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We made quick work of walking today — arriving in Santiago (and officially completing our fourth Camino) by 1 pm! That gave us plenty of time to marvel at the newly renovated Cathedral interior, meet up with Camino friends for celebratory drinks, and have a delicious dinner.

Day 13: A Brea to Santiago de Compostela

Date: October 23, 2025

Starting Point: A Brea (O Pino), Galicia

Ending Point: Santiago de Compostela, Galicia

Distance: 25 km / 15.5 mi

Time: 6 hr 30 min

Difficulty Level: 3/10

As expected, I awoke early around 5:30 am and couldn’t get back to sleep — too much excitement and too many thoughts about our arriving in Santiago were swirling around in my head! No matter. I laid there until the alarm went off at 6:30, got ready, and headed downstairs for breakfast. Almudena and her son, our hosts from Austin, had laid out a great spread — they even set out a percolator for American-style brewed coffee! We also introduced ourselves to another pilgrim from Australia, an older gentleman whose name we did not catch (and who was staying in the pensión with us).

Despite the crazy wind and rain yesterday, the weather this morning was miraculously calm. It was a bit chilly, so we put on our sweaters and kept our rain gear on — just in case. But the rain never came! Amazingly, the forecast had changed and we stayed totally dry for our final day’s walk. That put us in a pretty good mood and allowed us to set a much faster pace than usual. We blazed through the first 5kms in the dark, reaching O Pedrouzo just around sunrise. It was there, however, that we were joined by a giant horde of pilgrims. Most people stay in Pedrouzo for their final night before Santiago, so I expected an influx — but I did not realize just how many people we’d encounter. They were coming from literally every direction!

We had little choice but to join the parade. As the sun rose (our first proper sunrise in several days), we walked out into an open field with seemingly every pilgrim on earth. Thankfully, we learned a few tricks to lose people and get some peace and quiet: don’t stop for stamps and don’t stop at the bar. There were some very entrepreneurial folks who set up their own stands in the forest, offering special wax seals or handmade stamps for your credential. Very cool, but we preferred to keep walking as the larger groups made a beeline for their Camino souvenirs. We walked nonstop for several hours, circling the airport and summiting more than a few hills without so much as a break to catch our breath. Eventually, I did decide to pull over for a coffee in Vilamaior — but I got it “para levar” (to go) so we could keep our pace.

The walk wasn’t all that interesting. It was even ugly at times, passing power plants and radio stations. But we weren’t focused on scenery today; we only cared about getting to our destination. At long last, we reached Monte do Gozo — the sprawling pilgrim albergue complex that offers the first view of Santiago (and where we stayed for our last night on the Camino Francés in 2014). The complex is made up of dozens of albergue buildings that resemble military barracks, and it was much larger than I remembered — complete with a lavendería, cafetería, and even a playground for kids. From there, we continued downhill for the final 5km through the urban outskirts and into the historic center of Santiago. This leg was also a lot longer than I remembered, but I was glad to arrive at the city limits far earlier than we’d predicted. Finally, we walked under the archway and past the gaiteros playing their traditional bagpipes — emerging into the Praza do Obradoiro with the magnificent Cathedral in front of us.

We took our customary photos and stared at the Cathedral — partly in shock at all we’ve accomplished. That feeling persisted as we made our way to the pilgrim office. It was almost empty and we got our Compostelas in record time, proceeding directly to our hotel to check in and unwind. We got an amazing room on the top floor with absolutely breathtaking views of the Cathedral and the city. After having lunch at the very chic (and delicious) Bar Suso and doing some shopping, we met up with a few pilgrims from the Primitivo for a final celebratory drink (or two… or three). Paula and Mark from the UK, Carla from Brazil, and Bernard and Pascal from France were all there. It was great seeing Paula and Mark again, and we learned a lot about the others (who we’d met before but didn’t get to know very well along the way). Bernard and Pascal do not speak any English, and I wanted to practice my Portuguese with Carla. I’m sure it was hilarious to watch us communicate with bits of English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish — made easier thanks to Google Translate and two bottles of red wine.

