Astorga to Santiago de Compostela

[rebegra]

Hi!
I am planning to walk from Astorga to Santiago de Compostela in begninning of May. I am planning two days of rest, one in Villafranca, and the other in Sarria or Pontomarin? In which of the two towns would u prefer to stay an extra day?

 

[nidarosa]

Hi and welcome! Astorga to Santiago is my favourite part of the trail, so you are in for a treat. As for planning your rest days, I think I would see what happens and take a day when you want or need to, maybe you meet someone you want to spend that rest day with, or find yourself in a place you want to explore, or maybe your feet or legs unexpectedly need that rest day, or maybe you fancy two short days instead of a whole one off? I take it you are planning them because you are pre-booking? Keep in mind you can also book just a day or two in advance, to give you more flexibility (or just don't book and go with the flow).
Enjoy Galicia and don't forget to try the Cebreiro cheese and the albariño!

 

[Kanga]

For various reasons I've had rest days in both Sarria and Portomarin and I'd opt for Sarria. It is much bigger with a lot more to offer.

 

[William Marques]

I would agree with nidarosa and go with the flow maybe making a few short days rather than rest days.

Villafranca is great. Sarria is bigger, Portomarin is prettier.

And don't forget the octopus or the percebes (goose neck barnacles)!

 

[Mark McCarthy]

Villafranca and Sarria are big enough to offer plenty to see. Portomarin is pretty but small. If the weather was very good, I would suggest a lazy morning in Sarria, followed by a very short hike up to Vilei and stay in the Casa Barbadelo ( http://www.barbadelo.com/en/index.htm ) which has a swimming pool you can relax around. Alternatively, look to use one of the days to shorten some of the other stages. In particular the hike up to O Cebreiro is very demanding. What stages are you planning?

 

[scruffy1]

Portomarin is fun if you like fortress churches, hardware stores, minimarkets, and need an ATM. Sarria has more to offer but is still not the cat's pajamas. As you leave you may find an English teacher seated with his class using Pilgrims to exchange sentences with his students. Just as the Camino bears left on leaving turn right there is a school with an tiny exquisite "cloister" at the entrance.

 

[StuartM]

I found Sarria a bit of a culture shock after so many days of walking rural trails. I didn't enjoy it. There seemed to be a lot of people taking advantage of the first big city in a long time. Lots of drinking. A couple of weeks earlier and it would have been me but I just was not in the mood any more by this point in the walk.

Portomarin is small but interesting. Spectacular scenery crossing that bridge. Typical small, provincial Spanish town. Some bars and restaurants and shops. I believe there is a farm where you can go riding for the day round there. There is/was a physiotherapist as well so maybe a massage and some relaxing?

I reached Portomarin in a horrible storm and cut the day short. I think I was there from about 11am til the next morning so more or less a whole day. It was nice to chill out in. Seeing people come and go. Put your feet up in a bar with a fire, read a book. Sarria wouldn't be my choice.

 

[trecile]

I agree with @nidarosa. Don't book ahead or plan rest days. Take it as it comes. If you arrive in Santiago ahead of your plan you can use the time to walk to Muxia or Finisterre.

 

[november_moon]

I agree about taking things as they come rather than planning for rest days. It's nice to have an idea of which places might be nice for a rest day though

We had some shorter days rather than full rest days sometimes - those can be nice since you still move on, but have time to sightsee enroute or when you get to your destination for the day. Once I had a day and a half of forced rest due to some kind of stomach bug, so that can happen too and disrupt your plan.

 

[Boog237]

Hello -

My sense is planning rest days makes good sense, if that is a need you anticipate, but exactly where and when could be a crap shoot. But . . . having said that, you just might consider a day trip by bus, train, cab or BlaBla car from Sarria up to Lugo. Lugo is the only city in the world surrounded by completely intact Roman walls. It is really something special. You could head back to Sarria to continue on the CF to Santiago, or hop onto the Camino Primitivo to Melide where you will again connect with the CF. Another benefit is you will miss a bit of the last 100KM crowd from Sarria to Santiago.

Ultreia

Bob

PS - BlaBla Car is a blast.

 

[GettingThere]

I tend to agree with those who have suggested waiting until you see how you're going and where (or whether) you might want to stop.

Having said that, I was lucky (?!) enough to spend 10 days in Sarria last October - on Camino with my mother, she went down with food poisoning followed by a post-infection reactive arthritis which meant a lot of rest before she could even manage public transport, so ending our second Camino. I saw quite a lot of Sarria in that time, and despite the awful reason for staying there, I feel strangely fond of the place. Mainly because everyone was so kind and helpful, and I was so relieved this hadn't happened when we were in a smaller place. But it has all the shops you might need, including an excellent Camino-everything store (Peregrinoteca), supermarkets and pharmacies galore. And there is a lovely river walk - I had fun spotting lots of trout in the river and talking to the enormous geese that (probably not coincidentally...) reside there. Of course it was the end of the season by then so not as busy as it is in Summer.

Buen Camino whatever you decide!

 

[LynneR]

Hello -

My sense is planning rest days makes good sense, if that is a need you anticipate, but exactly where and when could be a crap shoot. But . . . having said that, you just might consider a day trip by bus, train, cab or BlaBla car from Sarria up to Lugo. Lugo is the only city in the world surrounded by completely intact Roman walls. It is really something special. You could head back to Sarria to continue on the CF to Santiago, or hop onto the Camino Primitivo to Melide where you will again connect with the CF. Another benefit is you will miss a bit of the last 100KM crowd from Sarria to Santiago.

Ultreia

Bob

PS - BlaBla Car is a blast.

Hi,
I have been following this thread because I am walking from Burgos in June. I see you wrote something about the Camino Primitivo. Can you explain what that is? I walked starting from Cebreiro a couple years ago, and I noticed the increased crowd after Sarria. I would love to avoid that if it's not too much extra time.
Thanks,
Lynne

 

[Boog237]

Hello -

My understanding is Camino Primitivo is one of the oldest, if not the oldest Caminos running from Oviedo to Santiago. I mentioned it as it runs through Lugo, a truly extraordinary town. There is additional info on the Primitive in this forum.
But to be clear, I have not done the Primitivo, only the CF from SJPP to Santiago, will do the Portuguese leaving mid May from Porto and the CF again this August.

Be well

Bob

 

[Egevej8]

Great thread wife and I starts on sunday, from Astorga. We both are starting to get nervous, are we fit, is there any beds? and so on.... but reading this is good, just have to sit on hands and see what happens.....
First round packing 7 kg

 

[november_moon]

Congrats on your impending Camino Egevej. I think everybody has those types of anxieties - or at least most people do. But you'll get there and things will work out. There will always be a place to sleep - sometimes it won't be in the first place you look, but there will always be something. Between the municipal and private albergues, casa rurales, and hotels, there will be something. And sometimes, when your first choice (or 2nd) is full, you end up finding a wonderful place that you otherwise wouldn't have. So if you find that places are full, keep looking trust that the universe is leading you to where you need to be.

 

[Baggiegaz]

Hi anyone walking from astorga next monday.i will be ariving from uk on sunday night9th sept.i got as far as leon lasy year..i had to stop as had celulitis in knee.so im coming back to complete it hopefuly.be good seeing anyone off forum on way.cheers
Gaz

 

[nycwalking]

Hi anyone walking from astorga next monday.i will be ariving from uk on sunday night9th sept.i got as far as leon lasy year..i had to stop as had celulitis in knee.so im coming back to complete it hopefuly.be good seeing anyone off forum on way.cheers
Gaz

Stay healthy.

Buen camino to you.