The Camino de Santiago from Sarria

How to get to Sarria

Sarria is remarkably well connected for how small it is, and that's one of the reasons it's the most chosen starting point of the Camino Francés. You have four ways to get there:

• By train: Sarria has its own station on the Ourense–Monforte de Lemos–Lugo line. From Madrid, the usual route is to connect in Ourense or Monforte de Lemos.
• By bus: there are regular lines connecting Sarria with Lugo, Santiago, and Monforte.
• By car: take the A-6 to Lugo or Monforte and connect to Sarria.
• By plane: the nearest airports are Santiago (SCQ), A Coruña, and Vigo; from Santiago you can connect by train, bus, or a transfer.

A note if you're coming from far away: don't try to reach Sarria and start walking the same day. Arrive the afternoon before, have a relaxed dinner, stamp the credential, and set off fresh first thing — that's why our routes include the night before in Sarria. And if you like, we'll arrange the airport transfer to Sarria ourselves. More detail on how to get there →

When should I walk the Camino? The best time of year

There's no single "best month": there's the best month for you. This is what we see every year:

• Spring (April–June): for me, the best. Galicia is green, temperatures are mild, and there's still none of the summer crowds.
• Summer (July–August): the busiest and hottest, with a lively atmosphere. If you come in August, start early.
• Autumn (September–October): the best-kept secret. Good weather, fewer people, and beautiful light.
• Winter (November–March): the most intimate and quiet Camino, but colder and wetter, with fewer services open.

If you come in spring or autumn, book early: charming accommodations and private rooms disappear fast on those dates. In any case, we'll hold the price for 5 days while you think it over, and you can cancel free up to 15 days before, no explanations needed.

Is the Camino from Sarria difficult?

I'll tell you straight: the Camino from Sarria is the most accessible of them all, and that's why I recommend it to anyone who has never done it and to families. It's not a mountain: they're stages along tracks and paths, with villages and bars every few kilometers. But "accessible" isn't "effortless": it's several days walking in a row, and the body feels that. The 6-stage version is the most comfortable; the 5-stage one is the balance most people choose.

How to arrive prepared:

• Take 3 or 4 long walks (8–12 km) in the weeks beforehand. You don't need a gym, you need kilometers.
• Break in your footwear beforehand, never on stage 1: blisters are almost always new shoes.
• Light backpack: with our optional luggage transport between stages, you only carry what you need for the day.

And the mistake I see most: setting off on the first day like a rocket. Sarria is deceptive because you start with energy — go comfortably, stop to get stamps, have a coffee as you pass the km 100 milestone in Ferreiros (that moment deserves a minute), and save your legs for the end.

The pilgrim's credential and where to get stamps in Sarria

The credential is your Camino "passport": the document you get stamped along the way and which, on arrival, entitles you to the Compostela at the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. From Sarria you need at least two stamps a day over the last 100 km, so this matters.

• Where to get it in Sarria: at the Tourist Office, in the parishes, and at the hostels. If you book with us, we include it with your documentation.
• Where to get stamps along the way: in churches, hostels, bars, and cafés. There are plenty of places; the trick is not to forget the two daily stamps.

Always keep it in an accessible pocket, not at the bottom of your backpack: you'll be stamping several times a day. And keep it safe when you arrive — over the years, that piece of card with its stamps ends up being one of the keepsakes you'll look at most.

Sarria, before taking the first step: what to see and eat

Many people arrive in Sarria, sleep, and set off without looking at the town. That's a mistake: it has a beautiful old quarter and a couple of gems worth the stroll the afternoon before.

• What to see: the Rúa Maior and the famous stairway up to the old quarter; the Torre da Fortaleza (remains of the castle of the Counts of Lemos); the Convent of La Magdalena; and the churches of Santa Mariña and San Salvador.
• What to eat: pulpo á feira, Galician broth, empanada, and a good local cheese. And you're a stone's throw from the Ribeira Sacra, if you like wine.

Give it the afternoon before: wander Sarria without watching the clock, have an early, good dinner —octopus and off to bed— and chat with the pilgrim at the next table. The best Camino stories start this way.