To close out this celebratory evening, we had a fantastic dinner at A Horta d’Obradoiro — which is a Michelin “bib gourmand” restaurant on the Rúa das Hortas. To start, we ordered two glasses of albariño, roasted leeks with an almond praline sauce, and heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese balls and very good olive oil. That was more than enough food for us both, but we made the delicious mistake of ordering main courses — pieces of Tempure-fried merluza (hake) with a coconut lime sauce for mom, and a fideuá with fish and garlic ali-oli for me. I regret not ordering dessert, but I simply could not fit any more food in my stomach. We left incredibly full and waddled over to the Praza to see the Cathedral one last time and hear the band of musicians that play pasodobres and other traditional music on a nightly basis.

I know this was a long post, but I am feeling so happy and grateful to have completed yet another Camino de Santiago. Despite the many challenges and annoyances along the way, I always leave feeling like it wasn’t long enough — and already starting to think about the next one. Who knows if or when that will happen, but I have left a piece of my heart in Santiago and I’m certain that I will return someday. Thanks for following along, ¡Buen Camino a todos y hasta el próximo!

More rainy forest and countryside walking — but this time, multiply the number of pilgrims (by a lot)! Despite the crowds, we’re so happy to be within reach of Santiago. I can almost hear the bagpipes now!

Day 12: Melide to A Brea

Date: October 22, 2025

Starting Point: Melide, Galicia

Ending Point: A Brea (O Pino), Galicia

Distance: 29 km / 18 mi

Time: 8 hr 0 min

Difficulty Level: 2/10

We left the hotel before sunrise, thinking we’d walk a bit through town and find breakfast at a nearby bar rather than paying the exorbitant price for the breakfast buffet. Not so. Everything was closed, and the Camino took us behind a church and down a gravel track instead of down the main road. The next town with a bar would be Boente, about 6 km away. Oh well, lesson learned. We turned on our flashlights and joined the parade of pilgrims who are walking these last two days on the Francés. The sun rose and with it, I was relieved to find what I was looking: a cafe! I ordered coffee and a Galician empanada con atún, stamped our credentials, and continued on our way.

By this point, the number of pilgrims on the road had grown substantially. There had to be dozens walking with us, far more than we ever saw on the Primitivo. I tried not to focus on the crowds and instead, take in my surroundings and try to see if I remembered any of the places we passed. After four Caminos, all of the villages and pathways sort of blur together — so I didn’t recognize most of what we saw. But there were moments: we passed a pazo (Galician manor house) sitting in an open field that I instantly remembered from 2014. There’s even a picture of it on my old blog! I also got déjà vu walking down a lane covered in grape vines, crossing a stream… you get the idea. Even without a clear memory to match the feeling, it was amazing just to round a corner and suddenly realize you’d been in that same place many years before.

Just as I saw that pazo, I crossed paths with Gwen and Steve (a couple from New Jersey who we met on the Primitivo). It was great seeing a few familiar faces and catching up, especially because we haven’t seen anyone else we knew from the Primitivo since merging with the Francés. We walked with them for a few kilometers until Ribadiso, before leaving them at a café and continuing on to Arzúa — the last major town before Santiago. It felt like a natural break for a second coffee, and I also got a delicious blueberry cake to go with it.

Most pilgrims who stay in Melide do a short stage and remain in Arzúa, but we pressed on — determined to get to Santiago by tomorrow. The last leg was a lot longer than I initially thought, and while it didn’t rain much this morning, the weather took a downturn around midday. We trudged along, battling strong winds and periodic rain before deciding to take another break in Ferreiros at the well-known bar, Casa Tía Dolores (which has beer bottles stacked outside that pilgrims can sign with their initials and add to the pile). I got an Aquarius and a pincho de tortilla, knowing our destination wouldn’t have much in terms of food/services.

That was sufficient fuel for the remaining hour and a half walk into A Brea. No one was home when we arrived at our pensión, so I called the owner and she came to welcome us. After hearing half of the explanation in Spanish, I realized she had an accent of some kind that I couldn’t place. It turns out she’s from Austin! We switched to English and talked about I-35 traffic and BBQ before she let us up to our room. What a small world. Anyway, it’s very clean, quiet and comfortable here — and although there is nothing to do in A Brea, we probably wouldn’t go out regardless given the awful weather. The good news: Santiago awaits us tomorrow! We are officially less than 25 kms from the Cathedral. I’m excited to arrive and ready to toast the end of yet another successful Camino.

