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Stage of the Camino

Negreira to Santiago de Compostela

From Negreira To Santiago de Compostela

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Origin

Negreira

Distance

21.00 km

Duration

5.25 h

Difficulty

Media

Stage of the Camino

Stage Description

The final day sets off from Negreira, at 166 metres, walking in reverse the stage with which the Camino de Fisterra begins in Santiago. Leaving behind the Pazo do Cotón, the pilgrim climbs the valley of the river Barcala and soon reaches Ponte Maceira, one of the most beautiful spots on the whole Camino, with its medieval bridge over the river Tambre. From there comes the hardest climb of the day, the Alto do Mar de Ovellas, through hamlets such as Trasmonte, Cardama and Aguapesada, along country lanes and dirt tracks amid eucalyptus and oak woods. Beyond the pass the path descends and then rises gently again towards Santiago, entered by way of Sarela de Abaixo and the San Lourenzo oak grove, at the gates of the old town. It is around 21 kilometres, ending in the Praza do Obradoiro, in front of the cathedral.
The day begins in Negreira, capital of the Barcala region, at about 166 metres above sea level. The pilgrim leaves the town beside the Pazo do Cotón, whose stone arch crosses over the Camino, and in the direction walked here —from Negreira towards Santiago— covers in reverse the first stage of the Camino de Fisterra and Muxía. From the very first steps the landscape is thoroughly rural: fenced meadows, hórreos and scattered farmsteads follow one another as the path gradually climbs the valley of the river Barcala.

Soon the route reaches one of the most celebrated places on the whole way: Ponte Maceira. Its medieval stone bridge over the river Tambre, the mill, the chapel and the cluster of houses form a scene that many consider the finest on the Camino. It is worth pausing here before tackling the hardest part of the day, the long climb up to the Alto do Mar de Ovellas, a sustained ascent along country lanes and dirt tracks amid eucalyptus, oak and pine.

After passing hamlets such as Trasmonte, Cardama and Aguapesada, and cresting the highest point of the day at around 290 metres, the Camino begins a gradual descent towards the valley of the river Sarela. The terrain alternates gentle rises and falls through shady woodland and small Galician settlements, with the murmur of streams keeping the walker company. It is a quiet, solitary stretch, perfect for savouring the last hours of the route before arrival.

The end brings the entry into Santiago de Compostela from the west, through Sarela de Abaixo and the leafy San Lourenzo oak grove, which opens the way into the historic centre. The pilgrim climbs the last streets of the old town until emerging in the Praza do Obradoiro, at the foot of the cathedral, completing some 21 kilometres that bring the return journey from the end of the earth to a close.

Last updated: 08/07/2026

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