Walking from Ribadeo to Santiago 9d 

Arriving in Ribadeo, you're immediately struck by the unhurried pace of life of the town. The picturesque harbor, with colorful fishing boats, and the salty sea breeze create a peaceful ambiance. A perfect place to get ready for the Camino de Santiago. 

At your first route in the Camino you will move away from the coast towards the interior, direction to Compostela. The landscape transforms from a coastal path into a mountainous route, entering a sparsely populated rural territory. The most important climb of the day will be at the exit of A Ponte de Arante: 260 metres of ascent in 5 kilometres, before arriving to Gondán. 

Today is a quite easy route, with only a couple of steep climbs which offers many sights. In your way you will cross the town of Vilanova de Lourenzá, where the church of the old monastery stands out. Your path leads you to Mondoñedo, a town of historical significance, capital of the region of A Mariña Central and episcopal see since the Middle Ages. Mondoñedo’s cathedral and the old quarter, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, are the cultural jewels of the day. 

An interesting route in which you leave the region of A Mariña and ascend to Terra Chá, the inland plateau of Lugo, passing from 140 to 560 metres above sea level. The route passes through rolling hills and agricultural landscapes through the valley of Valiñadares and Lousada, giving you a sense of the region's rural beauty, as you make your way to Abadín. 

This is a very pleasant route, with interesting scenery and little gradient. You will walk along comfortable dirt or tarmac tracks between green meadows and groves of native trees at the region of A Terra Chá, with a hilly terrain and whose main activity is livestock farming. As your pilgrimage progresses, you'll arrive in Vilalba, a town known for its medieval heritage. 

Today you will enjoy at this varied route: tracks, dirt roads, paths and muddy corredoiras (tractor ruts). All of this in a route with hardly any gradients in a pleasant rural environment. Your path takes you to Baamonde, a small village surrounded by lush greenery. The serene countryside offers a tranquil backdrop for your pilgrimage. 

Today will probably be your most solitary route. The quiet paths through the Galician countryside will take you to As Cruces, very close to Sobrado dos Monxes, which welcomes you with its historic monastery. 

In contrast to the previous routes, in which you walk along dirt tracks between small villages, today the landscape is becoming much more urban, as you are approaching to Santiago. The route converges in Arzúa with the maelstrom of the French Way. 

At first glance, this stage seems to provide little interest with its monotonous movement alongside the main road. Yet today ends up being one of the most exciting of the whole week as you feel the collective energy grow, joining hordes of fellow pilgrims all excited to be nearly there! It’s a relatively short day, leaving time to relax at your hotel and meld with the peaceful surroundings. 

Burst back into modern life as you rush along past the regional airport and cross the highway, railway and ring-road drawn by an immense, irresistible magnet: Plaza Obradoiro. The urban hustle and bustle will not deter you and it’s still easy to imagine ancient pilgrims weeping with joy as they glimpsed the distant spires. Historically, pilgrims pause at Monte do Gozo to set their sights then make one last stop at the spring in Lavacolla, to cleanse their face and feet before meeting their beloved saint. 

Your arrangement comes to an end this morning after breakfast. Option of booking an extra night in Santiago de Compostela.