Overall, today’s journey was far more pleasant than yesterday’s — taking us through the Galician countryside and ever closer to Santiago. We even passed through a hamlet called “Compostela” on the outskirts of Melide (if only that were our destination!).

Day 11: O Burgo de Negral to Melide

Date: October 21, 2025

Starting Point: O Burgo de Negral, Galicia

Ending Point: Melide, Galicia

Distance: 25 km / 15.5 mi

Time: 6 hr 0 min

Difficulty Level: 2/10

After enjoying a buffet breakfast in the tranquility of our hotel, we set out in the rain around 8am and climbed out of O Burgo. It was another wet morning of walking, but luckily we remembered to put all of our gear on before leaving the room. Today’s stage was much more beautiful than yesterday’s — mostly on gravel tracks through the forest and on smaller country roads. That gave me a little optimism and joy, despite the weather. There were also more bars and services along the way, so we stopped in As Seixas for a café con leche and a bocadillo to go.

The rain subsided a bit during the middle of the day, which was lucky considering we had our biggest altitude gain around that time. We went uphill out of O Hospital das Seixas and passed a picturesque rocky outcropping before meandering along the hillside and through the mist. We then rejoined the road for a bit until detouring once more down a pleasant country lane into Vilouriz. We paused in the next village, Vilamor, so I could eat my bocadillo de jamón y queso and have a sip of water. That’s precisely when the rain started up again.

From then on, it was a total slog into Melide. I didn’t realize how long it would take us to reach the town — several kilometers all on asphalt and along a fairly busy road. Our feet were hurting and the skies opened up just as we reached the outskirts, so we tried to hurry as best we could without getting too soaked. Finally, we turned the corner and reached our hotel. It was a relief to be inside, and today’s shower felt especially good.

We have officially completed the Camino Primitivo and will be following the Camino Francés from here on out. It’s evident everywhere you go that we’re in Francés territory. There are countless groups of pilgrims wandering about, and we actually had to wait our turn at the laundromat for the first time since beginning this journey. It’s hard not to feel some negative feelings about being around so many pilgrims, but we are doing our best to enjoy the last two days of our Camino. The rain and the crowds won’t change the fact that we successfully completed the Primitivo — what many people call the most difficult route of them all — and are nearly done with our fourth Camino!

Not pictured: The many, many miles of highway walking. I didn’t bother taking photos of those moments (since it was such a hassle getting my phone out in the rain!), but I did capture some of the better scenes from today. Crossing the Río Miño, savoring the walk through the forest, and dipping my toes in the hotel pool!

Day 10: Lugo to O Burgo de Negral

Date: October 20, 2025

Starting Point: Lugo, Galicia

Ending Point: O Burgo de Negral, Galicia

Distance: 21 km / 13 mi

Time: 6 hr 0 min

Difficulty Level: 2/10

Not wanting to leave the comfort of our hotel, we got up late today and I decided to treat myself to the buffet breakfast. At this point it was nearly 8:30, but we stopped to chat with a pilgrim couple from Denver and another couple from London in the breakfast room. While I enjoyed getting to know a few more pilgrims, it delayed us even further. Then, of course, it started to rain — so we had to quickly put on our gear in front of the hotel before venturing out around 9am. The city was bustling with Monday morning energy, and it was a little chaotic dodging people (and cars) going to work or taking their kids to school. Thankfully, it didn’t take long before we crossed the Río Miño and left Lugo behind us.

With all the sightseeing we did last night, I didn’t have a chance to research today’s stage — so I had no idea that we’d spend virtually all day walking on asphalt. The Camino follows a rural highway that unites Lugo with the town of Palas de Rei, but it was surprisingly busy and rarely had a dedicated path alongside it. That meant we were walking directly on the road, forcing us to dodge cars as they sped by without regard to the poor pilgrims trudging through the rain. We had a handful of detours off the road and into the forest, all of which were enjoyable but far too short. Without any villages to offer us some respite from the weather, it didn’t take long for us to grow weary of today’s walk and start praying for it to be over.

