Camino #5: the route to Finisterre and Muxia | Travel journal

In week 5 I walk from Santiago to Finisterre and Muxia. A final stretch full of rain, emotion, beautiful views and the perfect ending to my Camino.

In the fall of 2025 I walk the Camino Portugués, starting in Lisbon. After arriving in Santiago, I continue on foot to Finisterre and Muxia. This report covers my fifth week on the Camino. Missed the previous week? Read: Camino Portugués #4: the final stretch to Santiago | Travel journal.

Camino day 27: 10, 20 or maybe 30 kilometers?

I have a relaxed morning. I don’t really have to walk very far today. A quick breakfast in a café, a stop at the ATM and then a moment on the square in front of the cathedral. I quickly abandon my original plan to walk ten kilometers. The rain seems much less intense than expected, so twenty kilometers should be perfectly fine.

In good spirits I head west. Out of Santiago, still following the yellow arrows. I am taking four days for the ninety kilometers to Finisterre. That is quite a lot, but since heavy rain is forecast, especially for tomorrow, I want to give myself some flexibility. Before I know it I am walking through the green hills of Galicia. Funny how quickly you leave the city behind. At a viewpoint I look back at Santiago and the cathedral stands out above everything. Still such a cool sight.

For the first few hours I see no one and wander through tiny villages. Mostly green though. I haven’t seen this much forest anywhere else on the Camino. After a coffee break I get back on the road and it starts to drizzle. Suddenly I see pilgrims both in front of me and behind me. This route is busier than I expected.

A very steep climb follows. The inside of my raincoat is soon soaked with sweat, so as soon as the rain decreases I take it off. Much better. In Ponte Maceira, the prettiest village on the route, I start thinking that twenty kilometers might be a bit short after all. I feel good and it is dry now. Maybe I should keep going.

I reach Negreira a little after two and have lunch on a bench. That was supposed to be my stopping point, but eight kilometers farther there is a good hostel. I book a bed right away. Decision made. I walk on for another two hours. It is mostly forest with those typical Galician paths marked by mossy stones. I love it.

The hostel is quite full, but I am lucky. I only have one roommate, Sharon from Australia. In the evening we join the pilgrims’ dinner. It is the biggest group I have seen on this Camino, probably about a dozen people. It is very cozy and we talk about our experiences. Most of them have just finished the Camino Francés. A lovely ending to this first day toward the end of the world.

• From – to: Santiago de Compostela – A Pena
• Number of kilometers today: 30
• Total kilometers: 678
• Accommodation: Albergue Cafetería Alto da Pena (booked a few hours in advance through Booking)

Camino day 28: soaked all over again

Today is not a day I am particularly excited about. The forecast says heavy rain, and with the waterfall storms from less than a week ago still fresh in my mind, I am not exactly looking forward to it. I do have one advantage though. I now know what to expect. I have planned a deliberately short hiking day, less than twenty kilometers, so I know there will be a hot shower waiting for me in a few hours. With that thought, I head out.

It is surprisingly dry for the first few minutes, but then it starts to drizzle. Soon the rain blows sideways across the road and I am soaked from head to toe. Great.

Fortunately there is a café after only four kilometers where I order a large cup of coffee. Three other pilgrims are discussing their options and are even considering taking a cab. That thought doesn’t even cross my mind. I survived last week and today is not worse than that. Besides, I have a reservation for a hostel fifteen kilometers away. After twenty minutes I go back outside and the English pilgrim Alex walks with me. The rain has eased a little, so it is manageable.

The scenery is beautiful today, very green and hilly. It is a pity I cannot fully enjoy it because of the rain. Every time I think it is dry and take off my hood, it starts again. The cows and dogs I see along the way are all standing under shelters, staring at me like I have lost my mind. They are probably right.

After a second coffee break, I have only six kilometers left. It is a tough hour. A steep climb and the sky opens again. Ironically, at the viewpoint on top it is dry for half a minute and I can glimpse a bit of the scenery. It must be stunning in clear weather.

By the time I reach the hostel I am completely soaked. The owner, Montserrat, welcomes me warmly. Alex is already there and she immediately takes us to the building across the street. She turns on the heating and places a large drying rack in front of it so all our wet clothes can dry.

It is just after one o’clock, so the rest of the day is spent warming up and reading in bed. It almost feels like a holiday. At first Alex and I are the only guests, but later three more pilgrims arrive. We eat a pilgrim dinner together in the small restaurant next door and it tastes amazing. Another extreme rain day survived. Only forty two kilometers left to Finisterre.

• From – to: A Pena – Lago
• Number of kilometers today: 19
• Total kilometers: 697
• Accommodation: Albergue Monte Aro (booked in the morning through the website)

Camino day 29: it is incredibly beautiful out here

Although the weather forecast says it will be a dry day, I still put on my raincoat. You never know in Galicia. Weather can do anything here. I walk the first half hour with Alex and Roberto from the Netherlands, but I lose them quickly because I keep stopping to take photos. The landscape is bright green and hilly. Absolutely beautiful.

