My Complete Coastal Camino Portugués Route & Stages

In May 2024, I set out to walk the Camino de Santiago, a centuries-old pilgrimage that leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. What began as a religious journey has become a path people take for many reasons: reflection, adventure, or the physical challenge. Whether you’re motivated by spiritual, cultural, or personal reasons, the Camino de Santiago is a life-changing experience that allows you to slow down, connect with fellow travelers, and soak in the natural beauty and rich history of the region.

My journey on the Coastal Camino Portugués was not perfect. It rained on most days, I carried more weight than I should have, and partway through Spain my knee started to hurt. I learned to listen to my body, to take a bus when I needed it, and to let go of the pressure to do it “by the book.”

I completed the Camino slower than most, walking no more than 27 km per day and taking 2 rest days. I tried to stay on a budget by staying in albergues and avoiding fancy restaurants, but most days I splurged. I booked private rooms when I felt like I needed a true rest and went out for a few nice meals, sometimes with a glass of wine. At the end of the day, I always tried to do what was right for me, my body, and my mind.

In this post, I give you a summary of each day on my solo Camino de Santiago, so you can get a sense of what the journey was like from my perspective. I’m not telling you that this is the exact route you should follow, because it may not work for you. It’s your Camino, and you should make it whatever you want. For those who are embarking on the Coastal Camino Portugues and are curious where to stay, I included all of my accommodations, along with how much they costed and my honest rating.

About the Camino Portugués

The Camino has multiple routes to choose from, with the most popular ones being the Camino Frances (French Way), Camino Portugués (Portuguese Way), and Camino del Norte (Northern Way). Each path offers a different landscape, vibe, and level of difficulty, but they all end at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. I chose to walk the Coastal Camino Portugués.

Personally, I loved the Coastal Camino Portugués because of the constant presence of the ocean. It was there almost every day, guiding me north. I loved listening to the waves as I walked, feeling the breeze on my face, and having the freedom to stop at beaches along the way. If you are an ocean person, this route will make your heart happy.

There are technically three Portuguese routes: the Central, the Coastal, and the Litoral ways, which all combine about 80 km before Santiago. The Coastal and Litoral often overlap near the sea, with the Litoral literally hugging the shoreline (hence the name) and the Coastal leading slightly inland at times. From talking with fellow pilgrims, many choose the Central because it is less windy, better in colder months, and richer in historical towns. The Coastal has fewer hills overall, more boardwalks and seaside promenades, and a peaceful, open feel. I mostly followed the Litoral route because I wanted to stay by the ocean. I walked inland towards the Coastal route at times, but I always preferred the ocean views on the Litoral.

If you want a Camino that you can complete in about two weeks, the Camino Portugués is perfect. Choose the Central if you prefer historical towns and forested trails, or the Coastal if you prefer open ocean views. You can also mix and match sections, or switch routes when the Coastal turns inland. Although I took me 16 days to complete the Coastal Camino Portugués, it is possible to complete it only 10 days. Most people I met along the way were taking about 14 days. Remember, this is your Camino, and you can do what you want! I used this helpful guide from Stingy Nomads when trying to decide which route to take.

And if you’re still confused about what the Camino even is, I have a blog post with Everything I Wish I Knew Before Walking my First Camino de Santiago, which includes more info about the history of the trail, important Camino vocab and 7 must-know tips!

Coastal Camino Portugués Stages & Accommodations Summary

In a rush? Click on the day to jump to that section, or click the accommodation for the booking link.

