Doing the Way of St. James from Lugo

Lugo

Why do the Way of Saint James from Lugo?

The city of Lugo is only 100 km from Santiago de Compostela, so it is the ideal starting point for many pilgrims who do not have much time for their respective journeys. 

In addition, a great advantage of choosing this city as the start of the Camino Primitivo is that you avoid some difficult mountain sections in its beginning from Oviedo.

Lugo is one of the oldest cities in Galicia and has a historical legacy dating from the time of the Roman Empire, as well as a wide gastronomic offer to take into account.

What to consider before doing the Camino from Lugo?

Before leaving, you should decide what time of the year to do it. Between Lugo and Santiago we have a large number of services and accommodations where to spend the night, given the constant flow of pilgrims during most of the year.

The Primitive Way is not one of the busiest routes to Santiago de Compostela, although in recent years it has gained some popularity, it is not comparable to other routes, such as the French or Northern Way.

All the stages of the Way of Saint James from Lugo

The Primitive Way from Lugo has only 5 stages to Santiago de Compostela. 

• Stage 1: Lugo - San Román da Retorta (20 km)
• Stage 2: San Román da Retorta - Melide (26 km)
• Stage 3: Melide - Arzúa (16 km)
• Stage 4: Arzúa - Pedrouzo (18 km)
• Stage 5: Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela (20 km)

It is true that in the last change of signaling of this route, carried out by the Tourism Agency of Galicia, the milestone at the entrance of the old city now marks 99.583 km to Santiago instead of 103.625.

With this distance it is not possible to get the Compostela, but even so the Pilgrim's Office grants it anyway to avoid damaging the economy of the city and the pilgrims. However, in order to obtain the Compostela, pilgrims must have a stamp from the city in their passbook.

Mojón del Camino de Santiago - Envato

How to walk the Way of St. James from Lugo?

Although we can say that the Camino de Santiago can be done in several ways, from Lugo the only possible option is to do it on foot, since it is only 100 kilometers. This route has only 5 days walking, which is an affordable challenge for most people.

In case you want to do the Camino de Santiago by bike, you should know that you will need 200 km to be able to apply for the compostela, so starting in Lugo is not compatible.

When to do the Camino de Santiago from Lugo?

The summer season in Galicia is much milder than in other parts of Spain, even so we should avoid the central hours of the day for walking, as we face considerably high temperatures for sports.

It is advisable to get up early to walk in cooler and more pleasant temperatures and at the same time, avoid crowds.

Where to sleep and where to eat?

On this route you will find a large number of services: restaurants, bars, guesthouses, hostels, hostels or hotels. On this route you will have no problem finding a bed and a plate.

As for food, you should know that the gastronomy of the Camino de Santiago, its typical dishes, is very extensive and varied. However, if you are looking for something more economical than a good seafood or a portion of octopus a feira, you can always choose the economic pilgrim's menu, very popular throughout the Camino de Santiago and for all budgets.

There are free public hostels for pilgrims, which are accessible on a first-come, first-served basis. On the other hand, if you opt for private hostels, hostels or pensions, find out beforehand, because some of them can be booked in advance by phone.

Peregrino con mochila - Envato

How to return home from Santiago de Compostela when we finish the Camino?

Returning to Lugo from Santiago is the easiest task you will encounter on your trip. Both cities are separated by just over an hour by road, following the N-547 and the A-54.

From the new intermodal station in the Galician capital, located on Rúa do Hórreo, you can take one of the many daily train or bus services to Lugo.