After a relaxing day yesterday, today we expect another similar. Enjoy the calm, because once you arrive in Sarria, the roads become much more crowded, as they are the last 100 kilometres before arriving in Santiago de Compostela.
Let’s go on the Camino Frances!
This stage is characterized by the presence of two variants, San Xil and Samos. They rejoin at the end of the day, but from early in the morning the pilgrim will have to make the decision. Yes, both will be right, if only all decisions in life were so simple!
The San Xil variant is the favourite among pilgrims and many point to it as the original and the shortest. The Samos variant occupies a secondary role and is chosen by those who wish to visit its monastery.
If you are thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago from Triacastela tell us what your plans are for the Camino de Santiago and we will contact you to advise you on everything you need.
Itinerary stage Triacastela – Sarria
The terrain and the landscape that will accompany us on today’s route depends much on the variant we take. If we opt for San Xil we cross one of the most beautiful valleys of the Jacobean route. If we choose Samos, chestnuts and oaks will be our faithful companions.
Triacastela (Km. 0). Beginning of stage
Practical tips for this section: The morning begins today with important decisions. As soon as you arrive at the exit of Triacastela you will have to choose between the variant that goes by Samos or the one that runs through San Xil. Have a coffee before you leave and think about which one you’ll take. Whatever you decide, you’ll get it right and we’ll accompany you on the journey. Buen Camino!
We leave Triacastela by its central street, until the exit of the village. There, the Camino Frances forks and you need to choose one of the two itineraries. For the one that starts on the left, follow the LU-633 to Samos and its Benedictine Monastery. From there it continues to the town of Sarria, the end of today’s stage.
On the right-hand side, the variant that runs through San Xil appears. A route 6.5 km shorter than the other but facing a climb of 238 metres during the first 5.5 km.
Variante San Xil
By this route, today’s stage is 18.5 km long. On the route, we will find frequent markers that will indicate the distance that is left to reach the tomb of Santiago the Apostle. On this variant, the pilgrim path runs most of the route parallel to the road but crosses one of the most beautiful valleys of the Camino Frances.
To take the variant to San Xil, take the turning on the right and cross the LU-633 road. Slightly above, and on the right-hand side, the detour to San Xil begins. We take it and, after a few metres, we leave the road taking an asphalted track that starts on the right. Then take a dirt road that leads to A Balsa, where the Chapel of San Antonio awaits.
A Balsa (Km. 2,2)
Practical tips for this section: On this section, you’ll skim through small villages that don’t have many services, some soft drinks machines and little else. In Montán you will find some services. Buen Camino!
We continue along a steep slope surrounded by lush oaks and we come back to the road, at Fonte dos Lameiros (km. 3.3). After a good climb along a paved road, we will reach San Xil. The village is on the left-hand side; To visit it you have to take a detour (km. 3.9).
The pilgrim path continues its ascent along the road. At first, the ascent is almost imperceptible, but then it becomes harder, up to Riocabo (km. 5.5). There we forget the road and start one of the most beautiful stages of the stage today. Slopes flanked by chestnut trees, birches and oaks will accompany us for the next few kilometres.
Wrapped in this spot and in descent, we skim past Montán. The Camino Francés barely enters this small village, but if you decide to visit it, you must be cautious since the surface is made of stone slabs and it is easy to slip.
From Montán (km. 7.8), we continue downhill to the village of Fontearcuda, where a pillar indicates that we have 121.5 km to reach our final goal, Santiago de Compostela.
Fontearcuda (Km. 8,5)
Practical tips for this section: On this section, you will find a bar at the foot of the road in Furela. In Pintín you will also find bars and restaurants. Buen Camino!
From Fontearcuda the road continues to descend to the road. There, a marker indicates a path that avoids the long road detour, which passes by Zoo. We take the route indicated by the pillar, cross a stream and continue to go back to the road.
From this point, the thick chestnuts and oaks give way to meadows. We observe them from the edge of the asphalted track and using it, we arrive in Furela.
We go through the village and cross the road again to a sign announcing the entrance to the town of Sarria (km. 10.7). A kilometre later, we arrive at Pintín.
Pintín (Km. 11,7)
Practical tips for this section: in both Calvor and Aguiada you will find services. Buen Camino!
