Via de la Plata

7 Days & 6 Nights 4.5 Read 12 reviews

The porticoes of Ourense Cathedral which rival those of Santiago itself.
Sense the history when taking the guided tour of the Monasterio de Oseria.
Discovering the real Galicia as you wander through its beautiful countryside.
Walking into the old town of Santiago and finishing your pilgrimage at the sublime cathedral.

The last 100km of the Via de la Plata is often mentioned as being one of the most beautiful ways to enter Santiago. A combination of rolling Galician hillside, beautiful hilltop views and ancient architecture. Starting in Ourense, a vibrant Spanish city gives you a taste of authentic Spain. From here head out into rural Galicia, and pass Barbantiño famous for empanadas, the Monasterio de Osteria, and Iglesia de Santa Maria de Magdalena. Arrive in the UNESCO world heritage site of Santiago de Compostela and complete your journey by gaining your Compostela.

What To Expect

Travel Restrictions

The Via de la Plata is perhaps the prettiest route into Santiago of all the Caminos. So, if you fancy something a bit quieter, but laden with some stunning scenery, then this might be the ‘last 100km’ for you.

Trip Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent holiday.

Activity:

Pilgrim Trail | You will follow a historic pilgrimage trail, in the footsteps of generations of travellers

This trip is suitable for:

Multi-Generational, Mixed Abilities

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Spiritual Journeys
Personal Growth
Historical Journeys

Grade & Terrain

This walk is graded moderate and includes daily walks on average of 20 – 25 km per day. You can expect to walk for between five and eight hours each day and much of it is rather arduous walking with some steep inclines/declines. The Via de la Plata follows a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.

Navigation

The route is marked with yellow painted arrows but please take care at intersections. There will always be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. We will send you a pre-departure info pack and guide book. A welcome pack including city maps will be waiting for you at your first accommodation.

This tour also has access to the Macs Adventure Navigation Smartphone App - we highly recommend using it, or at least having it on your phone ready to use should you ever be in any doubt about your direction.

Accommodation Information

The accommodation will be a mixture of rural hotels and guest houses all with private rooms and en-suite. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early, especially in high season.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

The Via de la Plata is available to solo walkers at a single supplement.

Meals

A local continental breakfast is included each morning, which can sometimes just be coffee, bread and orange juice. Lunch and dinner are not included as standard so you are free to choose from the available options. Every place you stop will have evening meals available, you can get a pilgrims menu for about 10 euros which includes 3 courses, wine and water!

Additional Nights

There is so much to see and do along the route that many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk either as a rest day or simply to do some extra sightseeing. If you are walking the route solo try not to add too many extra nights along the way as you will lose touch with those you have met.

Fewer Nights

It is possible to walk the Via de la Plata in less time but we would not recommend this.

Included

Accommodation in small rural hotels and hostels, twin/double rooms with en-suite W/C.
Daily Breakfast
Baggage Transfers
Transfer on Day 3 from Cea to Oseira (can be removed)
Pre-departure information pack with city maps.
Camino guide book.
GPX tracks and access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone Navigation App
Emergency telephone support from our local and UK offices in the event of a problem.

Excluded

Travel to/from Spain.
Lunches, snacks or drinks.
Travel Insurance.
Personal Equipment.
Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage.

Extras

Additional nights accommodation along the way.

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day from the beginning of March to the end of October. Option & extension prices will be displayed as part of the booking process.

Time of Year

The Camino Via De La Plata is best enjoyed from March to October but you can walk at any time of year. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans.

Getting to the Start

You can fly into Santiago easily from London, Paris, Barcelona and Madrid with Ryanair, Vueling and Iberia.

From here you can take the train down to Ourense which takes around 40 mins. You can check out the route on the RENFE website.

Getting from the End

You can fly out of Santiago easily to London, Paris, Barcelona and Madrid with Ryanair, Vueling and Iberia.

Baggage Transfer

Baggage transfers are included (max 20kg per person). Your main bag will be transferred each day between your overnight accommodation so that you only need to walk with a day pack.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Pilgrim's Passport & Compostela

The pilgrim’s passport is issued by the church of St James. We include this in your welcome pack which you receive at your first hotel. Alternatively, you can obtain one at the start of your walk in the pilgrim’s office or the local church in town. You need to get the passport stamped in churches, restaurants and hotels along the way. At the end of the walk, in Santiago, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate. However, as the transfer we have included on Day 3 eliminates 10km this means you would not qualify for the Compostela Certificate. If this is important to you please let the local supplier know the night before that you will not require the optional transfer although this does mean a long walk on Day 3! For the other sections of the trail, the passport is used as a souvenir with all the colourful stamps you will receive.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Restoration

Please Note - Due to restoration works on the interior of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, the Pilgrim Mass has been moved to an alternate location in 2019.

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable Travel Insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.

How fit do I need to be?

What type of trails does the Camino follow?

How far in advance do I need to book?

How do the (optional) baggage transfers work?

Can I walk with my bags?

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What happens if I can’t walk a stage?

Can I change my itinerary once I start walking?