Everything you need to know about the final 100 km of the Camino: meaning, rules, all starting points, and how to get your Compostela pilgrim certificate.
July 2, 202617 min read
The “last 100 kilometers” – few phrases come up more often when people talk about the Camino de Santiago. For some they are the entry point into pilgrimage; for others they are the crowning stage of a long journey. These final 100 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela are the minimum distance you must walk to receive the Compostela – the official pilgrim certificate issued by the cathedral.
That makes them the most famous and by far the most-walked stretch of the entire Camino network. In this guide we explain what the last 100 kilometers are all about, what the rules are – and describe all nine typical starting points in detail so you can make the right choice for you.
Why exactly 100 kilometers?
The figure comes from the rules of the Pilgrim's Office (Oficina del Peregrino) in Santiago. To receive the Compostela you must walk at least the last 100 kilometers on foot or on horseback – or cycle the last 200 kilometers. The route must be continuous and end in Santiago de Compostela.
Because 100 km is the magic minimum, fixed starting points have established themselves around Galicia that sit just above that threshold. The best-known is Sarria on the Camino Francés – roughly 114 kilometers away. If you want a comfortable buffer, start a little further out.
The rules for the Compostela
For the last 100 kilometers to count toward your certificate, keep a few things in mind:
Pilgrim passport (Credencial): You need the pilgrim passport in which you collect stamps along the way. It is the proof of your journey.
Two stamps per day: On the last 100 kilometers (or 200 km by bike) the Pilgrim's Office has required two stamps per day since 2025 – one at the start and one at the end of each stage. Stamps are available at albergues, bars, churches, and many town halls.
On foot or by bike: 100 km on foot or on horseback, 200 km by bicycle. The route must be continuous and end with a final stage directly into Santiago.
Motivation: For the religious/spiritual Compostela, declare a religious or spiritual motive. Those walking purely for sport or cultural reasons receive the Certificado instead – a distance certificate.
Distance certificate (optional): You can also purchase a certificate listing your starting point and distance walked for a small fee – a nice keepsake.
Tip: Allow some patience at the end in Santiago – in high season the queue at the Pilgrim's Office can be long.
Sarria: the classic – and its downside
Sarria is by far the most popular starting point. Around 31 percent of all pilgrims who receive the Compostela begin their walk here – in 2025 alone that was over 165,000 people. From here to Santiago it is roughly 114 kilometers along the Camino Francés, the world's most-walked pilgrimage route – about five to six stages. Gentle green hills, granite villages, eucalyptus forests, and excellent infrastructure make this route especially accessible for first-time pilgrims.
The downside: it gets very crowded in summer. Queues form outside municipal albergues before midday, and the quiet, meditative character of the walk suffers under the weight of numbers. But if you want to experience the last 100 kilometers in more peaceful surroundings, you have plenty of alternatives.
The last 100 kilometers – what the numbers say
Just how popular is walking the last 100 kilometers? The data from the Oficina del Peregrino tell a clear story. In 2025 a total of 530,919 people received the Compostela – more than ever before in the history of the Camino. Around 51 percent of them started on one of the classic 100-kilometer sections – in Sarria, Tui/Valença, Ferrol, or Vigo. More than one in three started in Sarria alone.
Sarria (Camino Francés, ~114 km): ~31% of all pilgrims – by far the most-used starting point
Tui and Valença do Minho (Camino Portugués central route, ~119 km): ~10% combined
For comparison: in 2019, the last normal year before the pandemic, around 44 percent of all pilgrims started on 100-kilometer sections – Sarria alone accounted for 28 percent. The share has grown steadily since. Whether the tightening of the Compostela rules in 2025 (two daily stamps instead of one) slows or reverses this trend remains to be seen.
All nine starting points in detail
The 100-kilometer rule applies to every officially recognized Camino – not just the Camino Francés. Around Galicia there are nine established starting points from which you can walk to the Compostela. Below you will find a detailed description of each one, plus the most important travel information – so you know not just that the option exists, but how to get there and what to expect.