Eventually, the path did veer away from the highway and toward the village of San Román de Retorta. Much to our relief, the town had a small bar where we ordered café and a bocadillo to help warm us up. That gave us enough of a boost to make it through the final leg of our walk, which was (mercifully) on small country lanes and through the forest. After summiting a hill, we descended into the village of O Burgo de Negral. This charming hamlet is home to about 30 people, as well as our spectacular hotel, O Cruce do Burgo. Not only is it super clean and comfortable, but they also have an indoor pool (!) which I attempted to swim in before realizing it wasn’t heated. Oh well, maybe next time?

Tomorrow is our last official day on the Primitivo before we join the masses on the Camino Francés. While I’m not looking forward to the influx of people, I’m excited to retrace our steps from when we walked the Francés way back in 2014 (and seeing if I remember any of the places as we pass them). Even with the rain, I am happy that we have one more day of solitude to prepare ourselves for the end of our Camino. It’s been a wild ride and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for our last few days on the road!

Getting the real Galician experience with a walk through mossy villages and wet woodlands, before entering the ancient city of Lugo — with its gorgeous Cathedral and complete Roman wall, the only one left in the world!

Day 9: O Cádavo to Lugo

Date: October 19, 2025

Starting Point: O Cádavo, Galicia

Ending Point: Lugo, Galicia

Distance: 31 km / 19.3 mi

Time: 7 hr 30 min

Difficulty Level: 4/10

After a subpar dinner the night before (with probably the worst wine I’ve ever had — we think it could have been homemade…), we were ready to get an early start and say goodbye to O Cádavo. We donned our full rain gear and hit the road at 7am, joined by Jean Claude (who also stayed in our pensión) and a few other early birds. It was windy, dark and drizzly as our parade of pilgrims began the steep climb out of town. With our headlamps and phone flashlights out, I’m sure it looked like a procession of lights from afar — but we could barely see two feet in front of us as we huffed and puffed our way up the hill.

Finally, the path leveled out and we got a bit of daylight. The rest of our walk was incredibly flat, much to our relief after so many days of mountainous terrain. It rained on and off for the entire day. As someone who normally hates the rain, I found myself enjoying the wet weather. We passed through quaint little villages with stone houses and churches covered in moss. Seeing these places in the rain made me feel like we were getting the authentic Galician experience — but perhaps I’m just trying to stay optimistic about our new weather reality.

One downside of today’s walk: There were almost zero services en route. With the exception of a (very delicious) breakfast stop in Castroverde and a roadside vending machine. we didn’t encounter a single bar or restaurant the entire day. Our guidebook had warned about this, but I was still surprised given how close we are to a major city. Regardless, I got enough fuel from the tostada, café con leche, and fresh-squeezed orange I had at the delightful Bar Roma in Castroverde — and an extra boost from the vending machine coffee, too.

We mostly walked alone today, rarely stopping (thanks to the aforementioned services issue) and racking up kilometers at record speed. As we neared Lugo, our feet were getting tired but we pressed onwards — doing our best to ignore the rain and the gloom as we trudged through the outskirts of town. A final brief ascent took us to the city limit, which also happened to be the 100 kilometer mark. We paused for a celebratory coffee/Aquarius at a bar across the street, not expecting to linger. However, I ended up becoming friendly with the Venezuelan waitress and she offered me a (free!) bowl of sancocho and another egg-roll like tapa — both of which were very good. Feeling full and content, we continued on beneath the ancient Roman wall and entered the old city of Lugo.

Our hotel is the height of luxury and very comfortable. It’s almost a shame we didn’t plan for a rest day, because there is just so much to do and see! Trying to cram it all in, we quickly showered and made a beeline to the Cathedral. It’s a very unique church with an eclectic mixture of Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque. Definitely worth a visit! From there, I went on a walk around the city wall while mom did the laundry. I must be crazy, because I voluntarily went on another long walk after a 31 kilometer day. My feet didn’t let me hear the end of it and I was really hurting by the time we went to dinner. No matter, though. We had a tasty Indian meal and went back to the comfiest beds on the Camino — another long yet satisfying day under our belts!

Passing through the countryside and up our final mountain of the Camino Primitivo. We also passed through some beautiful Galician mountain villages — with historic churches, horreos, and chickens!

