Olveiroa tips

[peregrina2000]

Most peregrinos to Finisterre or Muxia spend their second night in Olveiroa. I was there a few days ago and a little stunned by the changes since 2005 -- that place is really pretty-ing itself up!

If you are the albergue type, you should know that the albergue has expanded. When you arrive, the "main building" is across the "street" from the place where the hospitalera sits. The note will tell you, if you arrive during the day, to go and bag a bed and that she will arrive later. Most people go immediately to the bigger building directly across the street where there are two nice rooms with probably about 16-18 beds each. But there are two other options. There is a little house a few steps away from the big house, which has one bunk bed on the bottom floor and a bunk plus a single bed on the second floor. We joked that we had grabbed the suite. There is also another smaller room in a building directly across from the little house, it's up a short flight of stairs and has about 6 or 8 beds. And then there is a room with many colchones -- I think the Olveiroa albergue can handle lots of people, so I wouldn't worry too much about the pilgrim rush at this stage of the camino.

If you are not the albergue type, there is a new 3 *** pension rural about two minutes from the albergue. It looks very nice. And it also serves an excellent menú del peregrino for 12€, maybe a little higher than normal, but hey you get linen tablecloths and good food. And to top it all off, it is open very early in the morning for coffee.

The only other food option in Olveiroa is the bar peregrino right next to the albergue. The menú is 8 or 9 € and totally uninspired but edible. The last time I was in the Olveiroa albergue, the hospitalera made us a delicious home-cooked meal of lentils and I forget what else. But she told me that the Xunta has told her she can no longer compete with the local business. So either you cook your own food in Olveiroa or you take your chances in one of the two places I have described.

Buen camino a todos, Laurie

 

[nellpilgrim]

If you are not the albergue type, there is a new 3 *** pension rural about two minutes from the albergue. It looks very nice. And it also serves an excellent menú del peregrino for 12€, maybe a little higher than normal, but hey you get linen tablecloths and good food. And to top it all off, it is open very early in the morning for coffee.

Buen camino a todos, Laurie

Hi Laurie,
We stayed at the pension in Spring 2008 and found rooms and bathrooms to be lovely and the food great. It was also the place that lots of pilgrims ate so there was a good 'vibe' to!
It also serves the largest gin and tonics I have ever seen-large enough to bathe a small child
Nell

 

[happyhiker]

Sept 2010. In Olveiroa we just stayed at the As Pias, which is the restaurant previously mentioned. The rates for rooms at the restaurant itself were a little pricey but they also offered rooms for less (not great value as basic) in a nearby house. And I did see another accomodation on offer on the way into town as well. This was our busiest stop.

 

[eamann]

Re: Olveiroa tips - Avoid "As Pias"

Hello!

I've been meaning to post this message since I stayed in "As Pias" in May 2009 but it is only now that I am getting round to it...

I would strongly advise pilgrims and walkers NOT to stay in this establishment. It is very dear for what you get.

- I paid (in 2009) €40 for a room that was so small that there was no room even for a chair, never mind a table! That was the most I paid for accommodation in over seven weeks of walking (from Valencia), and that includes several three-star hotels, some of which figure in the Michelin guidebook (see below for an example).

- Furthermore smoke from the open fire in the room below escaped through the bricked-up fireplace in my room and when I left the next morning all of my possessions smelt of smoke.

- I am 99% sure that the bedclothes had not been changed since the previous night (and perhaps for several nights before that too!). They certainly did not look fresh and clean! My suspicions were confirmed when I met up in Fisterra with a lady friend who had slept there too and who had had the same impression. She even found other people's hair in the bed!

- They say that their food is all home-made. It tasted good but given the very commercial attitude of the couple who run the place and the absence of other staff the night I was there, I have my doubts. What I do know for sure is that it is heated up at mealtimes in a microwave oven, which kills all the living ingredients.

- Finally, the price of the breakfast (unfortunately I did not note it down) was outrageous for a cup of coffee and some toast / microwaved croissants.

To end on a positive note, I heartily recommend:

- the Tamara hotel in Negreira, both for its accommodation and meals

- in Fisterra, I paid only €30 for a modern, clean, comfortable and spacious room in the Playa Langosteira Hotel, a little outside Fisterra but excellent value (it's the only hotel in Fisterra mentioned in the Michelin guide). As regards restaurants, I recommend the "O Centolo", in the centre of the village, again an establishment chosen by Michelin.

 

[peregrina2000]

Sounds like As Pias' record is, shall we say, a bit uneven. Last year I had what I now remember as a good meal there, but I am by no means a "foodie", and it's entirely possible that I was wowed by the linen tablecloths, nice stemware, and nice wine. I know there are lots of people in business on the camino who abuse the peregrino trade, but one way to fight back is to refuse to sleep in a bed with dirty sheets, at least if you're paying real money for the privilege. All registered places have, by law, a complaint book (libro de reclamaciones). I don't know whether that's a more effective way of lodging a complaint, though.

I have also eaten at the place in Olveiroa that's right next to the albergue, and I can tell you it's standard issue awful. So, looks like the choices are not great. Pity -- I remember the first time I walked to Finisterre, the hospitalera in the Olveiroa albergue made us a very good hearty basic communal meal. When I asked about that last year, the hospitalera told me that once the private places in town got up and running, she was forced to stop. Not exactly robust capitalism!

Whatever the downsides of eating and sleeping in Olveiroa, the arrival at the coast more than compensates, though. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[The_Way]

The way I do in 4 stages:
Stage 1-Negreira: I recommend the Hotel "Tamara" sleeping 45 € the double room,
Stage 2-Abeleiroas: The hotel "Casa Jurjo" in La Picota Mazaricos, is 4 km from Olveiroa but you are free to pick up the road, in my case I picked up at LAGO, 25 km from Negreira.
Stage 3-Cee: The Hotel "Insua" in the center of town
Stage 4-Finisterre: Hotel "Playa Langosteira"
In all the room rates are € 45/55

 

[Arn]

Staying at As Pais, very nice, food great ( had veal stew), well appointed room, very clean, staff attentive ( and might I add very attractive).
Maybe some folks did complain and they listened.
Speaking of listening, as I entered in a pouring rain, Mass was said over a loud speaker, lifted my spirits right there and then.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Arn,
I agree with you completely. I was there this past summer, walking with a Portuguese guy who insisted that we stop there for a meal. I was skeptical, because of some of these more recent comments, and in spite of my good experience there years earlier. I have to say it was just as you say. This is a great place, food is excellent, high quality and homemade. It is definitely the only place to eat in Olveiroa, IMO.

Buen camino, enjoy the rest of the way to Finisterre! Laurie

 

[Arn]

Well, after a great night's sleep and nearly three hours of fantastic walking, I began the last 5-6km down, down into Cee. The steep slope, rocky surface and down pour left much to be desired. I stopped at the very first bar to wring myself out and down a celebratory cervezas grande to the fact I didn't break anything. Three hours later Finisterre. Cold, angry sea and walk to lighthouse still breath taking. As I searched the surrounding waters, I noted a single rock formation not far from both the lighthouse and the shore. I could imagine Romans and pilgrims both looking at the same object 2,000 years apart.
Isn't the Camino grand!!!
Buen "Muxia" Camino,
Arn

 

[natefaith]

Congratulations, Arn! Soak it all in. Glad we can follow your journey this way.

 

[Al the optimist]

Glad you made it Arn. While you were looking out across the sea to the west I was doing the same towards the east in Barcelona on a beautiful, sunny and warm day!