Women’s Camino de Santiago (semi-guided)

Settle into your hotel in the heart of Madrid and rest after your long flight. Your Camino de Santiago Tour for women starts today.

Catch up at the end of the day with your fellow travellers to enjoy dinner in a Spanish restaurant and if you’re tempted, some delicious churros and chocolate.

Meals Included: –
Walking Distance: –

Today is a free day to explore beautiful Madrid. Walk through the streets of the centre, marvel at the grand plazas, take a walk in the magnificent Parque de El Retiro, right next to the Museo Nacional del Prado, then sample some traditional Spanish food. There is so much to see and do here.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

Today we will enjoy a private transfer to the train station where we make our way to Sarria, the starting point of your walking journey on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Our accommodation is right on the Camino. Spend the evening preparing yourself for your first day of walking, explore Sarria, then enjoy dinner with the group.

Sarria is a busy, modern town with plenty of shops to stock up on any last minute walking snacks, restaurants and bars to have a coffee, or a glass of Spanish wine. You’re now in the region of Galicia, its origins are Celtic so the countryside may remind you of Ireland. It was an important medieval centre for pilgrims and remnants of its ancient past can still be seen in the old quarter along Rua Major. The church of Igrexia de Santa Maria has an ancient pilgrim’s mural. If you follow the Camino route to the top end of town you will see the ancient convent Monasterio da Madalena, the ruins of the castle and the medieval bridge Ponte Aspera that crosses the River Celerio. Nowadays the town is bustling with peregrinos, from those that started their Camino in France, to pilgrims like you, who walk the final 100 kilometres to Santiago de Compostela to qualify for their Compostela.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

Today’s the day we’ve been waiting for! After breakfast we’ll begin our walk to Morgade. It’s time to finally get onto the Camino and on our way to Santiago.

This first stage is a great introduction as it follows sheltered woodland pathways and quiet country roads which pass through hamlets and small villages. The scenery along the Way is wonderfully green and lush and very rural. The trail climbs and falls as it passes through tiny hamlets full of history. When we reach Morgade, we will have a transfer back to our hotel in Sarria for the night.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 12km

In the morning, we’ll be taken back to yesterday’s finishing point at Morgade to begin our walk to Portomarin.

The high point of the day (660m) at Pina dos Corvos has wonderful views over the reservoir and surrounding countryside. From here, begin your descent, crossing the Mino Reservoir over its modern bridge into Portomarin.

Portomarin has been inhabited for thousands of years and its importance grew with the popularity of the Camino in the middle ages. At one time it had three orders of Knights; the Knights Templar, the Knights of St John and the Knights of Jerusalem, which may explain the castle like edifice of the 12th century Romanesque Igelsia San Nicolas church which still stands in the square at the centre of town. Portomarin was previously divided by the Rio Mino, but it flooded in 1960 to create the Mino Reservoir. Every historic monument was moved brick by brick to the town that stands on the hill today; you can see pictures of the old town in some of the bars and cafes that line the main street.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 11km

This morning we walk out of Portomarin to Ventas de Naron.

The path gently leads us uphill however, the gradient is never too steep. The path crosses and runs parallel to the main road to Gonzar, though you will spend most of your days walking on woodland tracks and quiet roads. Tonight our accommodation is in a lovely Casa Rural (Farm house) that serves delicious food. A favourite is the locally sourced, Spanish cheese, served amongst other delicious goodies at breakfast.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 13km

After breakfast we will be transferred back to Ventas de Naron to begin our walk to Palas de Rei.

A climb to start the day takes us to Sierra Ligonde, today’s high point at 720m. The walk is then downhill to Ligonde and Eirexe and onto A Calzada.

We detour to the National Monument, Vilar de Donas where the Knights of Santiago are buried, worthy of a visit. A gentle climb now takes you through several small hamlets to Alto Rosario, a good vantage point on a clear day and then its down into Palas de Rei, Palace of the King. This village has little to remind you that it was once home to a king. Today it’s a small country town with plenty of services available. Our accommodation is right on the Camino, relax and enjoy.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 12km+ side trip to Vilar de Donas

From our accommodation, we step out onto the Camino at Palas De Rei to Melide.

Today’s walk is mostly on paths through quiet woodland, crossing over the main road to Arzua several times, guiding you through six river valleys to reach a high point of 515m at Coto. On route you will pass through Melide, a busy town founded in the 13th century which has many historic buildings and churches including the Capilla de San Pedro and San Roque, standing next to a 14th century stone cross said to be the oldest in Galicia. Melide is also famous for Pulpo Gallego, octopus cooked Galician style and reputed to be the best in Spain, perhaps try these specialities for lunch.  We rest up this afternoon in anticipation of a big walking day tomorrow.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 15km

From Melide we start our walk through Castañeda and onto Salceda.  After a short distance we arrive at the now familiar Ribadiso where we can see the Hospital San Anton, one of the oldest pilgrim hospitals in existence.