Day	Start	End	Distance (KM)	Distance (MI)	Accommodation	Price	Rating
Day 0		Porto			Central House Porto	€30	9/10
Day 1	Porto	Matosinhos	11.1	6.9	Fishtail Sea House	€25	6/10
Day 2	Matosinhos	Vila do Conde	23.2	14.4	HI- Vila do Conde Youth Hostel	€22	9/10
Day 3	Vila do Conde	Esposende	26.4	16.4	Hostel Eleven	€17	8/10
Day 4	Esposende	Viana do Castelo	27.3	17.0	Dias House	€40	10/10
Day 5	Viana do Castelo	Vila Praia de Ancora	17.7	11.0	Hostel D’Avenida	€18	5/10
Day 6	Rest day	Rest day	0	0	Casa da Clo	€47	10/10
Day 7	Vila Praia de Ancora	A Guarda	19.4	12.1	Casa A Guarda	€40	9/10
Day 8	A Guarda	Villaduseso	16.7	10.4	Alojamiento Camino Portugues Oia	€25	8/10
Day 9	Villaduseso	Baiona	14.5	9.0	Estela do Mar	€18	7/10
Day 10	Baiona	Vigo	26.8	16.7	Alojamiento Pichi	€25	8/10
Day 11	Rest day	Rest day	0	0	Alojamiento Pichi	€25	8/10
Day 12	Vigo	Redondela	15.6	9.7	Albergue A ROTONDA	€17	8/10
Day 13	Redondela	Pontevedra	20.8	12.9	Pensión Santa Clara	€35	8/10
Day 14	Pontevedra	Caldas de Reis	21.5	13.4	Pensión Fornos	€23	9/10
Day 15	Caldas de Reis	Padron	18.9	11.7	Albergue Corredoiras	€20	7/10
Day 16	Padron	Santiago	25.4	15.8	Loop INN Hostel	€39	10/10

Day 0: Porto

Accommodation: Central House Porto
Price: €30
Rating: 9/10

I started my Camino journey by staying 3 nights in Porto. I wanted to have enough time there to explore the city while doing any last minute things to prepare for my Camino, such as picking up my Camino Credential from the Porto Cathedral.

I stated at Central House Porto and I have no complaints about this hostel. The location is perfect, down the block from the Ribeira. The rooms are clean with curtains on the beds, and they offer nighttime events and walking tours. There were lots of other pilgrims staying there.

If you have time, definitely stay a few days in Porto so you can explore the beauty and history of this Portuguese city. Check out my post with the 13 best things to do in Porto.

Day 1: Porto – Matosinhos (11.1 km)

Accommodation: Fishtail Sea House
Price: €25
Rating: 6/10

Although most people walking the coastal Portuguese route walk all the way from Porto to Vila do Conde on their first day (34+ km!), I decided to break up this stage into two shorter days to allow my body to ease into the walking. If you have the time, I recommend you do the same! Alternatively, you can take the bus to Matosinhos and start your Camino from there.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed the walk from Porto to Matosinhos, which follows the Duoro River all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and up the coast a bit. The day I walked this stage happened to be pouring (as were the next few days and most of my Camino…) but it was still a beautiful route that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.

I stayed at Fishtail Sea House, a nice hostel two blocks from the beach. It had comfortable beds with curtains, but unfortunately no female-only dorms. The dorm room was so small there was barely space to walk between the beds, and I was quite uncomfortable having to share the room with older men. The unisex bathroom was also not ideal as the shower doors were totally see through. Thankfully there was one private bathroom with a shower that was accessible if you ask.

I arrived in Matosinhos pretty early, my walk only talking about 3 hours. I spent the afternoon taking a walk on the beach and relaxing at the hostel.

Day 2: Matosinhos – Vila do Conde (23.2 km)

Accommodation: HI- Vila do Conde Youth Hostel
Price: €22
Rating: 9/10

Waking up on my second day, I was very nervous to walk 23 km, as it was twice the distance as the day before, which was already pretty hard. However, it ended up being one of my favorite days on the Camino because of the incredible ocean views I got to enjoy all day. Don’t get me wrong, it was a really hard day on my body. I was still adjusting to the weight of my backpack which truly felt like it was 100 pounds. It also rained on and off this day, but I didn’t mind. When the sun did come out, the warmth felt euphoric, and I even got to see a rainbow during one of the times it cleared up.

My favorite part of the day was walking through this little town about 5 km before Vila do Conde. I believe it was called Facho, and it had so many colorful buildings, I couldn’t help but take out my camera, slow down, and take a few pictures.

