The French Way from Ponferrada to Santiago - 11 days/ 10 nights

This is one of the most beautiful itineraries of the Camino de Santiago. It covers the last 200 km of the French Way.
Perfect for discovering local customs, food and wine, meeting other pilgrims and enjoying the unique atmosphere. 
'The Camino'  will take you through breathtaking scenery and nature, from Ponferrada to the peaceful hills of the rural Galicia.
For many, the essence of the Camino de Santiago is about enjoying the journey and not just the destination.

- ITINERARY -
1st day: ARRIVAL IN PONFERRADA
2nd day: PONFERRADA - VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO (24 km - 6 h - difficulty 2/3)
3rd day: VILLAFRANCA -  O CEBREIRO (27 km - 7h - difficulty 3/3)
4th day: O CEBREIRO - TRIACASTELA (21.7 km - 5h30 - difficulty 2/3)
5th day: TRIACASTELA - SARRIA (by San Xil 17.8 Km / by Samos 25 km - 5h30 - difficulty 1/3 or 2/3)
6th day: SARRIA - PORTOMARIN (23 Km - 6h - difficulty 1/3)
7th day: PORTOMARIN - PALAS DE REI (25.6 Km - 6h15 - difficulty 2/3)
8th day: PALAS DE REI - ARZUA (29.5 Km - 7h - difficulty 2/3)
9th day: ARZUA - RUA (18.5 Km - 5h - difficulty 1/3)
10th day: RUA - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (18.5 Km - 4h30 - difficulty 1/3)
11th day: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA


The Price Includes:
- 10 nights in handpicked hotels and inns, all with en-suite accommodation, on a bed and breakfast basis.
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel: 1 bag max. 20kg/ 44 lbs per person.
- Travel insurance.
- Credencial (Pilgrim's passport).
- Maps of the stages.
- Telephone assistance (English-speaking)

The Price does not include:
- Lunches.
- Flights or trains.
- Single room supplement: € 260
- Dinner supplement: € 220
- Superior category supplement: € 330
- Single room superior category supplement: € 300
- Dinner superior category supplement: € 280

PRICE PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE ROOM

DAILY DEPARTURES

-DAY BY DAY-

1st day: ARRIVAL IN PONFERRADA 
Fill in your pilgrim’s passport (La Credencial) and discover Ponferrada.
Ponferrada is the last major urban area before Santiago and the Templar Castle is well worth a visit.

2nd day: PONFERRADA - VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO (24 km - 6h - difficulty 2/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. You will first cross the small village of Pieros to reach Villafranca del Bierzo, where you will be rewarded with a visit to the famous Puerta del Perdón (Door of Forgiveness) in the church of Saint James.

3rd day: VILLAFRANCA - O CEBREIRO (27 km -7h00 - difficulty 3/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. The route moves onto the small village of Pereje and then Trabadelo, La Portela and Ambasmestas.
The Camino runs parallel to the road and then goes through the villages of Ruitean and Las Herrerias. This is when the climb really begins, with a short but very difficult ascent.
We reach Cebreiro and now there are now only 150 kilometres to go before you reach Santiago.

4th day: O CEBREIRO - TRIACASTELA (21.7 km - 5h30 - difficulty 2/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. You are now in Galicia, and O Cebreiro offers us one of the most beautiful landscapes on the Way, as a place of great tradition and mysticism , with its emblematic Romanesque church of Santa María de O Cebreiro.
Then you will start the climb towards the Alto de San Roque and later to the Alto de O Poio (1,335 m), which is the highest point in Galicia on the French Route, offering spectacular views.
After crossing the Alto do Poio, the descent to the hamlet of Triacastela begins.

5th day: TRIACASTELA - SARRIA (by San Xil 17.8 Km / by Samos 25 km - 5h30 - difficulty 1/3 or 2/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. From Triacastela, there are two ways to reach Sarria, via San XiI or via Samos, (the latter crosses Samos, with its beautiful Benedictine monastery but is more dangerous).
The path to San Xil is well signposted and runs through a mainly hilly landscape. Initially, you will be walking on a road, but this soon changes into forest bridleways. The next village is Fonte dos Lameiros, with its large pilgrim shell monument, and then after some undulating hills, you will reach San Xil, before continuing onto Sarria through different villages.
Sarria is the main town between Ponferrada and Santiago de Compostela. The Romanesque Church of Our Saviour, with its Gothic façade, and the convent of Magdalena are well worth a visit, as are the Rua Maior main street and the ancient medieval castle tower.

6th day: SARRIA - PORTOMARÍN (23 Km - 6h - difficulty 1/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. Expect a peaceful walk in shady oak woods through pretty villages on quiet country roads.
The village of Barbadelo (580m) has a beautiful Romanesque church that is worth a visit. The village of Ferreiros is also on route. When you arrive in Portomarín, you can chill out at one of the numerous outdoor cafés in the main square.

7th day: PORTOMARÍN - PALAS DE REI (25.6 Km - 6h15 - difficulty 2/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. The day starts by crossing over the Belesar dam footbridge, followed by a gradual climb ending in the village of Ligonde.
This stage runs mainly along andaderos (paths), next to the road, or in some cases along paved trails. There are many signs indicating that we are on a pilgrim route, including the famous "cruceiros" (crucifixes). Check out the Cruceiro of Lameiros and the Monastery of Our Saviour of Vilar de Donas (2 km detour off the Camino).

8th day: PALAS DE REI - ARZÚA (29.5 Km - 7h - difficulty 2/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. On this stage, you will move into the province of Corunna, where you will find expanses of eucalyptus and pine trees and numerous medieval bridges, such as those in Leboreiro and Furelos, as well as one of the most idyllic locations on the Camino in Ribadiso do Baixo near Arzua. Melide, which is famous for its octopus, is an obligatory stop for pilgrims and lovers of good food, whilst Arzua is famous for its designation of origin cheese.
This long walking day can be split into two with an overnight stay in Melide (15km + 14km).

9th day: ARZÚA - RÚA (18.5 Km - 5h - difficulty 1/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. Today’s route is a nice and easy walk over gentle slopes and through woodland, alternating with stretches near the road, which we will have to cross sometimes, before ending in Rua (500 m before the village of Pedrouzo).
Don't miss the beautiful sculpture of Saint James the Pilgrim in the Church of the same name in Boente.

10th day: RÚA - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (18.5 Km - 4h30 - difficulty 1/3)
Breakfast and start of the stage. The last stage on your Camino de Santiago. The proximity of your goal will bring mixed feelings. On one hand, you will be eager to reach the desired end of the journey, yet on the downside, the feeling that comes to every pilgrim is that the journey is over.
A stage of anxiety and joy, where distance does not matter, because you are “already there”.
The route today is flat, except for the climb to San Marcos, from Lavacolla, passing Monte do Gozo and down to Santiago de Compostela.
The entire city of Santiago de Compostela is magical, but especially its Cathedral, which deserves a special visit.

11th day: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
After breakfast, go to exchange your pilgrim’s passport, if you haven’t already done it. Alternatively, we suggest you visit the cathedral and the surrounding areas or attend a pilgrim mass.