Highlights of the Camino de Santiago Walk

Highlights of the Camino de Santiago Walk

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8 Days From

$1775

Highlights of the Camino de Santiago Walk

8 Days Starting in Sarria and ending in Santiago de Compostela

Visiting: Spain

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

W07CS

Group Type:

Independent

Guide Type:

Self Guided

Physical rating:

Easy & Moderate

Age range:

18-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $1775

NB: Prices correct on 14-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

The vast expansion of its humble Roman roads connecting France and Spain has, over time, fanned out across Iberia and western Europe, making it one of the most unmissable long distance trails in the world.



On this seven-night walk, you'll start in Sarria, a large town famed for Galicia's antique fairs. From here you'll walk along farm tracks, paths and country lanes, and through vineyards, stopping off at churches to admire the frescoes and tavernas for lunch en route. Be sure to have your Pilgrim Passport stamped in bars, hotels and churches along the way to qualify for a certificate from the official Pilgrim Office in Santiago.

Highlights

  • Walk along one of the most famous UNESCO pilgrimage routes in the world

  • Excellent mix of accommodation, including a converted water mill, restored parish houses and stylish farmhouses

  • Poppy-sprinkled wheat fields, orchid-rich water meadows, pine-scented woodland

  • Share in a breathtaking 1000-year-old sense of achievement with other walkers

  • Pilgrim Passport to record your adventure en route.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive In Sarria

Meals Included: Dinner

Arrive at your hotel in Sarria. (Staying at Rectoral de Goian, Half Board)

Day 2 : Sarria To Portomarin

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today starts with a walk along the Roman bridge that leads out of Sarria up the Celerio Valley. Cross through the hamlets of the southern edge of the Sierra del Paramo then descend into Portomarin - the original village was drowned by the Belesar Reservoir, and some remains still shimmer below the surface! (Staying at Casa Rural Santa Marina, Half Board)

Day 3 : Portomarin To Lestedo

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today you can visit Portomarin's church before passing between cornfields lined with ox-eye daisies as you follow the Torres stream. Stamp your Pilgrim Passport in country churches dedicated to the Order of St James before arriving at your beautifully restored rectory. (Staying at Rectoral de Lestedo, Half board)

Day 4 : Lestedo To O Coto

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Walk along country lanes past fortified farmhouses into the hillside town of Palas de Rei (Palace of the King) as you enter the province of A Coruna. You'll pass typical, raised Galician granaries, and see chickens scamper across narrow streets as you enter vineyards, with views east to the Montes del Vacaloura. (Staying at Casa de los Somoza, Half Board)

Day 5 : O Coto To Arzua

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today's first stop is the thriving country town of Melide, where you'll see locals enjoying Galician seafood in specialist pulperias (octopus restaurants). Drop into the Romanesque church to admire the frescoes, before walking to the lively market town of Arzua along lanes lined with bright yellow celandine. Your final stop is the elegant manor house, surrounded by tranquil countryside, just outside the town. (Staying at Pazo de Santa Maria, Half Board)

Day 6 : Arzua To Rua

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Follow Arzua's colonnaded streets into open country where local farmers wear berets as they tend vines and build haystacks with pitch forks. Your route will rise and fall through river valleys, crossing rushing streams. This evening you'll stay at Javier's breathtaking converted water mill, where original machinery has been turned into spectacular period features. (Staying at O Muino de Pena, Half Board)

Day 7 : Rua To Santiago

Meals Included: Breakfast

The finishing line is near! Set off towards Monte do Gozo (Mount of Joy) today, where pilgrims of old caught their first glimpse of the spires of Santiago. As you reach Santiago's historic centre, the atmosphere is electric as a steady stream of pilgrims reach their journey's end below the cathedral's spectacular Baroque facade. Drop into the Pilgrim Office to collect your certificate, before checking into our historic hotel near the old marketplace - still a riot of colour! (Staying at Hotel Virxe da Cerca, Breakfast only)

Day 8 : Leave Santiago De Compostela

What's Included

  • All accommodation

  • Continental breakfast and 6 evening meals

  • Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent

  • Route directions

  • Luggage transfers between hotels

  • Walking transfers

  • Pilgrim's Passport

  • Arrival and departure transfers (if booking a flight inclusive package)

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)

  • Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)

  • Visas or vaccinations

  • Arrival and departure transfers (if booking a land only package)

Accommodation

Your accommodation for the week is diverse including restored parish houses, converted water mills and stylish farmhouses, all packed with period features. A phrase book will come in handy for some of the hotels where the owners don't speak English.

