The Camino de Santiago from Lugo
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111 km
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The Camino de Santiago from Lugo, is the second section of the Camino Primitivo. This section, from Lugo to Santiago, is ideal for those pilgrims who want to capture the essence of the Camino de Santiago.
We will start this stage in the city of Lugo, known for having one of the best preserved Roman walls in Europe, which extends for 2 km around the old town. The Roman wall in Lugo is a World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO. Lugo also stands out for its cuisine, as the city has a large number of tapas bars.
Throughout the walk we will cross forests and farmland following the old Roman paved roads and we will cross beautiful medieval bridges. In the city of Melide, the Camino Primitivo joins the Camino Frances.
In Santiago de Compostela we can obtain our “Compostela” certificate and we can visit its beautiful old town, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
In Lugo is located one of the best preserved Roman walls in Europe which extends for more than 2 kms around the old quarter of the city. We recommend that you to take a walk through the beautiful old town, following the wall. It is also recommended to taste the delicious pinchos in the bars and restaurants of the Plaza de Santa Maria.
Overnight: Lugo
We will start the Camino passing by the Cathedral through the door of the old wall in the city of Lugo, this door is called Porta Mina (referring to the River Mino). We will continue onto the neighborhood of San Lazaro and cross an old Roman bridge.
After walking a few kilometres, we will pass through a national monument converted into a museum called Santa Eulalia de Boveda, which houses some of the most fascinating medieval paintings in the entire Iberian Peninsula. We will continue to San Roman da Retorta through farms and forests.
Length: 26 km
Overnight: Ferreira
The Camino Primitivo continues along old forest tracks that are used today, these forest tracks serve to connect small towns and villages in the area such as Seixalvo, Xende, Ferreira and Merlan. We will continue the Camino de Toques until we reach the historic town of Melide in the province of A Coruna.
In Melide, the Camino Primitivo joins the Camino Frances. We would recommend that you taste the octopus in Melide as well as try the traditional Melide aniseed cakes.
Length: 21 km
Overnight: Melide
We will continue advancing towards Arzua, when leaving Melide we will coincide with pilgrims proceeding from the Camino Frances, we will continue through forest paths, crossing many streams and meadows towards the town of Boente where we will see the Church of St James.
We will cross the picturesque village of Ribadiso and then we will arrive in Arzua.
Length: 14 km
Overnight: Arzua
Today our Camino will pass through beautiful forests, quiet villages and streams throughout the day. We will have the opportunity to visit the Chapel of Santa Irene with its famous statue of St. James. We will also cross the beautiful village of A Rua. We will continue along rural roads until we reach Amenal.
We also have the possibility of doing this route in a more relaxed way staying overnight in A Rua.
Length: 23 km
Overnight: Amenal
Once we leave Amenal, the next destination will be Lavacolla outside of Santiago de Compostela where pilgrims usually wash in the river preparing for their arrival in the city of Santiago de Compostela. We will continue our pilgrimage along the Monte do Gozo and from here we can contemplate the Cathedral of Santiago.
Once we get to Santiago, we can admire its rich local architecture and delight in its old quarter declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We must arrive in time in Santiago to participate in the Pilgrim’s Mass.
If we want to make this route easier, we can choose to spend the night in the village of Lavacolla.
Length: 21 km
Overnight: Santiago de Compostela
In Santiago de Compostela, the Camino ends. It is advisable to visit the city centre before returning home, so we advise you to request additional nights or guided tours through the old quarter of the city. The excursions to Finisterre or to the Cies Islands are also recommended.
End of our services.
All the rooms you book with Santiago Ways to do the Camino de Santiago have a private bathroom and all the necessary services to ensure your best comfort.
Our team checks on site the quality of all the accommodation offered in order for pilgrims to have a comfortable and unforgettable experience on the Camino de Santiago.
When working with quality accommodation with limited capacity, the exact name of the accommodation will be provided 30 days before the start of the Camino.
All accommodation on the Camino de Santiago is subject to availability. In case we can’t offer any of them due to lack of capacity, we’ll accommodate you in one of equal or better quality.
Single rooms are subject to availability. Reservations must be made in advance and come at an additional cost.
All our accommodation has been selected to ensure tranquillity, rest and enjoyment during your Camino de Santiago:
Accommodation in Hotels and Country Cottages.
