Palas de Rei – Arzúa stage: Camino Francés guide

• Distance: 28.8 km.
• Difficulty: medium-high, because of the ups and downs.

• Estimated time: 7 – 8 hours of walking.

• Highest point: 554 m (Palas de Rei).

• Lowest point: 304 m (Ribadiso da Baixo).

• Water points: Plentiful in every village, plus fountains along the way.

• Where routes meet: at Melide (km 14.8) the Camino Primitivo joins, and at Arzúa the Camino del Norte. You will see many more pilgrims than on earlier stages.
• Change of province: at O Coto you leave Lugo and enter A Coruña. Santiago is getting close.
• Terrain and mud: almost all of it is on comfortable tracks and eucalyptus woods, but if it has rained there is mud near the River Furelos. Wear shoes with good grip.
• Highlights: Melide’s pulpo á feira, Ribadiso beside the river and Arzúa cheese.

• Furelos medieval bridge: considered one of the prettiest on the Camino, just before entering Melide.
• Food in Melide: it is almost a must to try the pulpo á feira or the melindres. With that fuel you reach Arzúa in good shape, where a good dinner and the town’s cheese await you.
• Ribadiso da Baixo: a lovely spot beside the River Iso. It is the last rest before the final climb to Arzúa.
• Your rest in Arzúa: after almost 29 km, at Casa Buen Camino you can have dinner on our 40 m² terrace with a barbecue and rest in a whole house for your group.

Even if the odometer says 28.8 km, the constant ups and downs and the tarmac make it feel harder than the numbers suggest.

The profile makes it hard to keep a steady pace. But by now you know Santiago is near, and that helps a lot on the last short climbs before Arzúa.

Watch out for the final climb from Ribadiso. It is a good place to cool your feet, but don’t doze off: there are still about 2.6 km to Arzúa, with one last effort before you reach the flat part.

1. Leaving Palas de Rei: Military Architecture and Romanesque (0 – 3.4 km)

We set off from km 0 in Palas de Rei. As you leave the town, you will see signs towards Pambre Castle. If you have time, this 5 km detour takes you to the best example of medieval military architecture in Galicia (you can check visits at Turismo de Galicia).

Back on the official route, marker 64 welcomes us to San Sebastián de Carballal. We walk beneath leafy eucalyptus and oak woods on a stretch prone to mud in places like Lacua, where a row of stone slabs saves us from getting bogged down. On reaching San Xulián do Camiño, its 12th-century Romanesque church greets us with its imposing apse.

2. The Pambre Valley and History at Porto de Bois (3.4 – 8.5 km)

We go down a very pretty corredoira towards the River Pambre until we reach Pontecampaña. A lovely stretch follows: a path hemmed in by rocks and twisted branches, the kind that looks straight out of a fairy tale. After passing Casanova, we cross the rego do Vilar at Porto de Bois. This place, peaceful today, was the setting in the 14th century of a bloody dynastic battle between Henry of Trastámara and the Count of Lemos, a struggle that marked the history of the Galician nobility. Shortly after, at Campanilla, we say goodbye to the almost 97 km walked in the province of Lugo.

3. Leboreiro: Entering A Coruña (8.5 – 13 km)

In the village of O Coto we officially enter A Coruña, the last province of our pilgrimage. Soon we reach Leboreiro, the old Campus Leporarius (field of hares) mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus. In Leboreiro we tread the same stretch of Roman road that medieval pilgrims used.

• What to see: its stone houses flank the Church of Santa María (transitional Romanesque). In front of it you will see the old Casa de la Enfermería (a 12th-century hospice founded by the Ulloa family) and a curious cabazo, a traditional granary shaped like a giant basket for maize. After crossing the River Seco by its 14th-century bridge, we pass through the business park and finally go down to the River Furelos and its majestic medieval bridge.

4. Melide: The Great Crossroads (14.8 km)

Melide, the geographical centre of Galicia, is where the pilgrims of the Camino Primitivo join us. From here on, we share the path with quite a few more companions.

• Don’t miss it: visit the Chapel of San Roque, which keeps the doorway of the former church of San Pedro, and admire its 14th-century cruceiro, considered the oldest in all Galicia.

• The worst bit: the walk through Melide’s industrial estate is a tedious stretch

• Culture and Flavour: the old Hospital of Sancti Spiritus now houses the Museo Terra de Melide, a place “of the people and for the people”. After culture comes the ritual: pulpo á feira, served with oil, salt and paprika, alongside traditional sweets such as “ricos” and melindres.

5. Towards Cheese Country: Castañeda and Ribadiso (14.8 – 25.8 km)

We leave Melide crossing the River Catasol towards Boente and its church of Santiago, until we reach Castañeda. Here stood the old lime kilns where medieval pilgrims left the stones carried from Triacastela for the building of the Cathedral as a penance, as mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus. The descent takes us to Ribadiso da Baixo, a very pleasant spot beside the River Iso. After crossing its pretty medieval bridge, you will see the old Hospital of San Antón (15th c.), now restored as one of the prettiest hostels on the Camino.

6. Journey’s End in Arzúa: Augustinian and Cheese-making Tradition (28.8 km)

We finally climb up to Arzúa, where the pilgrims of the Camino del Norte also converge.

• In the old town: you will see the ruins of the Convent of La Magdalena (14th c.) and the modern Church of Santiago, which honours the Apostle as Pilgrim and Moor-slayer.

• A local tradition: since 1975, Arzúa has celebrated its famous Cheese Festival. After such a demanding stage, a piece of Arzúa-Ulloa cheese goes down wonderfully.

• Services: there are plenty of places to eat. It is a stage with lots of infrastructure and lots of company.
• Ribadiso: dipping your feet in the River Iso is the best treatment before the last stretch of tarmac to Arzúa.
• Energy: there is mud in some sections and plenty of tarmac in the sun. Take care with hydration and the state of your feet.
• Leboreiro: look out for the remains of the Roman road.
• Castañeda: this is where lime was prepared for Santiago Cathedral.
• Ribadiso: it is the last place to rest. If it is summer, bring your swimsuit. After that there is a climb of about 3 km to the centre of Arzúa, so don’t get overconfident.

• Cash machines: the last one before Arzúa is in Melide.

• Health: health centre in Melide and Arzúa (Continuous Care Point).

• Pharmacies: Palas, Melide and Arzúa (none in the villages in between).

Is it a good idea to split this stage?

Many pilgrims sleep in Melide (km 15) to enjoy the atmosphere, so on the first day they only walk 15 km. It is a good option if you prefer gentler stages, although it takes you away from the traditional stages. If you make it to Arzúa, we are waiting for you at Casa Buen Camino so you can rest.

Where does the Camino Francés meet the Primitivo and the Camino del Norte?

The Primitivo joins at Melide and the Camino del Norte at Arzúa. It is lovely to share stories with people who come from three different routes.

Where to stamp your credential?

We recommend the church of San Xulián, a pulpería in Melide and the church of Santiago in Arzúa. And when you arrive, the Casa Buen Camino stamp is waiting for you at the entrance to the house.

Services sheet: Palas de Rei – Arzúa stage