Once I arrived to Vila do Conde, I checked in at HI Vila do Conde – Youth Hostel. Although it’s called a youth hostel, it was really just an albergue for people of all ages. I really enjoyed staying here because the rooms were clean, there was a great yard to hang out in and a delicious free breakfast in the morning. I stayed in a female-only dorm, where I met some great ladies who I would end up running into a few more times throughout my Camino.

For dinner, I went to Pizzeria Di Poppo, right down the block for the albergue. I had a filling pizza and went to sleep early to prepare for my long walk the next day.

Day 3: Vila do Conde – Esposende (26.4 km)

Accommodation: Hostel Eleven
Price: €17
Rating: 8/10

Day 3 of my Portuguese Camino de Santiago was sunny and warm, which really lifted my mood. Once again, I was very nervous for the long distance, but I could feel my body starting to adjust to the walking and the weight of my backpack. Most of the route followed wooden boardwalks, which allowed me to pick up my speed and complete most of my kilometers before noon. Once again, the views of the ocean were incredible. I felt so appreciative to have something beautiful to look at all day, guiding my journey.

In Esposende, I stayed at Hostel Eleven, a lovely little albergue. I booked a mixed dorm but ended up getting put in a room with just one other person, a really nice girl around my age from the US. We went to dinner at a burger place called Good with one other girl from the hostel. We spent the evening chatting about the Camino, travel and life. The great company made it one of my favorite nights on my Camino.

Day 4: Esposende – Anha (20.7 km)

Accommodation: Dias House
Price: €40
Rating: 8/10

Day 4 was one of my hardest days on the Camino because of the long distance and because it rained ALL DAY LONG. I hardly took any pictures this day because it was too wet to take out my phone or camera.

For this stage, most people walk from Esposende to Viana do Castelo, which is about 27.3 kilometers. In an effort to shorten this stage for myself, I booked a homestay that was a few kilometers before Viana do Castelo. This accommodation was located a bit more inland than the Litoral Way, so I decided to follow the Coastal route. However, I found this route to be quite confusing and I got lost a few times. There were lots of turns on winding roads, which were hard to navigate in the rain.

I stopped at a pizza place in the middle of the day and stayed there for a couple hours, drying off and hoping the rain would pass, but it did not. At the end, I arrived safely to my homestay in Anha, at the charming Dias House. I booked this homestay because of its amazing reviews and affordable private rooms (I’m an introverted solo traveler, so I need a private room from time to time). It was a beautiful house with a giant backyard, the perfect place to relax after a long, rainy day. The host was so kind and served a delicious breakfast in the morning.

Day 5: Anha – Vila Praia de Ancora (24.2 km)

Accommodation: Hostel D’Avenida
Price: €18
Rating: 5/10

Another rainy day along the Camino Portugués… From Anha I walked through Viana do Castelo and found my way back to the ocean, which I followed the whole day. The Camino was very quiet this day and I encountered only a few other pilgrims, probably because I started my day from Anha, while most people started 7 kilometers ahead in Viana do Castelo. But I didn’t mind the quiet, I spent the day listening to music and podcasts, while enjoying the cloudy views of the ocean.

I arrived in Vila Praia de Ancora, a beautiful Portuguese beach town, where I stayed at Hostel D’Avenida for the night. Unfortunately, I really didn’t like this hostel. I stayed in the female-only dorm which was quite dirty and very small. Four sets of bunk beds were squeezed into a tiny room, and everyone felt a bit too close for comfort. There were lockers provided, but the receptionist couldn’t find the key for mine, so I had to keep my bag on the floor, which was muddy from everyone’s shoes after the rainy day. The only positive was the location, right along the street facing the beach.

Day 6: Rest day in Vila Praia de Ancora

Accommodation: Casa da Clo
Price: €47
Rating: 10/10

Day 6 was my first much needed rest day! I planned it in Vila Praia de Ancora, because I was planning on having a relaxing beach day, but once again it ended up being rainy and cold most of the day.