Rooms with private bathroom.
Meal plan of your choice.
Baggage transport between stages.
24 hours Telephone assistance on route.
Travel navigation app made for each traveler.
Complete route itinerary.
Assistance vehicle in case of emergency.
Information pack for the Camino de Santiago.
VAT.
Additional single room
Extra night in Santiago
Transfer from Santiago (includes airport) to Lugo
Travel assistance insurance
Cancellation insurance
In order to resolve pilgrims’ doubts, here we answer the questions that are most frequently asked when we receive your enquiries.
If you have any other questions, you can contact us and we will be happy to help you resolve all your doubts.
The Camino de Santiago can be started on any day of the year, always taking into account the weather and the season in which you want to travel, so that your clothes are the right ones.
The best way to get to the starting point of your Camino de Santiago is to arrive at the airport, train station or bus station nearest to the town from where you will start walking.
Once you confirm your Camino, you will send us the arrival information for your flight, train or bus and, from there, we organize a private transfer to the town where you should start your Camino.
Yes, you can. All the routes on the Camino de Santiago are suitable for pilgrims to travel solo.
Also, whether you are travelling alone, or travelling accompanied but want to sleep in a single room, Santiago Ways offer this option to you.
We can book all your nights of accommodation in single rooms at an additional cost. We suggest you book well in advance since they are usually in high demand.
On the Camino de Santiago, you will find hundreds of pilgrims walking on their own. Many of them may have come to the Camino alone; others have probably moved away from their fellow travellers for a few hours because of the difference in speed when walking.
In any case, all the routes on the Camino are very well signposted, so you will have no problem if you go on your own.
Most routes on the Camino de Santiago are done in a self-guided mode. Thus, each traveller has the opportunity to advance on their own and at their own pace along the routes marked on the complete itinerary of the route, which is sent one month before starting the Camino.
The complete route itinerary of the route is a guide that we prepare for you with information about the maps, route profiles and places of interest, kilometre by kilometre on each of the stages that you will go through on the Camino de Santiago.
The travel distances and travel times indicated for each route on both the website and the itinerary we send you are based on reference values. It depends on each pilgrim exactly how they carry out these times and distances, according to the speed at which they progress.
You will receive it by email one month before starting your Camino along with all the documentation for the trip: accommodation reservations, baggage transfers, among others.
In Santiago Ways, we adapt each stage to the needs of our pilgrims, so that they can travel according to their physical capability and the number of days available.
On average, a stage of the Camino de Santiago has 15 to 20 km. On most routes, however, we can organize your Camino so that you walk fewer kilometres, dividing some stages into two parts, depending on what is most comfortable for you.
We want to talk to you now about following the route of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo to Santiago de Compostela. It Is one of the most beautiful routes among all the possible itineraries on the Camino de Santiago.
So, in addition to the reasons why, we want to offer you all the necessary information about the route. From the best time of the year to complete it, to the main points of interest. Everything you need will always be in the hands of Santiago Ways.
There are different reasons to complete a particular route of the Camino de Santiago. However, the incentives that the Camino Primitivo has are very special and are reserved mainly for nature lovers. We want to talk to you below about all the reasons for completing this route.
1.-The beauty of its landscapes: A feature that highlights all the people who go on the Camino Primitivo are its spectacular landscapes. The name of Camino Primitivo comes precisely from being the original route of the Camino de Santiago. It had to be done through the mountains to avoid the dangers of Muslim invaders.
So, today we can also enjoy the beauty of its landscapes: deep valleys, beautiful views and long paths in the middle of the forests of northern Spain. Many reasons for those who feel a special connection with nature.
2.- Its history and heritage: The Camino Primitivo is the hardest route on the Camino de Santiago . As we have said, this route was the first and eventually left its place to other more accessible ones, such as the Camino Frances . However, this ancient character has an added attraction: The history and heritage that for more than 1,000 years has been preserved throughout its entire journey.
That is why we reserve points of special historical and patrimonial interest of all times such as the Roman walls in the city of Lugo, the beautiful town of Arzua or the Cathedral de Santiago. Therefore, the lovers of history and western culture have an appointment with the Camino Primitivo from Lugo.
