Amenal is little more than a camino pit-stop, and the large outdoor patio of the only bar is often filled to capacity with pilgrims doing their best to make the last day last.
The camino crosses the very busy N-547 by passing underneath it. Do not cross over the road.
Leaving the bar behind you climb steeply uphill a short distance. The path soon levels out on a comfortable trail surrounded by eucalyptus trees. The Santiago Airport is very near, and the camino follows a path around the runway.
Accommodation in Amenal
1 |
Hotel Amenal ⭑⭑ Hotel
Amenal, 12
Booking.com |
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The written history of San Paio has been lost to the ages, but the church here is dedicated to San Paio (or Payo), the 14 year old saint who was kidnapped by the invading Muslim troops, taken to Sevilla, and ultimately martyred to pieces and tossed into the río...
The name Lavacolla has one of the most debated origins of all the camino towns. They range from the bland “field at the bottom of the hill” to the more profane “scrub your scrotum.” What is more widely accepted is that pilgrims bathed in this river before entering the Cathedral.
If you walked down the stairs to visit either of the bars at the bottom, turn and walk up the steps towards the Iglesia de Benaval. The camino continues around to the right-hand side and down to cross the road. At the road, cross at the crosswalk and continue along the road and over the...
Accommodation in Lavacolla
1 |
Albergue Lavacolla Private
Lavacolla, 35
32 12€ |
2 |
Pazo Xan Xordo Casa Rural
Xan Xordo, 6
Booking.com |
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3 |
Hostal San Paio Hostal
Lavacolla
Booking.com |
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4 |
Hotel Garcas ⭑ Hotel
Naval, 2
Booking.com |
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5 |
Hotel Ruta Jacobea ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Lavacolla, 41
Booking.com |
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Accommodation in San Marcos
1 |
Hotel Akelarre ⭑ Hotel
San Marcos, 37
Booking.com |
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Monte de Gozo, or ‘Mount Joy’, was once the first place that pilgrims could get a glimpse of the Cathedral spires. A new stand of trees blocks the view now. It is a large gathering place for pilgrims, who flock to the over-sized monument commemorating the pilgrimage that Pope John Paul...
You do not need to enter the complex but for the sake of curiosity, carrying on down the road will take you where you are heading.
Pass the outdoor gallery of a local (and gifted) sculptor of stone and cross the bridge over the highway. It is midway over this bridge that you enter the...
Accommodation in Monte del Gozo
1 |
Albergue de Monte do Gozo Xunta
Estrellas, 80
400 8€ Booking.com |
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2 |
Centro Europeo de Peregrinación Juan Pablo II Association
Rua das Estrelas 80
68 Donativo€ |

Welcome to Santiago! There are a tremendous amount of things to see and things to do in Santiago de Compostela; you are encouraged to stay for at least one full day extra for exploring the web of streets, all of which seem to bring you back to the Cathedral.
Your pilgrim related business...
One word of caution regarding accommodation is in order. If you are arriving in the high season, you are advised to make a reservation in advance. There have been several additions to the albergue roster in recent year but the numbers of pilgrims still exceed capacity in the high season.
The Feast day of Saint James is celebrated with a full week of music and dance, with a fireworks display in the Plaza Obradoiro on the evening of the 24th of July. The best views can be had from Obradoiro, or from Alameda park.
Accommodation in Santiago de Compostela
1 |
Residencia de Peregrinos San Lázaro Xunta
San Lázaro
80 10€ |
2 |
Albergue Azabache Private
Azabachería, 15
22 14-18€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue La Credencial Private
Fonte dos Concheiros, 13
36 10-14€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Albergue La Estación Private
Xoana Nogueira, 14
24 13-15€ Booking.com |
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5 |
Albergue Santo Santiago Private
Valiño, 3
40 10€ Booking.com |
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6 |
KM. 0 Private
Carretas, 11
38 20-26€ |
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7 |
Albergue Meiga Backpackers Private
Basquiños, 67
30 13-15€ Booking.com |
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8 |
Albergue Seminario Menor en Santiago de Compostela Private
Quiroga Palacios
199 11-15€ Booking.com |
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9 |
Albergue Compostela Private
Pedro de Mezonzo, 28
66 18€ Booking.com |
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10 |
Albergue Turístico La Salle Private
Tras Santa Clara
84 17-20€ Booking.com |
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11 |
Albergue SIXTOS no Caminho Private
Fonte dos Concheiros, 2
40 15€ Booking.com |
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12 |
Albergue Roots & Boots Private
Cruceiro do Gaio, 7
48 15-18€ Booking.com |
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13 |
Albergue O Fogar de Teodomiro Private
Algalia de Arriba, 3
20 15€ Booking.com |
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14 |
Albergue Basquinos 45 Private
Pedro de Mezonzo, 28
Booking.com |
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15 |
Albergue El Viejo Quijote Private
Fonte dos Concheiros, 48
22 13€ Booking.com |
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16 |
Albergue La Estrella de Santiago Private
Concheiros, 36-38
24 10-16€ |
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17 |
Albergue Linares Private
Algalia de Abaixo, 34
Booking.com |
