After León, the final stretch toward Santiago begins, with sunny days, new faces and the highest point of the Camino Francés. A week full of change.
In March 2025, I am walking the Camino Francés from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, I am keeping a journal. These are my stories from the fourth week. Missed last week? Read: Camino Francés week 3: The infamous Meseta.
Camino day 20: “Rest day” in Leon
On my day off, of course I wake up at 5:30, just like every other day. I don’t mind. I slept well and I actually enjoy the rhythm. I take it slow and stay in bed for a long time.
There are a few things I really need to get done for work, so I take care of those in the morning. Around 11:30, I head out for a bit of sightseeing and of course visit the cathedral. It is not as big or beautiful as the one in Burgos, but still impressive, especially the many large stained glass windows.
Later I run into Tony, and we have lunch with Gene at a nice tapas bar in the cozy Barrio Húmedo district. I wander around a bit more, bump into a few other pilgrims, and try to relax as much as I can. I want to start the final stretch of the Camino well. If all goes to plan, I’ll arrive in Santiago in 10 to 12 days. That feels surprisingly soon.
After a glass of wine with Yoshi in another tapas bar, I head to bed early. I’m ready. One more good night of sleep and then onward to Santiago.
- Kilometers today: 0
- Kilometers total: 478
- I stayed in: Principia Suites – Nice studio apartment in the center of León, right on the Camino.
Camino day 21: Finding joy on a boring path (along the highway…)
Although it is wonderful to get a good night’s sleep and have my own space, I am itching to get back on the road. I really feel like finishing this adventure. As I walk out of León, I soon run into Tony, Luis from Mexico and Choi from South Korea. Sometimes we walk a stretch together, but mostly on our own, which is nice too. If you feel like chatting, you never have to wait more than five minutes.
The route, like the past few days, follows the highway almost the entire time. I’m kind of over it. I crave the peace and quiet of the countryside. Hopefully those days are coming again soon. I walk most of the day with earphones in, listening to cheerful music to lift my spirits. It works surprisingly well, especially in combination with the beautiful spring weather.
Just before we reach our final destination (Hospital de Órbigo) I run into Gene and Yoshi. Together we cross the stunning medieval bridge into town. There is a lovely hostel here, and we are warmly welcomed by the Italian woman who runs it. While we check in, Tony walks through the door too. Our trail family is back together.
This hostel is one of the nicest places I’ve stayed so far. Comfortable beds, a great shower, a garden, a friendly puppy and a delicious pilgrim meal that we share at one big table with almost all the guests and the owners. This is what makes the Camino so special to me. Those long miles along the highway are already forgotten.
- Kilometers today: 33
- Kilometers total: 511
- This is where we stayed: Albergue Hostel Casa de los Hidalgos – A lovely new hostel with spacious beds and curtains for extra privacy.
Camino Day 22: The Camino comes back to life
As I leave Hospital de Órbigo, the trail splits almost immediately: left along the road or right through villages. The second option adds only half a kilometer, so my choice is quickly made — the villages. I instantly feel the difference compared to the past few days. It is more open, quieter, and I can hear the birds again. Which is awesome.
After just six kilometers I stop at a café for a cup of coffee and a snack. Taking it easy today. That’s where I meet only the second Dutch pilgrim in three weeks, Yvette, from Limburg. Nice! Yoshi soon joins us as well, and the three of us continue together. We fully enjoy the hilly landscape. What a change from the previous days.
After ten kilometers we stumble upon a little oasis. Comfy chairs and benches, tasty snacks and drinks, and a dog who is more than happy to chase frisbees and balls. So much fun. The guys running it work on a donation basis. You take what you want and leave some money in a jar.
Feeling cheerful, Yoshi and I continue on and before we know it we reach Astorga. A beautiful town, partly walled, with a Gaudí building and an impressive cathedral. It feels too early to stop for the day, so after a short break we move on. Still ten kilometers to go.
By now the sun is shining brightly and the temperature is rising, it’s perfect hiking weather. Halfway through, Luca from Italy joins us. Lots of new, lovely people today.
We spend the night in a hostel in Santa Catalina de Somoza, the only place on the Camino Francés named after a woman. Tony is here, as well as Andrew from Ireland and Rob from Australia, who is 81 years old. We have a fun and relaxed afternoon and dinner together. Everyone is fast asleep before 8:30. Apparently it was a tiring day after all.
- Kilometers today: 27
- Kilometers total: 538
- We spend the night at: Albergue El Caminante – Not the best albergue on the Camino, but the only option in town. There were just four of us in the dormitory, so that was perfect.
Camino day 23: Snowy peaks and milestones
It is wonderfully quiet when I leave Santa Catalina a little before seven. As usual, a few cats are prowling around, quickly slipping away when they see me. The first few kilometers go by quickly. It’s a fairly straight path along a road, though this time it is an extremely quiet one. In the span of an hour, I see only two cyclists and one car.
I had hoped to take a break in El Ganso, but it turns out to be a ghost village. Not a soul on the street, and even the storks are gone. So I just keep going for a few more kilometers. Yoshi, who left more than half an hour after me, catches up and we continue walking together to Rabanal del Camino, where we devour a huge tortilla.
It is one of the prettiest villages on the Camino so far. We check out the little church and chat with two of the priests, one is from South Korea and one from Germany, so I get to speak a bit of German again.
From there, the trail begins to climb and it is truly magnificent. Wide open views and snow-capped peaks in the distance. And finally, it actually feels like a hiking trail and not just a road. This feels like real hiking. I love it. Although we’re gaining elevation, it never gets hard or steep. Our legs are well trained after three weeks.
In Foncebadón, just before the summit, we take one last break before heading up to Cruz de Ferro. At around 1500 meters, it is the highest point of the Camino Francés. Another milestone.