3.-It is the least difficult stretch within the Camino Primitivo: Although the complete Camino Primitivo is the most demanding, the main pitfalls are on the route from Oviedo to Lugo. Later, the path of the Camino Primitivo joins the Camino Frances in the town of Melide. From here, the demand for the road progressively declines. That is why it is a route that brings together the rugged beauty of the Camino Primitivo with the facilities of the Camino Frances. A mixture that constitutes another reason for itself.
4.-Less crowding: The Camino Primitivo does not have as much affluence as other routes, for example, that of the Camino Frances. That means fewer pilgrims and more available services and, of course, more peace of mind.
Along with the great connection with nature that this route offers us on our way along, it should be noted that we can do it with great calm and in relative solitude whenever we wish.
We say this because there are also pilgrims who are followers of the Camino Primitivo who, normally, after having done it once always want to repeat their experience.
5.- Duration: The duration of the Camino Primitivo desde Lugo is another of its points in its favour. It has a total of 7 stages, which makes it ideal for different vacation periods such as summer or Easter . This is a very persuasive reason when it comes to organizing our pilgrimage in advance.
We would like to remind you that with Santiago Ways it is possible to do your route at any time of the year without having to book very early. In addition, you will be in the best hands and have the care you deserve.
The route of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo to Santiago de Compostela has a length of 111 kilometres. It leaves from the beautiful city of Lugo, where we will be able to soak up all the history that it contains and covering several periods of western history and culture.
It ends in the city of Santiago de Compostela, where we can culminate our pilgrimage, receiving our ‘Compostela’, precisely because it is a route of more than 100 kilometres. It is a much harder route than others during its first stretch but later it becomes much easier.
Either way, it is the least difficult path within the route as a whole on the Camino Primitivo .
We offer you the maps of the route of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo to Santiago . With them, you will be able to know in advance the points of the route and the places that you will visit along the way.
Lugo – Ferreira
Stage map from Lugo to Ferreira
Ferreira – Melide
Stage map from Ferreira to Melide
Melide – Arzúa
Stage map from Melide to Arzua
We offer you the information regarding the profile of how the route of the Camino de Santiago develops. With this, you will be able to have the information about its altitude, its highest points and, in general, everything necessary to know the relative hardness of the stages. As we have said previously, the difficulty of this route descends notably with respect to the previous one that departs from Oviedo.
Lugo – Ferreira
Stage profile from Lugo to Ferreira
Ferreira – Melide
Profile stage from Ferreira to Melide
Melide – Arzúa
Stage profile from Melide to Arzua
We also want to give you the information about the different stages that you will walk with Santiago Ways. With this, you can have information to be able to get an idea of the route that awaits you and the number of places we will visit.
And for those of you who prefer to do the bike route, we also talk about what are the stages that you will cover on your pilgrimage on the Camino Primitivo desde Lugo to Santiago.
As we have said before, the length of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo is 111 kilometres. The Pilgrimage is distributed in a total of 7 stages with their corresponding 6 nights in the best hotels by the hand of Santiago Ways. This duration makes it ideal for almost any time of the year taking advantage from the Christmas break until the summer and, of course, Easter.
We want to give you some advice about the best time of the year to complete the Camino Primitivo from Lugo to Santiago de Compostela . It is true that, basically, this criterion can vary depending on the tastes of each of us.
However, you should consider some indications, especially for this route because it is one that transits in part over mountains. These indications, however, are much more flexible than they were for the previous section.
Spring is an ideal time to do the Camino de Santiago in general and the Camino Primitivo in particular. Temperatures will be mild but the risk of precipitation increases. Therefore, we recommend you to go with the clothing necessary for whatever you may encounter.
In this season, we have Easter which gives us an ideal period of time to complete our pilgrimage from Lugo. At the same time and as a result of passing through beautiful natural surroundings, we will be able to enjoy all the spring colours in their maximum splendour.
Summer is the pilgrims’ favourite time for several reasons. The first one is that they have more time to complete the Camino. At the same time, and as a consequence of the oceanic climate in the whole area, the temperatures are mild and fresh: Another incentive to “flee” from the heat of the rest of Spain. However, it is a time of year when we can find many more pilgrims than during the rest of the year.
Although the Camino Primitivo does not have overcrowding problems, the situation can change from its union with the Camino Frances. However, this is not a problem with Santiago Ways as we take care of everything. By the way, from July 15th to 31st, there are festivities in Santiago de Compostela!
