Camino De Invierno

Camino de Invierno From Monforte to Santiago Last 100km

Rate:
Price: From 679€
  • Activity Walking or Cycling
  • Distance 138 km
  • Duration 7 nights
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Tour Type Self-Guided Caminos
  • Time To Go From April to October

Camino de Invierno From Monforte to Santiago | Last 100km

The last section of the Camino de Invierno from Monforte to Santiago, the Last 100km, takes pilgrims from Monforte de Lemos, the capital of the Ribeira Sacra wine-making region to Santiago de Compostela.

The Ribeira Sacra region is home to great natural beauty and archaeology, as well as being the area with the highest number of Romanesque religious buildings in Europe, hence its name.

Traditionally the Camino de Invierno (or the Winter Way in English) was the route taken by pilgrims to Santiago in the Wintertime to avoid the snowy mountains of O Cebreiro, on the Camino Frances. However today it is better explored in Spring and Autumn, to appreciate its full and natural beauty.

Winemaking is a centuries-old tradition in the region, introduced by the Romans. One of the highlights is the picturesque village of Belesar, crossed by a Roman road and where pilgrims can admire the lovely views of the River Miño with its canyons and terraced vineyards. The Camino de Invierno has been marked with the Camino arrows and shells by the local Camino association. It is an off-the-beaten-track trail and a spectacular route recommended for experienced walkers.

If you are unsure about the fitness levels required please have a look at our Camino Fitness ebook to see how you can increase your fitness levels to undertake this Camino.

This Camino route is steeped in history, culture, and tradition and is the perfect alternative Camino for those looking for something more challenging and quieter during the busier months.

As you will be completing The Camino de Invierno last 100km, you will qualify to receive your Camino Pilgrim Certificate at the Pilgrim Office of Santiago.

For more information, read our article on the Secret Camino de Invierno

Click below to create your trip. You can walk or cycle.

Map of the Camino de Invierno from Monforte to Santiago Last 100km

Itinerary For The Camino de Invierno From Monforte to Santiago Last 100km

Monforte

Stage: Monforte

You arrive in Monforte.

32 km

Chantada

Stage: Chantada

Pilgrims leave Monforte de Lemos by its medieval bridge towards Campo de San Antonio and passing the Clarisas convent, where you will spot a ‘cruceiro’, the classic Galician stone way cross; and the town hall. You will be passing small hamlets, little villages and pretty chapels, as well as following forest tracks across oak woods, on your way to Chantada. In the picturesque village of Belesar you will have lovely views of the River Miño with its canyons and terraced vineyards. The old Roman road crossing the village is known as ‘Codos de Belesar’.

27 km

Rodeiro

Stage: Rodeiro

Make sure you explore the historic centre in Chantada before you leave today. The town has a rich medieval heritage, evident by the number of Romanesque religious buildings. The town has a pretty river walk and river beach, great for a swim on hot summer days. From Chantada, the Camino de Invierno climbs up to Monte Faro and its chapel, so the first stretch will be one of the most challenging of the route. From the Faro, it is said you can see the four provinces of Galicia. Today you will encounter many ‘cruceiros’ and ‘petos de animas’, traditionally built at crossroads to keep people safe and to remember the ‘souls’ of those who have passed.

22 km

Lalin

Stage: Lalin

Today is your last day on the Camino de Invierno, as the route joins the Via de la Plata in the town of Lalín. It is a pretty flat and easy stage today, across peaceful forests and farmland on low hills. There are no services on the way, so make sure you take enough snacks and water.

16 km

Silleda

Stage: Silleda

From Lalin, the Camino del Invierno joins the Via de la Plata route. Today’s stage is pleasant and short, taking you across undulating hills, peaceful woods, farmland and small hamlets on your way to Silleda, famous for its cattle and country fairs, including the international Green Week (Semana Verde).

20 km

Ponte Ulla

Stage: Ponte Ulla

Starting with an easy stroll towards Bandeira, a town famous for its empanadas (Galician pastry pies), your Camino journey continues through farmlands and hamlets. Just before descending to Ponte Ulla, the old castle is worth a visit for its 360-degree panoramic views. In Ponte Ulla, take a closer at the Igrexa de Santa Maria da Magdalena and its impressive Romanesque facade.