The path continues to progress along the LU-5602 road. A kilometre after leaving Pintín we cross the road and enter a wooded section that will allow us to tackle a long curve. After this fleeting escape from the road, we return to it and, in a short time, we pass by Calvor (km. 13.1), where you can visit the Church of Santo Estevo.
Five hundred metres after the public hostel in Calvor, we return to leave the LU-5602 to enter Aguiada (km. 13.6). At this point, the two variants converge, that of San Xil and that of Samos.
Samos variant
By this route, today’s stage is 25 kilometres. We will not find the Jacobean markers every half kilometre, but many of the yellow arrows do feature. On this variant, the pilgrim path runs along the River Sarria (or River Oribio) and advances through spectacular chestnut and oak forests.
To take this variant, at the detour to the exit of Triacastela, take the fork on the left. Following the path, the first urban centre that we will find is San Cristovo do Real.
San Cristovo do Real (Km. 3,8)
Practical tips for this section: You have chosen the longest variant, however, that is not a reason to walk hastily. Enjoy the small villages that come across your path, even if many of them barely have services. Buen Camino!
In the parish of San Cristovo do Real, we can visit the parish church and the Casa Forte de Lusío hostel. From there, a road that runs to the right of the river leads us to Renche. On the other side of the LU-633 road, Vigo is to be found.
Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, next to the River Vega, we quickly arrive at Lastres, a hamlet of Reche, and immediately to Freituxe (km. 7.3).
After a climb and then a descent, we arrive at the Parish of San Martiño do Realcon, where the Romanesque church (km. 8.4) awaits us. At the exit of the village, we go towards the LU-633 to cross it and head to Samos, where its famous Benedictine Monastery awaits us.
Samos (Km. 9,8)
Practical tips for this section: Choosing the Samos variant and not visiting the monastery is a huge mistake. It’s the great attraction of today’s route! If you are in the locality try to try the famous Biscoito of Samos, made with the special recipe of the monastery. Buen Camino!
After the visit to the monastery, we retake the road’s company to the village of Teiguín (km. 11.7), where we say goodbye to the road. Then, we go up to the parish of Santa Uxía de Pascais (km. 12.8), to return to the sweet sound of the river.
Following, first roads, and then slopes with some asphalted stretches, we cross the tiny villages of Gorolfe, Veiga and Sivil. Between these two last villages, the River Sarria will cut our way and we have to cross it by a medieval bridge, next to whose entrance there is a chapel.
We have access to the municipality of Sarria through the village of Perros, a place belonging to the parish of Calvor. From here, we cross the LU-5602 to reach Aguiada, where we link to the variant that comes from San Xil (km 20).
Aguiada (San Xil: Km. 13,6 – Samos: Km. 20)
Practical tips for this section: Enjoy the last few kilometres! For those who started the Camino Frances on one of its early stages, the arrival in Sarria is a big change. Buen Camino!
After Aguiada, 4.9 kilometres are left to reach the Rúa Maior de Sarria. We take the path that runs parallel to the road. We leave on the right-hand side the Paloma y Leña Hostel and continue by the walkway, passing by the Airexe crossroads.
To the left of the road, we find the parish of San Mamede do Camiño. Sarria is already in front of us. Faithful to the walkway, we pass the Carballal stone marker and the well-known crossroads at Ferreiros, which indicates that there are 114 kilometres left to go.
We immediately arrive at Camping Vila de Sarria, leaving Medros on the right. So now, we enter Sarria.
Sarria (San Xil: Km. 20,8 – Samos: Km. 25). End of stage
Practical tips for this section: in Sarria, you will find many people who begin their pilgrimage from here. Look around you, there is something that allows you to differentiate those who start from Sarria from those who have walked hundreds of kilometres. You know what that is? See you tomorrow!
Sarria is the largest locality on the Camino Frances if we do not consider Santiago de Compostela. This centre has the highest number of lodgings on the Camino de Santiago, as it is the starting point that many pilgrims choose to begin their journey.
This fact is related to the location of the town, as it is placed at the ideal distance to get the coveted Compostela. This is only given to pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela after having travelled a minimum of 100 kilometres on foot or 200 kilometres by bike.
