INTO GALICIA – A SMALL GROUP WALKING TOUR FROM LEÓN TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA. THE LAST SECTION OF AN EPIC JOURNEY ACROSS SPAIN!
TRIP DETAILS
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- 14 nights’ accommodation in great hotel and manor houses always with private bathroom
- All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 2 dinners including wine
- Guided tour of the Cathedrals in Leon and Santiago de Compostela
- Water and snacks along the way
- All baggage transport and van support if your legs need a break…
- Guided tours of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
- The Credencial or Pilgrim´s Passport and scallop shell
- Guide Book with full set of maps for the Camino
- English and Spanish speaking guide/s
TRIP DESCRIPTION
This is the last section of the classic pilgrimage along the Camino Francés. This route is perhaps the most famous and certainly the most popular route to Santiago de Compostela. Beginning in the beautiful city of León, we cross the Maragata region and climb to the emblematic Cruz de Ferro in the Bierzo hills. From there we enter the magical province of Galicia before arriving at the legendary Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
You will be following in the footsteps of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who have made the journey on foot since the 8th Century. The Camino is for many a life-changing experience and always an unforgettable adventure!
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Being a part of the Camino! You will be walking with people from all over the world all heading to the same place. This is one of the things that make the Camino Francés so special.
- The changes in landscape, architecture, language, cuisine and climate as you move through this vast and amazing country.
- The many monuments, chapels, churches and cathedrals marking the way, from the magnificent Gothic cathedral of León to Romanesque gems such as Vilar de Donas in Galicia.
- Walking through the beautiful Bierzo region of Castilla y León with views of heather-covered moors and tiny villages filled with slate-roofed houses.
- Arriving at the Plaza de Obradoiro to see the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, along with the familiar faces of all the other pilgrims who have, like you, walked to get there!
THE COMPOSTELA
At the end of Part 3 of the Camino Francés all walkers are presented with a Compostela certificate issued by the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and the Pilgrim’s Office. This is true about all of the walks that complete at least the last 100 km of any Camino de Santiago.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
ITINERARY
Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés is walked during a 15 day period. We have divided the journey into days of similar length.
Below is the city to city itinerary, but please note that specific hotels vary between dates and are therefore not published here. They are provided at the time of booking, along with a more detailed schedule that you can share with your friends and family.
Day 1: Arrive in León – Guided private tour of the Cathedral of Leon. Welcome meeting and dinner – Accommodation in León
Day 2: León to Villar de Mazarife – 24km : 14.9m – Accommodation in Astorga
Day 3: Villar de Mazarife to Astorga – 26km : 16.1m – Accommodation in Astorga
Day 4: Astorga to Foncebadón – 25km : 15.5m – Accommodation in Rabanal del Camino
Day 5: Foncebadón to Ponferrada – 28km : 17.4m – Accommodation in Ponferrada
Day 6: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo – 24km : 14.9m – Accommodation in Villafranca del Bierzo
Day 7: Villafranca del Bierzo to Las Herrerías – 22km : 13.7m – Accommodation in Las Herrerías
Day 8: Las Herrerías to Fonfria – 25km : 15.5m – Accommodation in Sarria
Day 9: Fonfria to Sarria – 27km : 16.8m – Accommodation in Sarria
Day 10: Sarria to Portomarín – 22km : 13.7m – Accommodation in Portomarín
Day 11: Portomarín to Palas do Rei – 24km : 14.9m – Accommodation in Palas do Rei
Day 12: Palas do Rei to Ribadiso – 25km : 15.5m – Accommodation in Arzua
Day 13: Ribadiso to Arca – 22km : 13.7m – Accommodation in Arzua
Day 14: Arca to Santiago de Compostela – 20km : 12.4m – Accommodation in Santiago de Compostela
Day 15: Guided Private Tour of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Tour Ends.
A MAP OF YOUR JOURNEY
ITINERARY
Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés is walked during a 15 day period. We have divided the journey into days of similar length.
Below is the city to city itinerary, but please note that specific hotels vary between dates and are therefore not published here. They are provided at the time of booking, along with a more detailed schedule that you can share with your friends and family.
Day 1: Arrive in León – Guided private tour of the Cathedral of Leon. Welcome meeting and dinner – Accommodation in León
Day 2: León to Villar de Mazarife – 24km : 14.9m – Accommodation in Astorga
Day 3: Villar de Mazarife to Astorga – 26km : 16.1m – Accommodation in Astorga
Day 4: Astorga to Foncebadón – 25km : 15.5m – Accommodation in Rabanal del Camino
Day 5: Foncebadón to Ponferrada – 28km : 17.4m – Accommodation in Ponferrada
Day 6: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo – 24km : 14.9m – Accommodation in Villafranca del Bierzo
Day 7: Villafranca del Bierzo to Las Herrerías – 22km : 13.7m – Accommodation in Las Herrerías
Day 8: Las Herrerías to Fonfria – 25km : 15.5m – Accommodation in Sarria
Day 9: Fonfria to Sarria – 27km : 16.8m – Accommodation in Sarria
Day 10: Sarria to Portomarín – 22km : 13.7m – Accommodation in Portomarín
Day 11: Portomarín to Palas do Rei – 24km : 14.9m – Accommodation in Palas do Rei
Day 12: Palas do Rei to Ribadiso – 25km : 15.5m – Accommodation in Arzua
Day 13: Ribadiso to Arca – 22km : 13.7m – Accommodation in Arzua
Day 14: Arca to Santiago de Compostela – 20km : 12.4m – Accommodation in Santiago de Compostela
Day 15: Guided Private Tour of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Tour ends.
A MAP OF YOUR JOURNEY
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is carefully chosen for its proximity to the Camino, for its charm and for the quality of service provided. We try to use small rural farmhouses or manor houses wherever possible. These are similar to bed and breakfasts and are usually traditional houses typical of the region, full of character and run by local people.
On some nights, we use hotels so you will experience a mix, always of good quality!
EXTRA DAYS BEFORE OR AFTER
If you are traveling at a busy time of year it’s best to reserve. For hotels in León and Santiago de Compostela it’s certainly better to reserve in advance. We can help if you need advice or assistance booking a room – just let us know.
FOOD
Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés passes through Castilla y León and Galicia. Each region does food differently and both cook with great pride.
From the “backwards” Cocido Maragatoto handmade Quiexo do Cebreiro con membrillo we go out of our way to track down the best to share with you.
Included in Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés
- All Breakfasts
- 5 Lunches with wine
- 2 Dinners with wine & water
- snacks & water throughout the day
LUGGAGE
From the starting point in León, to the ending point in Santiago de Compostela we take care of all luggage handling and transportation.
For the luggage, this means leaving your bags with your guide in the morning. We handle the details of getting them into your next hotel room.
We have our support vehicle which means being able to take a rest by shuttling ahead to the lunch spot, or if the need arises to get you straight to your room. We also find it handy to keep a small bag in the van with stuff you might need throughout the day whether this be a change of jacket or picking up your walking sticks.
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is carefully chosen for its proximity to the Camino, for its charm and for the quality of service provided. We try to use small rural farmhouses or manor houses wherever possible. These are similar to bed and breakfasts and are usually traditional houses typical of the region, full of character and run by local people.
On some nights, we use hotels so you will experience a mix, always of good quality! The amenities vary from location to location, meaning that not all places will necessarily have a bathtub. They are all up to our standards.
EXTRA DAYS BEFORE OR AFTER
If you are traveling at a busy time of year it’s best to reserve. For hotels in León and Santiago de Compostela it’s certainly better to reserve in advance. We can help if you need advice or assistance booking a room – just let us know.
FOOD
Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés passes through Castilla y León and Galicia. Each region does food differently and both cook with great pride.
From the “backwards” Cocido Maragatoto handmade Quiexo do Cebreiro con membrillo we go out of our way to track down the best to share with you.
Included in Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés
- All Breakfasts
- 5 Lunches with wine
- 2 Dinners with wine & water
- snacks & water throughout the day
LUGGAGE
From the starting point in León, to the ending point in Santiago de Compostela we take care of all luggage handling and transportation.
For the luggage, this means leaving your bags with your guide in the morning. We handle the details of getting them into your next hotel room.
We have our support vehicle which means being able to take a rest by shuttling ahead to the lunch spot, or if the need arises to get you straight to your room. We also find it handy to keep a small bag in the van with stuff you might need throughout the day whether this be a change of jacket or picking up your walking sticks.