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18 |
Albergue The Last Stamp Private
Preguntoiro, 10
62 15-25€ Booking.com |
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19 |
Albergue Acuario de Santiago de Compostela Private
Estocolmo, 2
60 10-12€ Booking.com |
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20 |
Albergue Monterrey Private
Fontiñas, 65a
36 10-14€ Booking.com |
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21 |
Albergue Porta Real Private
dos Concheiros, 10
24 10-15€ Booking.com |
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22 |
Albergue Mundoalbergue Private
San Clemente, 26
30 16-18€ |
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23 |
Blanco Albergue Private
Galeras, 30
20 12-20€ Booking.com |
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24 |
Albergue Fin del Camino Parochial
Moscova
110 9€ |
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25 |
Albergue de peregrinos Jaime García Rodríguez Association
Estocolmo
150 8€ |
26 |
Pensión Pazo de Argra ⭑ Pension
Calderería, 37
Booking.com |
27 |
Hostal Alameda ⭑⭑ Hostal
San Clemente, 32
Booking.com |
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28 |
Hostal Mapoula Hostal
Entremurallas, 10-3
Booking.com |
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29 |
Hospedería San Martín Pinario ⭑ Hotel
Pl. de la Inmaculada, 3
Booking.com |
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30 |
Hotel Nest Style Santiago ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Doutor Teixeiro, 15
Booking.com |
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31 |
Hotel Avenida ⭑ Hotel
Fuente de San Antonio, 5
Booking.com |
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32 |
Hostal Reis Católicos (Parador de Santiago) ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Parador
Obradoiro, 1
Booking.com |
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Welcoming, if somewhat curious, bar. This is the last stop on the Camino Primitivo before it joins the Camino Frances in Melide. The number of pilgrims will increase noticeably. So too will your options for accommodation and morning coffee.
Between Irago and Melide there are a number of small villages and urban sprawl. The first bars appear on the road into Melide.
This outermost barrio of Santiago was once the closest point that pilgrims affected with leprosy were permitted to go.
The walk into Santiago is through the urbanized zone that has grown up around the old town. After passing over the highway bridge the first part of Santiago you walk through is the Barrio San Lazaro; the church here is said to be the limit for pilgrims with leprosy. There is a fairly...
This high point marks the border between Lugo and La Coruña.
The camino goes up and over the ridge that divides Lugo from La Coruña. A short distance beyond it leaves the road for a trail and descends through the hamlets of Vilouriz and Vilamor before entering Irago de Arriba.
Although it has been on the menu as far back as O Cebreiro, pulpo (octopus) doesn’t seem to garnish much attention until Melide. Despite its apparent disconnect with the sea, Melide’s thriving Thursday market meant that shipping pulpo was a profitable enterprise. It is...
Melide is an ancient settlement and despite its importance as a natural crossroad since Neolithic times, it has never been protected by a wall. In Medieval times the overwhelming bulk of the town industries were tied to the camino.
The traffic through Melide can be dangerous, particularly on market days when booths line the crowded streets and the arrows through town become difficult to spot. Arrows direct you towards a small side street through the old part of town that parallels the main road. There are many...
Accommodation in Melide on the Camino Primitivo
1 |
Albergue de Melide Xunta
San Antonio, 25
156 8€ |
2 |
Albergue O Apalpador Private
San Antonio, 23
30 10€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue Alfonso II Private
Toques y Friol, 52-54
34 10€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Albergue Vilela Private
San Antonio, 2
28 10€ Booking.com |
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5 |
Albergue Pereiro Private
Progreso, 43
40 6/10€ Booking.com |
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6 |
Albergue Arraigos Private
Cantón San Roque, 9
20 10€ Booking.com |
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7 |
Albergue San Antón Private
San Antonio, 6
36 10-12€ Booking.com |
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8 |
Albergue O Cruceiro Private
Ronda de A Coruña, 2
72 10€ |
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9 |
Albergue Montoto Private
Codeseira, 31
50 12€ Booking.com |
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10 |
Albergue Melide Private
Lugo, 92
57 10€ Booking.com |
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11 |
Albergue O Candil Private
Principal, 21
12 15*€ Booking.com |
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12 |
Albergue O Apalpador II Private
Cantón de San Roque, 9
32 10€ |
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13 |
B&B A Lúa do Camiño Casa Rural
Circunvalación - Campo da Feira
Booking.com |
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14 |
Pensión El Molino ⭑ Pension
Castro, 23
Booking.com |
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15 |
Pensión Xaneiro ⭑ Pension
La Habana, 43
Booking.com |
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16 |
Pensión Berenguela ⭑⭑ Pension
San Roque, 2
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17 |
Hotel Pousada Chiquitín Hotel
San Antón, 18
16 30-70€ |
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18 |
Hotel Carlos 96 ⭑ Hotel
Lugo, 119
Booking.com |
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19 |
Hotel Sony Hotel
Santiago
Booking.com |
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