I was planning on staying in Hostel D’Avenida for another night, but decided to cancel my second night there and find another accommodation in Vila Praia de Ancora. I booked a room at Casa da Clo, a homestay run by a lovely couple. It was a bit out of my budget, but I was glad I splurged so I could have a comfortable rest day. I was able to relax in a private room and use their well equipped kitchen to cook myself lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next day (which ended up saving me some money!)

At the end of the day, the skies cleared up and I caught an amazing sunset from Vila Praia de Ancora! I was feeling hopeful for sunnier days ahead.

Day 7: Vila Praia de Ancora – A Guarda (19.9 km)

Accommodation: Casa A Guarda
Price: €40
Rating: 9/10

Day 7 was my last day in Portugal, and it was finally sunny! Walking along the ocean, I could see Spain in the distance and was feeling so excited to cross into another country. This day had some of my favorite views of the whole Camino.

Before taking a boat to Spain, I stopped in Caminha to eat lunch and have one last Pastel de Nata, my favorite Portuguese dessert. Then I hopped on a boat which I booked here. After just 15 minutes on the boat, I crossed into a new time zone, and “Bom Caminho” had become “Buen Camino”. I was so happy to be in Spain, where I could eat tortilla de patatas and practice my Spanish!

On my way to A Guarda, where I would be staying for the night, I decided to take the long way which follows the coast. There is a shorter route, but it includes a lot of elevation gain, which I wanted to avoid. I also heard that the long way was one of the most beautiful paths on the Camino, and it sure was! To my right, there was a thick forest, and to my left, unbelievable views of the ocean crashing against the rocks.

I arrived in A Guarda around 3:30 and checked into Casa A Guarda, a shared apartment where I had my own room and bathroom, and shared access to the kitchen. I bought groceries and made myself a quick dinner. Before going to bed I got dessert at the waterfront and watched an incredible sunset. It was a great way to start my journey in Spain!

Day 8: A Guarda – Villaduseso (16.7 km)

Accommodation: Alojamiento Camino Portugues Oia
Price: €25
Rating: 8/10

From how beautiful the views were in Portugal, I didn’t think they could get much better going into Spain, but they did! The stages from A Guarda to Baiona were the most beautiful of my whole Camino. I followed the rocky pathways along the ocean, passing fields of wildflowers and horses, colorful houses and charming towns. The weather was perfect – sunny and warm but with a cool breeze from the ocean.

I stopped at a restaurant in the town of Oia for lunch called Taperia A Camboa. I was given a table with the most incredible view of the ocean and decided to splurge on a Sangria to go with my food (when in Spain!). I left the restaurant feeling a bit tipsy but so grateful that I was in such a beautiful place and life was good!

The final stretch of this day was quite hard as it mostly followed the road and had almost no shade. I arrived at my hostel, Alojamiento Camino Portuguese Oia, at around 4 pm. I loved that it was located right along the Camino route and that they offered very affordable private rooms. I got a single room with a shared bathroom for only €25, which was what I have paid for hostel dorms in other cities. And the best part was that my room had a balcony with a view of the ocean! I got to see a magical sunset right from my room.

Despite how happy I was from the amazing weather and unbeatable views that I was awarded with this day, I started feeling that something was off in my right knee. Every step I took I felt a small twinge and it became more painful as the day went on. I think it was because of the sudden elevation changes that started when I entered Spain. Portugal was quite flat especially when I was following the ocean. But in Spain, even the paths along the ocean had quite a few hills. With the extra weight on my back I was likely putting too much pressure on my knees when going downhill, which caused the injury.

The pain wasn’t bad yet so I kept walking and did everything I could to rest, stretch and elevate my leg when I arrived at my hostel (I would have liked to use ice, but that wasn’t available to me). But I started to worry that this was a real injury that could affect the rest of my Camino.

