Camino Invierno - Final Stage
- Walk the path less trodden on the Camino Invierno or "Winter Way"
- Montforte de Lemos, an important Galician fortress town
- Sample delicious local wines in the Ribeira Sacra vineyards
- Amazing views of the meandering Miño river
- Landscapes dotted with Romanesque chapels and architecture
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Monforte De Lemos and overnightAfter flying into Santiago, reach Monforte de Lemos by train or bus (approx 2hrs). This important Galician town is dominated by the Parador de Monforte de Lemos, a luxurious historic hotel located right at the top of the hill that stands out over the roofs of the capital of the Ribeira Sacra.
This area, in addition to its high landscape and monumental value, is home to another of the 5 Denominations of Origin of Galician wines, the DO Ribeira Sacra. We highly recommend adding an extra night in Monforte if you have time, where we can arrange an optional day excursion to a nearby wine cellar including a catamaran trip and tasting lunch. It is also possible to upgrade for the night so that you stay in the Parador hotel, which is housed in an old monastery.
A contemporary hotel right next to the Cabe River, surrounded by shops and cafes. A little over 13 minutes walk from the 10th-century Monastery of San Vicente do Pino and a kilometer from Monforte de Lemos train station. Rooms come with wifi, flat-screen televisions, mini bars and terraces with beautiful views.
Today you will walk to meet the Miño, father of the Galician rivers. The route will take you very close to one of the most photographed images of the Ribeira Sacra: the river meander of O Cabo do Mundo. We recommend you make a small detour to the viewpoint that frames this spectacular view.
You soon find yourself in one of the areas of Europe with the highest concentration of Romanesque art, and will pass several monuments on your way, before heading through a tranquil area of beautiful Galician oak groves. Walk on an old Roman road through the picturesque village of Belesar, an old Roman road, and enjoy views of the River Mino, with its terraced vineyards and canyons. Enter Chantada through a convent and porticoed street.
This low-key, contemporary hotel among shops and bars in the town center is a 5-minute walk from Asma River and 5 km from Adega Ribada winery.
The streamlined rooms have wood floors. There's also a laid-back lobby bar, as well as a covered terrace with seating.
Today you will ascend to Monte Faro, declared a Special Conservation Area, where one of the highest peaks in Galicia is located at a height of 1,187 meters.
After reaching the Hermitage of Nosa Señora do Faro at the top of the mountain, at your feet you will find a panoramic view of the four Galician provinces. Thousands of pilgrims have stopped here throughout the centuries to pray and this is sure to be a special moment on your walk. Descend through oak groves to the village of Rodeiro, and a transfer will bring you to your hotel back in Chantada.
This low-key, contemporary hotel among shops and bars in the town center is a 5-minute walk from Asma River and 5 km from Adega Ribada winery.
The streamlined rooms have wood floors. There's also a laid-back lobby bar, as well as a covered terrace with seating.
Begin today by passing through small rural towns and several bridges over the Arnego river on its way to the Ulla river. Pass through Pedroso, an area linked with old stonemasons, before arriving at the town of Lalín, the capital of the region famous for its succulent inland cuisine and an annual food festival called "Feira do Cocido" where thousands enjoy delcioius Galician cuisine.
This recently built hotel has 24 rooms and prides itself on providing comfort and tranquillity for every stay.
The Camino Invierno joins with the Via de la Plata today and is a short and easy stage, crossing through landscapes typical of rural Galicia. Walk between pazos and stately homes towards the meeting with the Ulla river. Perhaps stop off at one of the 'parrilladas' along the way, steak houses where you can sample a tasty 'churrasco', grilled pork or beef on charcoal.
The Hotel Victorino is a hotel of dual nature, with an old part, fully refurbished to a high standard and a newly built, modern wing to compliment. The owners pride themselves on the warmest of welcome and outstanding hospitality.
Accompanied by the River Ulla today, walk through lush forests and crop fields until you start a steep descent towards the town of Ponte Ulla. Explore the beautiful Romanesque church of Santa Maria da Magdalena before arriving in Galegos, where your accommodation for the night is located in an area famous for Rías Baixas wine.
Albergue-Pension O Cruceiro Da Ulla is a tourist hotel located in Ponte Ulla, 17km from Santiago de Compostela. Attached is the O Cruceiro da Ulla restaurant, convenient for evening meals.
The Mount of Pico Sacro is the final hurdle which separates you from the famous Praza do Obradoiro. Enjoy amazing views from the Ermita de San Sebatian before crossing small villages linked by trails. Soon you will begin to see the impressive spires of the Cathedral of Santiago and you will know that you have reached your goal once you cross the Sar neighborhood, which welcomes you to the wonderful city of Santiago de Compostela. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has a completely unique atmosphere, the joining place of thousands of pilgrims and where the lively streets brim with busy restaurants and bars. Pick up your Compostela certificate from the pilgrim's office and we highly recommend adding an extra day so that you can enjoy the pilgrim's mass the following day.
The Lux Santiago Hotel is located in the centre of the Galician capital. It has an exceptional location that allows you to explore the city in depth. The hotel is just 800 metres from the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
After breakfast, your walking holiday will come to an end. See the Travel Info section for some useful details for your onward travel.
