Camino de Santiago from Monforte de Lemos

Walk the last 100 km of the Winter Way or Camino de Invierno

Monforte de Lemos is a small town located in the Ribeira Sacra Valley. A stunning natural environment in the heart of Galicia and one of the main attractions for pilgrims who start the Camino de Santiago from this town.

Monforte’s history dates back to Roman times, when the region was known as Mons Fortis or Monte Fuerte. However, it was not until the 9th century, when King Alfonso II of Asturias founded the Monastery of San Vicente del Pino, that Monforte became one of the main religious centers of the region. A focus of cultural and spiritual development. This monastery offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the region and is a must for pilgrims and visitors.

The relationship between Monforte de Lemos and the Camino de Santiago dates back to the Middle Ages. Roman legions, muleteers, medieval pilgrims and later the Napoleonic troops had to find an alternative route to the Roman Road that connected the north of Spain with Galicia to avoid the difficult winter weather conditions in the area of O Cebreiro. This new route was called The Winter Camino. Although it was also known as the Camino del Sil or the Camino del Sur. The route starts in Ponferrada and crosses the regions of Bierzo and Valdeorras until it reaches Monforte.

Today it is one of the official routes of the Camino de Santiago and has lost its seasonality. This Camino offers a quieter and more peaceful experience, away from the crowds of other more popular routes and for this reason it is an increasingly common choice among the Jacobean community.

Monforte de Lemos has a rich cultural and architectural heritage. In addition to the aforementioned monastery, you can visit the Monforte Castle, belonging to the Order of the Temple, the famous order of the Knights Templar; or the Palace of the Counts of Lemos. A magnificent example of Renaissance architecture that belonged to one of the most influential families in Spain during the 16th century.

Another highlight of doing the Winter Camino from Monforte is to discover the Ribeira Sacra. A wine region surrounded by the waters of the Sil River and a great natural and archaeological beauty. It is the area with the largest number of Romanesque religious buildings in Europe. In addition, getting to know the vineyards and the spectacular landscape of the Ribeira Sacra (in the process of being declared a World Heritage Site) is an experience you will never forget. It is a fertile land where you can taste the wines of Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra, two of the 9 Protected Designations of Origin in Galicia. Another fact is that this way is the only Camino de Santiago whose route passes through the 4 Galician provinces: A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra.

Included Services

Lodging in private room with private bathroom

Luggage transfer between stages

Breakfast included

Travel insurance

Walking notes

Pilgrim passport

24/7 telephone assistance

Optional Services

Upgrade to superior room

Extra night at the beginning of the tour

Extra night at the end of the tour

Private transfer airport-starting location

Private transfer Santiago-Airport

Our Costumer Reviews

Galiwonders took all the hassle out of ourCamino... Galiwonders were really helpful all the way, booking our stays according to our plans, and sending preparatory videos which were helpful. Our accommodation has been varied and superb, we booked half board and it took all the hassle out of our days. Also, my legs just couldnt continue due to blisters and knee pain and Galiwonders organised a taxi to my next destination. Always helpful and polite. I'd highly recommend them to anyone!!!
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Gill R.

Amazing Camino Amazing trip and could not have done it without Galiwanders. The superior accommodations where beyond expectations.
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Sofia C.

Baiona to Santiago The accommodations were excellent with friendly staff and great locations. The signage from Baiona to Vigo was a little difficult,but from there on the trails and pathways were well marked. There was a good selection of breakfast foods too. I would highly recommend Galiwonder—this is the second time I used them. Our luggage was always waiting for us at our daily destination. Buen Camino!!
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V4953TYmaryk
Galli Wonders for the Camino Portugues I did the Camino Portuguese, arranged by Galli Wonders. The itinerary, accommodations, and transportation arrangements were all excellent. I could not complain about a single thing on my trip.
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Ashok S.

Sarria to Santiago and to Finisterre and Muxia. Approximately 20 days. Accommodations were excellent. Booking and support were exceptional. Only 1 accommodation was below standard and 1 miscommunication on transfer services. Highly recommend.
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Diane G.

Fantastic company to work with I’ve used this company twice now, and have experienced simply excellent customer service both times. Many thanks again to Mercedes for her planning advice, accommodation choices, and responsiveness!Galiwonders is a woman-run company located in Galicia that prides itself on local knowledge, and it shows. The accommodations are all top notch and it’s clear their team travels to their selected hotels, pensions, guesthouses, etc regularly to ensure that they are meeting the expected standards. The access to 24/7 service via a text chat is fantastic, particularly for solo travel and for those like myself who don’t speak Spanish or Galician well enough to manage complex situations. I’ve recommended this company to many people who are looking for help with Camino planning. Returning customers get a 10% discount on bookings, and so do those who book from referrals, which is a lovely bonus. Many thanks to the team and looking forward to planning my next Camino journey!
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Amanda A.
Wonderful I would highly recommend Galiwonders . This is the second time I've used them They are very responsive and helpful. I love how they support local businesses. I felt like I could get assistance if I needed it.Lovely people.
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Chris C.

