Stage Ventas de Narón to Melide

The stage from Ventas de Narón to Melide is a journey through the rural architecture and shifting landscapes of inland Galicia. Leaving the Sierra de Ligonde behind, the pilgrim passes the famous Cruceiro de Lameiros and drops down to Palas de Rei, a municipality with a strong Jacobean tradition. From here the route becomes a pleasant walk along forest paths and through small hamlets that seem frozen in time, such as San Xulián do Camiño and Leboreiro, with its old Roman road. The profile is a constant up and down (the famous Galician "rompepiernas", or leg-breaker) that crosses the river Furelos over a magnificent medieval bridge before entering Melide. This town is not only the end of the stage but a crucial milestone, where the Camino Francés welcomes the pilgrims of the Camino Primitivo. The final reward is unmissable: tasting the famous "pulpo á feira" in one of the traditional pulperías of Melide, celebrating the meeting of the ways and the ever-closer approach to Santiago de Compostela.