Camino de Invierno

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Ponferrada (off a Camino Francés) → Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
• Length: 271.8 km — through the Sil Valley, the Ribeira Sacra, and via Lalín to Santiago
• Elevation gain: ↗ 5,632 m / ↘ 5,892 m — no high mountain pass, but a constant series of ups and downs through river valleys and over ridges
• Duration: 10–12 days; typically 9–10 stages
• Waymarking: Yellow arrow and seashell; the Camino Ninja app has the entire route on board
• Pilgrims: 2,758 arrivals in 2025 — one of the quietest recognized routes of the Camino de Santiago
• Hostels: A network of Xunta and private hostels; sufficient, but requires planning
• Connection: branches off in Ponferrada from the Camino Francés from there and flows into the Camino Sanabrés
• Character: Quiet, gentle, underrated — gold mines, vineyard terraces, and four Galician provinces along a single route

Overview

In Ponferrada, pilgrims on the Francés route find themselves at an unassuming fork in the road with a rich history: to the left begins the Camino de Invierno, the “Winter Way.” It was created because the ascent to O Cebreiro was regularly buried in snow during the winter and the Valcarce Valley was prone to flooding—so travelers have always taken a detour through the milder Sil Valley. Today, it has become a fully-fledged, marked Camino: 271.8 kilometers to Santiago, and the only Way of St. James to pass through all four provinces of Galicia.

Its strength lies in its quiet depth: 2,758 pilgrims throughout the entire year of 2025—and yet a concentration of sights that puts even the great routes to shame: the Roman gold mines of Las Médulas right on the first day, the vineyard terraces and monasteries of the Ribeira Sacra in the middle, and the panoramic hill of Monte Faro just before the finish. Near Lalín, the Invierno meets the Camino Sanabrés, with whom he shares the final stages of the journey to Santiago.

The Path That Snow Invented

Most of the Ways of St. James were established by kings, monasteries, or apostles—but this one was created by the weather. When the O Cebreiro Pass was snowed in during the winter and the Valcarce River overflowed its banks, travelers heading toward Galicia had no choice but to take the detour through the lower-lying Sil Valley. The route is ancient: as early as the 1st and 2nd centuries, the Romans documented a road here leading to their gold mines; Napoleon’s troops used the valley in the early 1800s; and in 1883, the first railroad ran through here, connecting Galicia with the rest of the peninsula.

Today, the name is misleading: the Invierno has long been a year-round route—simply the most sensible choice in winter and the quietest in summer. And it holds a record that no other route has: It is the only Way of St. James that passes through all four Galician provinces—Ourense, Lugo, Pontevedra, and A Coruña.

Las Médulas and the Pierced Mountain — The Gold of the Romans

The very first day of hiking ends in another world: Las Médulas, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the largest open-pit gold mine in the Roman Empire. Using the “ruina montium” technique, the Romans channeled massive amounts of water through tunnels into the mountains until entire slopes collapsed, releasing the gold—leaving behind a surreal landscape of jagged red rocks and chestnut forests that glows like an alien planet in the evening light.

A few stages further on lies the second Roman marvel: the Montefurado Tunnel, the “pierced mountain,” through which the Romans diverted the Sil River to mine its gold-bearing bed. The Invierno Trail is thus also an educational trail showcasing Roman engineering—you walk it two millennia later and are still in awe.

Ribeira Sacra — Wine from the Vertical Vineyard

The heart of the route is the Ribeira Sacra, the “sacred riverbank”: the gorges of the Sil and Miño, whose steep slopes have been carved into dizzying wine terraces for centuries. It’s called “heroic viticulture”—the grapes are harvested by hand on slopes where no machine can stand, and the Mencía that grows here is one of Spain’s most distinctive red wines. The region’s name comes from its unique concentration of monasteries and hermitages, which have retreated to these secluded valleys since the Middle Ages.