Day 8: A Fonsagrada to O Cádavo

Date: October 18, 2025

Starting Point: A Fonsagrada, Galicia

Ending Point: O Cádavo, Galicia

Distance: 24 km / 15 mi

Time: 7 hr 15 min

Difficulty Level: 7/10

I slept like a baby last night and woke up refreshed and ready for our last day of high-altitude walking. We started out with another morning traipsing through the countryside on our way up to Montouto. Inexplicably, I was in kind of a sour mood. You get into a “Camino routine” after awhile — which can make things that normally excite you feel monotonous (and it didn’t help that the only coffee I had was from a vending machine at the albergue). Luckily, the view was spectacular and I was able to shake off the feeling by the time we reached the top of the mountain.

There, we stumbled upon the ruins of Hospital de Montouto, which was built in the 1300s to house pilgrims and — according to my guidebook — continued operating until the early 20th century! It was actually very cool to explore and think about how many pilgrims have passed through this place over the centuries. The path continued down the mountain for a few kilometers until we reached La Taberna, a very cute bar with a real fire burning on the outdoor stove. I ordered fried eggs and jamón with toast, as well as a café con leche. I was so grateful to have a real breakfast (not just a croissant or a piece of toast) for the first time since leaving home.

Today’s real challenge came in the middle of the day. My book describes it as “a few surprisingly steep ascents” up to the villages of A Lastra and Fontaneira — and that’s exactly what they were. It felt even steeper than yesterday’s climb into Fonsagrada, and we were stopping every few feet to catch our breath. Upon reaching A Lastra, I was happy to find an open bar where we could pause and drink an Aquarius (the bartender also offered me a free “tapa” of delicious Galician cheese). When we finally reached Fontaneira, we took another break at the church and ate an orange and some crackers. I made a point of taking our time today, knowing that our stopping point would have little of interest. We passed by a little stand on the edge of the village with wooden handicrafts, and each of us bought a keychain to remember our trip. From there, it was a fairly easy walk through remote woodland into O Cádavo.

Just as I expected, the town consists of an intersection, a few modern buildings, and a few bars. There is quite literally nothing to see or do here (not even a church or anything of historic interest). After checking into our bare bones (yet clean) accommodation, we made a pit stop at the pharmacy and grocery store before parking ourselves at one of the three bars. I’ve decided to embrace the boredom, especially since tomorrow promises to be the longest day of our Camino so far — over 30 kms into the city of Lugo. It may also be the first day we break out our rain gear — only time will tell!

Fog turns to gorgeous countryside (with fall colors!), before an ascent that took us up to the windmills and down into Galicia. We also passed the Chapel of St. Barbara, so naturally we had to make a pit stop before continuing on to Fonsagrada.

Day 7: Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada

Date: October 17, 2025

Starting Point: Grandas de Salime, Asturias

Ending Point: A Fonsagrada, Galicia

Distance: 27 km / 16.7 mi

Time: 7 hr 15 min

Difficulty Level: 7.5/10

Our entry into Galicia, the final region of our pilgrimage, did not come without its challenges. We had breakfast downstairs in the hotel restaurant (along with basically every other pilgrim in town) before heading out into the darkness. Since Grandas is at a comparatively lower altitude, we were not prepared for the low visibility (and spookiness!) as we walked in the mist. The path took us through wide open fields, but since we couldn’t see anything through the fog, it was almost like walking on an alien planet.

Eventually, the sun rose and we found ourselves in beautiful rolling countryside. The local farm animals are very friendly around here, particularly the kittens (one of whom grabbed my hiking poles and played with them through the fence). I had hoped to stop for a second coffee in the village of Castro, but the bar was closed so we continued on — following the highway as it gradually turned uphill toward Peñafuente. Luckily, there was a nice woman who had set up two Nespresso machines in her outdoor kitchen area. All you had to do was buy an espresso pod for 1€ in the vending machine and voilà — coffee! We hung around there for a bit watching pilgrims come and go, before beginning the long ascent into Galicia.

Up and up we went, the sound of cars on the highway fading and giving way to the sound of whirring windmills as we gained altitude. Soon, we were walking above the windmills themselves! It was a bit of a slog but at least the views were amazing — and before we knew it, the path turned level and took us through a forest. We reached the border with Galicia by 11:30 and began to descend into O Acebo, where there was a delightful bar playing Galician bagpipe music. I ordered my third café con leche (probably a mistake, but a delicious one) and a bocadillo with cheese and raxo (a kind of marinated Galician pork loin) to go.