Food

Food along the Camino de Santiago is generally fresh local produce, simply prepared and presented with lots of great flavours. The emphasis in the majority of restaurants is on hearty fare for hungry walkers.Galicia in particular is famous for having excellent seafood. Among other dishes you may encounter the ‘empanada gallega’, a simple flat pie which can be stuffed with almost anything including pisto (Spanish ratatouille), tuna or meat, mixed with a base of lightly fried onions, green peppers and tomato. Pimientos are small green peppers, usually lightly fried in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Lacón con Grelos is a popular meat based dish - boiled meat from the front leg of a pig. Grelos are turnip leaves - the lacón and grelos are boiled together and served with sausage and potatoes. Stews are also common to revitalise hungry visitors - Caldo Gallego is a Galician broth full of cabbage, potatoes and beans, often with ham, sausage and pork added to make a filling main course. Dessert is sometimes the ubiquitous ‘flan’ - a variation on crème caramel, or pancakes stuffed with honey, sugar, custard or jam. Along the Camino you can always find ‘tarta de Santiago’ a dry cake made with almonds, often with a sugar dusted cross on the top - sweet, delicious and filling. There are five Denominaciones de origen in Galicia: Ribeiro, Valdeorras, Rias Baixas, Ribeira Sacra and Monterrey. Although known almost exclusively for their white wines, each also produces red wine.

Mode of Transport

The tour includes walking transfers and luggage transfers between hotels. Arrival and departure transfers are provided if booking a flight inclusive package, while land-only packages do not include these transfers.

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of accommodations can I expect during the Camino de Santiago Walk?

    During the Camino de Santiago Walk, you will stay in a variety of accommodations including restored parish houses, converted water mills, and stylish farmhouses, all featuring period details. Some of the hotel owners may not speak English, so a phrase book could be useful.

  • What meals are included in the tour package?

    The tour package includes continental breakfast and six evening meals. The final day in Santiago includes breakfast only.

  • Is luggage transfer provided during the walk?

    Yes, luggage transfers between hotels are included in the tour package, allowing you to walk without carrying your bags.

  • What is the significance of the Pilgrim Passport on this tour?

    The Pilgrim Passport is a special document that you can stamp at various locations along the route, such as country churches dedicated to the Order of St James. It serves as a record of your journey and is a cherished memento of your pilgrimage.

  • What can I expect to see and experience on the walk from Rua to Santiago?

    On the walk from Rua to Santiago, you will head towards Monte do Gozo, where pilgrims historically caught their first glimpse of Santiago's spires. As you reach Santiago's historic center, you'll experience an electric atmosphere as pilgrims complete their journey at the cathedral's Baroque facade. You can also visit the Pilgrim Office to collect your certificate.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews of this operator

Gergana Racheva  

Very helpful and prompt service

06-Jan-2023

Very helpful and prompt service. I called to check for an already booked trip and once we sorted this, the agent was ready to help me with another booking as well. He actually waited for me to book my flight tickets, answered all my questions, informed me of all my options. Exodus is a tour company I am using regularly due to the quality of their trips, ease of booking and helpfulness of their customer service team

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Tim Hardy  

Stunning walking. Walking the Amalfi Coast

04-Nov-2021

This trip takes you through the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean walking with a guide and also discovering the wonders of Pompeii and Vesuvius. The hotel had a nice feel as family run, spotless and comfortable rooms, we were well looked after for breakfasts and dinner each day, and the barmen fixed some mean cocktails for us.!

paul green (Google Reviewer)  

Went on a tour of...

14-Jan-2022

Went on a tour of morocco in October and loved it ,mohamed the tour guide was excellent, probably go with exodus to India next year

Paul Green  

It's amazing what you can do in a week! Cycling the Dalmatian Coast.

