Pilgrimage Itinerary

Day 1 - Wednesday 12th June Depart Dublin
Check-in at Dublin airport for your flight to Santiago de Compostela. On arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lugo where you will stay in the 4 star Hotel Mercure Lugo Centro for 3 nights with breakfast and dinner.

Day 2 - Thursday 13th June | Sarria to Portomarin - Walk 23km approx. 6hrs
After breakfast depart your hotel with your walk guide for a transfer to Sarria to begin your walk which will pass the monastery of La Magdalenain on the edge of the old town of Sarria. Here the group will have the option to celebrate Mass before beginning the final 100km of the Camino. On passing the cemetery you cross the �Ponte Aspera� bridge towards a pleasant and peaceful walk through many picturesque villages along quiet country roads shaded by vast oak trees. On the latter stage of the route you can see the ruins of the old monastery of Santa Mar�a de Loyo, the original building of the Order of St James. Enter Portomar�n over the river Mi�o via the modern bridge where you might get a glimpse of the old site of the village. On crossing you can ascend the Escalinata de Nuestra Se�ora de las Nieves, the little chapel at the top of the stairs before taking some time to relax and refresh in the town square before being picked up by your coach and retuning to the hotel for dinner.

Selection of shorter walks - Sarria to Peruscallo 8km | Mercadoiro to Portomarin 5km

Day 3 - Friday 14th June | Portomarin to Palas de Rei - Walk 24km approx. 6hrs 30mins

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and take the coach back to Portomarin. Leave Portomarin across the Belesar and around Monte San Antonio towards Ventas de Naron passing through the villages of Gonzar and Castromaior where a small Romanesque Church dedicated to the Virgin is located. On crossing the sierra de Ligonde on the Dorsal Galega (the Galicain Ridge) you enter the farming region of Ulloa where you begin to descend through oak trees and meadows. On your decent the first eucalyptus trees come into view and after Brea you ascend the Alto do Rosario, a traditional point for Pilgrims to stop for prayer, where you can see Monte Pico Sacro the mountain that overlooks Santiago de Compostela on a clear day. Continue into Palas de Rei your finishing point and take time to relax and explore before being collected by your coach and returned to the hotel for dinner.

Selection of shorter walks - Portomarin to Gonzar 7.7km | Gonzar to Hospital de la Cruz 2km | A Brea to Palas de Rei 5km

Day 4 - Saturday 15th June | Palas de Rei to Arzua - Walk 29km approx. 7hrs 30mins
Today you pack up and after breakfast leave for Palas de Rei via coach. Leaving Palas de Rei you descend towards San Xuli�n crossing over the river Ruxian. Continuing onward through the village of Casanova and many Galician hamlets. Before crossing the R�o Seco over the Magdalena bridge to Disecabo and the mediaeval Puente Velha which spans the R�o Furelos you will reach the main town of Melide. Continue the day through forest tracks, meadows and cornfields till you reach the villages of Boente and Rivadiso before continuing to Arzua. Where you will continue to Hotel Arzua and check-in to your rooms for a well-deserved rest.

Selection of shorter walks - Palas de Rei to O Cota 7km | Melide to Boente 5km or/and Boente to Ribadiso da Boente 8km

Day 5 - Sunday 16th June | Arzua to O Pedrouzo - Walk 22km approx. 5hrs 30mins
After breakfast leave the hotel and continue on our route to O Pedrouzo where you walk a shaded section of the Camino through more villages and hamlets such as Cortobe, Ferreiros and Santa Irene. You make your way across numerous streams, through woods and along quiet country roads before reaching O Prdrouzo. Here you will be met by your coach and transferred back to Arzua for the night.

Selection of shorter walks - Ribadiso da Baixo to Salceda 11km | Santa Irene to O Pedrouzo 4km
Day 6. Monday 17th June | O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela - Walk 20km approx. 5hrs
After breakfast you pack up and take the coach back to O Pedrouzo and walk via Amenal and Santiago airport to Lavacolla. Here you can follow tradition, by washing in the river to prepare ourselves for our arrival to the Holy City. Continue to Monte do Gozo, the mount of joy, here we will get our first glimpse of the Cathedral like so many pilgrims before. Here we take time to enjoy lunch before continuing to our goal, Santiago de Compostela. Complete your walk at The Obradoiro Square, here you can enjoy your achievement and witness the newly restored Cathedral and visit the tomb of St James. After you can collect your certificates with your official Camino Passport or Credencial del Peregrino from your guide before continuing to Hotel San Lorenzo where you check-in for 2 nights.

Selection of shorter walks - O Pedrouzo to Lavacolla 10km | San Marcos to the Cathedral in Santiago 6km
Day 7. Tuesday 18th June | Santiago de Compostela
After breakfast we can leave for the Pilgrims Mass at noon in the Cathedral. Visit the tomb of St. James again, absorb the wonderful architecture of the Cathedral, explore the many narrow cobbled streets, and enjoy the Galician cuisine. Return the short distance to the hotel for dinner.

Day 8 - Wednesday 19th June | Day of Departure
After breakfast in the hotel we take the day for some free time around the city. Where you can take the time for one last venture into the Cathedral's Square, spend the rest of the morning exploring the many restaurants shops and cafes before our transfer to the airport for our flight home.

For those who do not wish to walk the full route, a selection of short walks (between 5km and 11km) will be available for each walk day. This can allow those who might not be able for the full exertion to get a good feel for the Camino.



bIt is advised that people wishing to partake in this walking pilgrimage consult their doctor on their fitness to take part before booking. Each walk day will consist of 5 - 8 hrs of moderately difficult walking with uneven and rough terrain in parts