Stage of the Camino
Stage Description
A short, gentle stage of around nine kilometres that descends from the hamlets of Ferreiros to the town of Portomarín, on the banks of the Miño. The Camino runs through oak groves and small rural villages —Mirallos, with its Romanesque church of Santa María, A Pena, Mercadoiro and Vilachá— along tracks and shaded country lanes with a gentle profile. After one last rise, the path drops in a marked descent towards the Belesar reservoir and crosses the long bridge over the river Miño before tackling the stairway that leads up to the old town. It is a short stage, ideal for a quiet morning, allowing an early arrival in Portomarín and time to enjoy its austere fortress-church of San Nicolás, moved stone by stone when the old village was flooded beneath the reservoir waters.
This short stage of barely nine kilometres links the hamlets of Ferreiros with the town of Portomarín and is one of the shortest and most restful days of the Galician section of the French Way. With a mostly downhill profile that loses height towards the valley of the Miño, it is perfect for those who wish to walk at a leisurely pace, spread the effort over several gentle days or enjoy a free afternoon at their destination.
The departure from Ferreiros runs through oak groves, meadows and small rural villages that follow one another almost without interruption. The pilgrim passes through Mirallos, where the Romanesque church of Santa María awaits, and shortly afterwards A Pena, before tackling a short rise that leads to the hamlets of Mercadoiro and Moimentos. It is a landscape of shaded country lanes, stone walls and hórreos (granaries), deeply Atlantic, where native woodland alternates with small livestock farms.
After Vilachá, the path begins its decisive descent towards the Belesar reservoir. The drop, steep in its final section, leaves the hills behind to look out over the river Miño, which is crossed by a long bridge. On the other side awaits the characteristic stairway crowned by the chapel of Las Nieves, the former gate of the medieval bridge, which gives access to the town centre of Portomarín.
Portomarín is a singular town: the historic village was submerged in the 1960s beneath the waters of the reservoir, and its most valuable monuments were dismantled and rebuilt stone by stone in the upper part. The ensemble is presided over by the imposing fortress-church of San Nicolás, the work of the knights of the Order of Saint John, with the appearance of both temple and castle. Its arcades, its cuisine —the famous empanada and the local aguardiente— and its pilgrim atmosphere make the town an especially pleasant end of stage.
The departure from Ferreiros runs through oak groves, meadows and small rural villages that follow one another almost without interruption. The pilgrim passes through Mirallos, where the Romanesque church of Santa María awaits, and shortly afterwards A Pena, before tackling a short rise that leads to the hamlets of Mercadoiro and Moimentos. It is a landscape of shaded country lanes, stone walls and hórreos (granaries), deeply Atlantic, where native woodland alternates with small livestock farms.
After Vilachá, the path begins its decisive descent towards the Belesar reservoir. The drop, steep in its final section, leaves the hills behind to look out over the river Miño, which is crossed by a long bridge. On the other side awaits the characteristic stairway crowned by the chapel of Las Nieves, the former gate of the medieval bridge, which gives access to the town centre of Portomarín.
Portomarín is a singular town: the historic village was submerged in the 1960s beneath the waters of the reservoir, and its most valuable monuments were dismantled and rebuilt stone by stone in the upper part. The ensemble is presided over by the imposing fortress-church of San Nicolás, the work of the knights of the Order of Saint John, with the appearance of both temple and castle. Its arcades, its cuisine —the famous empanada and the local aguardiente— and its pilgrim atmosphere make the town an especially pleasant end of stage.
Last updated: 25/06/2026
Where to Sleep
Accommodations in this Stage
Find the perfect place for your rest in Ferreiros o Portomarín.
La Casa de Manuel
PortoHouse
Casa Rural Santa Marina
Dulce Mañana
Hotel Portomarín Star
Pousada de Portomarín
Hotel Ferramenteiro
Hotel Pazo de Berbetoros
Vistalegre Hotel y SPA
Pensión Mar
Pensión Portomiño
Albergue Ferramenteiro
Albergue Ultreia
Apartamentos O Caneiro
Apartamentos Pasiño
Apartamentos Portolux
Casa do Aloumiño
Casa do Maestro
Casa San Nicolás
Casa Vimar
Hostal Meson do Loyo
Huellas Albergue-Turístico
Os Arcos - Apartamentos Turísticos
Pension Perez
Pons Minea
PortoHome 1
PortoHome 2
PortoHome Ático
PortoSantiago
PortoSantiago Boutique & Rooms
SLEEPING PORTOMARIN 2
A Fontana de Luxo Apartamentos
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