The trail crosses the region via Monforte de Lemos, whose tower and Colegio define the skyline, and then climbs via Chantada to Monte Faro, the scenic hill from which, on a clear day, you can see all four Galician provinces. That’s the moment when many realize what a special trail they’ve discovered—and why it’s best to pass the word on, but only to the right people.

Other Names

In Spanish, the route is called Camino de Invierno; in Galician, Camiño de Inverno; and internationally, Winter Way—the Winter Trail. The name describes its historical purpose, not the season: It is accessible year-round and is especially pleasant in the summer, as the Sil Valley provides shade and the Ribeira Sacra offers coolness. Occasionally, you’ll also see it referred to as the “Ruta del Sil,” named after the river it follows for half the route.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

The Invierno is ideal for Repeat Offender and connoisseurs: Anyone who Camino Francés has set off and sighs at the thought of Sarria, will find a quiet parallel world here—the same starting point in Ponferrada, the same destination, but a fraction of the people. Also for Wine and history enthusiasts it's the top choice, and in the Winter It is the safest route to Santiago, just as its name suggests.

It’s less suitable for anyone looking for that classic Camino sense of community—you’ll rarely find hostel dining tables packed in the evenings here, and English isn’t much help in the villages. Even those who need very short stages must plan ahead: there’s little infrastructure between some towns. For your very first Camino, the Francés is the easier route; the Invierno is the “reward semester” that follows.

Route & Landscape

From Ponferrada, the route winds through the orchards and vineyards of the Bierzo region to the red cliffs of Las Médulas, then enters the Sil River valley: Valdeorras, Galicia’s easternmost wine region, dotted with rows of grapevines and slate-roofed villages. Passing through Quiroga and the rock-carved mountain of Montefurado, the route enters the Ribeira Sacra, where it winds through the hills above the gorges toward Monforte de Lemos.

After Chantada comes the long climb to Monte Faro, the highest point on the trail—followed by a gentle descent: At Lalín, the Invierno merges with the route of the Camino Sanabrés, and together we make our way through eucalyptus and oak forests, crossing Ponte Ulla on our way to Santiago. When we arrive at the Plaza del Obradoiro, we find ourselves sharing the moment with everyone else once again—but with the quiet knowledge that we took a different path.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

Traditionally, you start the Invierno by Stages 9–10; here, the usual division into ten-kilometer segments. The daily distances range from 14 to 35 km—a few long days can be made more manageable by stopping at waypoints along the way, but not all of them. Checking the availability of lodging the night before is part of the experience on this quiet trail.

1. Ponferrada → Las Médulas: Approx. 27 km — through the Bierzo region to the red cliffs of the Roman gold mine
2. Las Médulas → O Barco de Valdeorras: about 27 km — down into the Sil Valley and the Valdeorras wine region
3. O Barco → A Rúa: about 14 km — a short day along the river, time to visit some bodegas
4. A Rúa → Quiroga: approx. 27 km — along the Sil River, past the Roman tunnel at Montefurado
5. Quiroga → Monforte de Lemos: About 35 km—the longest stage, into the Ribeira Sacra
6. Monforte de Lemos → Chantada: about 30 km — across the Miño River and through terraced vineyards
7. Chantada → Rodeiro: Approx. 26 km — the climb up Monte Faro with a view of four provinces
8. Rodeiro → A Laxe (Lalín): approx. 27 km — gently downhill to where it flows into the Sanabrés
9. A Laxe → Ponte Ulla: approx. 20 km — shared route through Galician forests
10. Ponte Ulla → Santiago de Compostela: Approx. 22 km — the final climb and the finish

All stage distances are rounded—the total length of 271.8 km from Ponferrada is the official measurement. To earn the Compostela, the last 100 kilometers or so are sufficient: Those who start in Monforte de Lemos or Chantada will easily meet the requirement and still experience the heart of the route.

