Experience Overview
The vast expansion of its humble Roman roads connecting France and Spain has, over time, fanned out across Iberia and western Europe, making it one of the most unmissable long distance trails in the world.
On this seven-night walk, you'll start in Sarria, a large town famed for Galicia's antique fairs. From here you'll walk along farm tracks, paths and country lanes, and through vineyards, stopping off at churches to admire the frescoes and tavernas for lunch en route. Be sure to have your Pilgrim Passport stamped in bars, hotels and churches along the way to qualify for a certificate from the official Pilgrim Office in Santiago.
Profile
— 7 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation — Continental breakfast and 6 evening meals — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Route directions — Luggage transfers between hotels — Walking transfers — Pilgrim's Passport
At a Glance
— 7 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation — Continental breakfast and 6 evening meals — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Route directions — Luggage transfers between hotels — Walking transfers — Pilgrim's Passport
Trip For You
Walking ConditionsAverage daily distance: 19.8km (12.6miles). No. of days walking: 6Terrain and route: Walks on this holiday are on village streets, country lanes , farm tracks and rural paths. Walking boots are essential. Walking poles are recommended.Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to walk independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodation, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can walk at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next. It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked. As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There maybe others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The routes notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the hotels are normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.
Group Description
As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. A local agent/representative is on hand to assist you and will meet you at the beginning of the week to go through the route notes and point out particular places of interest. Your luggage is transferred from point to point and route notes and maps are provided. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number. In an emergency, the local representative is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.
Eating Drinking
Food along the Camino de Santiago is generally fresh local produce, simply prepared and presented with lots of great flavours. The emphasis in the majority of restaurants is on hearty fare for hungry walkers.Galicia in particular is famous for having excellent seafood. Among other dishes you may encounter the ‘empanada gallega’, a simple flat pie which can be stuffed with almost anything including pisto (Spanish ratatouille), tuna or meat, mixed with a base of lightly fried onions, green peppers and tomato. Pimientos are small green peppers, usually lightly fried in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Lacón con Grelos is a popular meat based dish - boiled meat from the front leg of a pig. Grelos are turnip leaves - the lacón and grelos are boiled together and served with sausage and potatoes. Stews are also common to revitalise hungry visitors - Caldo Gallego is a Galician broth full of cabbage, potatoes and beans, often with ham, sausage and pork added to make a filling main course. Dessert is sometimes the ubiquitous ‘flan’ - a variation on crème caramel, or pancakes stuffed with honey, sugar, custard or jam. Along the Camino you can always find ‘tarta de Santiago’ a dry cake made with almonds, often with a sugar dusted cross on the top - sweet, delicious and filling. There are five Denominaciones de origen in Galicia: Ribeiro, Valdeorras, Rias Baixas, Ribeira Sacra and Monterrey. Although known almost exclusively for their white wines, each also produces red wine.
Joining Instructions
Alternative Air TravelAlternative flights, onward rail to your holiday area, and connecting private transfers can be arranged from most UK airports. If you would like to use one of the many 'low cost' airlines, we can book these on your behalf (£30 admin fee per person). We can also book UK shuttles to connect with your onward flight, please call for details and prices. Alternative transfersIf you require alternative transfers then we can usually arrange these for you (there may be an additional charge).
Transfer Details
Air-rail prices include our standard flights, onward rail and station transfersIberia Heathrow to Santiago de Compostela via Madrid 06:20/13:00 then transfer to hotel 90 mins. Return: Taxi to airport approx. 15-20 mins payable locally (around 15-20€) then Iberia Santiago de Compostela to Heathrow via Madrid 13:35/17:20.
Weather Information
In April and October expect temperatures in the 40-60°F/5-15°C with high chance of rain showers though it could also be simply partly cloudy and more temperate. Temperatures in May, June and September tend to be about 10°F/5°C warmer than April and October. Expect a combination of sun, showers and clouds. July and August are typically sunny and warm (60-80°F/15-25°C). Occasionally in summer there can be hot days so it is always important to make sure you have enough water.
