Day trips from Santiago?

[SeñorJacques]

(I'm sure this has been asked here before, but I couldn't find any previous threads in search - apologies if I missed something!)

I'm shoring up my travel plans for my upcoming CP this spring and it looks like I will have 3-4 days at the end of my walk once I reach Santiago before meeting family there and traveling to Madrid. I'm looking for suggestions on places to visit during those few days.

Of course, walking to Muxia is an idea. I walked to Fisterra two years ago after my CF. I don't especially want to walk those same first few days out of Santiago again, but I may take a bus to Hospital / Dumbria and walk to Muxia from there, and then perhaps walk from Muxia to Fisterra and return to Santiago. So that's an option. But as this will only be my second trip to Spain, I'm also wondering about the possibiliuty of staying in Santiago for four nights and using it as a base for day trips to other cities in the region.

I'm particularly interested in Ourense for the hot springs. Lugo and A Coruña are options as well, And I'm sure there are other towns and villages in the region that are worth a day trip from Santiago. To those who know the region better than I do: what are some of your favorite places near Santiago, particularly ones that aren't on the main CF or CP routes?

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I'm more ignorant of the region than you but I noted a few suggestions from others on exactly this theme ( yes it's definitely come up before!).
Lugo and A Coruna were definitely on the list as was Padron, Pontevedra and I think Vigo.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Museu do Pobo Gallego in Santiago is a must-see in my opinion.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@SeñorJacques , just a thought - if you have three days why not actually walk the Inglés from A Coruna?

 

[Stephan the Painter]

There's some really stunning beaches west of A Curona. The Rias Altas. It's not that far but you might need to rent a car to get up there easily for a day trip. They mention it at the top of this article from the guardian:

Hidden Spain: where to stay and what to do off the beaten track

Explore tucked-away beaches, sleepy villages and rugged national parks with this insider’s guide to the country’s best-kept secrets

www.theguardian.com

I just drove past them, but they looked stunning. And also, not really a day trip as much as another big walk, but the Lighthouse Trail.

O Camiño dos Faros (The Lighthouse Way) - O Camiño dos Faros

O Camiño dos Faros (The Lighthouse Way) is a 200-km hiking route in Galicia (Spain) that links Malpica with Finisterre along the coastline. A route that runs by all the Lighthouses and the most important landmarks in A Costa da Morte, where definitely, it is the sea the one that plays the main...

www.caminodosfaros.com

 

[J Willhaus]

Bus to and from Finesterre. Bus to and from Muxia. Good walking city tour in Santiago by Johnnie Walker (used to be free to read on Kindle, not sure now). Lugo is a cool place to visit.

 

[ivar]

Train wise, the trip to Ourense is really fast on the new high speed train...

 

[J Willhaus]

Train wise, the trip to Ourense is really fast on the new high speed train...

And for that matter the train is also very fast to Zamora which is not in Galicia, but a very cool place to visit.

 

[dbier]

Lugo, Muxia...you are spoiled for choice

 

[SeñorJacques]

@SeñorJacques , just a thought - if you have three days why not actually walk the Inglés from A Coruna?

For some reason. I hadn't even considered that, probably because I had the idea that the Inglés was much longer than it actually is. But it looks like I could walk from A Coruña back to Santiago in four days, or "all the way" from Ferrol to Santiago (and earn another Compestela in the process) in five. This is now on the top of my list of things to think about. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[MesaWalker]

Our favorite tapas bar from 3 1/2 months on caminos is O Barallete in Ourense, if you go to Ourense for the baths.

A possibility, as an alternative to walking the Camino Inglés, would be to take the train to Ourense, and walk to Santiago - it's barely over 100K on the Camino Sanabrés and qualifies for a compostela. It's a very pretty route with the magnificent Oseira Monastery along the way (but no ocean like you'd get walking from A Coruña or Ferrol).

 

[SeñorJacques]

Lugo, Muxia...you are spoiled for choice

Yes, it's a rather nice conundrum to ponder!

 

[SeñorJacques]

Our favorite tapas bar from 3 1/2 months on caminos is O Barallete in Ourense, if you go to Ourense for the baths.

A possibility, as an alternative to walking the Camino Inglés, would be to take the train to Ourense, and walk to Santiago - it's barely over 100K on the Camino Sanabrés and qualifies for a compostela. It's a very pretty route with the magnificent Oseira Monastery along the way (but no ocean like you'd get walking from A Coruña or Ferrol).