GUIDANCE
Preparing for a walk of this magnitude can be a daunting task. Part of our booking process involves ensuring that all of the details are considered. We’ll discuss transportation to and from the starting point too. You do the walking, we’ll take care of the rest. The Last 100 Kilometers is a fully supported walking tour along the Camino de Santiago. That means that from beginning to end we will be there to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés is a fully supported walking tour along the Camino Francés. That means that from beginning to end we will be there to make sure everything goes smoothly.
OUR GUIDES
Everyone at Andaspain was a pilgrim before they became a guide, in fact most of us spent a few years returning to the camino before setting out to help others do the same. For all of us the Camino de Santiago was a life changing experience and we consider the act of walking purposefully to be one of our most cherished activities. Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés, and every other fully guided walking tour we offer, is always led by a qualified and bilingual guide.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL GUIDES
Along Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés we pass several cathedrals of significance. For such important pieces of the camino we defer to the locals for their expertise. These guides walk you through the following cathedrals:
- León
- Santiago de Compostela
AS PART OF OUR EVERY INCH OF THE CAMINO FRANCÉS TOUR
This tour comprises one ‘section’ of the Every Inch of the Camino Francés Tour, which itself can be completed as one tour or in parts. We run the Every Inch of the Camino Francés Tour in Spring so you can come back and join us year after year until you walk the different sections of the Camino Francés!
The Last 100 Kms (as part of our Every Inch of the Camino Tour)
GUIDANCE
Preparing for a walk of this magnitude can be a daunting task. Part of our booking process involves ensuring that all of the details are considered. We’ll discuss transportation to and from the starting point too. You do the walking, we’ll take care of the rest. The Last 100 Kilometers is a fully supported walking tour along the Camino de Santiago. That means that from beginning to end we will be there to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés is a fully supported walking tour along the Camino Francés. That means that from beginning to end we will be there to make sure everything goes smoothly.
OUR GUIDES
Everyone at Andaspain was a pilgrim before they became a guide, in fact most of us spent a few years returning to the camino before setting out to help others do the same. For all of us the Camino de Santiago was a life changing experience and we consider the act of walking purposefully to be one of our most cherished activities. Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés, and every other fully guided walking tour we offer, is always led by a qualified and bilingual guide.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL GUIDES
Along Part 3 of Every Inch of the Camino Francés we pass several cathedrals of significance. For such important pieces of the camino we defer to the locals for their expertise. These guides walk you through the following cathedrals:
- León
- Santiago de Compostela
AS PART OF OUR EVERY INCH OF THE CAMINO FRANCÉS TOUR
This tour comprises one ‘section’ of the Every Inch of the Camino Francés Tour, which itself can be completed as one tour or in parts. We run the Every Inch of the Camino Francés Tour in Spring so you can come back and join us year after year until you walk the different sections of the Camino Francés!
The Last 100 Kms (as part of our Every Inch of the Camino Tour)
OUR BOOKING PROCESS
STEP 1
Complete the form to schedule a phone call. We’re kind of sticklers about this step and promise to make it the best phone call you ever had.
STEP 2
After we’ve gotten to know each other, we will email you a link to our top-secret and very secure booking page. That, of course, is why we are asking for your email address in step 1. By the end of this step, you will have confirmed your place on your chosen trip, and the places of anybody that will be joining you. This is done by means of a deposit of 300€ or 600€ per person (depending on trip length).
STEP 3
Once your booking is confirmed you will immediately be presented with step 3, which can be completed at any time but at least 1 month prior to the departure date. You will get this link in your booking confirmation in case you are a procrastinator. In step 3 we collect a bit more personal information to make sure that everything on the trip goes smoothly. This includes any medical allergies, old injuries that might give you grief, and lastly your passport number for the sake of expediting our hotel check-ins.
BEFORE THE WALK, WE TALK
This is STEP 1
The journey to Santiago de Compostela is one of many steps. We feel strongly that learning more about your expectations should be the first. To make sure that Andaspain is an ideal fit for the adventure ahead tell us when you can be reached by phone and we will call you up. If you prefer to contact us, scroll all the way to the bottom of this page to find our number and email address.