Leaving Ribadiso we follow the country road on an uphill climb through the outer suburbs before entering Arzua. Arzua with a population of around 7000 is the last large town before we reach Santiago. The 14th century Capilla de la Magdelena is the town’s main monument. Arzua is most famous for its local cheese, Queixo, a smooth creamy cheese made from cow’s milk which most restaurants feature in some way and is definitely worth trying.  Tonight we stay in a restored 19th Century property in Salceda.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 29km

This morning after a sleep in and breakfast and possibly a morning pool swim, we enjoy a shorter walking day.

The majority of today’s walk to O Pedrouzo is through wonderful pine and eucalyptus scented woodland. The path is mostly level, passing through three shallow river valleys with a gradual climb up to Alto de Santa Irene at 404m. The country lanes and woodland paths pass through small hamlets. The final section climbs to a main road, into eucalyptus woodland to A Rua and then to our destination O Pedrouzo. O Pedrouzo /Arco do Pino is a small yet busy town with shops, restaurants and bars and the staging point for the last section of the Camino before entering Santiago de Compostela.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 8km

For some of us, today marks the final day of walking the Camino Frances. We will walk from O’Pedrouzo to Santiago.

Today’s route will be busy as pilgrims commence the last stage of their journey into Santiago. The pilgrim’s mass at Santiago Cathedral begins at midday, so if you are keen to attend mass you will need to leave early if you want to arrive on time. However, there’s no need to rush, there will be an opportunity to visit the Cathedral tomorrow.

The first section of today’s route passes through eucalypt forests, quiet roads and pathways. The track runs alongside the airport and you will see many crosses of twigs used by pilgrims to decorate the fence. Around the halfway point, we arrive at Lavacolla village, where pilgrims traditionally washed to purify themselves before entering Santiago. Lavacolla literally means to wash your tail.

We then start the final climb to Monte Gozo, Mount of Joy, you will sight the stunning Cathedral de Santiago spires. Enjoy the view before we descend into the suburbs of Santiago. The final section of the Camino Frances is well signposted into the old quarter. Take in the wonderful historical buildings and narrow shop filled alleyways, until you finally reach the Praza Obradoiro and the ancient Cathedral. Take a moment and a deep breath, feel the achievement of having walked over 100 kilometres.

We spend the next 2 nights in one of the finest and oldest hotels in the world – Parador Santiago.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 19km

Today is a free day to explore Santiago de Compostela. You have the whole day to enjoy and explore historic Santiago with its many enticing tapas bars and restaurants. You can attend the midday pilgrim’s mass and look around the famous Cathedral of St James which forms the city’s heart. From here you can watch the joy of the steady stream of pilgrims arriving into the square as they finish their epic journey.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

This morning we leave the pilgrim city to Negreira. We leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind us, through the green park space where we will see our first Camino Finisterre way marker. We will walk country lanes through villages and picturesque forests. We’ll meander through hamlets and enjoy the peace and quiet of quiet country roads. A highlight is the Ponte Maceira, a Roman bridge spanning the Rio Tambre. To keep it interesting there will be a variety of walking paths through forests and fields and on quaint country roads.

Get lots of rest tonight we have a big day ahead.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 22km

This morning we leave Negrira and head to Olveiroa.

Pace yourself, this will be the longest and most challenging day that we will experience on either Camino. It might be the most challenging day but all of your hard work is rewarded with beautiful scenery through oak, beech and chestnut forests, through typical Galician hamlets as we climb across Mount Arco before descending into Olveiroa.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 31km

This morning we leave Olveiroa to go to Cee, where we catch a first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean.

Today has a much shorter distance than yesterday, but packed with lovely vistas and sights including wind turbines and historic stone bridges before we climb into the village of Logoso. This is a good place to have a coffee, use the facilities, or grab something to eat, because it’s the last stop before our destination. At the fork in the road, we turn towards Finisterre where we will catch a glimpse of the cape before we make a descent into Cee.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 18km

Today is the day we arrive in Finisterre, to the ancients, the end of the Earth.

Today will seem like a stroll as we hug the coast through fishing villages and through forests to make our final descent, then make our way along the sandy beach to Finisterre. From here we can continue on to Point Zero at the Lighthouse.

Congratulations! You have completed two Caminos and therefore you are eligible for two Compostelas. Enjoy your afternoon by celebrating with your fellow walkers or take some time to explore Finisterre. It has many harbour side restaurants and cafes serving locally sourced seafood and Galician specialities.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 16km

Today a private transfer will collect us and take us to Muxia (Moo-shee-ah), an alternative final destination that also sits at edge of the Atlantic Ocean. You may remember Muxia from the movie “The Way” where pilgrims scatter ashes from passed loved ones or mementos. We don’t encourage you to throw things into the ocean but perhaps you have been carrying a pebble with you along your journey to symbolise the burdens you have been carrying. Now is a great time to let those burdens go and feel a sense of peace and freedom.

Our transport will then take us back to Santiago de Compostela where we will catch the train back to Madrid.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

Today marks the end of your Camino de Santiago Tour for women. We hope that you have enjoyed your walk with us and you’re sure to have some amazing memories, stories and fun anecdotes to take home with you.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

Requires following trails carrying a day pack on uneven surfaces. Accommodation and transport includes stairs. Please talk to us about your accessibility needs before booking