This trip has a carbon score of 15kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 15kg is equivalent to 4.5 cheeseburgers. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?This is the Camino for you if you wish to experience a route away from the crowds, passing through varied landscapes. On this moderately graded and well signposted route, you will stay overnight in small and charming B&B's, hotels and rural houses which give you a true experience of rural Spain.
Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This walk is graded moderate and includes daily walks of 17-29km so you will be walking for between 4 and 6 hours each day. The trail consists of a mixture of dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths through vineyards and forests. Daily ascents are between 250 and 700m (with the average being around 350m).
The accommodation is a mixture of rural hotels and guesthouses all with private rooms and en-suite. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers and traditional hospitality. Occasionally, due to the nature of this walk there may not be accommodation right on the path - in which case you will be collected and transferred to your accommodation for the night, which will usually be in a lovely rural location.
Solo Walkers & Single Rooms
If you would prefer to book single rooms for your party, this is available for a small supplement. We are also able to book solo walkers on to this trip and this is available for the same supplement as a single room, with no extra charge.
Meals
A local continental breakfast is included each morning, which can sometimes just be coffee, bread, and orange juice. Lunch and dinner are not included as standard so you are free to choose from the available options. Every place you stop will have evening meals available.
Extra Night in Monforte de Lemos
We highly recommend adding an extra night in Monforte de Lemos where you can either book a standard 4* hotel or upgrade to the famous Parador Hotel. If you do book an extra night here, we also recommend a full day excursion to the Ribeira Sacra. This very special experience includes a wine tasting lunch and drinks and a 1hr catamaran trip. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to add this on. The cost of this is £165 per person.
Whilst the Camino Invierno is an off-the-beaten-path route, the waymarking is still excellent so you should have no problems with navigation. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows and a yellow shell on a blue background. The detailed travel pack we supply includes a detailed information pack for planning and preparing for your Camino, detailed instructions of how to find your overnight accommodation, and everything you need for your Camino.
You will have access to our Macs Adventure App, allowing you to follow the route on richly detailed mapping on your smartphone.
Please note that during the winter months, you may experience some wind and fog which could make navigation slightly trickier.
Recommended Reading
Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:
- A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Sanabres & Camino Invierno by John Brierley
- Accommodation in small rural hotels and guest houses with en-suite W/C
- Daily Breakfast
- Baggage transfers
- Transfers as per itinerary
- A detailed information pack including route notes and maps
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- Emergency support from our local and UK office
- Lunches, dinners, snacks or drinks
- Travel insurance
- Personal Equipment
- Travel to Ponferrada/Monforte de Lemos and from Santiago de Compostela
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Additional nights’ accommodation
- Wine tasting excursion in the Ribeira Sacra
You can start your Camino on any day of your choosing between March and November.
Galicia has quite a different climate to the rest of Spain. It has mild and rainy winters, and cool and sunny summers. The spring months are a beautiful time to travel in this region, when the vineyards will be a delightful burst of colour and for the same reason autumn is also a nice time to travel. It should be noted however that if you choose to do this route during the winter months, you can expect to experience more varied weather and there can be periods of rain, wind and fog to contend with.
By Air:
Santiago de Compostela is the closest airport to Monforte de Lemos. From the UK Ryanair fly direct to Santiago from Stansted and Easyjet fly direct from Gatwick. From outside the UK, you can fly to Santiago via Paris with Vueling or from Madrid with Ryanair.
Private Transfers:
We are able to arrange taxi transfers for you in Spain (bookable in advance at a supplement) from Santiago Airport. Please get in touch to enquire about how we can help with transfer arrangements in Spain.
By rail or bus from Santiago to Monforte de Lemos
You can take the train or bus from Santiago to Monforte de Lemos. The train takes approx 2hrs and goes via Ourense. You can check this on the RENFE website. The bus journey with ALSA also takes around 2 hours.
From Santiago City to the Airport
From Santiago you can arrange a private transfer through Macs Adventure, to ensure a smooth end to your Camino. Alternatively, a bus runs between the airport and Plaza de Galicia in Santiago, stopping at different points in the city (Pazo de Congresos, Capilla San Lázaro, the bus station, the railway station, Rúa da Rosa, and others). From the airport, the bus departs from 00:00 to 23:30, every half hour (duration 20 mins). Please see the Santiago Airport website for current timetables.
From Santiago to Madrid by train
If you would prefer to travel by rail, you can take a train (fast trains are available, 6h30 duration approx.) from Santiago to Madrid with RENFE.
By Bus within Spain
There are good bus connections from Santiago to other cities within Spain – see http://www.alsa.es for bus schedules.
Baggage transfers are included (max 20kg per person). Your main bag will be transferred each day between your overnight accommodation so that you only need to walk with a day pack.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Extra Night in Monforte de Lemos
We highly recommend adding an extra night in Monforte de Lemos where you can either book a standard 4* hotel or upgrade to the famous Parador Hotel. If you do book an extra night here, we also recommend a full day excursion to the Ribeira Sacra. This very special experience includes a wine tasting lunch and drinks and a 1hr catamaran trip. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to add this on. The cost of this is £165 per person.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable Travel Insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.
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