The Sanabrés is yet another option I hadn't considered! Decisions, decisions ...

 

[MesaWalker]

Definitely the possibilities constitute an embarassment of riches!

 

[C clearly]

Here are some threads offering more suggestions:

• Castles in Galicia
• What to do in Santiago

 

[simoncooper99]

One place that appears to get ignored in Santiago is the Ciudad de Cultura. On a hill to the south west of the city. Accessible by bus (although this stops at 1.30pm on a Saturday). This is a huge modern cultural centre which must have cost a fortune to build but with hardly any visitors (when i was there). Interesting to walk round to see the buildings, a few exhibitions, + there was a youth orchestra performing. Nice views towards santiago and then walk back into the city.

 

[Hannah Peregrina]

I would add that the closest town on the sea to Santiago is Noia, with Muros right across the ria. They are both lovely towns with a lot of history, and if you're still interested in walking, the Noia/Muros Camino is official now too, and a shorter walk than the Ingles or Sanabres...

 

[J Willhaus]

One place that appears to get ignored in Santiago is the Ciudad de Cultura. On a hill to the south west of the city. Accessible by bus (although this stops at 1.30pm on a Saturday). This is a huge modern cultural centre which must have cost a fortune to build but with hardly any visitors (when i was there). Interesting to walk round to see the buildings, a few exhibitions, + there was a youth orchestra performing. Nice views towards santiago and then walk back into the city.

Yes, we toured this during our time in Language School in Santiago summer of 2019. The exhibitions do change to some degree. Very interesting and nice grounds around this area.

 

[KiwiBrownz]

(I'm sure this has been asked here before, but I couldn't find any previous threads in search - apologies if I missed something!)

I'm shoring up my travel plans for my upcoming CP this spring and it looks like I will have 3-4 days at the end of my walk once I reach Santiago before meeting family there and traveling to Madrid. I'm looking for suggestions on places to visit during those few days.

Of course, walking to Muxia is an idea. I walked to Fisterra two years ago after my CF. I don't especially want to walk those same first few days out of Santiago again, but I may take a bus to Hospital / Dumbria and walk to Muxia from there, and then perhaps walk from Muxia to Fisterra and return to Santiago. So that's an option. But as this will only be my second trip to Spain, I'm also wondering about the possibiliuty of staying in Santiago for four nights and using it as a base for day trips to other cities in the region.

I'm particularly interested in Ourense for the hot springs. Lugo and A Coruña are options as well, And I'm sure there are other towns and villages in the region that are worth a day trip from Santiago. To those who know the region better than I do: what are some of your favorite places near Santiago, particularly ones that aren't on the main CF or CP routes?

Lugo is worth a walk around its intact Roman city wall about 2kms, A Coruna has one of the world's oldest lighthouses worth the climb quite a nice place to overnight and explore train from SdeC

 

[natefaith]

A couple of other beautiful places to visit on the west coast of Galicia:

The old Celtic ruins Castro de Baroña (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castro_de_Baroña) and nearby town Porto do Son. You may need a rental car for this one, though.

Isla de Arousa, which is a walk across the bridge from Villagarcia de Arousa. You can get to Villagarcia de Arousa by train. This is a small, walkable island with beaches, a port, restaurants, and shops.

If you haven't been to La Coruña, though, I'd highly recommend a day or or even two there. There's so much to do there - a long paseo marítimo, the Torre de Hercules lighthouse, Monte de San Pedro hill park, the octopus mosaic statue, Plaza de Maria Pita and its pedestrian shopping and eating district, and museums.

Buen Camino!

@SeñorJacques I was wrong! The Isla de Arousa is a walk across the bridge from Vilanova de Arousa, not Villagarcia de Arousa. Villagarcia de Arousa is farther away. So again, if you want to visit the island you may need a rental car .

 

[KamalSfint]

Your plan to explore the area around Santiago after your Camino sounds wonderful! Given your interest in not retracing your steps too closely but still wanting to make the most of your time, branching out from Santiago for day trips is a great idea. Ourense is indeed a fantastic choice if you're looking to relax in natural hot springs.
The city's thermal baths are a delightful way to unwind after your pilgrimage. Lugo, with its fully intact Roman walls, offers a unique historical perspective, while A Coruña, with its beautiful coastline and the Tower of Hercules, provides a scenic maritime experience.
For more travel ideas and lodging options, feel free to check out www.losaltosresort.com. Safe travels, and I hope you have an incredible journey!