The Camino Inglés

Ferrol is a proper city, not a quaint pilgrim town, and it makes for a fine starting point. The port has served the Spanish Navy since the 16th century, and the grid-pattern streets of the Barrio da Magdalena — laid out by military engineers in the 18th century — give it a surprisingly elegant feel for an industrial shipyard city. Modernist facades line the streets, designed by architect Rodolfo Ucha in the early 1900s.

Pick up your credencial at the Co-Cathedral of San Julián, a neoclassical church built in 1778 with a dome that dominates the skyline. It's open mornings (10:30-13:00) and evenings (17:30-19:00). The Camino starts at the port, next to Sarga restaurant on the waterfront — look for the route marker.

All services here: supermarkets, pharmacies, ATMs, outdoor shops. The public albergue has 60 beds and opened in 2023. Give yourself a night to explore the Magdalena district, the naval arsenal (visible from outside), and the waterfront. The Jofre Theatre and the old fish market are worth a wander if you've got time.

Ferrol's food is Galician through and through. Pulpo, empanada, and fresh seafood from the ría. You won't go hungry.

An industrial zone on the outskirts of Ferrol. There's nothing here for pilgrims beyond a few roadside bars, but you pass through it quickly. Press on toward the estuary.

Narón is the municipality next door to Ferrol, and Xubia is where the Camino passes through. The highlight here is the Monasterio de San Martiño de Xubia, a Romanesque monastery complex founded in the 10th century by the Counts of Traba. Documents from 977 already mention it. The monastery church is a fine example of Galician Romanesque — worth a pause.

The path runs along the ría here, past the old tide mill at As Aceas de Lembeie and over the bridge across the Xubia River into Neda. A few cafes along the way. Watch for traffic on some stretches close to the road.

A small cluster around the 12th-century Iglesia de Santa María, just before entering Neda proper. The Romanesque church is worth a look if it's open. No services here — Neda is just ahead.

Neda sits at the bottom of the Ría de Ferrol where the river meets the estuary, and it's a natural stopping point about 15 km from Ferrol. The municipal albergue is well-situated in the park along the river, and several bars line the road above and behind it.

The town has Roman-era roots and is known locally for its bread-making tradition — if you arrive during the Festa do Pan, you're in luck. The Puente de Piedra (Roman bridge) and the Cascada de Belelle waterfall are worth a detour if you have the energy. Basic services: bars, small shops. No pharmacy or ATM — sort those out in Ferrol or wait for Pontedeume.

A pass-through town between Neda and Cabanas. No significant services for pilgrims, but you may find an open bar. The Camino skirts through without lingering.

More appropriately called Playa Magdalena — it's the beach that defines this spot. There's a bar on the right-hand side just before you arrive at the beach, and several more at the far end. On a hot day, the temptation to stop is real.

The beach faces across the estuary toward Pontedeume, and the views of the medieval bridge and the town beyond are excellent from here.

Pontedeume is the first town on the Camino Inglés that truly feels like a destination. Founded in 1270 by Alfonso X, it sits where the Eume River meets the ría, and the medieval bridge that gives the town its name stretches across it. The old town is compact, cobblestoned, and easy to explore on tired feet.

All services here: bars, restaurants, shops, pharmacy, ATM. The municipal albergue sits down by the harbour — a good spot to rest and watch the water. Pontedeume has genuine character: narrow streets, good food, and a sense of history that isn't put on for tourists.

The Torreón de los Andrade — the last remnant of the once-powerful feudal family that controlled this region — is now an interpretation centre. Climb to the top for views across the estuary to Cabanas, the bridge, and the fish market below. The Iglesia de Santiago and the nearby Fragas do Eume (a pristine Atlantic forest along the river) are worth knowing about, though the forest is a detour off the Camino.

All services in Miño, including supermarket, pharmacy, bars, and restaurants. The Albergue de la Xunta has 22 beds. The beach here is one of the better ones on this stretch of coast — if you've been walking since Ferrol, you'll have earned it.

This is your last chance to stock up properly before the long, rural stretch through to Presedo and beyond. There's little in the way of services after Betanzos until Hospital de Bruma.

A few bars along the road before crossing the bridge. There's a small beach here too, though less impressive than Miño's. The name translates as 'Pig Bridge' — local legend involves a wild boar and an unhappy love story, though the details vary depending on who's telling it.

