5 days walking (with the option of 6), usually booked as a 7 night package.
The Camino Primitivo gets its name from being the original or first Camino route to Santiago. If starting from Lugo, the 100km to Santiago is a mix of opposites – from Lugo to Melide is a quiet route but when you join the Camino Francés at Melide, things get noticeably busier!
Distance: 100km
Difficulty Level: Moderate – easily accessible to any level of fitness. Much of the section is rolling countryside, similar to Ireland.
How to get there: Fly in and out of Santiago.
Options: You can cover the 100 km in 4, 5 or 6 days – we can advise you as to how each possibility works.
Fly from Dublin to Santiago. Upon arrival, you are transferred to Lugo – an old Roman town with fully intact city walls.
There is plenty to see and do in Lugo – the old city enclosed within the Roman walls is a treasure and worth a visit if you never walked a step.
You have the option to walk 10km from Lugo to San Vicente and get a taxi back to Lugo – this takes the long distance out of the equation the following day.
Walk 27km to Ferreira (or 17km if you walked to San Vicente the previous day). The first 10km to San Vicente is mundane enough as you follow the man road most of the way, but after that, it’s a very peaceful walk to the tiny hamlet of Ferreira.
Walk 20km to Melide, where the Primitivo joins up with the Francés route. Today sees you climb uphill to the Sierra del Careón with lovely views over the valleys below. This is followed by a downhill section before arriving at Melide, famous for its pulpo. How an inland town became famous for octopus, we will never know, but it’s a Galician delicacy and you have to try some!
Walk 14km to Arzúa, another town famous for food – this time the local cheese. Today is a short day that is quite hilly in parts, the highlight being the beautiful village of Ribadiso by the Iso river, 3km short of Arzúa.
Given the short nature of this walk, some people choose to eat into the kilometres by continuing through Melide and on to Ribadiso or Arzúa.
Walk 19km to Pedrouzo. Although this is another short enough day, there are plenty of rolling hills to keep you honest! Much of the day is spent passing through woods and farms along quiet roads and trails. Pedrouzo itself is a small town that has grown a lot as a satellite town serving Santiago – there are plenty of good places to eat as a result!
Walk 20km to Santiago, Today is the day you reach the end of your journey, enhorabuena! After passing Santiago airport near Lavacolla, you cans stop at Monte de Gozo which is 5km before you reach the cathedral in Santiago.
This is where pilgrims would traditionally have stopped to wash themselves and prepare for reaching their destination – to this day, you can still see the spires of Santiago Cathedral from the hillside to the left of the small chapel.
This itinerary still allows you plenty of time to explore the historic city of Santiago. Collect your cert, visit the cathedral, relax and watch the pilgrims stroll the old town!
Return to Dublin in the afternoon – the airport is only 11km from Santiago so it’s easily accessed.
Alternative 5-night Itinerary (involves longer walking distances)
Day 1: Fly to Santiago, transfer to Lugo
Day 2: Walk to Ferreira (27km)
Day 3: Walk to Ribadiso (31km)
Day 4: Walk to Pedrouzo (22km)
Day 5: Walk to Santiago (20km)
Day 6: Fly home from Santiago
Alternative 6-night Itinerary:
Day 1: Fly to Santiago, transfer to Lugo
Day 2: Walk to Ferreira (27km)
Day 3: Walk to Melide (20km)
Day 4: Walk to Arzúa (14km)
Day 5: Walk to Pedrouzo (19km)
Day 6: Walk to Santiago (20km)
Day 7: Fly home from Santiago
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