No wonder, therefore, that the first thing we find when we arrive in Sarria is a hostel. Following Rúa José Sánchez we reach Rúa Calvo Sotelo, which we cross to follow from Rúa do Peregrino. From here, a staircase goes up to the entrance of Rúa Mayor, where several hostels and other types of accommodation are located along with the Church of Santa Marina.
In the town, you can also visit other temples such as the Church of Santa Maria de Alban, the Chapel of San Lázaro and the Temple of San Salvador. Examples of civil architecture include the Prison, La Casa de Vaamonde and La Casa do Barrio.
One of the places that have a greater historical interest is the Torre Fortaleza, but today, it is private property and we are not allowed to visit. Other places that can be visited during the afternoon or at the beginning of the stage of tomorrow, since they leave on the Camino de Santiago, are the viewpoint of Sarria and the Magdalena Monastery.
Those who do not wish to spend the night in this locality laden with new pilgrims, or who prefer the tranquillity of the countryside, can lengthen the stage until the small parish of Barbedo. We end up here today, to continue our advance tomorrow to Santiago de Compostela.
Comments stage Triacastela – Sarria
The stage of today does not entail great difficulties, except to decide whether to take the route of San Xil or that of Samos. Take the route you take; throughout the day you will pass by a multitude of villages where you can enjoy Galician gastronomy.
Precautions stage Triacastela – Sarria
Most of today’s stage runs on asphalt, especially the San Xil variant. For cyclists, it is a simple stage, but as always, precautions should be taken with the traffic, because in some points the hard shoulder disappears.
Cyclists or persons with a disability who choose the Samos variant can follow the road from Samos to Sarria to avoid facing the climb to Santa Uxía de Pascais.
In general, the stage has some slopes that can imply some difficulty for people with reduced mobility or with low physical condition.
Once in Sarria, we advise you to begin to seal the pilgrim’s credential twice a day: once in the middle of the stage and another at the end of the day. This will avoid problems when the Pilgrim’s office in Santiago de Compostela is issuing the Compostela.
Gastronomy stage Triacastela – Sarria
Although we are in the interior, fish is typical on these stages. Some of our proposals for today are:
- Octopus “A Feira”
- Trout, eels and river fish, easy to find in all populations of this stage, especially in Samos.
- Galician Veal
- Celtic Pork
- Pancakes
- Roscones – Galician doughnuts or cake
- Biscoito of Samos (only for those who take this variant). It is a sponge cake that has more than 250 years of tradition and is elaborated according to the recipe of its Benedictine monastery.
- Milk or blood pancakes
Services stage Triacastela – Sarria
Consult the main health care services, cafes, ATMs, restaurants and are in this stage of the French Way.
Map stage Triacastela – Sarria
Consult the map with the route, points and towns along the stage.
Profile stage Triacastela – Sarria
Consult the profile of the stage: altitude and degree of difficulty of each section.
What to do stage Triacastela – Sarria
In today’s stage, whether you choose the San Xil or Samos variant, you’ll pass through numerous villages and parishes. Then we talk about each one of them, perhaps it is easier to choose.
A Balsa
In A Balsa you can visit the Chapel of San Antonio. It is made up of a single gabled nave, covered with slabs. The building has been refurbished but retains the flooring and the original wood. From its original elements, the bells are preserved and, inside, a small neoclassical altarpiece that dates from the 19th century.
Calvor
Calvor is a parish located on an old Castro. The Camino Francés does not make its way into the population and to visit it is necessary to divert. In the locality you can visit the remains of its defensive constructions and the Church of Santo Estevo.
Church of Santo Estevo
The Church of Saint Estevo, or San Esteban, is located in Calvor. The temple was built on a Roman Castro. The present temple was preceded by a monastery, erected in the 8th century and founded by a priest named Adrian, and a Visigoth church. From this time, the current church has preserved some elements, like its spire.
The façade of the church is divided into two parts. At the bottom is the access door, surrounded by two large windows, on which a circular span is located. On the second part stands a beautiful belfry that tops the façade and where two bells are housed.
Inside, you can see a Romanesque carving of the Virgin and the Child.
Renche
The Camino Frances approaches the parish of Renche, a village of 32 inhabitants. This is not a compulsory crossing point, but many pilgrims walk their streets.
