Primitivo Way from Oviedo by bike

You will arrive in Oviedo on your own, or if you wish, we can arrange your transfer to this place from any airport or station you arrive at.

From here, depending on your arrival time, you can visit different points of interest such as the Cathedral of San Salvador, the City Hall, or the Foncalada Fountain, as well as almost mandatory visits to the Old Hospice or the Church of San Miguel de Lillo, declared BIC (Site of Cultural Interest) and a World Heritage Site, respectively.

It was the Asturian king Alfonso II the Chaste who first set out from Oviedo to venerate the recently discovered remains of the apostle. Therefore, on this first stage, you will emulate his footsteps on a bike, just like this ancient monarch did on foot.

You will also pass through Grado, where you can visit various points of interest such as the Palacete de la Familia Martínez or the Palacio de Indalecio Corujedo. Once you arrive in Salas, in addition to resting after the long bike ride, you can visit different points of interest, such as the Colegiata Santa María la Mayor, the Tower and the Valdés Palace, or the Pre-Romanesque Museum.

You will begin this stage climbing for just over five kilometers to Porciles, at about six hundred meters altitude. Then, the route continues practically on flat ground, through small population centers like La Pereda or El Pedregal, which mostly lack services but have a long Jacobean tradition. Once you reach Tineo, you can take a short break and visit places like the Church of San Pedro, the Gold Museum, or the Merás Palace.

From then on, it will feel like a roller coaster, ascending and descending multiple times through valleys and forests bathed by the waters of the Asturian rivers, until you finally arrive at your final destination of the day, Pola de Allande, where you can rest from this long stage and prepare for the next one.

Pola de Allande is one of the Asturian municipalities where Eonavian (a Galician-Asturian linguistic variety) is spoken. This parish also stands out for the Palace of Cienfuegos on a hilltop, originally belonging to the Ponce lineage, later rebuilt by Rodrigo González de Cienfuegos, lord of Allande. Here you can rest after this long stage and get ready for the next.

This stage is considered one of the most beautiful on this Primitivo route, as it tops the mountain pass at over a thousand meters altitude, offering spectacular views of the Nisón River valley and the nearby mountains of Lugo. However, this reward will not come for free, as you will face positive gradients of around five percent in many sections.

You will pass through La Mesa and the Salime reservoir, fed by the Navia River. Building this dam completely changed the geography and layout of the area, requiring the flooding of several inhabited areas and numerous churches and cemeteries. After crossing the dam, you will begin a slow but steady ascent until you arrive in Grandas de Salime, the last Asturian section of this Jacobean route.

Once you arrive in this town, you will want to rest, but you can also stroll around and visit the Hermitage of Pedreira, the Collegiate Church of El Salvador, or the Roman tunnels of Penafurada.

Today you will officially enter the Galician community, specifically the province of Lugo and the place called Acebo. In A Fonsagrada, be sure to visit sites such as the granaries (hórreos) of Lamas de Moreira or the Chapel of San José, as well as the ethnographic museum in town. You will then resume the route after this stop to tackle a challenging stretch where you can thoroughly enjoy the scenery and paths where you will only be surrounded by extensive pine forests and the lush vegetation of Galician woodlands.

Once you reach the end of the stage, O Cádavo, besides taking a well-deserved rest, you will have the chance to visit attractions like A Fraga da Marronda, an indigenous Galician forest in pristine condition, spanning approximately 611 hectares.

This will be a short stage without major difficulties, allowing you to recover from the efforts of the previous days. Over about 30 kilometers, you will enjoy the beauty of Galicia’s rural landscapes, with numerous small villages and archaeological remains with countless stories to tell.

Once you arrive in Lugo, you can take a stroll on its Roman wall, one of the oldest and best-preserved Roman walls in the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, Lugo has a historic quarter with numerous squares and churches, as well as a cathedral, Santa María. The local cuisine is also one of the main attractions of this provincial capital.

Today you will pass from the province of Lugo to A Coruña. You will pass through San Romao da Retorta and its Romanesque church, refurbished in the 18th century, near which a Roman milestone from Emperor Caligula’s time was found, although today only a replica remains.

Upon reaching Melide, you will encounter pilgrims coming from the French Way, leaving behind the serenity of the Primitivo route to begin to feel that the destination is very close. This town is known for preparing some of the best octopus in all of Galicia, so trying it is practically mandatory.

Just over 50 kilometers separate us from Praza do Obradoiro and the much-anticipated Santiago Cathedral. This stage will take us across small, charming villages like Ribadiso and larger towns like Arzúa, where pilgrims from the Northern Way also come together. Here you can make a stop to visit the Cheese and Honey Information Center, local products of great value.

The final kilometers run along quiet service roads, with scarcely any housing in sight, the only inconvenience being that you will have to cross the main road multiple times in sometimes potentially hazardous areas. Arriving at Monte do Gozo, you will see, for the first time since you started your route, the towers of the cathedral, which you will soon reach to conclude this wonderful experience.

Free day to visit all those monuments, beyond the Cathedral, that make up the grand Galician capital. If you have time, do not hesitate to stay one or two more days to fully enjoy your visit, as this city offers a marvelous old quarter where you can experience the deepest Galician culture and the best local gastronomy, all brought together to offer pilgrims the best of the Galician community.