Sarria – Camino Francés (~114 km)
Sarria sits in the province of Lugo, on a hillside above the river of the same name. The town is small but pilgrim-friendly to its core: albergues, gear shops, restaurants, and Credencial-issuing points line the Calle Mayor. From here the route follows the classic Camino Francés through the heart of Galicia – a landscape of gentle hills, eucalyptus groves, granite villages, and old stone bridges that has barely changed in centuries. The path is wide, impeccably waymarked, and lined with yellow arrows every hundred meters.
The stages between Sarria and Santiago are the most densely populated on the entire Camino network. Nowhere else will you encounter so many people at once – pilgrims from every corner of the globe, school groups, older couples, solo walkers carrying decades of life experience. That can be inspiring, and for many people the sheer density of human connection is part of the experience. At the same time: if you are looking for solitude, either start very early in the morning or choose a quieter route.
The classic breakdown into five to six stages: Sarria → Portomarín (22 km), Portomarín → Palas de Rei (25 km), Palas de Rei → Arzúa (29 km), Arzúa → O Pedrouzo (19 km), O Pedrouzo → Santiago (20 km). Splitting the last stage over two days lets you overnight in Lavacolla or Monte do Gozo – arriving rested and unhurried at the cathedral the following morning. Accommodation is plentiful, but book ahead in high season (July/August).
Getting there: Sarria is well served by train. The Santiago – Lugo – Sarria line runs several times a day; journey time from Santiago is about two hours. Arriving via Santiago de Compostela airport (SCQ), take the airport bus to Santiago Centro and then a train toward Lugo. ALSA also runs direct coaches from Santiago to Sarria (approx. 2 hours). There are also rail connections from Madrid via Lugo (Alvia, approx. 5 hours).
Tui – Camino Portugués, central route (~119 km)
Tui sits right on the Spanish-Portuguese border, separated from the Portuguese town of Valença only by an old railway bridge over the River Minho. The old town of Tui is extraordinary: a cathedral built like a fortress, narrow medieval lanes, and views from the city walls down to the green Minho and the Albariño vineyards beyond. This starting point ranks among the most beautiful of all the 100-km options.
The route from Tui follows the Camino Portugués through the Galician wine region Rías Baixas – gentle hills lined with vines, sunken lanes between old stone walls, small chapels and stone cruceiros at every turn. You will meet pilgrims who have already been walking for days from Portugal; that lends the start a different energy from simply stepping off a bus. Infrastructure is solid, albergues are reliably available, and the stages are shorter and quieter than on the Francés.
Typical stage breakdown: Tui → O Porriño (14 km, flat and easy), O Porriño → Redondela (16 km), Redondela → Pontevedra (18 km, with views over the Ría), Pontevedra → Caldas de Reis (22 km), Caldas de Reis → Padrón (20 km), Padrón → Santiago (25 km). Padrón – birthplace of the Galician poet Rosalía de Castro – is worth a small detour. Note: if you prefer to walk just over 100 km, you can also start in O Porriño (101 km).
Getting there: Trains from Vigo to Tui take about 20 minutes and run several times a day. Vigo is served by high-speed AVE trains from Madrid in just under 2.5 hours. Porto airport (OPO) in Portugal is often the cheapest option for the Camino Portugués: regional trains run from Porto via Valença (directly across the bridge from Tui) in about two to three hours – step off in Valença and walk over the bridge into Spain. Alternatively, ALSA coaches run from Santiago to Tui (approx. 1.5 hours).
Vigo – Camino Portugués, coastal route (~102 km)
The Camino Portugués da Costa – the coastal route – begins in Vigo against one of the most dramatic backdrops of the entire Camino network. The city lies on the deeply indented Ría de Vigo, a fjord-like sea inlet, and from the harbour you can see the Cíes Islands on the horizon – a nature reserve regularly ranked among Europe's most beautiful beaches. The route heads north along the coast: rocky beaches, fishing villages of granite, oyster beds right beside the path, and the constant smell of salt and Atlantic air.
