Overview
The Camino Primitivo, or Original Way, is so called because it is believed to be the original route taken by pilgrims to Santiago. It is quieter, quicker and considered more demanding than the Camino Frances or the Camino Portugues as it crosses the rugged and diverse landscapes of the Asturias in Northern Spain. The Camino Primitivo joins up with the Camino Frances in Melide. This seven day walking holiday is on Camino Primitivo last 100km section, from Lugo to Santiago, staying in hotels and guesthouses, with luggage transfers.
- Lugo
- Melide
- O Pedrouzo
- Santiago de Compostela
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Lugo
Arrive in Lugo, famous for its Roman walls surrounding the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We recommend a stroll around the town walls or a visit to the cathedral.
- Accommodation: Hotel Esteoeste or similar in Lugo
Day 2: Lugo – A Ferreíra | 26.5km
From the Catedral de Lugo leave the city via the stone arches, then follow rural roads and forested gravel tracks to San Román de Retorta. Take the chance to stop for lunch before continuing through woodland roads to the hamlet of A Ferreíra.
- Walking for the day: 26.5km, 7-8h, ↑200m ↓200m
- Accommodation: Casa de Ponte or similar in Ferreira
Day 3: A Ferreíra – Melide | 20km
Cross the Roman bridge over the River Furelos and head uphill into Sierra del Careón, passing through O Requián and then O Monte da Feira. Continue on to Melide where we recommend a visit to the Old Town and trying the local delicacy, Pulpo a la Gallega. Melide is where the Camino Frances and Camino Primitivo merge.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 5h, ↑280m ↓350m
- Accommodation: Pensión San Antón or similar in Melide
Day 4: Melide – Arzúa | 14km
Leave Melide behind and continue the walk to Arzúa. Shortly after Melide, the route goes through oak and eucalyptus forests. Relax on the river bank at Ribadiso before ascending to Arzúa.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 4h, ↑150m ↓200m
- Accommodation: Pensión Rúa or similar in Arzúa
Day 5: Arzúa – O Pedrouzo | 19km
Before you leave Arzúa, take the chance to pick up some of its celebrated Arzúa-Ulloa cheese for lunch. Then continue on through the Old Quarter past sturdy oak trees, which give way to lush meadows. Visit the medieval shrine at Santa Irene and the baroque fountain of healing waters. End the day in O Pedrouzo, full of Galician culture and tradition which is the last stop for many pilgrims before they reach Santiago de Compostela.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4h
- Accommodation: Pensión Platas or similar in O Pedrouzo
Day 6: O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela | 19km
Today is the final stage of walking the Camino de Primitivo, taking you through rural landscapes and eucalyptus groves. Just before Monte del Gozo, pilgrims historically make one last stop at the spring in Lavacolla to wash their face and feet before they get to the cathedral. Enter the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and relish the end of your journey at the cathedral, surrounded by other pilgrims.
We recommend getting to Santiago in time for the pilgrim mass at midday. The winding streets of the old city offer so much history with museums such as the Pilgrim’s Museum and a modern art gallery to explore. In the evening, we recommend trying the fantastic seafood and white wines that Galicia is so famous for.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4h
- Accommodation: Lux Santiago or similar in Santiago de Compostela
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation while walking the Camino Primitivo includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, 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 default hotels
- Hotel Esteoeste (Lugo)
- Casa de Ponte (A Ferreíra)
- Pensión San Antón (Melide)
- Pensión Rúa (Arzúa)
- Pensión Platas (O Pedrouzo)
- Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse 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 moderate with daily distances ranging from 14-26km. The terrain is both flat and hilly but without steep ascents or descents (read more about difficulty grades). You follow a mixture of dirt roads, woodland paths, minor roads and some busier roads close to the bigger towns and cities.
The route is well marked with yellow painted arrows and a yellow shell on a blue background and is easy to follow. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. 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 from mid-March till the end of October. 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 blogs on the Best time to walk the Camino de Santiago and the Best time to go to Spain.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Santiago-Rosalía de Compostela Airport (SCQ). The alternative airport is A Coruña Airport (LCG).
By train or bus
Arrival in Lugo
- If you are able to travel to Lugo without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with train stations in A Coruña, Madrid and many other major cities. For more details, see the national rail operator Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
- From Santiago, there are regular bus services to Lugo (2h). For timetables and reservations, go to Alsa, Monbus or use the Omio planner above.
- From A Coruña, there are regular bus services to Lugo (1h 20mins – 2h). For timetables and reservations, go to Alsa, Arriva Galicia or use the Omio planner above.
Departure from Santiago de Compostela:
- There is a shuttle bus to the airport 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.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Pilgrim Kit: Credencial (passport) ad shell
- Maps
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Galician cheese tasting in Santiago (not on Sundays)
- Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela Old Town
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes & entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not specifically 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 are bookable upon request
- Airport transfers
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 are provided with one at the start of your walk in the Pilgrim Kit. You need to get your passport 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.
Please note: 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 – this is one of the reasons we’ve included an extra day in Santiago.