08-Oct-2021

This holiday was extremely enjoyable. The itinerary is well planned and the route takes you to a variety of destinations. Not having been to Croatia before I didn't know there were so many beautiful small islands and I loved the ferry and catarmaran rides. The coastal route we took was dramatic and the World Heritage sites in Split and Dubrovnik very interesting and worth visiting. The Adriatic Sea was warm, blue and inviting, good for swimming even in October. The hotels we stayed in varied in size from medium to large. I particularly liked the one just outside Dubrovnik as I had a sea view. Tourists were plentiful in Split and Dubrovnik but in the other places we stayed there was an end of season feel and it was quiet on the roads and in the resorts. The food was good and our guide was always able to recommend a nice restaurant for our evening meal. The weather in October was good for cycling - not hot, partly cloudy most days and one day it rained!

Mrs Y Morrison  

Fabulous company and trip

06-Jan-2023

We went overland from Cape Town to Zimbabwe through Botswana and Namibia. What a fantastic trip. Our first time with Exodus although we have travelled extensively around the world. We would highly recommend this company for such a brilliant trip - we got everything and more all at a good price. Thanks to everyone involved. We are looking at our next trip!

Trustpilot
Ann B (Google Reviewer)  

We had a week walking...

08-Oct-2024

We had a week walking and wine in the Duro valley with two local guides Louis and Theresa. They were both exceptional, knowledgeable, professional and funny. Our group of 11 had a great time. This was a premium tour. Our 4 star hotels were both well located clean and with great views. We had several local meals arranged by our guides with local people cooking for us. We did not meet any other walkers during our hikes only two shepherds. I would certainly recommend this tour to anyone interested in the local produce and wine. We both felt as we had learnt a lot about Portugal during this tour. We will use Exodus again. One of our group had done 30 tours with Exodus over the years. Quite an endorsement.

Alison Payton (Google Reviewer)  

I've done 8 trips in...

17-May-2023

I've done 8 trips in the last 14 years with Exodus, and have been rewarded with a 10% discount on all future bookings. I feel very confident that I'll receive pleasant, efficient service, and have the unusual holiday experience that I'm looking for each time. I've trekked to the top of snow-capped peaks, wild-camped in the desert, seen amazing spectacles of nature, visited 4 capital cities in a week, and learned about local culture and experienced local hospitality in a way that I simply wouldn't on a conventional holiday. The quality of the accommodation and guides can vary, but this is mainly down to cultural differences and things that Exodus can't control. I've only ever complained once, my complaint was taken seriously, and I was sent a discount voucher - you can't say fairer than that. I remain a loyal customer.

David (Google Reviewer)  

Exodus are generally a good...

21-Aug-2024

Exodus are generally a good travel company. Things tend to run smoothly and trips well organised. Their customers tend to be at retirement age. Trips are a bit overpriced. I would also avoid trips in Europe, as these often focus on more coffee stops and meals, rather than walking. I would also recommend making sure your guide records any accidents you have, hopefully not applicable. I had one on Sierra de Aitana which the guide saw and knew about, but he and Exodus said it never happened when I followed up after the trip. I wasn’t putting in a claim, just suggested a safety improvement. They have since apologised and acknowledged this as an error. They are a good reliable option for outside of Europe trips.

Jacquelyn Moore (Google Reviewer)  

Food came quickly. Staff very...

07-Mar-2024

Food came quickly. Staff very friendly and polite . However the chef or person preparing the food did not seem to read the menu! If it says a meal should come with vegetables, you should not have to ask for them. They served shepherds pie with garlic bread! The munchies ice cream sundae said it should come in a glass with a flake but came in a little bowl with just a few munchies! When asking the staff were happy to replace and correct but customer should get what they order and what menu says first time round!!

johanna leonor (Google Reviewer)  

If you like to be...

07-Sep-2023

If you like to be mistreated Exodus is perfect for you. If you enjoy terrible choices for hotels and pseudo restaurants Exodus is perfect for you. Careless about their clients and loveless about their propositions. Exodus has been a dissatisfaction and disappointment about every dealing i and my group have had with him. Especially a man called Simone who just cares about the money he can get from you couldn’t care less about service.

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Prices last published on 14-Nov-2024

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  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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