Winter Camino from Ponferrada — Self-Guided From Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela

Ponferrada is the gateway to the Winter Camino. Visit the Templar Castle, one of the great medieval fortresses of Spain, and the Basilica of La Encina, in the historic center. The Winter Camino was the route pilgrims chose to avoid the snow on the climb to O Cebreiro — and tomorrow you start walking it along the valley of the Sil River.

The stage leaves Ponferrada and crosses villages of El Bierzo, among chestnut trees and vineyards, to Las Médulas. The reddish mountains, carved by the Romans to extract gold, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. If you still have energy, climb to the Orellán viewpoint to see the landscape from above.

After Las Médulas, the Camino descends into the Sil valley and passes through Puente de Domingo Flórez before entering Galicia. The landscape gradually changes to vineyard-covered slopes and stone villages, until you reach O Barco de Valdeorras, the first large Galician town on the route.

A short stage through the vineyards of the Valdeorras Designation of Origin, famous for its white wine made from the Godello grape. The Camino follows the Sil River, with few climbs, and arrives early in A Rúa — spend the afternoon tasting a Godello or visiting a local winery.

The Sil River cuts deep between the mountains, and the Camino follows the hillside, passing stone villages and chestnut woods. Near Quiroga lies the Roman tunnel of Montefurado, dug to divert the river and mine the gold in its bed. In Quiroga, the landscape already hints at the Ribeira Sacra.

A stage through the rural heart of the Ribeira Sacra, a land of Romanesque churches, chestnut groves and small villages with hórreos. The Camino rises and falls between green valleys, far from the main roads, to A Pobra do Brollón, a quiet town where the rhythm of inland Galicia takes over.

A short day to Monforte de Lemos, dominated by the hill with the monastery of San Vicente do Pino and the tower of the old castle. In the lower town, the Colegio de Nuestra Señora de la Antigua, known as the "Galician Escorial," holds paintings by El Greco. It is worth setting aside the afternoon to visit the town.

The longest stage of the Winter Camino crosses the Ribeira Sacra to the Minho River. The descent to Belesar, through terraced vineyards that seem to hang from the slope, is one of the most impressive landscapes on the entire Camino de Santiago. After crossing the Minho, the climb leads to Chantada.

Today the Camino climbs into inland Pontevedra and passes Monte Faro, with its sanctuary at more than a thousand meters above sea level and views that, on clear days, take in much of Galicia. The descent continues through hills and pastures to Rodeiro, a town of cattle farming and rural traditions.

A peaceful stage through fields, woods and villages to Lalín, the capital of cozido gallego, celebrated every year at a food festival famous throughout Galicia. If your appetite allows, this is your chance to try the dish on its home turf — and to rest up for the final days.

From Lalín, the Winter Camino joins the Vía de la Plata, and the arrows now point along the route that comes from Seville. The stage is short and pleasant to Silleda; nearby, the Romanesque monastery of Carboeiro, above the Deza River, is one of the most beautiful in inland Galicia.

The Camino crosses Bandeira and continues through woods and villages to the valley of the Ulla River. The descent to Ponte Ulla, with its large railway viaduct and the bridge over the river, is the prelude to your arrival. On the horizon you can already see Pico Sacro, the mountain linked to the legends of the arrival of the Apostle's body.

The last day climbs up from the Ulla River and continues through villages to the gates of Santiago. You enter from the south, past the Collegiate Church of Santa María de Sar, with its leaning columns, before climbing to the historic center and Obradoiro Square. It is almost 300 km from Ponferrada — your Compostela is more than well earned.

To wrap up the trip, visit the Cathedral Museum and the Pazo de Xelmírez, the former archbishops' palace, and stroll through Praza das Praterías. If you have time left, Bonaval Park and the Museo do Pobo Galego tell the story of the land you have crossed. At noon, the Pilgrim's Mass brings the Winter Camino to a close.