Autumn is the time of year with greater instability, usually from October. However, the month of September is a good time to take advantage of the good temperatures that still continue from summer.
This is why we recommend this month to do so, taking into account that the risk of precipitation may increase. Despite everything, the beauty of the deciduous forests will make everything worthwhile.
Completing the Camino Primitivo in winter is not advisable for the previous stretch that departs from Oviedo. It Is because almost all of it travels through mountains where temperatures can be very low and, at the same time, precipitations fall more frequently in the form of snow. However, for the route that leaves from Lugo, this is not a great problem.
It Is true that it is still a time when we can find a colder climate and a higher risk of precipitation: However if you are a lover of adventure with Santiago Ways it is possible to do the Camino Primitivo also in this season.
We have prepared a list of places of special interest on the route of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo. Among them are some which have an interest because of their beauty, their history or what they represent. However, we have also wanted to include the best restaurants along the route, as well as the hotels in which you will be staying with the help of Santiago Ways.
We will begin by talking about the places that have an interest in their culture, history or beauty. They are places for you to pass through and, of course, you can’t miss out for anything in the world.
Located on the stage between Lugo and Ferreira is this sanctuary from the last stages of the Roman Empire. In particular, this magnificent monument has more 1700 years of history behind it and leaves no-one indifferent.
Although in Roman times it was dedicated to the cult of the Goddess Cibeles, later she went on to devote herself to Santa Eulalia, persecuted by the Romans themselves as a result of their religion. The mural that it houses inside is the most important of the Roman era and by extension one of the most historical and cultural value in Europe.
Melide, besides being the point where the Camino Primitivo and the Camino Frances meet, is a site of great historical interest. This is seen in his old town that has watched the centuries pass through its streets. As an anecdote, you only have to say that it has the oldest cross in all of Galicia, which is really saying something. Its square and its Chapel of Santa Maria de Melide are obligatory stops for the pilgrim.
After leaving Melide we will be able to lose ourselves in the wonderful Arzua, a green haven of tranquillity that welcomes the pilgrim when they have little left to reach the city of Santiago de Compostela. The Church of Santiago de Arzua or the curious fountain in its square are two places that you cannot miss.
With Santiago Ways, you will stay in the best hotels along the entire route of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo. We want you to have the treatment you deserve and especially the rest you’ve earned. Here we leave you some pictures of them.
And as eating is very important, and eating well is a marvel during the pilgrimage to Santiago, we also want to recommend some of the best restaurants that you will find.
In The town of Melide, we will be able to taste some of the best Galician specialities and homemade cuisine in a very cosy atmosphere at very affordable prices. We recommend you to visit this place during your stay in the city of Melide.
In the area of Amenal, you will be able to enjoy the best of the local cuisine and, at the same time, of its characteristic generosity. In this restaurant in addition to excellent service for the pilgrim, we will be able to get our fill of all the best of Galician cuisine, one of the most varied and delicious in our country.
In the city of Santiago de Compostela, we should give ourselves the homage that we deserve in this grill where meats like ox are their speciality. It has a cosy and very warm atmosphere for the pilgrim who has just arrived in the city of Santiago the Apostle. Warm up and enjoy the experience.
King Alfonso II was the one who, after knowing the discovery of the body of Santiago the Apostle, had a tomb built for him. He began his pilgrimage to the city of Santiago and did it precisely on the route of the Camino Primitivo. It was a complicated time when the Muslim conquest had just happened.
In fact, in the 9th century, the only safe route to avoid the attacks was the one that ran from Oviedo through rugged ways and mountains. Over time, other simpler routes were becoming an alternative. However, the incentive of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo is still more alive than ever. That’s why it is the Camino of Kings.
For you to encourage yourself to complete the Camino de Santiago with Santiago Ways, we leave you the opinion of other users who have already done it with us.
In all probability these will make you see everything that is waiting for you in this magnificent adventure that is the Camino de Santiago.
We leave you with some pictures and videos of the Camino Primitivo so you know first-hand everything that awaits you with Santiago Ways.
Here you can see all the stages of the Camino de Santiago.
In Santiago Ways, we will advise you on which route of the Camino de Santiago is the best fit for you.