Camino de Santiago I booked with Galiwonders for the French way of the Camino de Santiago from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago. I had a private room/ bathroom each day, luggage transport, breakfast, and usually an evening meal.The price was excellent and everything went smoothly. I was very happy with the accommodation and appreciated the variety. Many people I met along the way who wanted private rooms but hadn’t pre-booked found it difficult, time consuming and stressful to find places. I was very glad to have pre booked the whole trip, I felt very carefree. I would recommend Galiwonders for this trip.
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angelmary2014

Excellent Service! Galiwonders did an excellent job with hotel bookings and responsiveness to requests or concerns !would definitely use them again to organize luggage transfers and navigating the journey along the Camino!
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Sharon J.
Gracias Galiwonders! Galiwonders planned a beautiful trip for me and my family. We did the Portuguese Camino - coastal with the spiritual variant. Everything worked like clockwork and when something didn’t in some way or other, they quickly fixed or speeded it up. We are so grateful to Mercedes who planned the trip and Iria who helped us along the way. And all the nameless folks who had something to do with making this dream come true!
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Salome G.

Camino Portugal It was well organized and enjoyable
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Peter F.

The beautiful wonders of Galicia The views were magnificent; we walked along the windmills, the rivers and corn plantations. The day was perfect because it was not too hot, nor windy. There were a few cow farms and very little places open on Sundays, but the gorgeous faunas made up for the few stops.
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estherdj
My first Camino Gali Wonders team ( specially Liliana) were great coordinating every step of our journey. The price was reasonable.They are also very fast responding to the pilgrims's requests.The documents were sent on time and were very explicit.The hotels were very comfortable to rest after a long and exhausting walk, the luggage was transported in between hotels in timely manner.This was our first Camino and the experience was great, encountering people from many countries, with different motivations. The Portuguese Coastal Way was safe with beautiful views, at times a little challenging.
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Compass324414

Amazing Solo Experience on the Camino Primitivo! 🚶🏻‍♀️ I did the Camino Primitivo as a solo traveler and used this agency to organize everything — and honestly, it couldn’t have gone better! 🙌From the very start, communication was super easy. They even called me to explain how the trip works and what to expect, which made me feel confident and excited. I booked only three weeks before my departure, yet everything was perfectly arranged and clearly communicated.My bag was always waiting for me at each destination 🎒, and all the accommodations were fantastic — from charming hostels and pensiones to beautiful hotels. Highlights included the castle in Salas 🏰, the palace in Tineo 🏡, and even a modern hotel with a spa in O Pedrouzo 💆‍♀️. Even in the smaller towns, everything was clean, comfortable, and welcoming — and many places had laundry service too 👕.The Camino Primitivo itself was absolutely stunning — peaceful mountain views, lush trails, and friendly people all along the way 🌿. It’s not too difficult, but there are a few sections that can be challenging depending on your fitness level. I never needed to contact the agency during the walk because everything ran so smoothly!If I had to make one small suggestion, I’d recommend checking each traveler’s fitness level — the last three days from Melide to Santiago could easily be done in two for those who prefer longer walking days.Overall, this was an amazing experience, perfectly organized from start to finish, and my expectations were totally exceeded ⭐. I would 100% recommend this agency — especially if you’re traveling solo! 🚶‍♀️💫
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YoMilu

5 star hotels with 5 star support We walked the Camino de Santiago and Galiwonders took care of all our hotels and luggage handling. They were standing by, 24x7, in case we needed anything. What an awesome trip made even better because of Galiwonders. Our agent, Alba, made the journey with us from her office. The best support anyone could ask for.
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Timothy L.
Successful Pilgrimage, Thanks, Galiwonders! Loved our Camino experience, and Galiwonders made it happen. The good folks at Galiwonders let us customize our trip so it was exactly the pilgrimage we wanted. The hotels were all comfortable, the distances doable, and our bags always where we needed them to be. And the price point was very affordable. I would recommend Galiwanders to anyone who’s a little worried about doing the Camino without a plan.
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S3066KLdeniseh

Another excellent Camino with Galiwonders Another fabulous Camino perfectly planned by Mercedes and the Galiwonders team. This is the second time we've used them. Always a good experience, accommodations are always well appointed and clean with excellent breakfasts & food options. They are responsive to our requests when planning and we've found them competitive on price. Would highly recommend
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ocarroll225

I give Galiwonders 5 scallop shells. My wife and I walked the Camino from Tui to Santiago de Compostela. We used Galiwonders for lodgings, luggage transfer and car service. The experience was FABULOUS! Initially, we considered several pilgrimage route options. All were well described by Galiwonders. We chose the Primitivo. We were assisted in all levels of planning by Liliana, who was helpful and responsive. At the last minute, I suffered an injury. Liliana (and Galiwonders) were understanding and assisted us in changing our route to the shorter Camino Portugués “Easy”. Prior to departure, Liliana answered every emailed question within 24 hours, no matter how silly. Once we arrived, everything happened like clockwork. This is saying something. There were many stages, luggage pickups and deliveries, new accommodations, issues of timing and location and logistics. There were no hiccups. Our room was ready when we arrived and our bags were there. There were no surprise costs. We walked and didn’t have stress the details. Buen Camino! And Buen Galiwonders! With the blessing, we will do the Primitivo in the future.
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reviewinthestone

Stages of The Camino de Santiago from Monforte de Lemos | The Winter Way

Arrival in Monforte de Lemos, starting point of the last 100 km of the Winter Way.