The coastal route is the more scenic but slightly more demanding alternative to the central route. Waymarking is less dense and the albergue network a little thinner. If you are looking for a quiet, unspoiled path and love the sea, this is your route. Around Redondela the coastal and central routes converge – from there both share the remaining stages into Santiago. For more than 102 km, start in Baiona (approx. 124 km), a charming historic coastal town with a beautiful first stage along the Atlantic shore.
Typical stages: Vigo → Redondela (approx. 20 km, optionally by ferry across the Ría), Redondela → Pontevedra (18 km), Pontevedra → Caldas de Reis (22 km), Caldas de Reis → Padrón (20 km), Padrón → Santiago (25 km). The first section from Vigo to Redondela is urban; to skip it, take the small ferry from Vigo to Cangas or Moaña and join the route there.
Getting there: Vigo has its own airport (VGO) with flights from Madrid, Barcelona, and several other European cities. Vigo-Urzáiz station is excellently connected: AVE/Alvia from Madrid in just under 2.5 hours, regional trains from Porto (Portugal) in about one hour. Porto airport (OPO) is also a good option – from there it is about 1.5 hours to Vigo by bus or train.
Ferrol – Camino Inglés (~113 km)
The Camino Inglés is historically one of the oldest access routes to Santiago. In the Middle Ages pilgrims from England, Ireland, and Scotland sailed to Ferrol or A Coruña and walked the remaining kilometers on foot. Today the route begins at Ferrol's harbour – a naval garrison town with a colonial old quarter and a ría that cuts deep inland. The first encounter with the path is unassuming, but within a few kilometers the landscape opens up surprisingly: ría panoramas, oak and pine forests, vineyards, medieval villages.
The Camino Inglés is the quietest of the well-known 100-km routes. Those seeking solitude while still wanting decent infrastructure will find the best balance here. One important note: from A Coruña it is only about 75 km to Santiago – that is not enough for the Compostela if you are walking the whole way on foot. The 100-km minimum requires starting in Ferrol.
Typical breakdown over five to six days: Ferrol → Neda (approx. 12 km, short first stage) or straight to Pontedeume (approx. 27 km), Pontedeume → Betanzos (17 km), Betanzos → Bruma (25 km, the hardest day), Bruma → Sigüeiro (approx. 25 km), Sigüeiro → Santiago (approx. 15 km). Waymarking is good but less omnipresent than on the Francés – an offline GPS app is recommended.
Getting there: Regional trains (cercanías) from A Coruña to Ferrol take about 50 minutes and run several times a day. A Coruña is served by AVE from Madrid in approx. 3.5 hours. A Coruña airport (LCG) has connections to Madrid; for international flights Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) is the better option. From SCQ take a bus to A Coruña (approx. 1 hour), then a regional train to Ferrol (50 minutes).
Lugo – Camino Primitivo (~100 km)
Starting in Lugo means beginning your Camino beside one of Europe's most impressive monuments: the fully intact Roman city wall from the 3rd century AD that encircles the entire old town and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An evening walk along the top of the ramparts the night before you set off is essential. From Lugo the Camino Primitivo – the “original route,” said to be the oldest pilgrimage road of all – leads through the wildest and most unspoiled parts of Galicia: sweeping highland plateaus, dense oak and chestnut forests, old stone villages where time moves slowly.
From Lugo it is roughly 100 kilometers to Santiago – the absolute minimum, with no buffer. If you want to be sure every stamp counts, start one village further east. The route is more demanding than the Francés: longer stages, thinner infrastructure, occasionally narrow paths. That is not a drawback – it is the essence of the Primitivo. Near Melide the route meets the Camino Francés; the final 55 kilometers are then shared with Francés pilgrims.
Typical stage breakdown: Lugo → Ferreira (approx. 18 km), Ferreira → Castroverde (approx. 14 km), Castroverde → A Fonsagrada (approx. 22 km, demanding), then several more stages to Melide (Lugo to Melide approx. 45 km), then Melide → Arzúa → O Pedrouzo → Santiago. Five to seven days in total depending on pace. Albergues exist but book ahead – especially on the early stages out of Lugo.