Spending Money
— Lunch is not included in the itinerary and some dinners are left open where there are good restaurant choices, please allow some spending money for this. We recommend approximately €5-15 (US$4.50-13) per lunch and €20-30 (US$18-27) for dinner.
Highlights
— Walk along one of the most famous UNESCO pilgrimage routes in the world — Excellent mix of accommodation, including a converted water mill, restored parish houses and stylish farmhouses — Poppy-sprinkled wheat fields, orchid-rich water meadows, pine-scented woodland — Share in a breathtaking 1000-year-old sense of achievement with other walkers — Pilgrim Passport to record your adventure en route.Trip Details
Product Code: 22845
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport:
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator: Exodus Travel
Supplier Code: W07CS
Starts: Sarria, Camino de Santiago
Finishes: Sarria, Camino de Santiago
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating: Unknown
Includes
— All accommodation — Continental breakfast and 6 evening meals — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Route directions — Luggage transfers between hotels — Walking transfers — Pilgrim's Passport — Arrival and departure transfers (if booking a flight inclusive package)Accommodation
HotelsYour accommodation for the week is diverse including restored parish houses, converted water mills and stylish farmhouses, all packed with period features. A phrase book will come in handy for some of the hotels where the owners don't speak English.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2,310 ($289 /day)
Itinerary
Arrive at your hotel in Sarria. (Staying at Rectoral de Goian, Half Board)
Today starts with a walk along the Roman bridge that leads out of Sarria up the Celerio Valley. Cross through the hamlets of the southern edge of the Sierra del Paramo then descend into Portomarin - the original village was drowned by the Belesar Reservoir, and some remains still shimmer below the surface! (Staying at Casa Rural Santa Marina, Half Board)
Today you can visit Portomarin's church before passing between cornfields lined with ox-eye daisies as you follow the Torres stream. Stamp your Pilgrim Passport in country churches dedicated to the Order of St James before arriving at your beautifully restored rectory. (Staying at Rectoral de Lestedo, Half board)
Walk along country lanes past fortified farmhouses into the hillside town of Palas de Rei (Palace of the King) as you enter the province of A Coruna. You'll pass typical, raised Galician granaries, and see chickens scamper across narrow streets as you enter vineyards, with views east to the Montes del Vacaloura. (Staying at Casa de los Somoza, Half Board)
Today's first stop is the thriving country town of Melide, where you'll see locals enjoying Galician seafood in specialist pulperias (octopus restaurants). Drop into the Romanesque church to admire the frescoes, before walking to the lively market town of Arzua along lanes lined with bright yellow celandine. Your final stop is the elegant manor house, surrounded by tranquil countryside, just outside the town. (Staying at Pazo de Santa Maria, Half Board)
Follow Arzua's colonnaded streets into open country where local farmers wear berets as they tend vines and build haystacks with pitch forks. Your route will rise and fall through river valleys, crossing rushing streams. This evening you'll stay at Javier's breathtaking converted water mill, where original machinery has been turned into spectacular period features. (Staying at O Muino de Pena, Half Board)
The finishing line is near! Set off towards Monte do Gozo (Mount of Joy) today, where pilgrims of old caught their first glimpse of the spires of Santiago. As you reach Santiago's historic centre, the atmosphere is electric as a steady stream of pilgrims reach their journey's end below the cathedral's spectacular Baroque facade. Drop into the Pilgrim Office to collect your certificate, before checking into our historic hotel near the old marketplace - still a riot of colour! (Staying at Hotel Virxe da Cerca, Breakfast only)
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Tour Operator
Exodus Travel
It’s all about adventure That is what Exodus was founded upon 50 years ago, and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on. At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved. This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday. Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments. See our history page for more details about how we began and how we have grown over the past 50 years. Never travelled with Exodus before? Visit our New to Exodus page for some useful, first-timer information.
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