Camino Sarria to Santiago de Compostela — Self-Guided From Sarria to Santiago de Compostela

Sarria deserves an unhurried stroll before you set off. Walk up Rúa Maior, the heart of the old town, past the churches of Santa Mariña and El Salvador — the latter Romanesque in origin — to the tower of the old fortress and the Monastery of A Madalena at the top of town. In the evening, a quiet dinner and your pack ready: tomorrow the last 100 km begin.

You leave Sarria across the river on the Ponte Áspera and climb through oak woods to Barbadelo and its Romanesque church of Santiago. The Camino continues through hamlets and meadows, and between Brea and Morgade you reach the famous 100 km marker. At the end, the descent to the Miño River reveals Portomarín, the town rebuilt high on the hillside, with its grand stairway and the fortress-church of San Nicolás, moved stone by stone when the Belesar reservoir flooded the old town.

The stage opens with a long climb from the Miño River through pine and eucalyptus to Gonzar and Castromaior, where you can see the remains of a castro, an ancient hill fort. Then come the Sierra de Ligonde and the Lameiros wayside cross, one of the most beautiful on the Camino. If you have the energy, take a short detour to the church of Vilar de Donas, a National Monument, before reaching Palas de Rei.

The longest stage — and, for many pilgrims, the most beautiful. The Camino passes the medieval hamlet of Leboreiro, crosses the bridge at Furelos, and reaches Melide, the capital of Galician-style octopus: stop and try it. Then come woods, streams, and the villages of Boente and Castañeda, the medieval bridge at Ribadiso, and finally Arzúa, cheese country. If you prefer, this stage can be split in two.

A shorter, gentler stage — a good day to rest your legs. The Camino winds through quiet hamlets and long eucalyptus forests with small ups and downs, passing Salceda, Santa Irene with its fountain and chapel, and A Rúa, to O Pedrouzo, the last stop before Santiago. It is a day to walk slowly and get your heart ready for the arrival.

The last day starts among eucalyptus trees, passes Amenal, and skirts the airport to Lavacolla, where, according to tradition, medieval pilgrims washed in the stream before entering the city. From Monte do Gozo you catch your first sight of the Cathedral towers. From there: the walk into Santiago, the streets of the old town, and at last Obradoiro Square. Then all that is left is to collect your Compostela at the Pilgrim’s Office.

Spend the morning visiting the Cathedral at your own pace: the Pórtico da Gloria, the embrace of the Apostle, and the crypt with the tomb of Saint James. The Pilgrim’s Mass is at noon, and at some services the Botafumeiro swings over the nave. If you still have time, stroll through the Alameda park and the Mercado de Abastos before you travel on.