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 served today as it was then: on a wooden plate, garnished only with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and a shake of paprika. It is eaten with a rather crude looking toothpick, alongside heavy Galician bread and a bowl of the local Ribeiro wine.
One of the better places to try it is Pulpería a Garnacha, the last door on your left before you get to the main road in Melide.
The melindre is another of Melide’s favorite foods, and if you like dry and flavorless it can be your favorite too. It resembles a glazed donut and is sold from dozens of identical booths during festivals.
Melide, long the crossroads between territories, is also the meeting point of the various camino routes which come from the north, including the part of the Camino del Norte and the Camino Primitivo. Because of this, and the proximity to Santiago, the road become a great deal more congested.
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. This is evident today in the way the town is shaped; stretched out lengthwise along the camino road.
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. Simply follow along with the main road to the first roundabout. If you have not yet crossed the main road do so at the roundabout, and then cross the road that runs perpendicular to it. Arrows should point you towards a small side street through the old part of town that parallels the main road. There are many other yellow arrows that direct you towards the many albergues in town, they are often attached to adverts or are painted alongside a simple ‘A’. These can be ignored.
Accommodation in Melide
| Albergue de Melide 10€ 156 |
| Albergue O Apalpador 13-15€ 13 Booking.com |
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| Albergue Ezequiel 15€ 18 |
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| Albergue O Candil 21*€ 12 Booking.com |
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| Albergue Arraigos 14€ 20 Booking.com |
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| Albergue Alfonso II 15-17€ 35 Booking.com |
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| Albergue Pension San Antón 15€ 28 Booking.com |
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| Albergue Melide 14€ 57 Booking.com |
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| Albergue O Cruceiro 12€ 88 |
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| Albergue Pereiro 13€ 40 Booking.com |
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| B&B A Lúa do Camiño Booking.com |
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| Hotel Pousada Chiquitín 30-70€ 16 |
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| Hotel Carlos 96 ★ Booking.com |
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| Hotel Sony | 
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