Even though the trail mostly follows the nearby highway, I love this part. It is occasionally a bit adventurous with mud and loose rocks, birds are whistling by overhead, and the snowy mountain peaks are visible in all directions. The last two kilometers are downhill and the town of Ponferrada is already visible in the distance.
Today we stop in El Acebo, a picturesque mountain village. Andrew and Tony are staying at the same hostel. Unlike yesterday, quite a few other pilgrims arrive after us, and the 16-bed dorm ends up completely full, a first. I don’t know anyone else, but that might change soon. Either way, we have a nice dinner with our little group and, as usual, head to bed early. I really love the rhythm of the Camino.
- Kilometers today: 29
- Kilometers total: 567
- We stayed in: Meson El Acebo – Not one of my favorite places, but a fine stop for the night. The restaurant, however, was excellent.
Camino day 24: Just one of those perfect days
It’s quite the snoring party in the hostel, and someone is even playing games on her phone. Yes, with the sound on. Not exactly a peaceful night. Still, I slept fairly well and head out in good spirits with Yoshi. The sky is clear and slowly getting lighter. At first, we only see the sun touching the snow-covered mountain peaks as we walk through quiet villages. It really is a beautiful sight.
It’s a day full of lovely trails and charming villages. Molinaseca in particular is gorgeous. We also pass through the larger town of Ponferrada, where we get a stamp at the castle. With Santiago getting closer and my credential still pretty empty, I’m trying to collect a few more interesting stamps. It’s going well so far.
We spend much of the day walking with the four of us, Yoshi, Tony and Adam from the US, and the vibe is great. Toward the end of the day we enjoy some delicious pizza (nice to have something other than a pilgrim meal for once), and the final few kilometers take us through a hilly landscape filled with vineyards. I can’t help but fully enjoy it.
I’m sharing a private room with Tony and Yoshi in Cacabelos. Which is perfect, since we’re guaranteed a snore-free night. We spend a long time relaxing on the terrace, where we meet Francisco from Spain. Santiago is now less than 200 kilometers away, and today truly was a wonderful day.
- Kilometers today: 32
- Kilometers total: 599
- This is where we stayed: Hostal La Gallega – A good guesthouse with basic rooms at an affordable price.
Camino day 25: Feels like summer
Despite the start of daylight saving time, I still wake up too early. I don’t want to head out before sunrise (a bit of light is nice), so I leave at 7:30. The first few hours are absolutely stunning. I walk through a hilly landscape filled with vineyards as the sun slowly rises. Gorgeous.
In Villafranca del Bierzo, Yoshi joins me, and unfortunately the trail becomes a lot less appealing after that. We follow the A6, so we’re walking alongside and underneath a huge highway. Still, it’s not as bad as some of the road sections earlier in the Camino. The scenery is mountainous, we walk along a river, and we pass through several nice little villages. Because of all the asphalt, the pace is fast and we take hardly any breaks.
As the day goes on, the sun gets warmer. For the first time, I’m walking in just a shirt. It really feels like summer. I also notice the trees turning greener and the hills filling with blooming purple heather, it’s a beautiful sight.
A little after two, we arrive in the tiny village of Las Herrerías, where we check into one of the nicest hostels so far. I do some hand laundry (it dries quickly in this weather) and we relax on the terrace with a pitcher of sangria. Tony and Fran are here too. At dinner we push some tables together and share a fun meal with nine pilgrims from eight different countries. That “community feeling” on the Camino really is something special.
- Kilometers today: 28
- Kilometers total: 627
- We stayed in: Casa Lixa – One of my favorite hostels so far; small dorms, safe, clean bathrooms and an excellent restaurant.
Camino day 26: Galicia at last
I set off again around sunrise and spend the first hour quietly climbing the mountain on my own. Today starts with a steep ascent, the last one on this Camino. Apparently I’m not going very fast, because I’m soon overtaken by Yoshi, Tony and Fran. From there we continue together. Just before the summit, we reach an important milestone: the border crossing from Castille y León into Galicia. Now the end really feels in sight.
After a cup of coffee in beautiful O Cebreiro, we continue walking through the green hills. It’s incredibly beautiful here. I can’t stop looking around. For the umpteenth time in the past few days I find myself thinking: could they have saved the best for last? Every now and then we pass through a tiny village, but most of the time it’s just views, views, and more views.
A little before three we arrive in Triacastela, and the albergue where we want to stay is bustling with activity. And who do I see first when I walk through the door? Gene! We had “lost” him for a few days, but now our trail family is fully reunited. So fun.
The five of us claim a corner of the dorm (I’m in a top bunk for the first time in over three weeks) and we have a lovely afternoon and evening. It still amazes me how quickly such a close group can form. It would be so special to arrive in Santiago together. Just five more days to go.
- Kilometers today: 29
- Kilometers total: 656
- This is where we stayed: Complexo Xacobeo Albergue & Pensión – Very popular and I can understand that, it is a great place to stay. Well laid out dorms and the accompanying restaurant is top notch.
I notice that the bond I have with the other pilgrims is becoming stronger every day. It’s something I didn’t expect at all, and I find it incredibly special. I have a feeling that the final stretch to Santiago will be quite emotional. It’s so close now!
Read more: Camino Francés week 5: The emotional road to Santiago
Read more about the Camino
Looking for more stories or practical tips about the Camino de Santiago? You might enjoy these articles:
- Camino Francés stages explained: route planning & where to stay
- Hiking the Camino del Norte | The Ultimate Guide
- 16 Best Books on Camino de Santiago
There are also some wonderful books filled with personal experiences and reflections. These are a few that I really enjoyed:
Pilgrim – Finding a new way on the Camino de Santiago
The Walk of a Lifetime: 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago
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