Getting there: Lugo lies on the main Madrid – A Coruña rail line. Regional trains from Santiago to Lugo take approx. 1.5 hours and run several times a day. From Madrid there are Alvia services in about four hours. By bus Lugo is one hour from Santiago (several daily services). Santiago de Compostela airport (SCQ) is about 100 km away; Lugo has no airport of its own.
Baamonde – Camino del Norte (~101 km)
The Camino del Norte – the northern route – comes from the Basque Country along the rugged Cantabrian coast through Asturias into the Galician interior. Starting in Baamonde means joining a route where others have already been walking for weeks. Baamonde itself is a small village with little urban charm, but it has one of Galicia's oldest pilgrim hostels and a quietly meditative woodland setting. The path winds through dense forests of oak, birch, and eucalyptus, past tiny hamlets, on trails you will often have entirely to yourself on weekdays.
The Camino del Norte from Baamonde is one of the least-walked sections within the 100-km zone. No crowds, no queues outside albergues – and an encounter with the route that many pilgrims find deeper and more authentic than the packed sections of the Francés. The first stage from Baamonde to Sobrado dos Monxes is long (approx. 40 km) and can be split at the village of Miraz, where a small monastery runs a simple hostel. The Benedictine monastery at Sobrado dos Monxes is an unforgettable destination: you overnight inside a medieval monastic complex.
Typical stage breakdown: Baamonde → Miraz (approx. 23 km), Miraz → Sobrado dos Monxes (approx. 22 km), Sobrado → Arzúa (approx. 22 km, where the Norte meets the Francés), Arzúa → O Pedrouzo (19 km), O Pedrouzo → Santiago (20 km). From Arzúa you share the final 40 km with Francés pilgrims – a natural transition from solitary walking to a communal experience.
Getting there: Baamonde has its own train station – rare for a 100-km starting point. The A Coruña – Lugo line stops in Baamonde; about 20 minutes from Lugo and about one hour from A Coruña. Alternatively, travel by bus or taxi from Lugo (approx. 25 km). The nearest international airports are A Coruña (LCG, approx. 70 km) and Santiago de Compostela (SCQ, approx. 80 km). Both are easy to reach from Lugo, from where onward travel to Baamonde is straightforward.
Ourense – Camino Sanabrés / Vía de la Plata (~107 km)
Ourense is one of Galicia's liveliest cities and an exceptional starting point for pilgrims: hot thermal springs bubble up right at the edge of town – the Caldas de Ourense are free to use and make a perfect pre-departure ritual. The old town, with its Romanesque cathedral, narrow lanes, and the medieval Ponte Vella over the Miño, is one of the most authentic in Galicia. From here the Camino Sanabrés heads through southern Galicia – wilder, lonelier, and more unspoiled than the north.
The Camino Sanabrés is part of one of Spain's longest pilgrimage routes – those starting in Seville have over 1,000 km ahead of them. From Ourense the last 107 km still have plenty of character: vineyards of the Ribeiro, the Serra do Faro, long high plateaus, and a landscape untouched by tourist development. Starting here, you will meet pilgrims who have been walking for months – lending the route its own quiet intensity.
Typical stage breakdown: Ourense → Cea (approx. 32 km, very long – can be split via Paderne), Cea → Lalín (approx. 29 km), Lalín → A Laxe (approx. 21 km), A Laxe → Santiago (approx. 25 km). Alternatively, split the first stage and overnight in Seixalbo or Paderne. Near Lalín the Sanabrés joins the Camino de Invierno; the final stages into Santiago are walked together.
Getting there: Since the opening of the high-speed AVE line in 2021, Ourense is the best-connected 100-km starting point of them all. From Santiago de Compostela you can reach Ourense in only about 30 minutes by high-speed train. The AVE from Madrid takes about two hours. Santiago airport (SCQ) is therefore effectively just 30 minutes away. Ourense is also well served by regional trains from Vigo and Pontevedra.