Day 9: Villaduseso – Baiona (14.5 km)

Accommodation: Estela do Mar
Price: €18
Rating: 7/10

Another day of clear blue skies and letting the ocean guide me along the Camino. The Litoral way from Villaduseso to Baiona mostly follows the road along the ocean, marked with a wide yellow painted path. For the last bit, however, the official path takes you inland, up and over a hill to Baiona. Because of my knee, I wanted to avoid hills as much as possible, so I decided to instead walk all the way around the coast along the road. There were only a few other pilgrims who decided to walk this way.

Taking this route meant that my day was a bit longer than 14.5 km (although I’m not exactly sure how much longer) and that I was walking along the road in the blazing sun all day. My knee was feeling worse and worse, and the walk felt never ending, especially with my slower speed and all the breaks I was taking. I was depending on ibuprofen to get me through, and couldn’t stop worrying about how I would make it through the rest of the Camino with this new injury.

Despite the pain and anxiety, I was so grateful for the incredible ocean views on the way to Baiona. On the horizon I could see the Cies Islands, which I would be visiting in a couple days. The sky was clear and the sun was hot, but there was an ocean breeze cooling me down.

I arrived in Baiona in the afternoon and went straight to my albergue, Estela do Mar. This was a great albergue, but I personally didn’t love it because all the beds were in one room, and it was mixed between men and women. There were probably 30 beds in this one room, so as a light sleeper I found it very hard to sleep with all the noise.

I spent the afternoon exploring Baiona (I know I should have been resting my knee, but I wanted to explore the beautiful town!). Baiona ended up being my favorite town on the Camino. Everything about it was beautiful: the marina, the fortress, the tiny beach next to the fortress, and the sunset, which was one of the best I had ever seen. I highly recommend walking up to the fortress for sunset for this incredible panoramic view.

Day 10: Baiona – Vigo (26.8 km)

Accommodation: Alojamiento Pichi
Price: €25
Rating: 8/10

I woke up on day 10 knowing that I couldn’t walk all of the 26 km that I was supposed to that day. I had to give my knee a rest if I wanted to make it the rest of the way to Santiago on foot. I consulted with my aunt, who has walked the Portuguese Camino a couple times before, and she encouraged me to skip at least the second half of the walk from Baiona to Vigo, since it included a bit of hills. She also said that the walk into Vigo was not very pretty, and I wouldn’t be missing much.

So I decided that I would walk as much as I felt comfortable, and then find a bus to Vigo when I was ready for a break. Before I set off, I stopped at a pharmacy and bought a knee support, which I would wear for the rest of the Camino. It definitely helped to stabilize my knee and relieve a bit of pain, especially when going up and down hills. I also picked up some more ibuprofen and a topical anti-inflammatory spray that the pharmacist recommended. I’m not sure if it helped, but I used it everyday.

I ended up walking about 5 km to the town of Panxon, where I stopped for lunch. The walk was beautiful and mostly flat, passing marinas, beaches and an ancient Roman bridge.

After lunch, I worked on finding a bus that would take me to Vigo. Unfortunately, it was not as easy as I thought it would be, and I spent about 2 hours walking between bus stations and waiting for buses that never came (I was using Google Maps, but it was not very reliable in this small Spanish town). I thought about getting a taxi, but there were none around. At one point I felt so hopeless and lost, that I decided I would just walk the rest of the way.

Thankfully, I was eventually able to ask a local in my limited Spanish when and where a bus would be coming and I made it on one that took me directly to Vigo, close to where I was staying. It all worked out, but the journey was quite stressful, and I wish I did some more research about the buses before heading off for the day.

When I got to Vigo I checked into my accommodation for the next two nights, Alojamiento Pichi, which was a private room in an apartment, with a shared bathroom and kitchen. It was just what I needed to relax for the next couple days as I rested my knee. Only downside was it was a bit far from the center of the city, and since I was trying to rest my knee, I had to take a couple taxis to get around.

Day 11: Rest day in Vigo

Accommodation: Alojamiento Pichi

Although day 11 was a rest day, I had an exciting excursion planned to the Cies Islands. This is an archipelago off the coast of Vigo, about a 1 hour ferry ride away. It has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and incredible hiking trails and viewpoints. I highly recommend adding the Cies Islands to your Camino itinerary if you have the time!