You will leave behind oak woods, small chapels and rural areas on the way to Chantada. Pilgrims walking this stretch will also enjoy the views of the Miño River and the balconies.

Chantada is a really nice town, with a medieval heritage that is worth a visit. The most challenging part of the day? The ascent to Monte Faro.

You may see more pilgrims on the way from Lalín to Silleda than the previous days (those pilgrims walking La Via de la Plata). This a shorter walking day, you will enjoy peaceful paths and woods.

The Camino de Santiago walk will continue through small rural area and quiet paths.

Last walking day of the Camino de Invierno and the Via de la Plata, from Ponte Ulla to Santiago de Compostela. The walk starts with an ascent towards the Pico Sacro, and will continue through small rural areas until you reach the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela. What to do once in Santiago? You can go to the Pilgrim Mass in the Cathedral, visit the Pilgrim’s Office to get your Pilgrim Certificate, and you can even continue the walk towards Finisterre (the End of the World)!

Check out at Santiago de Compostela.

Standard Category Accommodations on Camino de Invierno | Winter Way

1* and 2* hotels

These hotels offer private rooms with private bathrooms as well as other additional services that may vary depending on the type of category: restaurant service, television, room service, dry cleaning, ironing service, etc. It is common to stay in this type of hotels in the cities along the Camino.

Hostels and pensions

These accommodations have the necessary services to cover the basic needs of cleanliness and rest at a more moderate price than the hotels . Officially, hostels and guesthouses are 1-star accommodations. However, this rating should not be taken into account when evaluating the level of comfort and quality of their services.

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alojamiento categoría estandar camino de santiago

From Vigo Airport

Car or cab: 139km with an estimated duration of 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Train: Take the bus (LINE A) from Vigo Airport to Urzaiz 13 stop. 30′ journey and frequency every 30′. Walk for 10 minutes to Vigo Guixar train station. Another option is to take a cab to the station (10 minutes). Once there, take a train (RENFE) to Monforte de Lemos (3h and 10 minutes). For schedules and more information visit: www.vitrasa.es and www.renfe.com

From Santiago de Compostela Airport

Car or cab: 116km with an estimated duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Train: Take the bus (LINE 6A) from Santiago de Compostela airport to the station stop. Frequency every 15′ and with an approximate duration of 45′. Another option is to take a cab to the station, with an estimated duration of 15′. There take a train (RENFE) to Ourense, a 40′ trip. At the station transfer to the train to Monforte de Lemos, journey time 50′. To consult timetables and more information visit: https://tussa.org/ and www.renfe.com
Bus: Once in Santiago station take a bus (MONBUS) to Lugo, journey time 1h and 30 minutes. At Lugo station transfer to the bus to Monforte de Lemos, journey time 1h and 15 minutes. For schedules and more information visit: https://tussa.org/ and www.monbus.es

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FAQ

To obtain the Compostela you only need to walk the last 100 kilometers of an official route. In the case of the Winter Camino, this requirement is fulfilled by starting the route from Monforte de Lemos. If you decide to do it by bicycle, you will need to pedal for 200 kilometers, that is, from Ponferrada.

Yes, all our itineraries are flexible. You will be able to choose the dates you want to travel as long as we find availability in the accommodations.

If you hire this service you will not have to pedal with your backpack in the saddlebags. Every morning at 08:00 am the transport company will pick up your luggage at your accommodation and transport it to your next accommodation.

Our recommendation is to walk the journey Monforte de Lemos – Santiago de Compostela in 6 stages. However, you can adapt it to your preferences. Pilgrims in good shape can do the Camino from Monforte on foot in 5 days. While other people prefer to walk at a leisurely pace and complete the route in 7-8 days.

To make a reservation the first thing you have to do is contact the Galiwonders team. A travel consultant will help you solve all your doubts and help you choose the route and services (accommodation, transport, insurance, etc) that best suit your needs, preferences and budget. Once you have decided the itinerary of the Camino you want to do and confirm the reservation, we will reserve all the services for you.

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TOUR SUMMARY

DISTANCE:	138 Km
STAGES:	6 Stages
LENGTH:	7 Nights
DIFFICULTY:	3/5
STARTING IN:	Camino de Santiago from Monforte
PRICE:	from 649€

*Indicative price, subject to travel conditions and availability.

Why book with Galiwonders?

Taylor-made Camino

We will design an itinerary tailored to your needs, preferences and budget and book all services for you. You enjoy the road.

We are on the Camino

Galicia is our home. We have traveled all the routes of the Camino and we have direct contact with the service providers on the Camino.

We are also travellers

We speak several languages, have lived abroad and have years of experience organizing trips for people from all over the world.

An unforguettable experience

Hundreds of pilgrims repeat year after year the experience of traveling with us. We want you to be one of them. And that is why we will strive to make your trip unique and unforgettable.