similar in Amenal)
Day 6: O Pedrouzo/Amenal – Santiago de Compostela | 16-19km
Spend the final stage walking mostly through rural landscapes and eucalyptus groves. At Monte del Gozo, religious pilgrims historically make one last stop at the spring in Lavacolla, to wash their face and feet before presenting themselves to the Saint. Enter the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and walk the final steps to reach the famous Catedral Basilica de Santiago de Compostela.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 5h, ↑175m ↓175m (16km if starting in Amenal)
- Accommodation: Hotel Lux Santiago or similar in Santiago de Compostela
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast, or extend your stay in Santiago de Compostela.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their proximity to the camino, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Important: We aim to book your accommodation in each town listed on the itinerary. However, depending on availability, it may be necessary to book two nights in the same town, in which case private transfers would be provided. On some occasions, your accommodation may be located a few kilometres away from the trail, transportation would also be provided in this case.
Click to view sample hotels
- Hotel DP Cristal (Sarria)
- Pensión Mar (Portomarín)
- Hotel Mica (Palas de Rei)
- Hotel Arzúa (Arzúa)
- O Acivro (O Pedrouzo) or Hotel Amenal (Amenal)
- Hotel Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included (usually a simple buffet breakfast/coffee and toast/bread/croissant) on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Where no dinner is included, most places serve hearty pilgrim menus – you can get a three course dinner including wine for about €14-18 per person.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded easy to moderate and the average daily walking distance is 23km. The terrain is mainly flat, sometimes hilly, but without steep ascents or descents. The route follows a mixture of dirt roads, woodland paths and minor roads, as well as some busier roads nearby to the bigger towns and cities. The route is way-marked with yellow painted arrows and the symbol of a yellow shell on a blue background, it is well-signed and easy to follow (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available all year round, from January until the end of December. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season. Please note supplements may apply on certain dates during major holidays, such as Easter, Christmas and New Year.
The best months for this walking holiday are April to June and September to October, as during the summer months it may become too hot and crowded. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to walk the Camino de Santiago.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Santiago-Rosalía de Castro (SCQ), or alternatively A Coruña (LCG).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in Sarria and Santiago de Compostela. For more details, visit Renfe or see the Omio planner above
- Arrival in Sarria: the best way to reach Sarria is to fly into Santiago de Compostela Airport. There is one direct bus from the airport to Sarria per day, usually at 11:15am (check the timetable on Monbus). Alternatively, take a shuttle bus from the airport to the central bus station in Santiago de Compostela (every 30mins). From there, travel to Lugo by bus (see Alsa) and then take another local bus from Lugo to Sarria (35mins, at least six services a day). Check up-to-date timetables at Monbus or use the Omio planner above
- On weekdays, there is also a direct bus from the Santiago de Compostela central bus station to Sarria with the company Monbus
- Flying to A Coruña: there are two direct train services to Sarria a day (2h 15mins). For more information and tickets, visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above
- Departure from Santiago de Compostela: take the shuttle bus to the airport from the city centre
- From Santiago de Compostela, there are regular train services to many destinations in Spain. For more information and tickets, visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above
- It is also possible to book arrival and departure airport transfers
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers on all walking days (one piece up to 20kg per person, with a fee for any additional pieces)
- Galician cheese tasting in Santiago de Compostela (except Sundays)
- Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela Old Town
- Pilgrim’s Passport and scallop
- Digital pack (general route information and simple maps)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Additional luggage
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights along the trail can be booked upon request
- Airport transfers
- Supplements may apply on certain dates during major holidays, such as Easter, Christmas and New Year
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
You will need to get your Pilgirm’s Passport stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way, if you wish to obtain your Compostela Certificate at the end of the walk in Santiago de Compostela. A minimum of two stamps per day is required to obtain the certificate. For more information visit Los sellos del Camino.
Important: due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, to avoid long wait times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago de Compostela has installed a numbered ticket system for issuing pilgrim certificates (the Compostela). This new system allows pilgrims to collect their tickets and, using a QR code, pilgrims are able to check the status of the queue and the estimated wait time. However, the number of tickets per day is limited, so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving, there is the possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will have to return the following morning to collect it.
Therefore, if obtaining a pilgrim certificate is important to you, and if you plan to undertake the camino between 15 April and 15 October, we recommend arranging your return travel in such a way that will allow time in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival there. Better still, we would recommend booking a second night there, so that you can collect the certificate without rushing and with ample time to explore the city.
