May 25 – June 9/2024
with Julio Cochoy, Moe Fricke and Doris Kizinna
Cost: $3895 CAD Shared $4550 Single Accommodation CAD (includes tax)
Experience a pilgrimage.
For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain ending at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela where the remains of St. James are buried. To this day, pilgrims from around the world continue to make this journey, each person walking for their own reasons. Maybe for you it’s a spiritual journey, a chance to get away from life and reflect. Maybe this will be a chance to challenge yourself physically and mentally and to walk with other pilgrims sharing the experience together. Maybe it’s a chance to be in nature walking through the beautiful countryside and ancient villages of northern Spain. Your challenge and purpose await you on this journey.
Consider this journey an experience of 2 caminos, the French Way and the Finisterre Camino. We will be walking the final portion of the The French Way: the classic, most popular route that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will begin in Samos, Spain walking for 7 days to Santiago de Compostela. We will have two nights of rest in the incredible pilgrim’s city of Santiago de Compostela and then begin our second camino, a 5 day walk to Finnesterre (via Muxia), KM 0 of the Camino. We will walk a total of 253 kms. You may choose to walk each day alone or with others you meet along the way or with members of our group or a mix. We’ll gather together in the evenings for dinner and community, sharing stories of our experiences on the Camino and if you wish some of the incredible wine of the region. All accommodation will be booked for you and if you wish a support vehicle will carry your bag for you. We’ll stay in comfortable guesthouses and hotels along the way. Your guides will be waiting in the community we will stay in to guide you to the accommodation. We’ll build a community of Pilgrims sharing the journey together.
Cost: $3895 CAD Shared $4550 Single Accommodation CAD (includes tax) Tour includes all accommodation, all breakfasts and dinners, all group transport excluding personal taxi’s if needed on the way, all bag transport, guide support during the journey facilitating group meetings and logistics, gst, and alcohol at dinner. Lunches are your own responsibility during your days of walking as is your flight and transport to Spain. We can share recommended flights to help you get to Santiago from your departure point.
Walking the Way Itinerary 2024:
Camino de Santiago (Samos to Santiago) – Finnisterre Camino (Santiago – Muxia – Finisterre)
Saturday, May 25: WE BEGIN! Arrival day in Samos, Galicia, Spain. Fly to Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) and if you arrive by 2 pm at the airport Julio and Doris will pick up with a shuttle to head to the hotel, about a 125 km drive. It is also recommended to arrive a day or two before to get used to the time change and acclimate. If you arrive later, then you can arrange a taxi on your own to Samos. Overnight at La Casa da Botica: https://acasadabotica.com/ Optional afternoon visit the Samos Bendictine Monastery, 400m from Hotel https://www.abadiadesamos.com/ Opening gathering and orientation at 6 pm, mass if you wish to attend at 7:30 pm, dinner at 8:15 pm.
Sunday, May 26: 15 km. SAMOS TO SARRIA Breakfast at Hotel. Leave your bag in the lobby so that it can be shuttled for you. 9 am depart to begin the walk together from Samos to Sarria. As we begin we will personally reflect on the journey and then walk at our own time and pace. Feel free to walk alone or with others. Lunch on your own as you choose. You will have plenty of time in Sarria to check out the quaint old town, enjoy a sit in a café in your afternoon freetime. Overnight at Hotel Alfonso http://www.alfonsoix.com/ Dinner together. Rest for the next big walking day.
Monday, May 27: 22 km. SARRIA TO PORTOMARIN Breakfast at Hotel. Walk from Sarria to Portomarin through woodland trails, shade, small towns, and a big descent down to the town of Portomarin on the banks of the river Mino. Lunch on your own and walking at your own pace. Overnight: https://www.hotelferramenteiro.com/ . Pilgrims Mass if you wish to attend at Igrexa de San Nicolás at 20:00. Dinner.
Tuesday, May 28: 19 km PORTOMARIN TO LESTEDO Breakfast at the Hotel. Walk from Portomarin to Lestedo, lunch on your own enroute. A varied terrain, 500 meter slow altitude climb. Overnight at Rectoral de Lestedo, a rural country hotel in an old historical building. https://rectoraldelestedo.com/ Dinner together at the Hotel.
