Stage of the Camino
Stage Description
The penultimate day of the Camino, now on the route of the Francés after the confluence at Melide, between oak woods and eucalyptus plantations of rural Galicia. Leaving Melide, the route crosses the river Catasol towards Boente and Castañeda, old sites of Jacobean lime kilns. The descent to the river Iso leads to Ribadiso da Baixo, with its celebrated medieval bridge beside the hostel, before the climb up to Arzúa, capital of the Galician cheese with denomination of origin. From Arzúa the path enters a string of hamlets —Preguntoño, A Calzada, A Calle— among streams and shady woods as far as Salceda, already in the concello of O Pino. A stage of gentle profile and constant ups and downs, comfortable for tackling the approach to Santiago.
The penultimate stage of this Camino runs entirely along the route of the Camino Francés, which the Primitivo joins at Melide, and covers 25.8 kilometres of gentle profile through the inland Galicia of A Coruña. It is a day of oak woods, eucalyptus plantations and small hamlets, dotted with stone crosses and Romanesque churches, on which the pilgrim advances through continuous short climbs and descents without major difficulty.
The exit from Melide leaves behind the town centre and the church of Santa María and drops down to the river Catasol. The path reaches Boente, with its church of Santiago, and shortly afterwards Castañeda, where tradition placed the old lime kilns in which pilgrims left the stones they had carried from Triacastela for the building of the cathedral in Compostela.
After a marked descent, the Camino crosses the river Iso on the medieval bridge of Ribadiso da Baixo, one of the most photographed corners of the route, next to its stone hostel at the water's edge. A demanding climb then leads to Arzúa, capital of the cheese with denomination of origin, where the Camino Francés and the Camino del Norte come together and which is the main service centre of this section.
From Arzúa, the itinerary enters a string of hamlets —Preguntoño, A Calzada, A Calle, Boavista— linked by tracks and sunken lanes between streams, oak woods and eucalyptus plantations. The constant up and down accompanies the pilgrim as far as Salceda, already in the concello of O Pino, a small village well supplied with accommodation and bars that serves as a comfortable prelude to the final day towards Santiago.
The exit from Melide leaves behind the town centre and the church of Santa María and drops down to the river Catasol. The path reaches Boente, with its church of Santiago, and shortly afterwards Castañeda, where tradition placed the old lime kilns in which pilgrims left the stones they had carried from Triacastela for the building of the cathedral in Compostela.
After a marked descent, the Camino crosses the river Iso on the medieval bridge of Ribadiso da Baixo, one of the most photographed corners of the route, next to its stone hostel at the water's edge. A demanding climb then leads to Arzúa, capital of the cheese with denomination of origin, where the Camino Francés and the Camino del Norte come together and which is the main service centre of this section.
From Arzúa, the itinerary enters a string of hamlets —Preguntoño, A Calzada, A Calle, Boavista— linked by tracks and sunken lanes between streams, oak woods and eucalyptus plantations. The constant up and down accompanies the pilgrim as far as Salceda, already in the concello of O Pino, a small village well supplied with accommodation and bars that serves as a comfortable prelude to the final day towards Santiago.
Last updated: 10/06/2026
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