This fact is because, in 1538, Pope Paul III donated the temple of the locality to the Monastery of Samos. Since then, the pilgrims visit its temple, in dedication to Santiago the Apostle. Inside it houses an image of Santiago the Pilgrim.
Another attraction of this small enclave is its architecture. Besides the houses, in its surroundings, the pilgrim can observe several mills in a very good state of conservation. At present they are ethnographic resources, which were built in slate quarrying.
Samos
Samos is the capital of the borough that bears the same name, formed by 24 parishes. The town has 190 inhabitants and the main engine of its economy is the Camino de Santiago. The majority of its visitors are dedicated to the attention of the pilgrims. The town is famous for its Benedictine Monastery, but it also stands out for its gastronomy.
Benedictine Monastery of Samos
The Benedictine Monastery of Samos or Monastery of San Julian de Samos is one of the oldest in Spain and constitutes one of the cultural symbols of Galicia. Its foundation was the work of Saint Martin Dumiense, who dedicated it to the Martyrs of Antioquia San Julian and Santa Basilisa.
The ownership of the monastery has been changing hands throughout history. In its origins, it was inhabited by various congregations until in the 8th century it became the property of King Fruela I of Asturias. Four years later, Fruela I was assassinated and the monastery passed into the hands of the Benedictines, who settled in the place until the beginning of the 19th century.
The origins of the building date back to the 6th century, as can be seen in a Visigoth gravestone, located in the monastery. However, it has undergone several renovations over the centuries, among which the first of them, carried out by San Fructuoso in the 7th century. Only a few remains of its medieval origins are visible nowadays.
The current imposing monastic ensemble corresponds mostly to the renovations made between the 16th and 18th centuries. The continuous work makes the ensemble present different architectural styles, both Baroque and neoclassical.
The church of the monastery dates from the 18th century and is Baroque in style but with a neoclassical appearance. Its floor is of Latin cross and inside it is divided into three naves. The central is the widest. Above them, half-barrel vaults are erected, resting on columns formed by Doric pilasters.
The Temple transept is protected by a semi-spherical dome that rests on pendentives ornamented with reliefs featuring San Ildefonso, San Anselmo, San Bernardo and San Ruperto.
On the façade of the church, stands out the great staircase that presides the access door. This reminds us of the Plaza del Obradoiro in Santiago.
The monastery has two cloisters. The large cloister, o De Feijoo, and the small, o de las Nereidas. Feijoo’s cloister is located between the church and the convent. It is the most modern of the two cloisters since its construction was carried out between the years 1685 and 1698.
The building is in a neoclassical style. In it stands out its lower floor, which has several half-point arches that are supported by pilasters in Doric style. Presiding over this structure, we find the illustrious Benedictine polygraph.
The second cloister, the Nereidas, is almost a century older. Its construction was carried out between 1539 and 1582. Unlike the other cloister, it has simple arches on which the vaults of starry crosses are raised.
Another of the attractive elements of the monastery is the Chapel of the Saviour or Cypress, in reference to the gigantic cypress that more than one hundred years ago, grows by its side. The chapel dates from the 9th or 10th centuries. It is a mozarabic style construction, which was declared a national monument in the year 1944.
Useful information
Opening hours: open every day. From Monday to Saturday (from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 16:30 to 18:30) and Sundays and public holidays (from 12:45 to 13:30 and from 16:30 to 18:30).
Mass times: Every day. Winter (18:30) and Summer (20:00).
Sarria
Sarria is a population in the province of Lugo that brings together 20 parishes. It extends over an area of 185 square kilometres and in it resides almost 14,000 inhabitants.
The town is usually full of pilgrims, as this town is the preferred starting point for pilgrims who try to travel the minimum 100 kilometres to get the Compostela. In fact, according to the statistics, 21% of the pilgrims who arrive in Santiago de Compostela each year, start their pilgrimage here.
In the town, you can visit the Parish Church of Santa Marina in its Rúa Maior. Other religious temples located in the city centre are the Church of Santa Maria de Alban, the Chapel of San Lázaro and the Temple of San Salvador.
In the Prison, La Casa do Barrio and La Casa de Vaamonde, the visitor will find examples of its civil architecture. The Torre Fortaleza is one of the places with the greatest historical value, as they are the remains of the old castle that defended the Camino Francés as it passed through the town.
