Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago, day by day. In July 2024 we landed in Santiago de Compostela, drove an hour inland to Lugo, and spent six days walking back — 107.6 kilometres (66.9 miles) across Galicia on the oldest of the pilgrim routes, collecting stamps in our pilgrim passports the whole way to the cathedral. 155,837 steps, 33.5 hours on foot, and one compostela each.

Day 0 — July 10, Lugo. Checked into Hotel Mercure Lugo and walked the old town: lunch at Restaurante Campos (white wine, gazpacho, jamón ibérico, eggplant), the top of the Roman walls — the only complete Roman wall circuit left on Earth, UNESCO-listed since 2000 — the Casa dos Mosaicos, and dinner at the hotel: zamburiñas, croquettes, green peppers, steak.

Day 1 — July 11, Lugo to Guntín, 20.6 km. Set off around 9 a.m. through the walls, stretched at the big metal LUGO sign, crossed the Roman bridge, collected our first pilgrim stamps at a church dedicated to St. Lucia, and picked wild blackberries along the road. Lunch at Mesón de Crecente (cocido, carne asada, Estrella Galicia), dinner at Restaurante España, desde 1907 — the beef rice was a sight to see. 27,586 steps.

Day 2 — July 12, Guntín to Palas de Rei, 14.8 km. Cows, farmers, Friol, black slugs, hydrangeas, wild mini plums, and an ancient bridge over the Río Ferreira — where, the story goes, the cart carrying St. James's remains once crossed. Lunch at Casa Gorinos, then the spa water circuit and Celtic hot-stone massages at Balneario Río Pambre. A bat did laps of the dining room at dinner. 22,952 steps.

Day 3 — July 13, Palas de Rei to Melide, 15.1 km. A morning surprise at the Castelo de Pambre — the best-preserved medieval fortress in Galicia — then windmills, eucalyptus corridors, donated sneakers on the waymarks and hórreos of every design. In Melide, Galicia's inland octopus capital, lunch at Garnacha Pulpería: an octopus-cutting show at the door, pulpo á feira, red wine in traditional cups. Churros, pool, massages, dinner at Pazo de Sedor. 23,660 steps.

Day 4 — July 14, Melide to Arzúa, 16.1 km. Melide's Sunday market (jamón, honey, bee pollen, fifteen live rabbits), stamps at the Igrexa de Santa María de Melide, a break at Taberna de Parabispo, lunch at Albergue Ribidaso, and in Arzúa a gentleman we named Pepe who kissed our cheeks and told us about the Día del Carmen party. That night: Spain 2, England 1 in the Euro 2024 final watched in a packed local bar, then the town fiesta — Paris de Noia on stage, dancing in the rain in LED headbands until almost 4 a.m. 23,057 steps.

Day 5 — July 15, Arzúa to Pazo Santa María, 17.6 km. Hangovers, cuidao. The hotel manager returned the LED headbands we'd left in the lobby. The wall of wisdom, hand-drawn postcards from a Hungarian pilgrim, rain gear deployed, lunch at Marela Cantina, and relief at Pazo Santa María — Hailey's favourite stay of the trip. We could hear Arzúa's bass calling us back. We did not oblige. 25,071 steps.

Day 6 — July 16, into Santiago de Compostela, 23.4 km — the longest day. Lunch at Casa de Amancio, first sight of the cathedral spires from Monte do Gozo (the Hill of Joy), then the Praza do Obradoiro at last. Made the 7:30 p.m. pilgrim's mass just in time and received our compostelas. Galician street musicians, A Trastenda de Xabi, a dap at Pub Momo. Carallo! 33,511 steps — the biggest walking day of the trip.

Day 7 — July 17, Santiago de Compostela. City tour, lunch at Atafona, spa afternoon at A Quinta da Auga (Relais & Châteaux), and goodbye to our trusted guide Gonzalo. We arrived in a record year: 499,239 pilgrims collected the compostela in 2024. One more foggy morning walk past the cathedral, and home. Buen Camino.