The weather is a bit unpredictable today, mostly dry with the occasional shower. Still much better than yesterday. In a café I meet Gerton, a Dutch pilgrim, and we continue together. I enjoy every minute. The landscape becomes more beautiful with each step. Higher hills, more forest, more nature.

There are some big climbs today, but they do not bother me at all. The sun comes out and at one point I can even see the sea glistening in the distance. It gives me goosebumps. This walk is nearly over. Part of me finds that a little sad, but I can also feel that my body is ready for rest. Funny how that hits me now, with only two hiking days left.

On the descent I say goodbye to Gerton and continue on my own. In Cee I check into a really lovely hostel. The owner has walked many Caminos himself. Besides me there are five other guests, including Roberto and Alex. I take a short walk to the sea and then curl up on the couch for the rest of the afternoon with a cup of tea and a book. Two dogs join me and it is incredibly cozy.

• From – to: Lago – Cee
• Number of kilometers today: 26
• Total kilometers: 723
• Accommodation: Albergue “A Casa da Fonte” (no reservation, I just walked in)

Camino day 30: in tears at the end of the world

Although it is only a short day, I leave early. The sun has only just risen. A storm is forecast for the afternoon, so I want to reach Finisterre as early as possible. The route runs partly along a main road and partly through forest. I can take my jacket off quickly, because the sun starts shining brightly. So nice. I do notice that walking takes more effort today. I drag myself forward, my energy is nowhere to be found.

After about ten kilometers I leave the forest and suddenly see Finisterre and the lighthouse on the other side of the water. Tears shoot into my eyes. My goal is so close now. A steep descent and a beautiful stretch along the beach follow before I enter the village. It feels surreal and I duck into a café for a break. It does me good, because afterward I feel as if I have the energy of ten people. I decide to walk the remaining three kilometers to the lighthouse, the end of the world, right away.

At the end of the road there is a parking lot buzzing with people. Many day trippers also visit this place. Then I spot the post with the Camino logo and Km 0.000.

The end of the Camino. With wet eyes I touch the marker. I am here. I ask a few passersby to take a picture of me. They congratulate me on the milestone, and I cannot manage a word in return. I nod and let the emotions take over. I walk a bit farther to the lighthouse, where you can climb down the rocks to a stone cross.

I sit beside the cross for almost an hour, tears running down my cheeks. The sea is calm, the sun shines straight into my face. Behind me I hear a musician and people talking, but no one enters my field of vision. For a moment I am completely in my own world, exactly as I have lived this journey for the past thirty days. I feel so grateful to have been able to do this.

I was planning to stay in a hostel, but at the last minute I book a private room instead. I want to end this day alone. It feels right. The guesthouse is run by an elderly couple and check-in is adorably old-fashioned, the three of us sitting at a table between newspapers and clean laundry. The room is a bit dated, but the view of the harbor and coastline is phenomenal.

I stop at the laundromat for fresh clothes, have dinner, read a book and mostly think back on the beautiful moments of the past weeks. Finisterre was my goal, but my hiking adventure is not over yet. Tomorrow I will put on my shoes one more time for a bonus hike.

• From – to: Cee – Faro de Fisterra
• Number of kilometers today: 16
• Total kilometers: 739
• Accommodation: Pension Lopez (booked a few hours in advance through Booking)

Camino day 31: ending my adventure with sunshine in Muxia

My body clearly thinks I am done with the Camino, because I do not wake up until after seven. That is two hours later than usual. I stay in bed for another half hour and get up when I see the sky changing color. The sun is rising and I have one last walk ahead of me. On my way to a bakery for breakfast I run into Alex. We agree to keep in touch about where we will sleep in Muxia.

After a delicious breakfast I take my first steps toward Muxia a little before nine. I see one Polish pilgrim, but no one else at all. The trail follows small country roads through tiny villages and endless forest paths. I know I will miss the smell of the eucalyptus trees after this trip.

After seven kilometers I stop at a donativo for a cup of coffee. Other than that, nothing is open along the route. I am not bored for a moment. I think back on the past month and enjoy the sea views that appear now and then between the trees.

By three in the afternoon I descend toward the coast and suddenly the Costa da Morte appears in all its glory. A rugged coastline, long sandy beaches and waves crashing hard against the rocks. You really would not want to swim here.

At the hostel I meet Alex and Henning from Germany. Otherwise it is completely empty. Even the owner is not around. Interesting. Together we walk to the lighthouse and the monastery to watch the sunset. It is a beautiful scene. I am blown away by the sheer force of the waves. What a place to end this Camino. And what a gift to have such beautiful weather.

Because the restaurants open late and we are starving, we put together a kind of tapas meal with groceries from the supermarket. It tastes great and the company is perfect. A wonderful ending to a wonderful day.

• From – to: Finisterre – Muxia
• Number of kilometers today: 28
• Total kilometers: 767
• Accommodation: Albergue Arribada (booked a few hours in advance through Booking)

After this, I travel back to Santiago by bus. I booked a lovely apartment, Concheiros 5, and that is where I spend most of my time. I am tired, both physically and mentally. I go to the square in front of the cathedral twice more, but I notice that it does not do much for me anymore. My Camino is over for now. Will I walk another one in the future? I have no idea. Time will tell.