Weaving its way through the pastoral Spanish countryside, it’s no wonder that the millennium-old Camino de Santiago pulls in hundreds of thousands of people yearly—with most people choosing to walk the beloved Camino Francés. But hiking the entirety of this 500-mile route takes a lot of time. So why not walk only the final slice of it—and still get your Pilgrim Passport stamped? The bucolic setting of Galicia is the ideal backdrop for your 8-day hiking journey along Camino Francés: charming villages, ancient churches, Roman remains, and lush forests—accompanied by out-of-this-world polbo á feira, empanada, or tetilla. Culmination of the journey is arriving at Santiago de Compostela, a historic city which marks the official end of your pilgrimage.
Hike one of world’s most famous pilgrimage routes, dating back to the 9th century
Relish drool-worthy Galician dishes and crisp, aromatic white wines
Grand finale in the historic Santiago de Compostela, where supposed remains of St. James are enshrined
Every year hundreds of thousands people make the journey along Camino de Santiago’s most famous route: Camino Francés. Instead of spending more than a month on the full-length trail, join this tour to hike the last 100-kilometer (60-mile) portion of it—and you’ll still get your Pilgrim Passport stamped! Starting from the city of Sarria, the trail takes you through the delightful Spanish countryside and villages, with each of them offering mouth drooling local dishes. The path’s endpoint is in the historic Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia, whose monumental cathedral reputedly safeguards the remains of St. James, the apostle.
Make sure to arrive to your hotel in Sarria on time to enjoy your first dinner as a group. Meet the guide, the group, and get a good night’s sleep before starting the Camino.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Alfonso IX
To kick off the Camino, you’ll have a peaceful walk through oak woods and quaint villages along quiet country rods. The village of Barbadelo at 580m has a beautiful Romanesque church that’s worth a visit. You’ll also pass through Ferreiros. Once you arrive in Portomarin at 550 m, you can relax on one of the many terraces of the main plaza.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 21.9 km / 13.6 miles
Accommodation: Hotel Ferramenteiro
Start the day by crossing the river Minho and climbing steadily uphill. On your way, you’ll pass through Gonzar, Romanesque Church of Santa María, Castromaior, and the Galician Cemetery in Ligonde. In Eirexe, you’ll find a Romanesque portal of the church, featuring a sculpture of Daniel and animals, as well as a statue of Santiago de Peregrino. Arrive in Palas de Rei at 565 m for the night.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 24.2 km / 15 miles
Accommodation: Hotel Complejo La Cabana / Hotel Alda Palas de Rei
Today the Camino continues slightly downhill, passing the village of Casanova and the charming village of Leboreiro. End your day at Melide with dinner at one of the many traditional restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 14.7 km / 9.1 miles
Accommodation: Hotel Carlos 96
Head off to the tranquil countryside along forest trails and through a few hamlets. At Boente de Ariba, pass by an ancient church of Santiago before continuing through a forest track and reaching Catanada. Cross a few streams and the last stretch to Arzua on a long, uphill bit. Once there, relax in your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 14.3 km / 8.9 miles
Accommodation: 1930 Boutique Hotel
Today you’re passing through woods, along streams and through sleepy villages. Take your time and visit the chapel of Santa Irena and marvel at its unique statues of Santiago. The rest of the way to Rua-O Pino is on a quiet country road. Rua at 310 m is one of the less-crowded stopping points before Santiago de Compostela.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 17.5 km / 10.9 miles
Accommodation: Hotel Ruta Jacobea
You’re nearly there! The next stage is Lavacolla, where pilgrims traditionally washed in the river before reaching Santiago de Compostela. The tall eucalyptus trees line your way to Monte del Gozo (Mount of Joy) at 368m). From here, you can see your goal—the Cathedral of Santiago! After a descent into the city, you’ll be able to witness this UNESCO World Heritage Site up-close. Marvel at the architecture and relish the wonderful atmosphere in this cultural and spiritual mecca.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 20.5 km / 12.7 miles
Accommodation: Pombal Rooms
Your Camino Frances tour has come to an end. If you’d like to stay longer in the area, just ask your guides for some recommendations!
Meals: Breakfast
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
The most important thing about walking the Camino Frances is that you enjoy the journey at your own pace. Whether you’re a very fast or a slow walker, we encourage you to enjoy the trail. Having said that, being in good walking shape is still required. The trails have plenty of opportunities to rest and recover, and you’ll be accompanied by a support vehicle that can help you shorten or lengthen the walking stages if needed.
You’ll be doing between 11 and 28 km a day (7 to 17 miles), carrying a daypack of things you might need on the trail. Don’t worry about the baggage, though, as the support vehicle will carry everything for you!
Hiking consecutive full days can be quite strenuous. In preparation for your hike, your guides recommend doing some 5-10 mile (8-16 km) walks – including some uphills and downhills with a loaded backpack.
Here’s a list of clothing we recommend bringing:
Here’s a list of other equipment we suggest you bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Your guides will take care of all luggage handling and transportation for the duration of your tour. This means that you’ll leave your bags with your guide in the morning, and they’ll handle the details of getting them into the next hotel room. Luggage is transferred on the days that you are walking to a different hotel. We ask you to have it ready at reception at 8.00 so as to make sure we can deliver your luggage and others as early as possible in the afternoon. The luggage transfer is limited to 1 bag per person with a maximum weight of 15 kg per bag. Additional bags can be transferred for an extra €10 per bag per transfer.
Accommodation for the duration of your tour is based on a number of criteria, including location, comfort, services, price, and character. Though accommodation on the Camino is limited, your guides will always try to book something that is near the Camino as well as the historical center of the city. Expect hotels of a 3* standard in larger cities, while for the smaller villages and towns, your guide choose hotels or guesthouses of a 2* standard. Exceptions may be made.
Your guides are determined to provide you with the best available on the Camino. Each night, you can expect traditional meals or tapas prepared with fresh and local products. A table will always be reserved for your group at the end of the day in one of your guides’ favorite restaurants along the trail. Any special dietary requirements or allergies can be accommodated, just let us know in time so they can be taken into consideration.
Group sizes and prices:
Camino Frances tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
A non-refundable 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 2 months (60 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
Client can transfer their booking to a person who satisfies all the requirements, having first given the Guide reasonable notice in writing to do so before the departure date (such notice must be given more than 21 days prior to the date of departure). Client who transfers the Booking shall be jointly and severally liable with the transferee to the Guide for the payment of any balance due in respect of the holiday and for a substitution fee of €30.00 per person substituted, subject to a maximum of €120.00 per booking (or such other greater sum as may be authorized).
To start your Camino Frances tour, you need to reach Sarria. Most people fly into Santiago–Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ), 2-3 hours away from Sarria—depending on whether you rent a car or take the bus. Your guides can either arrange airport transfers to the meeting point for an additional fee or you can reach them by yourselves.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Spain and Portugal, please refer to requirements for travel to Spain and travel advice for Portugal.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