The Mirador de Sarria and the Monastery of La Magdalena can be visited on a small walk or during the stage leading to Portomarín.
Church of Santa Mariña
The Church of Santa Marina is located in the Rúa Maior in Sarria. It is a 13th-century Romanesque temple, although it was rebuilt in the late 19th century. From its origins, it retains only a drawing on the entrance door and a spire.
The present temple has a Gothic appearance and stands on a Latin cross floor. It has a tower that houses a clock.
Useful information
Timetable: Closed on Mondays. From March to November, from Tuesday to Sunday (from 11:00 to 13:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00).
Mass times: From 1 April to 30 September, weekdays (9:00 and 18:00), Eves (18:00) and Sundays (12:00). From October 1st to March 31st, a service is added on Sundays at 18:00.
Prisión Preventiva
The remand prison in Sarria ran from 1930 to 1950. The building has a rectangular structure and is of neoclassical style. It is made of slate masonry, except for the corners, doors and windows, which are made of concrete.
It has recently been restored and is now home to the School Workshop Museum. Next to this building, we find a cross and in front a way of the cross from the 18th century.
Torre Fortaleza
The remand prison in Sarria ran from 1930 to 1950. The building has a rectangular structure and is of neoclassical style. It is made of slate masonry, except for the corners, doors and windows, which are made of concrete.
It has recently been restored and is now home to the School Workshop Museum. Next to this building, we find a cross and in front a way of the cross from the 18th century.
Today, the fortress is in the hands of the Pérez Battalion family and is completely abandoned. So that, as it is private property, a visit to the remains is not allowed.
Church of Santa María de Albán
The Church of Santa Maria de Alban is located in Sarria. It is a Romanesque temple dating from the 12th century, although it has recently undergone restoration work.
The main façade consists of a half-point arch with two archivolts on edge and capitals with simple decoration. The tympanum looks like a cross-shaped and circular relief. The church is topped with a simple belfry with a single vane.
Church of San Salvador
The Church of San Salvador in Sarria is built in a primitive Gothic style, although it has a Romanesque element. The temple was built in the 13th century and its structure is made up of a single nave.
The nave has a rectangular shape and is covered by a wooden roof and a rectangular apse. The head of the church is semicircular and is closed by a barrel vault. On the façade, there is a Gothic-style door. In the north wall, there is also a transition door that stands out for the decoration of its fittings.
Useful information
Mass time: from 1 September to 30 June, public Holidays (9:30).
Casa Vaamonde
La Casa Vaamonde is located in Sarria. It is a noble building from the late 19th century, at the request of Don Camilo García Vaamonde. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Town Hall has been located in the building. At the beginning of this century, extensions and remodelling were carried out.
Casa do Barrio
La Casa do Barrio of Sarria, or Casa de Nullán, was built in the late 19th century, by order of Don Juan Maria Lopez de Almacén, chaplain of Sarria. The building looks like a palace and has large gardens. In the past, it had a chapel in homage to San Roque, which housed the remains of the founder.
Chapel of San Lorenzo
The Chapel of San Lázaro is located in the district of the same name of Sarria. Its construction was carried out in the 18th century and constitutes the only remnant that remains the pilgrim’s hospital from the 15th century, where lepers were attended.
Mirador de Sarria
The Mirador de Sarria is located next to the Camino Francés, opposite the Torre Fortaleza and next to the remand prison. The place highlights a modern stone cross from which you can see La Veiga de Sarria, close to the Serra de Oribio, Monte da Meda, Serra de A Illóa, Cha de Santa Marta and Monte de Santa Cristina.
Monastery of la Magdalena
The Monastery of La Magdalena is located after the Mirador de Sarria, at the exit of the stage that goes to Portomarín. The construction dates from the 12th century, when the hospital was founded. Of the original Romanesque work, the Chapel del Cristo is preserved as is the door that gives access to the cloister.
Subsequently, it had to be reconstructed. The Gothic-style portico is preserved from this stage. A third reconstruction took place in the 16th century, giving rise to the third temple of a late Gothic style, which is what we can observe today.
Throughout history, the building has had different uses. It has been used as a prison, barracks and firewood warehouse. Until in the 19th century, Bishop Murua delivered the monastery to the order of los Padres Mercedarios.