Highlights Along the Way

• Templar Castle of Ponferrada — Saying Goodbye to the Francés Amid Medieval Battlements
• Las Médulas — the largest gold mine in the Roman Empire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Rot
• Valdeorras — Slate-roofed villages and Godello wine in the Sil Valley
• Montefurado — the mountain that the Romans bored through in search of the gold of the Sil
• Ribeira Sacra — Gorges, monasteries, and heroic viticulture on steep terraces
• Monforte de Lemos — The Tower, the Colegio, and the region's secret capital
• Belesar Reservoir on the Miño River — Terraces right up to the water's edge, a sea of flowers in the spring
• Chantada — The Old Town's narrow streets and the climb to the highest point
• Monte Faro — the mountain offering a view of all four provinces of Galicia
• Lalín — the mouth of the Sanabrés River, famous for its cocido stew
• Ponte Ulla — Last river crossing in the wine-growing region of the Ulla Valley
• Plaza del Obradoiro — the arrival in Santiago, well-deserved as ever

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

Most people turn off on foot: They come along the Camino Francés to Ponferrada, where you’ll switch trails—the Invierno begins right in the city, below the Templar castle. If you’re planning this as a separate trip, you can easily reach Ponferrada by train or bus via León or Madrid.

Popular starting points along the route include Monforte de Lemos (train station, a good 100 km before Santiago—suitable for the Compostela route) and O Barco de Valdeorras. From Lalín, the Invierno route continues with the Camino Sanabrés together; if you like, you can also deliberately combine the two into a quiet alternative for the last week before Santiago.

Continue the pilgrimage?

Even the quietest path doesn't have to be the end: The Camiño a Fisterra Starts in Santiago and leads about 91 km to the cape on the Atlantic Ocean in 3–4 days—kilometer marker 0.0, the lighthouse, the sunset, and the Fisterrana as your own certificate.

From there, the Camiño a Fisterra-Muxía the cape, just under 29 kilometers along the coast, with the Virxe da Barca shrine in Muxía. After the Sil River gorges, the open Atlantic is the perfect finale—and the coast there is just as quiet as the path you’ve just walked.

Preparation & Practical Information

Winter is year-round Accessible—that is its purpose. The most beautiful ones are April through June (flowering terraces) and September through October (Grape harvest in Valdeorras and the Ribeira Sacra); summers in the Sil Valley are hot but bearable, and winters are mild but short—so start early.

The backpack should no more than 10 percent of body weight weigh; otherwise, planning is key: On a route with few pilgrims, there’s also less infrastructure, and not every village has a bar that’s open. With the Camino Ninja App you're in good hands: It has the entire route on board—including all the stages, hostels, and elevation profiles, which are especially important on this quiet trail.

To get the Compostela, you'll need the Credencial with stamps—two per day for the last 100 kilometers. And in the evening, take some time to enjoy what this trail has to offer: a glass of Mencía or Godello—the vines often grow within sight of the trail.

What the journey will cost you

The Invierno is affordable: The daily budget is typically around 25 to 40 € (As of August 2026). The Xunta-Albergues charge a flat rate of 10 €, private hostels 12–20 €, and the daily special is available for 11–15 € — in the Ribeira Sacra, often accompanied by a glass of wine from the steep slopes, which would cost many times as much elsewhere.

Getting There

According to Ponferrada You can get there by train and bus via León or directly from Madrid; if you're coming from Francés, you're already there. For partial starts, Monforte de Lemos Ideal — the city is located at the railway junction of Galicia and is easily accessible from Ourense, Lugo, and A Coruña.

The return trip starts from Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) by direct flights to German-speaking countries or by train via Ourense and Madrid.

• Getting to the starting point: Train/Bus to Ponferrada (via León or Madrid)
• Interim entry: O Barco de Valdeorras and Monforte de Lemos by train; Chantada by bus from Lugo and Ourense
• Return trip: Direct from Santiago (SCQ); alternatively, by train via Ourense