Stage San Román da Retorta - Melide

The stage from San Romao da Retorta to Melide is the last on which the pilgrim of the Camino Primitivo walks "alone". The route has the classic Galician leg-breaker profile, with the climb to the Sierra do Careón as its main challenge. The way crosses rural country, passing small hamlets and patches of woodland. The ascent to the Sierra do Careón is gradual and, from the top, opens up magnificent views over the A Ulloa district. This high point marks the border between the provinces of Lugo and A Coruña. The descent leads the pilgrim into the final stretch. Shortly before reaching Melide, in the hamlet of O Coto, stands the marker showing where the Camino Primitivo officially joins the Camino Francés. From here the atmosphere changes completely. The calm and solitude of the original route give way to the bustle and the great flow of pilgrims arriving along the French route. Reaching Melide is a moment of celebration and of culture shock. The town is a hive of pilgrims of every nationality, and it is famous for being one of the best places in all of Galicia to eat pulpo "á feira". Stopping at one of its pulperías has become an unmissable tradition.