CAMINO DE SANTIAGO FRANCES

About the destination: Sarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Sarria is the most populous town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13,700 inhabitants. It is head of the region and the most popular starting point for the Camino de Santiago; many pilgrims choose Sarria because the distance from this point to Santiago allows them to cover the necessary kilometers to reach the Compostela. King Alfonso IX of León died in Sarria in 1230 while making a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

About the destination: Portomarín is a municipality in the Spanish province of Lugo. It has a population of 2008 (Spanish 2001 Census) and an area of 115 km². It is located on the pilgrimage route known as the French Way of the Camino de Santiago. The town of Portomarín was constructed and built next to a Roman bridge over the Minho River and rebuilt in the Middle Ages. In the 1960s the Miño River was dammed to create the Belesar reservoir, putting the old village of Portomarín under water. The most historic buildings of the town were moved brick by brick and reconstructed in the new town, including its castle-style main church: Church of San Juan of Portomarín. In the seasons when the dam is at low level, the remains of ancient buildings, the waterfront and the old bridge are still visible.

About the destination: The history of Palas de Rei appears closely linked to military culture, which retains many of the archaeological remains (dolmens and forts) from a remote settlement. According to tradition, the city owes its name "Pallatium regis" to the palace of the Visigothic king Witiza, who reigned between 702 and 710. In Palas, Witiza would have killed the Duke of Galicia, Favila, father of Don Pelayo. The Romanesque style came through The Way of Santiago, leaving its mark on religious architecture. The church of Vilar de Donas stands out as one of the main references of Galician Romanesque, declared in 1931 historical-artistic monument. Its murals are some of the most outstanding and best preserved in Galicia.

About the destination: The history of this village, since its foundation in the 10th century, is deeply linked with the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela as it is where two separate paths French Way and Camino Primitivo of the Camino de Santiago link up. In 1320 Melide obtained from the Archbishop of Santiago, Berenguel de Landoira, the privilege of building up a castle, fortressing the village, and charging taxes. In 1467 "os irmandiños" opposed the Archbishop Alonso II Fonseca and started a series of fights against its power. During this riot the walls of the village were destroyed as well as the castle. After this, the Catholic Monarchs banned the construction of any fortress in the village. During the last few centuries, like many villages in inner Galicia, it has suffered from a vast emigration of its people to Cuba and Argentina up to 1950s, and then to Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and to other cities of Spain such as Barcelona, Bilbao and A Coruña. Currently its economy is based on agriculture, meat processing, and, more recently, tourism.

About the destination: Arzúa is a municipality in the autonomous community of Galicia in the province of A Coruña in northwestern Spain. It has an area of 155.89 km², a population of 6,315 (2012 estimate), and a population density of 40.64 people/km². It is one of the Galician municipalities with more cows per capita rate in Galicia. Although the region has long been settled, even pre-dating Roman occupation, the current population of the town are mostly of Basque extraction. The village is for many pilgrims the last stopping point before the last day trek into Santiago de Compostella. The French Way and the Northen Way (Camino del Norte) of Camino join in a single path in Arzúa before arriving to Santiago.

About the destination: O Pino is a municipality of northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. The capital of the municipality is O Pedrouzo, which is 18 kilometres from Santiago de Compostela. Several of the runways of Santiago de Compostela Airport at Lavacolla are inside O Pino's boundaries

About the destination: Since medieval times until the present day, Santiago de Compostela is considered a major destination for pilgrims. This holy city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Located in the far northwest of Spain, 100km north of the Portuguese border, Santiago is the capital of the autonomous region of Galicia. The city is home to Spain’s most famous church. La Catedral is majestic, a harmonious blend of styles and eras beneath two towering towers. Just inside the main entrance is the Pórtico de la Gloria, one of the most outstanding examples of Romanesque sculpture in Europe. Near the cathedral, there is the Museo do Pobo Galego, a museum of the Galician people, housed in the Monasterio de Santo Domingo, which contains replicas of ancient Celtic ruins. Nearly half of Santiago’s population is made up of lively students eager to have a good time. Bars and pubs can be found throughout the medieval streets of the old town and along Calle Santiago de Chile. The nights in Santiago de Compostela have a special light. The moonlight turns the town into a timeless scene where landmarks highlight the city’s most beautiful and nostalgic side. And for those looking for atmosphere, Santiago’s nights are endless.