Distance: 12 km / 8 miles (Entering Galicia)
Stage Thirty-one Villages
Vega de Valcarce, Ruitelan, Las Herrerias, La Faba, Laguna de Castilla, O Cebreiro
Watch for:
Ruitelan – One of the best cafés on the Camino: Bar Omega. On the right as you enter the east end of the hamlet. (Beebe)
Laguna de Castilla – The last town in Castilla (the border between León and Galicia). Has one of the largest hórreos on the route.
O’Cebreiro (pronounced oh–thay–bray–air–oh) Marks a final major threshold over the Cantabrian mountains. 3rd highest peak on the Camino.
Church: Iglesia de Santa Maria Real – A reconstruction of the medieval church that was destroyed in the early 19th century. The baptismal font, virgin and chalice reliquary are from the medieval church. Dating from the 9th century & is the oldest extant church associated directly with the pilgrim way.
Sunset and comradery: Grab a seat and drink at the one stone picnic table in front of Mesón Antón, in the center of the village. Antón gives out little snacks to go with the drinks, and his picnic bench is often the main hub of pilgrim life just before dinnertime.
Galicia – The mountains of Galicia are the first object in 5,000 km that the westerly winds across the Atlantic hit so you can expect an immediate change in weather with frequent rain showers and thunderstorms. (Brierley)