Chantada – Camino de Invierno, the Winter Route (~103 km)
The Camino de Invierno – the Winter Route – was developed in the Middle Ages as an alternative to the snow-covered O Cebreiro pass. It runs from Ponferrada in the Bierzo valley through southern Galicia and is one of the least-known official Caminos. From Chantada (103 km) the path crosses a landscape the 21st century has barely touched: terraced vineyards, granite villages with no guesthouse, old stone bridges over Galician rivers. For stretches you are the only person for miles.
The Invierno attracts experienced pilgrims who already know the Francés and want something quieter. Waymarking is sparse – a good pilgrim app or GPS map is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Albergues are scarce; booking ahead is essential. An alternative starting point is Monforte de Lemos (also approx. 103 km), a medieval town dominated by an imposing castle high above the Lemos valley. Near Lalín the Invierno meets the Sanabrés; the final stages into Santiago are walked together.
Typical stage breakdown: Chantada → Rodeiro (approx. 24 km), Rodeiro → Lalín (approx. 21 km), Lalín → A Laxe (approx. 21 km), A Laxe → Santiago (approx. 25 km). Those starting in Monforte de Lemos add a first stage to Chantada (approx. 25 km).
Getting there: Monforte de Lemos is about one hour from Santiago by regional train (via Ourense) – far better connected than Chantada itself. Ourense to Monforte takes about 30 minutes by train. Chantada is reachable by bus (Monbus, approx. 1.5 hours from Santiago). Arriving via the Ourense AVE station, onward travel to Monforte is straightforward.
Lires – Camino Finisterre, walked in reverse (~100 km)
The Camino Finisterre normally leads from Santiago to the “end of the world” – to Cape Finisterre and on to Muxía, where the Atlantic crashes against the rocks. As a 100-km Compostela route it is walked in the opposite direction: from Lires, a small village near Muxía, back to Santiago. The landscape is the most Atlantic of all the Caminos: wild rocky coastline, endless forests of eucalyptus and pine, fishing villages on the horizon, the smell of salt air and wet earth after rain.
The reverse route is the loneliest of all Compostela-qualifying walks. You will rarely meet other pilgrims – a handful who walked to the sea after their Compostela and are now returning, and the occasional pilgrim who deliberately chose this path as a starting point. The route is well waymarked and the scenery makes up for every solitary moment. Important note: from Finisterre it is only about 90 km to Santiago – that is formally not enough for the Compostela. Your starting point must be Lires (or somewhere that guarantees the 100 km).
Typical stage breakdown: Lires → Dumbría (approx. 17 km), Dumbría → Corcubión/Cee (approx. 24 km), Corcubión → Olveiroa (approx. 15 km), Olveiroa → Negreira (approx. 33 km, can be split via Hospital), Negreira → Santiago (approx. 22 km). The route has limited infrastructure in places; book ahead and carry food.
Getting there: Lires is the hardest of the nine starting points to reach. A Monbus coach runs from Santiago to Cee (approx. 1.5 hours); from Cee it is still about 15 km to Lires – a taxi costs roughly 15–20 euros. Alternatively, take the bus from Santiago to Muxía (approx. 2 hours) and then walk or taxi the 5 km to Lires. If you are travelling from far away, fly into Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) and plan an overnight in Santiago so you can catch the early morning bus the following day.
When and how to start
Spring (April/May) and early autumn (September/October) are considered the best times: mild weather, lush green Galicia, and manageable numbers of pilgrims. High summer brings full albergues, queues, and heat, especially on the Francés from Sarria.
If you want to stay flexible, book at least the first few nights in advance in high season, or choose a quieter route. And one thing above all else: don't forget your pilgrim passport – without it and without stamps, there is no Compostela.
Is such a short stretch worth it?
For some purists, the last 100 kilometers are “not a real Camino.” But pilgrimage is not measured in kilometers. Five to six days are enough to find your walking rhythm, meet people from all over the world, and experience the singular atmosphere of arriving in Santiago. For many people it is the first step – and the beginning of a lifelong love of the Camino.