I was planning on doing lots of hikes in the Cies Islands, but because of my injury I wanted to rest my legs as much as possible. So besides walking to a few of the beaches on the island, I only did one hike to the main viewpoint, Alto do Principe.

I spent about 5 hours exploring the islands and relaxing on the beach there before heading back to Vigo. I spent the rest of my afternoon and evening just relaxing and cooking myself dinner.

Day 12: Vigo – Redondela (15.6 km)

Accommodation: Albergue A ROTONDA
Price: €17
Rating: 8/10

I started day 12 feeling well rested and ready to walk the rest of the Camino to Santiago. My knee was feeling much better after resting as much as possible and I was happy that it was a short day of only 15 km.

The walk out of Vigo was not very enjoyable, as I was mostly walking on loud, busy streets. But once I made it to the quieter trail through the forest and small towns, the walk was very nice. I made it to Redondela pretty fast, arriving at about 1 pm, before my albergue was even open.

I was staying at Albergue A ROTONDA, a small place with about 10 beds in one room. Even though it was a mixed dorm, there were separators between the beds that provided a good amount of privacy, so I didn’t mind. And the man running the place was so kind, he even stayed until 7 pm to check someone in who was arriving late.

Day 13: Redondela – Pontevedra (20.8 km)

Accommodation: Pension Santa Clara
Price: €35
Rating: 8/10

I walked almost the whole way from Redondela to Pontevedra with a new friend that I met at my albergue the night before. She was on the journey with her husband, but he was feeling sick and decided to take the bus that day. She asked if she could walk with me, and I’m so glad I said yes. As an introvert, I found that I really liked walking the Camino alone, especially because I could set my own pace, rest whenever I wanted, and listen to music, books and podcasts the whole day. But having someone to walk with was a great change for the day.

This day was quite long and had a lot of elevation gain and loss, but I didn’t mind because of the great company and conversation. We spent the whole day walking and talking about the Camino, our travels, and our lives. The distraction made the day go faster and helped me forget about the pain in my knee.

I found that on this day the landscape and views really started to change. Instead of walking along the water, we were mostly walking through the woods, up and down hilly trails. This would be the last day we would see the ocean on the trail, as the path starts to go inland towards Santiago. Also, Redondela is where the Coastal and Central routes merge, bringing a noticeable increase in fellow pilgrims.

My friend and I arrived in Pontevedra in the early afternoon, where we parted ways to our accommodations. I was staying at Pension Santa Clara, in a single room with a shared bathroom. It was in a great location, just a couple minutes from the center of town.

Day 14: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis (21.5 km)

Accommodation: Pension Fornos
Price: €23
Rating: 9/10

I woke up on day 14 to pouring rain outside, and decided that I would take a bus halfway to Caldas de Reis. Partly to avoid the rain, but also to give my knee some extra rest. It was feeling a lot better than it had a few days ago, but the pain was still there, and I wanted to make sure I would be strong enough for the last two days.

Once again, finding the right bus station was not easy. Once I found it, I wasn’t even sure which side of the street to stand on. Thankfully, some other pilgrims arrived who also wanted to skip the pouring rain that day. We figured it out together and found the right bus.

I took the bus a little more than halfway, which took less than an hour and cost about €1. Then started my very rainy 10 km walk, which went by fast. Most of the trail was through vineyards and farms. I arrived at my accommodation, Pensión Fornos, in the early afternoon.

I spent the evening exploring Caldas de Reis, which is known for its hot springs. I headed to Lavadoiro Termal, one of the thermal baths in town where you can soak your feet. There were a few other pilgrims there relaxing after their walk and enjoying the hot water.

Day 15: Caldas de Reis – Padrón (18.9 km)

Accommodation: Albergue Corredoiras
Price: €20
Rating: 7/10

Another rainy day on the Camino, but thankfully my knee was feeling a lot better. I was happy that I decided to take the bus when I did, so I could confidently complete the last two days to Santiago. I had picked up my speed again, and I was able to complete my walk in just a few hours.