21 km

Santiago de Compostela

Stage: Santiago de Compostela

Today is a very special day as you will make your way into Santiago! Leaving Ponte Ulla you will first climb up towards Pico Sacro with its Ermita de San Sebastian, where you can enjoy breathtaking views. The last couple of kilometres to Santiago are still quite rural and it is difficult to believe you are so close to the city. Finally, you reach Santiago a UNESCO World Heritage site with its world-famous cathedral.

Take time to explore this wonderful city. Always vibrant and lively Santiago de Compostela and its UNESCO-listed old town will enchant you. Here you will find not only pilgrims but also locals and students, enjoying a chat over a few bites and a glass of wine in the many bars, restaurants and cozy cafes.

Accommodation

Standard Hotels

We have hand-picked hotels and guesthouses along the Camino for their character and warm hospitality. Up to 3-stars, you will be staying in the centre of town and close to your Camino trail. All rooms are en-suite with bathroom. For our family packages, we have hand-picked establishments with outdoor space and swimming pools where possible. Where accommodation with private outdoor space is not available, we have selected comfortable hotels with spacious common areas as well as a convenient location close to recreational areas and sights. As your comfort is our priority, we try to book hotels located within walking distance of the Camino. Despite our effort, on rare occasions your accommodation can be located a few kilometers away from the trail, so we organise transportation to/from your accommodation.

Standard Hotel & Guesthouse

Access

How to Get There

Live information on Rome2Rio. We can also arrange private transfers if you prefer, just ask us.

Monforte de Lemos

Santiago de Compostela Airport 120km: From Santiago airport you can take a shuttle bus to the bus station or the train station (departing every 30min). You can either take the train or the bus from Santiago de Compostela to Monforte. By train, the journey takes approximately 2 hours. You will have to take a train to Ourense (Empalme) and there take the train to Monforte. There are trains every hour to Ourense and from Ourense to Monforte. See www.renfe.com for full schedule and tickets. There are two bus companies covering the Santiago-Monforte route: ALSA and MonBus. The journey takes just under 2 hours. Each company has 3-4 departures per day. See www.monbus.es and www.alsa.es for bus time tables.

Vigo Airport 140km: The best option is to take the local bus from the airport to Travesia de Vigo near Vigo Guixar train station. There you can take a train to Ourense and then change for a train to Monforte. See www.renfe.com for full schedule and tickets.

Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela Airport 11km: There is shuttle bus from Santiago city centre to the airport, departing every 30min. Bus stops are: city centre (Plaza de Galicia),  train station (Estación de Ferrocarril) and bus station (Estación de Autobuses). See: Rome2rio.

Vigo Airport 90km: From Santiago, you can take a train to Vigo Guixar (see www.renfe.com) or a bus to Travesia de Vigo (every hour). You should then take a city bus from Travesia de Vigo to Vigo Airport (every 30 min).

A Coruna Airport 70km: From Santiago, you can take a train to A Coruña (30 min approximately) and then take a bus from Alfonso Molina (line 4051) to the airport (every 30 min, takes 20 min approximately). Monbus has services from Santiago to A Coruña Airport (every 3 hours), see monbus.es/en for details.

Porto Airport 210km: There is a direct bus connection between Santiago (Estación de Autobuses) and Porto airport once or twice a day (taking 4h or 6h resp.). See www.alsa.es.

Whats Included

  • Included: Selected accommodation with private bathrooms, Holiday Pack on your mobile phone (Route ebook and Google Maps) and a 24/7 support number providing assistance during your trip, for instance organising a support vehicle if needed.
  • Not included: Flights, drinks, city tax, Travel Insurance (Recommended)
  • Optional: Luggage transfers (On by default. One bag up to 20kg per person), dinners (On by default, where available), bike rental (On by default) and airport transfers, etc…

 

Note on Accommodation: We aim to book you into each of the towns listed on the itinerary, however in case of low availability we may book you 2 nights in the same town with provided transfers. If you are booking Superior collection or Country cottages, please note it is subject to availability and therefore cannot be guaranteed. Superior/Country cottage accommodation may be away from the route with included transfers. More details.

Have questions? Read our FAQ pages.

Join Our Newsletter

Plan your Camino
Scroll to Top