Services are minimal. If you need anything, Miño is behind you and Betanzos ahead.

Betanzos is worth your time. This was once the capital of one of the seven provinces of the Kingdom of Galicia, and you can feel it in the medieval walls, the Gothic churches, and the general sense that this town was once far more important than its current size suggests. The locals call it Betanzos dos Cabaleiros — City of Knights — for the noble families that shaped it.

The municipal albergue is housed in a renovated stone building and is reported to be in very good condition. All services here: shops, pharmacy, ATMs, restaurants. Beware, though — in Betanzos, it often feels that every direction is uphill. The old town sits on a hill between two rivers, and the streets wind accordingly.

Three Gothic churches dominate the old town. The Igrexa de San Francisco, built in 1387 by Fernán Pérez de Andrade (the same family from Pontedeume), contains his tomb decorated with hunting scenes. Santa María del Azogue is a 14th-century Gothic church with intricate stonework and a rose window. Both are open to visitors.

You must try the tortilla de Betanzos. It's nothing like the thick, dry tortilla you get in most of Spain — here it's runny in the centre, almost creamy. The bars around the old town all serve their version, and locals have strong opinions about which is best. The Mercado de Abastos is also good for provisions.

No services. A tiny hamlet with one small church — the name says it all. You're deep into rural Galicia now, and the villages get smaller from here.

Another tiny hamlet, another small church. No services. The quiet is the point — after Betanzos, this stretch is as rural as the Camino Inglés gets.

There are no services in Presedo beyond the albergue. The albergue itself has 14 beds, doesn't take reservations, and sits slightly off the Camino behind the church on the main road. It's basic but functional.

If you're staying, your dining options are limited but creative. Several restaurants post their menus in the albergue and deliver. The Mesón-Museo Xente no Camião is 500 m down the road — it has WiFi and food if you fancy an evening stroll. Carry provisions from Betanzos if you want to be safe.

This is roughly the midpoint between Betanzos and Hospital de Bruma, and it's the sensible place to split the stretch if 26 km in one go feels like too much.

A scattering of houses along the road. No services. Keep walking.

Hospital de Bruma is a tiny hamlet with outsized historical significance — a pilgrim hospital has stood here since 1140, making it one of the oldest documented pilgrim shelters on any Camino route. The original hospital dedicated to San Lorenzo is long gone, but the albergue occupies the same spot. A modest chapel remains.

This is also where the two branches of the Camino Inglés converge — the route from Ferrol and the route from A Coruña meet here. From this point forward, you share the path.

Food is available just down the road at Casa Graña. Services are otherwise minimal — this is a hamlet, not a town.

No bar here, but there's another cluster of buildings a short distance down the road that does have one. Don't count on it being open — check locally or carry your own supplies.

A small village along the road. No notable services for pilgrims. The path continues through quiet countryside.

A small village near Ordes. No significant services, but Ordes itself — a few kilometres off the Camino — has supermarkets, pharmacy, ATMs, and restaurants if you need to resupply.

A handful of houses along the road. No services.

Small village. No notable services for pilgrims.

Sigüeiro is the last proper town before Santiago, and it's where you'll want to sort out anything you need before the final stretch. It sits on the Río Tambre, and the bridge across it marks the approach into town.

Basic services: a few bars, restaurants, small shops. The Albergue Camino Real is a large albergue with good facilities including a kitchen. This has been an important stopping point for English Way pilgrims for centuries — close enough to Santiago to allow an early start and arrival for the pilgrim mass.

The town is small and functional, more agricultural than picturesque. But after two days of rural walking with minimal services, a hot meal and a proper bed feel earned.

A small village between Sigüeiro and Santiago. No significant services. You're getting close now.

An industrial estate on the outskirts of Santiago. There's a café-bar here (Café Bar Polígono) for breakfast or coffee, but the surroundings offer little visual reward. This is the final sprint — the old town is close now, and you'll be walking through city neighbourhoods from here.

Welcome to Santiago. You've walked the English Way, and whatever your reasons for being here, the city has a way of making the arrival feel significant.

Your first pilgrim business is likely in front of the Cathedral, at kilometer zero. A shell and plaque mark the spot in the centre of Plaza Obradoiro. Take a moment — or don't. Some pilgrims are emotional here, others just want a shower. Both are valid.

