Map of the Route of Padre Sarmiento

The Padre Sarmiento Route, a variant of the Portuguese Way, leaves Pontevedra and follows the coast of O Salnés in 8 stages and about 190 km until it rejoins the Portuguese Way near Padrón and reaches Santiago. Seafood in O Grove and A Illa de Arousa, Albariño in Cambados and estuary beaches: we show you how to read its map and where to start.

Save the following map, because this variant of the Portuguese Way, the Padre Sarmiento Route, is one of those lesser-known Ways where you can enjoy great food, spectacular beaches and estuary landscapes. It is a perfect plan for the summer, although the most pleasant months to walk it are usually spring and early autumn.

The route has 8 stages and about 190 km: you set off from Pontevedra, walk through the O Salnés region and rejoin the traditional Portuguese Way around Pontecesures and Padrón, to finish in Santiago.

How can I read this map of the Padre Sarmiento Route?

The map follows the steps of the journey that Padre Sarmiento made in his day. From Pontevedra, the route skirts the northern shore of the Ría de Pontevedra and the southern shore of the Ría de Arousa. In other words, you will walk the whole coastline of O Salnés, a region that stands out, among other things, for its seafood and its wines.

These are its stages:

• Stage 1. Pontevedra – Sanxenxo (25 km), passing through Combarro, the village of the granaries and the stone crosses.
• Stage 2. Sanxenxo – O Grove (19,5 km).
• Stage 3. Circular route along the coast of O Grove (29 km). It is optional: if you prefer, you can skip it and carry on with the next one.
• Stage 4. O Grove – Cambados (22 km).
• Stage 5. Cambados – A Illa de Arousa (18 km).
• Stage 6. A Illa de Arousa – Vilanova de Arousa (17 km).
• Stage 7. Vilanova de Arousa – Padrón (35,5 km), going up the river Ulla along the Traslatio route and passing the Torres de Catoira.
• Stage 8. Padrón – Santiago de Compostela (24,3 km), already on the Portuguese Way.

You will visit a single autonomous community, Galicia, and two provinces: Pontevedra and A Coruña.

It is one of the most populated areas of Galicia, so you will find towns with services along almost the whole route. The stage that most deserves some planning is the one from Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón: at 35,5 km it is the longest of the route.

What to keep in mind: the food of O Salnés

Besides services, along the route you will find a great food offering. It is an area closely tied to wine (DO Rías Baixas, famous above all for Albariño) and to seafood, so it is worth keeping several places in mind so you don't miss the best of it.

Places like O Grove or A Illa de Arousa are famous for their seafood, and from the Camino you will have splendid views of the estuary and of the rafts where mussels are farmed. Every year, usually in October, O Grove holds its well-known seafood festival.

For its part, Cambados is the capital of Albariño wine: there you can visit the Torre de San Sadurniño, stroll through its monumental quarter, and you will find wineries all over the region. Also keep Carril in mind, in Vilagarcía de Arousa, where you can try some fantastic clams.

Once in Padrón, the pedrón in the church of Santiago awaits you, where according to legend the boat that brought the remains of the Apostle was moored, along with the collegiate church of Iria Flavia.

But… where do I start the Camino?

The Padre Sarmiento Route on foot starts in Pontevedra, so mark it on your map if you want to enjoy this food. If you feel like adding more kilometres, you can first walk the Portuguese Way from Tui to Pontevedra and take this variant from there.

Another way to experience the Ría de Arousa is the Spiritual Variant, which also reaches Padrón. You can see its route on the Spiritual Variant map and the complete route on the Portuguese Way map.

When you reach Santiago after walking more than 100 km, you can apply for the Compostela at the Pilgrim's Office, but on this route it is not guaranteed: the Office decides case by case, so check before you set off and get your credential stamped twice a day.

And once you have made up your mind, calculate the price of your Padre Sarmiento Route here and get ready to walk among estuaries, beaches and Albariño.