Overview
Walk the last 100km of the classic French Way (Camino Frances) of the camino from Saria to Santiago de Compostela (the minimum required to earn your Compostela). This final section of the walk takes you through the region of Galicia in Northern Spain to Santiago for a unique experience you’ll treasure forever.
We also offer an 8-day version of this itinerary, with an overnight in beautiful Melide. Or, if you prefer a more relaxed pace, we have an 12-day itinerary.
- Want to bring your four-legged friend with you? No problem, we are among the few companies that can accommodate (at a small extra charge) dog-friendly holidays on the camino – and they will get their own Compostela Certificate!
- Prefer an easier version? Check our Camino Frances Last 100km Relaxed: Sarria to Santiago in 12 Days itinerary. Walk the last 100km in at a leisurely pace and take your time to explore the beautiful villages along the route, the local culture and the Galician cuisine.
- Church of San Juan of Portomarín – an unusual Late Romanesque temple
- Melide
- Cathedral of Santiago – the aim of every pilgrim, a UNESCO heritage site
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Sarria
Arrive in the small Galician town of Sarria. If you arrive early, we strongly recommend taking a taxi to Samos and visiting the monastery that was founded in the 6th century and has welcomed pilgrims since then.
- Accommodation: DP Cristal, Duerming Villa de Sarria or similar in Sarria
Day 2: Sarria – Portomarín | 22km
Setting off for Portomarín, pass Sarria Castle and start the first walk on the camino, mainly along small country roads and a few pathways. Most of the roads are tree-lined and will provide good shade in the sun. There are hamlets every kilometre or so no need to worry about water or food. Sit down and take a short rest whenever needed and hear interesting stories from other pilgrims. Upon arrival in Portomarín, we recommend a visit to the Church of San Juan.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5-6h, ↑200m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Pousada Portomarín, Pensión Mar or similar in Portomarín
Day 3: Portomarín – Palas de Rei | 24km
Today the camino crosses the Minho river and then steadily climbs upwards before passing through Gonzar and Castromaior, where the tiny Romanesque Church of Santa Maria is situated. Continue along country roads edged by bright yellow gorse, pine and oak trees to reach the high point of today’s walk at Sierra de Ligonde (750m), then descend to the old hamlet of Ligonde, once a popular resting point along the camino. For the last 3km, walk on a dirt track alongside the main road leading into Palas de Rei.
- Walking for the day: 24km, 6h, ↑450m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Hotel Mica, Casa Avelina or similar in Palas de Rei
Day 4: Palas de Rei – Arzúa | 29km
Start one of the longest but technically very easy sections of the route. Pilgrims consider this section the start of the countdown because shortly after Coto, there are stone markers at the side of the path with the distance to Santiago marked. Much of the route is shaded and shortly after Melide, it goes through oak and eucalyptus forests. Melide is where the Camino Primitivo merges with the Camino Frances. We recommend stopping in Melide and take the opportunity to eat the famous Pulpo a la Gallega (Gallician-style octopus) before finally arriving in Arzúa, which is famous for its cheese.
- Walking for the day: 29km, 7h, ↑225m ↓400m
- Accommodation: Hotel Arzúa, Pension Casa Costoya or similar in Arzúa
Day 5: Arzúa – O Pedrouzo/Amenal | 19/22km
Just before you leave Arzúa, pick up some delicious local cheese for lunch, then continue through the Old Quarter of the town with the trail then leading you past large oak trees, which give way to meadows. Visit the medieval shrine at Santa Irene and the Baroque Fountain of Healing Waters
- Walking for the day: 19.3km, 4-5h, ↑200m ↓225m (22km if you overnight in Amenal)
- Accommodation: O Acivro, Hotel Bello, Hotel Amenal or similar in O Pedrouzo/Amenal
Day 6: O Pedrouzo/Amenal – Santiago de Compostela | 19/16km
It is the final stage. Walk mostly through rural settings and eucalyptus groves. At Monte del Gozo, pilgrims historically make one last stop at the spring in Lavacolla to wash their face and feet before presenting themselves before the Saint. Enter the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and relish the end of the journey at the Cathedral.
- Walking for the day: 19.4km, 5h, ↑175m ↓175m (16km if starting in Amenal)
- Accommodation: Alameda Rooms, Hotel Lux Santiago or similar in Santiago de Compostela
Day 7: Departure
We can arrange extra nights in Santiago for you, or enjoy a well-deserved long breakfast before departure.
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 you into each town listed on the itinerary. However, in case of low availability, we may book you two nights in the same town with provided transfers. Also, on some occasions, your accommodation can be located a few kilometres away from the trail, so we organise transportation to/from your accommodation.
Click to view sample hotels
- Hotel DP Cristal, Duerming Villa de Sarria (Sarria)
- Pousada Portomarín, Pensión Mar (Portomarín)
- Hotel Mica, Casa Avelina (Palas de Rei)
- Hotel Arzúa, Pensión Casa Costoya (Arzúa)
- O Acivro, Hotel Bello, Hotel Amenal (O Pedrouzo/Amenal)
- Alameda Rooms, Hotel Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
* Hotels are 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 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 lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Most places serve hearty pilgrim menus – you can get a three course meal including wine and water for £10-12.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded easy to moderate and includes walks of 19km per day on average; the terrain is flat or hilly without steep ascents or descents, with a mixture of dirt roads, woodland paths, minor roads and some busier roads close to the bigger towns and cities. The routes are well-marked and the itinerary is very easy to follow. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows and a yellow shell on a blue background. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain (read more about difficulty grades). We will provide you with maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available all year round, from January till the end of December. The best months to visit are April–June and September–October as in summer months it may become too hot (and crowded). 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. 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 de Compostela (SCQ). The alternative airport is A Coruña (LCG).
By train or bus
- Arrival in Sarria: The best way to reach Sarria is to fly into Santiago de Compostela airport and first get a shuttle bus to the central bus station of Santiago (with Freire; every 30mins). From there, you can travel to Lugo with Freire or Alsa and then take another local bus from Lugo to Sarria (35mins; at least 6 services a day). Check up-to-date timetables at Monbus or use the Omio planner above.
- On weekdays (Monday to Friday), there is also a direct bus from the Santiago de Compostela central bus station to Sarria with the company Monbus. But remember that you first have to travel to town to the central bus station as described above.
- If 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: There is a shuttle bus to the airport of Santiago from the centre of Santiago with different stops in the city. Check Freire for more details, or use the Omio planner above.
- From Santiago, there are regular train services to many destinations in Spain. For more information and tickets, visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
- You can also book private transfers with us.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights in private rooms with en-suite facilities
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece up to 20kg per person; each additional piece should be paid)
- Galician cheese tasting in Santiago (not on Sundays)
- Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)
- Maps
- Pilgrim Kit: passport (Credencial) and shell (Vieira)
- 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 on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
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; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Dog-friendly option
- Airport transfers
- Supplements may apply if you travel over Easter, Christmas, New Year and other major holidays.
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
You – and your dog if you bring one 😉 need to get your passports stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way. At the end of the walk, in Santiago de Compostela, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate. A minimum of two stamps per day is required to obtain the certificate. For avid stamp hunters, visit Los sellos del Camino.
Important: Due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, and to avoid long waiting times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago 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, to check the status of the queue and estimated waiting time to obtain the Compostela. However, the number of tickets per day is limited so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving, there is a possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will have to return for it on the following morning.
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 that you arrange the return travel in such a way that you will be in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival. Better still, we encourage you to book a second night in Santiago so that you can collect the certificate without rushing and enjoy the charms of the city!
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