Camino de Santiago - Santiago de Compostela
Part 6 - Sarria to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
SJPDP May 2025
The morning we started our hike out of Saint-Jean-Pied-du-Port was crisp and sunny. The mountains and the expansive views lay ahead of us. I remembered how impossible this all had seemed. We started with hope and excitement, but I secretly doubted we’d make it, especially since we hadn't properly trained and the trip had already been postponed twice.
It is hard to believe we’ve reached the final chapter of our Camino. Arriving in Sarria felt surreal and bittersweet. We knew this was the final stretch and the end of our month-long journey. We could have continued walking to Finisterre, as many do, but Santiago was the end of our journey. Only 72 miles more until we arrived in Santiago de Compostela. At this point, my feet were hurting every day. Dad kept surprising me with his determination and strength. I felt so proud and happy for him. Doing this at 79 without any problems is pretty amazing. Dave remained optimistic and cheerful throughout, always ready and, of course, always made the best sandwiches.
As we got closer to the end, I felt a mix of emotions, excited to reach Santiago, proud of what we’ve accomplished, but also a little sad. I tried not to get my hopes up too much, just in case something unexpected happened again.
Bamboo Forest
We left Sarria early in the morning. Right away, it felt different, louder, busier, and much more crowded. The mood had changed, and for many groups, it almost felt like a party. There were a lot more tour groups, too. We noticed a difference between people who started earlier and those who just began in Sarria. The sense of camaraderie wasn’t quite the same. People starting here seemed more rushed. It was easy to spot the long-time walkers compared to the new hikers. It felt like a zombie walk, with people joining the Camino from every street. The new groups walked faster and often passed us as we kept our usual pace. We ran into Salvatore and Carmelo and walked together for hours. We really enjoyed talking with them, even though we often had to use Google Translate. At one point, I suggested meeting for dinner in Portomarin, and we all laughed when we realized they were about to say the same thing. So, we made plans to have dinner together that night. Both Salvatore and Carmelo showed us photos of where they live in Italy and of their families, and we even got to say hi to them during a FaceTime call at dinner. Portormarin was the first town where we saw a number of restaurants featuring Pulpo (Octopus). The cuisine was changing the closer we got to the ocean.
When we got to Portomarin, I laughed when I saw a tall set of stairs. At first, I thought it was a joke, but then I realized it was real. That was the way into the city. The next day, on the walk from Portomarin to Palas de Rei, Dave found a credit card on the road so we decided it was a good time to stop and have lunch and wait in case the owner came back looking for it. We settled into a shady spot on the side of the road and waited and enjoyed our sandwiches and fruit watching the parade of pilgrims walk past. A quick google search of the name and company on the credit card led to a LinkedIn profile that appeared to be the likely owner. A message to the person asking if they had lost the card resulted in a happy ending. We met in Palas de Rei and reunited the card with its happy and relieved owner. In Palas de Rei we rented one of my favorite houses from the whole trip, a tiny house in a secluded corner on the edge of town. After walking in circles for about a mile, we met an elderly couple and asked for directions to the address we had. They pointed us in the right direction and told us it used to be their house; the husband had been born and raised there. They shared some stories about the area and the house, and wished us well.
(You can click through the photos here)
In Pedrouzo, we stayed in a pension that felt like a real treat. The room was big, with large Victorian windows and air conditioning. When we got to town, we saw a Mexican restaurant, and I was excited to try it. We went there for a late lunch and decided to come back for dinner. At lunch, Dad and Dave had beers, and I had a gin and tonic. We met and chatted with the owners, who were from Mexico. The food was good and had the spicy kick Dad and I had missed. Giorgio, Salvatore, and Carmelo joined us that evening. The next day, we only had a 12-mile walk to Santiago de Compostela. We had planned to leave at 6:00 am to make it to the noon Pilgrim mass at the cathedral, but when we found out there was an evening mass, we let ourselves sleep in and left later.
At Monte Gozo, just outside the city, we stopped to eat our sandwiches and saw our first view of the distant cathedral, only four miles away. I remembered reading that the city’s actual border was unmarked halfway across a highway bridge, so we stopped to take a photo. Dave played The Proclaimers’ “I will walk 500 miles,” and as the music played, we grinned at each other, amazed at how far we had walked. Even now, thinking about that moment brings back so many feelings.
The last part of the walk went by so quickly, and I felt emotional. We wished it could last a little longer. As we entered the old town, we heard a bagpiper, and then the view opened up to the Plaza del Obradoiro, where the cathedral stands, and so many journeys end. Stepping into that square felt unreal. I was so happy for all of us, especially for Dad, who could finally check this off his bucket list. I wished so much that Mom could have been there to greet us, just like we had planned a few years ago. As I stood there, I imagined her smile and pride and felt her presence, knowing she was with us in spirit, sharing our joy.
We went to the pilgrim mass at 7:30 pm and were surprised to see the Botafumeiro, a huge 330 lb (150 kg) silver-plated brass incense burner hanging 20 meters above the ground. It was amazing to watch. Eight priests in red robes swung it from side to side, filling the cathedral with incense. They first used this in the 11th century to clean the air in the church, which was full of smelly pilgrims, and to show prayers rising to heaven.
We learned that this is no longer done regularly and only happens on special occasions. I could almost see Mom‘s smile. It felt like she was right there with us, knowing how much this moment would mean.
We spent a couple of days in Santiago, enjoying the city. We then rented a car and made our way to Finisterre (End of the world) and the Km 0 marker. We spent another day by the beach before heading to Portugal.
Cross at Finisterre
Walking the Camino with Dad and Dave was an amazing experience and one I will treasure for the rest of my life.
