Camino Portugués: Stage 24

You will leave Caldas through the Rúa San Roque Street to get to the N-550, once you find the national road you will have to turn right to get to a path. You will be walking through this path for 5 kilometres and there are no establishments here. Step by step you will get to Carracedo where you could have breakfast or maybe rest in any of the establishments. You will cross the road to continue your way to get to the Iglesia de Santa Mariña church, its origins are probably related to the Roman age, this church used to be used as a place where lots of pilgrims used to pray. You will leave this temple and after some crossings you will get again to the national road, you will go through Casalderrique to get to Valga. You won’t cross the centre of this villages but you will walk next to them

Then you will cross the Louro river and after crossing the highway through a flyover you will get to the Valga river crossing the Monte Albor mount to get to San Miguel de Valga. Here you can stop and rest for a while and also visit the church that you will find here that is form the 18 century. Then you will get to Condide that belongs to Pontecesures and a kilometer after you will get to Infesta. Here you can taste some typical dishes in a restaurant called A Mesa da Pedra, a restaurant created by the Asociación de Amigos del Camino association just for pilgrims, its main goal is offer typical dishes for an economical price. If a visitor cannot pay, there is an alternative, working as a volunteer in their kitchen, serving their tables or even cleaning. Anyway, it is estimated that around 7€ would be enough.

If we keep following our path, a bit further we will find the municipal hostel of Pontecesures, from which we will continue to San Julian church. This town used to be very important for its Roman harbor, named after the “Puerto de Compostela”, as most of the goods that arrived in Santiago passed through Pontecesures. After the church, we arrive at a lookout where two arrows indicate a shortcut from the original path. If we want to avoid the road, we take the path on the right, which will bring us to the Herbon hostel, about three kilometers from there. The left path, parallel to N-550, will bring us straight to Padrón.

If you decide to go through the road you will have to cross the train rails to get close to the Ulla river, its bridge is the division between Pontevedra and A Coruña. After crossing the river you will have to walk for two kilometers more to get to Puente Padrón bridge over the Sar river. You will have to continue straight forward next to the river to get to the Mercado de Abastos market and also to Paseo del Espolón path that has a monument devoted to Camilo José Cela, on the other side you will find the Iglesia de Santiago church and a statue devoted to Rosalía de Castro. The church that you will see is a neoclassical church. According to the legend it was here where the boat that brought St. James’ moratl remains were tied up. After visiting the church you will have to cross the river to get to the Convento del Carmen convent, here you will find the hostel.

If you decide to go through Herbón you will have to go through the Rúa Cantillo to get to Cortiñas, here you won’t have to walk through the national road, you will walk through a lovely path next to the Ulla river, a path full of trees that will lead you to the Monasterio de Herbón monastery and also to its hostel. This convent was built at the end of the 14 century. The Order of Friars Minor were the ones that brought from America in the 16 century the most typical product from this area, the peppers. After a stop here you will get to Padrón through a road that goes among greenhouses. After crossing a school you will have to cross the AC-242 to get to the Museo Rosalía de Castro museum that is located in A Matanza, it was here where this famous writer died in 1885, she was an important part of the Galician culture. Inside you can see the original structure of the house and also lots of personal belongings. Going through the Avenida de la Estación avenue you will get to Padrón.

Bear in mind

This is an easy stage, without many difficulties. It is an easy stage for everyone.