If you want your Compostela, head to the Pilgrim's Office. It moved in 2016 to a bright new building. From Plaza Obradoiro, face the Parador (the large hotel on your left when facing the Cathedral) and take the road that goes downhill to the left. Halfway down you'll pass the public restrooms, then turn right at the next street. The office is at the end. There are few arrows pointing the way, which feels like one last navigational test.

You're encouraged to stay at least one extra day. Santiago's old town is a web of narrow streets that all seem to bring you back to the Cathedral, and there's more here than you'll see in an afternoon.

The Cathedral — Plaza by Plaza

1. Plaza de Inmaculada (Azabache): The first part of the Cathedral you'll encounter coming into the city. The Puerta de la Azabachería faces the Monastery of San Martín Piñario across the square.

2. Plaza Obradoiro: From Azabache you pass under the Palace of the Bishop — adjoined to the Cathedral and not the sort of palace that affords much peaceful sleeping, given the bagpipes from dawn to dusk. The stairway leads to Plaza Obradoiro and kilometer zero. The scallop shell is embedded in the centre of the plaza. The Obradoiro facade is the most photographed face of the Cathedral — 18th-century baroque, all movement and glass. Behind it lies the Pórtico de la Gloria, the original entrance to the church designed by Maestro Mateo 600 years before the new facade was built.

3. Plaza Platerías: Continue around the Cathedral to the Puerta de las Platerías, named for the silver shops that still trade below it. Some of the stonework is replacement carving — the originals were damaged and moved to the Cathedral Museum, and unfortunately nobody remembered the original composition. The result is a somewhat nonsensical arrangement. The Platerías fountain in front is the usual meeting point for pilgrims — everyone calls it 'the horse fountain'.

4. Plaza de Quintana: The largest of the squares, home to the Puerta de Perdón. The actual Holy Door is behind this facade — which isn't really part of the Cathedral structure, more a highly decorated wall built around the door itself. The 24 saints and prophets carved here are worth studying.

Inside the Cathedral

In medieval times, pilgrims slept on the Cathedral floor and fought — sometimes to the death — for the privilege of sleeping near their preferred chapel. Things have calmed down since.

The best time to visit is early morning, before the crowds. The crypt and the bust of Santiago can be visited quietly then. The botafumeiro — possibly the largest thurible in the Catholic Church — is swung across the transept by a team called the tiraboleiros. It has come loose from the ropes only twice, and never in modern times. The schedule for swinging it changes — ask at the Pilgrim's Office for current information.

San Martín Piñario

The Monastery of San Martín Piñario is enormous — you'll find yourself walking beside it constantly on the north side of the Cathedral. Three cloisters. The church entrance is curious: you descend stairs to reach the doors, rather than climbing them. The reason is a decree by the Archbishop that no building should exceed the Cathedral in height. The architects didn't make San Martín shorter — they dug down and started lower.

San Fiz de Solovio

The oldest building site in Santiago, though you wouldn't guess it from the modest exterior. Find it by heading to the Mercado de Abastos. San Pelayo — the hermit who rediscovered the bones of Santiago — was praying here when the lights called him. Excavations have revealed foundations and a necropolis dating to the 6th century.

The Mercado de Abastos

The produce market is a good place to wander for lunch. Compared to the markets in Madrid or Barcelona, Santiago's is a fairly solemn affair — utilitarian architecture, as Galician as it gets. But the vendors are the experience. Many are second, third, or fifth generation market operators. The current buildings date from the early 1940s but replace structures that stood for 300 years.

Alameda Park

Once a place for Santiago's elite to parade their wealth along class-segregated paths. Now democratic. The park hosts a Ferris wheel and feria in summer, an ice skating rink in winter, and a massive eucalyptus tree with views of the Cathedral year round.

Casa de la Troya

The Troya House inspired one of the most celebrated novels in Spanish literature — a young man from Madrid forced by his father to finish his law studies in Santiago. A tale of misery and eventually love. The museum recreates the boarding house as it would have looked when the novel was written. The Tuna musicians who perform nightly in Plaza Obradoiro would have lived here.

The Hidden Pilgrim

In Plaza Quintana, hiding in the shadows cast by the Cathedral, there's a pilgrim carved into the stone. He's only visible at night. Finding him might take a while.

Santiago has many more monasteries beyond these. Walking between them reveals the bones of how the city was built. Take the time.