Spain and Portugal – Sanxenxo to Santiago de Compostela

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Sanxenxo to Santiago de Compostela

Our 6th morning here at the campsite at Sanxenxo, the failed water pump is replaced and we are getting low on food and wine, we discuss whether to stay another day or leave Sanxenxo.

Reluctantly we leave Sanxenxo and Playa Pragueira as we need food, milk and other shopping. We service Hymer, fill with water and leave Sanxenxo by the forest road to Soutello, then take VG-41 via O Vinquiño and Fontenla to N-550/N640 to Santiago de Compostela.

Here we drive through the narrow and compact city (not easy in a motorhome) first to a parking area in the centre, hardly surprising it turns out to be underground, with a very low portal. Nothing we can do about that really so we drive north to a large, level car park for coaches and motorhomes on the edge of the city. It costs €4.15 for the day up to 8pm, including water, grey and toilet disposal (or €14.15 for 24 hours).

Arriving about 1.30pm we have lunch, close all the blinds against the hot afternoon sun and, taking out hats and water bottles with us, walk the 2km downhill through the Park Blanco Amor straight into the end of the stainless-steel walking way marking the end of the Camino Santiago. Past the convent of San Francisco (St Francis) into the Prazo do Obradoiro in front of the cathedral de Santiago de Compostela. The square is full of hundreds of pilgrims, singly, in groups, those who have clearly walked hundreds of miles with a backpack and those with an easier form of transport walking the last few miles.

We spend some time soaking up the ambiance of Santiago de Compostela on a hot September afternoon, wandering among the pilgrims and taking photographs. We go into the cathedral (which is still free) and sit and reflect on the work of pilgrims and the faithful over the centuries and offer prayers to those of our friends who are very sick, especially Tina in Dublin.

Later we wander through the old city and note how it has changed since we were last here in 2009. Many empty shops (due to Covid?) many fewer places to eat and those that are left are very over-priced. Walking back up the hill to the camper we decide not to stay here but move on to Touro, a small village about 11 miles east. Before we leave Santiago we call at a large Mercadona and fill the fridge with food and the wine drawer with wine.

From Santiago, we take N-550/N-634 to Santiago Aeroporto then A-54/N-547 through A Rua to A Brea, where we take CP-0605/AC-240 to Touro. Our place for the night is one of five pitches on the car park outside the nursery/infants school at Fonte Diaz. The children have gone, the school is closed, we drink a bottle of Gustavo’s white Albariñowine eat jamon salad. There is one other camper on the aire with us here for the night, later it rains but it is very quiet.

Gallery Sanxenxo to Santiago de Compostela

Click at image to enlarge