Stage Combarro to Armenteira

The stage between Combarro and Armenteira is a transitional day that takes the pilgrim from the seafaring landscape of the coast to the spiritual heart of the Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Camino. The way leaves the cobbled streets of Combarro and begins a gradual climb inland into the Salnés region. The first kilometres run among the vineyards of the D.O. Rías Baixas, where the Albariño vines grow on the characteristic granite pergolas, a landscape that defines the identity of this land. As the route gains height, the vineyards give way to dense woods of oak, chestnut and eucalyptus. The route follows dirt paths and old sunken lanes flanked by moss-covered stone walls. It passes through small hamlets where time seems to have stopped, with their hórreos, fountains and cruceiros. Solitude and silence are the pilgrim's companions on this day of introspection. The effort of the climb is amply rewarded on reaching the valley of Armenteira. The Monasterio de Santa María, founded in the 12th century by the Cistercian order, emerges from the vegetation like an oasis of peace. Its Romanesque church, with its rose window and its doorway, and its cloister invite contemplation and quiet reflection. It is a place where the tiredness of the body is eased by the serenity of the spirit, a deeply enriching experience on the Camino de Santiago.