The trail from Caldas de Reis to Padrón passed through forests, farms, vineyards and small towns, with just one or two restaurants. Despite the beautiful scenery and nature, I was really missing the constant ocean views that I had for the first 10 days of the Camino. I realized how much the ocean had guided me. I decided, even before I was finished with this one, that if I did another Camino in the future, it would be another coastal route along the ocean, like the Camino del Norte.

I stopped for lunch a little more than halfway, at a cafe called Buen Camino. They served a delicious lentil soup – it was probably my favorite lunch of the whole Camino!

I arrived in Padrón around 3 and checked into Albergue Corredoiras. This was a great albergue – clean with curtains on the beds and a small kitchen. However, there were a lot of beds in one room, so I found it hard to sleep (if you can’t tell I’m a light sleeper!).

I spent the rest of the night just relaxing ahead of my last day, as it would be a long one with lots of elevation gain.

Day 16: Padrón- Santiago de Compostela (25.4 km)

Accommodation: Loop INN Hostel
Price: €29
Rating: 10/10

Finally, the last day of my Camino! It felt bittersweet. I was excited to be able to take a break and let my knee heal, but I knew I would miss the Camino. I loved the routine of waking up everyday and walking with a purpose. I would really miss the little things, like exchanging a “Buen Camino” with fellow pilgrims and locals.

I set off early because I knew it was a long day and wanted to arrive in Santiago as early as possible. The trail this day was so green, probably because of all the rain that had fallen in the past week. The trees in the forest were covered in moss and the stone walls covered in vines.

The kilometer markers kept decreasing until they finally reached single digits, and I could see Santiago in the distance! I cried when I saw the skyline with the two spires of my final destination, the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.

The last couple kilometers went through the outskirts of the city, towards the old town where the Cathedral stands. I started to feel lonely as I was about to finish, wishing that I had someone to share the moment with. But I reminded myself that I started the Camino solo, and it was only right to complete it solo as well.

I finally made it, and cried as I walked into the square and saw the cathedral. I immediately called my mom, before taking lots of pictures to remember the moment. Then I sat on the ground, along with many other pilgrims who had just completed their journey. I rested my legs and took in the amazing moment.

Most people head to the Pilgrim’s Office right away to pick up their compostela, but I had a feeling there would be a line since it was late in the day. So I decided to go the next day instead.

As I was walking away from the cathedral towards my hostel, I ran into a girl who I had met on the second day of the Camino. It was such a full circle moment that reminded me of all the people I met who had made my Camino what it was. I was so happy to see that she made it to Santiago and we shared some of our experiences from the past two weeks.

Also on the way to my accommodation, I picked up my luggage, which I had shipped from Porto. Then I checked into my final accommodation of the Camino, Loop INN hostel, where I would be staying for two nights. I got a single room with a private bathroom, which I was so excited about since it was my first time having a bathroom all to myself in weeks. It was a very basic room, but just what I needed to relax for two days.

I treated myself to wine and dinner at a nice vegan restaurant, Restaurante a Porta Verde, to celebrate my accomplishment. I spent the night reflecting on my journey – all the unexpected ups and down, the people I met, and the amazing things my body accomplished.

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Final Thoughts

If you are thinking about walking the Camino, I hope this diary shows what it is really like. Some days you feel like you’re flying, while others are painful, wet and feel never ending. But all of it is part of the amazing journey!

And one important reminder- the Camino is your journey, so it can be whatever you want it to be! If you need to rest and take the bus one day, you can do that. If you want to stay in fancy hotels everyday, you can do that. Don’t feel pressure to walk a perfect “by-the-book” Camino. As you can see from journey, everyday I made the decisions that were best for me, and that’s what I loved about my Camino.

For more information about walking your first Camino de Santiago, check out my other helpful blog posts:

Everything I Wish I Knew Before Walking my First Camino de Santiago
Walking the Camino de Santiago Alone: My Solo Camino Portugues
Camino de Santiago Packing Guide: The most important essentials
Hiking the Camino Portugués in May: What to Expect

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