Sufficiently fueled, we started out on the second leg of today’s journey. My guidebook calls it “unremarkable” but I found it to be fairly pretty, just very remote and largely parallel with the highway. We passed through a handful of small villages, although they were really just a collection of farm buildings more than anything else. The sun was bright, but there was a breeze for most of the afternoon so I didn’t notice it too much until the very end of our walk. That is when things took a turn. Nearing Fonsagrada, we lost the breeze (and the shade) — so I really began to feel the effects of dehydration (too much coffee and not enough water!).

I knew there was an uphill going into town, but I did not expect it to be so difficult. The road was pretty much vertical and almost totally exposed to the midday sun. We both took quite a few breaks going up, and by the end of it I was really desperate to arrive at our destination. Thankfully, Albergue Casa Cuartel is at the entrance of town so we didn’t have far to go. We collapsed on our beds — totally spent but happy to be in a somewhat sizable town for the first time in several days.

We eventually got cleaned up, chugged an Aquarius, and worked up enough energy to start the afternoon chores (laundry, grocery shopping, researching tomorrow’s walk, and hunting for a decent dinner). I rated today’s difficulty a 7.5 — not because of the altitude (which was fairly average for the Primitivo), but simply because of how I felt at the end of it all. Still, I’m grateful to be in Galicia and enjoying the beautiful weather while it lasts (rain is in the forecast for next week). I’m looking forward to recovering this evening and hopefully having a delicious meal. Until tomorrow!

Our descent into the clouds took us to a beautiful gorge and up to the historic town of Grandas de Salime — with some tasty meats and cheeses (and wine!) waiting for us at the finish line!

Day 6: Berducedo to Grandas de Salime

Date: October 16, 2025

Starting Point: Berducedo, Asturias

Ending Point: Grandas de Salime, Asturias

Distance: 20 km / 12.4 mi

Time: 6 hr 30 min

Difficulty Level: 6.5/10

After a fabulous breakfast prepared by our host, we left the casa rural feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the day. My guidebook made this stage sound daunting: a treacherous 800 meter descent to the Embalse de Salime, quickly followed by an uphill climb on the highway to Grandas. But our host assured me that today would be far easier than yesterday — and she was right!

We began the morning with a brisk sunrise walk through the countryside to La Mesa, where we stopped for a second coffee and watched some very cute kittens playing in a tree. Then, a surprisingly steep ascent took us up to the windmills that line practically every hill and mountaintop in Spain. From there, we began our “treacherous” descent — which was actually quite pleasant (the word “fun” was even uttered along the way). We literally descended into the clouds, walking through mist for about an hour until the Embalse de Salime finally appeared out of nowhere. This very impressive body of water is the result of a dam that was built on the Río Navia, with rocky cliffs surrounding it on all sides. We spent most of the afternoon walking around the Embalse, descending the aforementioned cliffs and crossing the dam itself before beginning our final ascent along the road (which was fairly quiet and had very little traffic). But first, I fueled up with a third (!) coffee and pincho de tortilla at a roadside restaurant.

Despite continuing gradually uphill, the last leg of our journey was actually enjoyable because it was shaded. One benefit of having steep cliffs all around is that you are largely protected from the sun. As a result, it was almost chilly as we walked on to Grandas. We left the highway for a brief climb up into a pine forest, which took us all the way into town.

Grandas is a cute (albeit quiet) village with a 12th century Romanesque church, where we stopped to stamp our credentials before checking in to our hotel. It also has a surprisingly trendy deli slash bar called Ultramarinos Restrepo. After getting cleaned up, we stopped by and ordered a delicious plate of meats and cheeses — and washed it down with a very good glass of albariño. Full but content, we plan to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the park. There is almost nothing to do here, which is totally fine by us. Tomorrow promises to be a slightly longer trek that brings us up another windmill-lined mountaintop and into the final region of our trip — Galicia!

So many photos… which ones to choose? Today’s trek through the mountains was one of the most breathtaking I’ve ever experienced. We stayed above the clouds for the entire day — until reaching Berducedo and returning to civilization.

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