Camino Finisterre

The Camino Finisterre is great for hikers with moderate fitness who enjoy long-distance trekking. While no technical skills are needed, some experience with multi-day hikes helps. The route includes a mix of flat sections and tougher ascents and descents, requiring endurance. It’s ideal for first-time pilgrims and experienced hikers seeking a social, culturally rich journey.

Before your tour, we recommend hiking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure to check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.

The trail mixes dirt tracks, minor roads and established footpaths. Some stretches are smooth and easy underfoot, while others are rocky and uneven. You’ll cross rolling countryside and forest, with a few steep climbs along the way.

This tour is graded moderate. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty - some days might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

The accommodation is a mix of rural hotels and hostales (small Spanish hotels and guesthouses), all with private rooms and en-suite bathrooms. They offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.

We'd recommend booking early, as the area is always popular and hotels and inns can fill up quickly, especially in high season.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

A continental breakfast is included each morning, which can be as simple as coffee, bread and orange juice.

Lunch and dinner aren't included, so you're free to choose from the available options, and every stop along the way has evening dining options, including a pilgrim's menu of three courses with wine and water, widely available for a modest price.

You can start your Camino Finisterre on any day of the week, with most itineraries running from around March or April through to October or November.

Spring (April to June) brings mild temperatures, blooming landscapes and fewer crowds than summer, though spring showers are still possible. Summer (July and August) is the busiest season, with a lively, sociable atmosphere among fellow pilgrims, but it also brings real heat, especially across the meseta plateau and inland Spain. Fall (September to early November) offers comfortable temperatures, attractive fall colors and quieter trails as the summer crowds thin out, though there's still a chance of rain.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

Luggage transfers are not included on your return journey from Finisterre back to Santiago, so you'll need to travel with your bags yourself on that day.

It’s vital that you adhere to these limits. Heavier bags, or additional items might not be transferred, and you may be charged locally. Airlines may have different allowances, but our luggage handlers do not have the same capacity or equipment, and their health and safety is our priority.

The Camino is very easy to follow, marked throughout with yellow painted arrows and the yellow scallop shell on a blue background. Some stages or sections offer alternative paths, but the route is well waymarked throughout.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Our walks usually begin and end at a central point in town (such as a church, bus stop, etc.). Access routes to your accommodation are not included in our km daily figures. However, the Macs app will guide you to your accommodation.

Recommended Reading:

Although not essential you may wish to purchase this book for some further background

• A Guidebook to the Camino de Santiago by John Brierly

GETTING TO THE START

Your tour starts in Santiago de Compostela, which is easy to reach by air. Santiago Airport (SCQ) has direct flights from London, Paris, Barcelona and Madrid.

GETTING FROM THE END

Your tour finishes in Finisterre. To return to Santiago, take a Monbus service from Finisterre. Santiago Airport (SCQ) is the closest airport for your journey home.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

Your Pilgrim Passport (Credencial del Peregrino) and scallop shell will be waiting for you at your first night's accommodation. The Passport is both a practical document and a beautiful keepsake of your journey, officially issued by the Church of St James. Along the way, you'll collect stamps (sellos) from albergues, churches, cafés and other stops.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation