Coastal route to Santiago Compostela: Stage 2

Hotel 4 *: Parador Baiona Hotel

The path departs from Baiona towards Vigo. This walk feels as a densely urbanized area, with the ever present constructions and landscape alteration visible along the way. A big portion of the walk is made along side an asphalted road, inside a protective shoulder, which is used by both cyclists and pedestrians. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: Senda dos Lagares near Vigo, beautiful place near the river where the path passes by, the monument to Elduayen, the monument to Jules Verne, the hill fort of Vigo, the Stone Market and the Co-Cathedral of Santa María.

The flat days are now left behind and the path starts to deviate from the coastal side. This walk is quite more hilly than any of the other ones so far. The first few kilometers are still made inside the busy and always shifting Vigo area. A constant degree of elevation is noticeable throughout the majority of the first half of this walk while climbing Penide hill, until the highest point of this walk is reached, at 430 meters. After that a quick downhill follows. The final quarter of this walk is inside a valley. A good portion of this walk is paved, although there are plenty natural areas at the higher elevations. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: The oyster nursery areas near Vigo at the ocean entrance, the zoo of Vigo called Vigozoo and Mámoa do rei, a neolithic tumulus in the Penide hill.

The hills are here to stay and as such this walk is not an exception. With a cumulative total of 670m of uphill and downhill, a lot of the walk is through dirt or secondary paths. Encountering the main road is still expected, since the different paths divert from the main road and go through low to no traffic areas. There are two main hills between 160 and 140m to cover during this walk. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: Ponte de San Paio, romantic bridge from the XIII century, church of Santa María de Ponte Sampaio. While in Pontevedra there is a whole repertoire of places to visit, serves as an example the monument to the heroes of the Sampaio bridge in Pontevedra, the convent of Saint Francis of Pontevedra, the chapel of the pilgrim virgin and the Spain plaza.

Hotel: Pazo de Agrelo

From this day forward it is noticeable a clear change on the type of back roads that are taken to get to Santiago. There is a feeling of being cared for and having roads practically for pilgrims use. There is plentiful amount of dirt paths, mixed with paved secondary streets and the occasional visit to the main road. There are two main uphill areas, being the biggest right at the end of this walk in order to get to the hotel. Some of the areas that might spark your interest during the day are: The church of San Cristobal De Briallos, the thermal fountain of las Burgas in Caldas de Rei, the church of San Tomé Becket, the carballeira of Caldas de Reis, a small garden in the town, and the paths that follow along the river, those of which you will cross while getting to the hotel. Rural hotel: Torre do Rio

Continuing the journey near by the river of Umía, this day will start in Caldas de Reis and will lead to the new destination, Padrón. In the beginning of the day, the city will be well remained by the thermal baths in its last fountain, Burgas, with a temperature between 64 and 68ºC. As well as the medieval bridge in the river of Bermaña, that will bring the final description of what the city represent. During the journey the highest point is at 161m and the lowest at 4 m, represented, in paved and asphalt roads but also embrace by forests well present in Monte Gandarón for example. Along the hiking to the city of Padrón, the way will bring the chance to visit the Chapel of San Roque, the church of Santa Mariña de Carracedo and the church of San Miguel de Valga as the walkers pass by the river of Ulla. The river of Ulla registered the large number of artifacts dating from the time of the Neolithic. The day will be finished in Padrón, the city that according to the legend, the stone ship with the apostle´s body was moored. The stone it’s now-a-days in Padrón and due to the symbol present in the stone the city start to be known as Padrón.

Hotel 4*: Pazo de Lestrove

The way between Padrón and the expected final destination is 25 km forward. The day will be felt in the highest point at 259m, the lowest point at 6m and the emotion of arriving to the promise land of this journey: Santiago de Compostela. The pathway is majorly walked in unpaved, gravel and pavement roads. Heading north to the final destination, the walkers will find what is considered to be the second cathedral of Compostela: the church of Santa Maria de Ira Flávia. According to legend, was in this territory that the first speech was made by apostle Santiago during his stay in Hispania and where the winning of the Nobel award, Camilo José Cela, was born. Continuing on the walk, you will reach the sanctuary of Nossa Señora da Escravitute and its park where the nature will surround you. After crossing the Sar River, the yellow arrows related to the Camino of Santiago will be more present. The lasts 3 km will be made with the Cathedral inside the walkers eyes. In the final destination, the place will embrace you with the catacombs of the Santiago, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ and the vibration of arriving to the famous Cathedral, that inspired main of us, will be felt.

Hotel4 *: Hotel Compostela

Day 8: Departure