Wednesday, May 29: 20 km LESTEDO TO MELIDE Breakfast at the Hotel. Walk from Lestedo to Melide, crossing 6 shallow river valleys with the path mostly through woodlands. Lunch on your own. Overnight Hotel Lux: https://www.luxmelide.net/ Dinner at a local restaurant to try the local delicacy Pulpo (Octopus) if you wish!
Thursday, May 30: 14 km. MELIDE TO ARZUA Breakfast at the Hotel. Walk from Melide to Arzua, a shorter walk and slower day, flat and pleasant landscape. Overnight 1930 Boutique Hotel https://www.1930boutiquehotel.com/
Friday, May 31: 20 km. ARZUA TO OPEDRUZO Breakfast and walk from Arzua to O’Pedruzo. Half of the walk is on wooded pathways, start to see eucalyptus trees, downhill to O’Pedruzo. Lunch on your own and walk at your own pace. Overnight www.casasantaia.com . Dinner together.
Saturday, June 1: 22 km. OPEDRUZO TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Breakfast at the Hotel. Walk from O’Pedruzo to Santiago de Compostela for the final day of walking our first stage and entry into Santiago. Meet together at a cafe in Monte de Gozo and walk the final 5 km into Santiago as a group. First part of the walk is in Eucalyptus groves and then on paved roads. Overnight La Fonte Das Hortas: https://afontedashortas.com/ . Dinner out in the city together to celebrate the completion of the first stage.
Sunday, June 2: SANTIAGO Free day in Santiago/REST DAY. Simple breakfast in the garden at our accommodation. Pilgrims Mass at the Cathedral in Santiago at 12 noon. Lunch on your own and Freetime. Overnight in Santiago. Dinner prepared by Doris and Julio at our accommodation.
Monday, June 3: 21 km. SANTIAGO TO NEGREIRA Breakfast together in cafe close to Hotel. Depart for our Finnisterre Camino. Walk from Santiago to Negreira, begin as a group and exit the city together. Walk through eucalyptus forests, picturesque traditional hamlets and over a legendary bridge to the modern town of Negreira. Overnight at Hotel Millan: https://hotelmillan.es/ Dinner at a restaurant in the village.
Tuesday, June 4: 22 km. NEGREIRA TO SANTA MARINA. Breakfast at the Hotel and walk from Negreia to Santa Marina. Hotel Casa Pepa. Lunch on your own enroute.
Wednesday, June 5: 22.5 km. SANTA MARIA TO DUMBRIA. Breakfast at Hotel Walk from Santa Marina to Dumbria. Lunch on your own enroute. Overnight at Casa Pinchona: https://www.casapichona.com/
Thursday, June. 6: 20.5 km. DUMBRIA TO MUXIA. The walk to the ocean and the small town of Muxia. We will walk together to the Church on the edge of the sea and contemplate the walk and the inner journey. Overnight in Muxia at Hotel la Cruz: https://hotellacruz.com/ Dinner with amazing seafood in Muxia.
Friday, June. 7: 28.5 km. MUXIA TO FINISTERRE. The final big day of walking, a pleasant and isolated stage of the walk winding through forest and villages with the sea often in sight. There is a sense of wild sea and idyllic countryside on this final big day of walking. Overnight Hotel do Blanco Azul: https://hoteldobancoazul.com/ Optional Taxi available for the first 8 km, since the walk is a long one on this day.
Saturday, June. 8: FINISTERRE. Drive or walk up to the lighthouse, freeday, closing celebration. Overnight in Finisterre.
Friday, June. 9: Departures to Santiago in the morning with our shuttle to SCQ Santiago Airport departing at 9 am. If you need to leave earlier please arrange your own transport. If you wish to stay longer, same arrangement and enjoy! The Camino continues……
The Way
This parade of sacrifice; such an offering.
Beauty laid out in homage.
Beautiful feet over and over blessing the earth.
Tears watering ancient soil; each tree teaching.
The journey unimaginably long; laid out under the milky way.
Human connection as it could be; open hearts littering the Way.
Walking in the steps of Saints and Bodhisattvas, I bow down.
d.k.2019
Video of the Pilgrim’s Mass in the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela
