OUR WAY

 27th May 2025

Day 29 - O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela

We made it, all 779 km!

We got a good night's sleep – there seems to be a correlation between the size of the dorm and the volume of snoring: the bigger the dorm, the quieter it is.

First to rise at 5:30am, we’d finished breakfast and were ready to leave by 6, with only one other person having surfaced.

Heading out of the village through the woods with headtorch on, we joined a steady trickle of pilgrims. A few passed us, we passed plenty. We resisted the temptation to stop at the early cafés – one after ten minutes, another at an hour – and held out until 10 km in, roughly halfway. Just coffee though – the cake was €5 a slice.

Just 10 km to go

The final two hours were easy walking, first through the suburbs of Santiago, then into the old town. With a napolitano de chocolate in hand (and then in stomach), we followed the narrow streets, under the archway and past the bagpiper into the Plaza do Obradoiro, in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela – the end of the Camino. 779 km in 29 days. We took the obligatory photos, congratulated each other, then walked over to the Centro Internacional de Acollida ó Peregrino to collect our free Compostela. A total of 2230 pilgrims arrived in Santiago today.

Queueing for our Compostella certificate

The Compostela is a certificate of completion for those who walk at least the final 100 km of the Camino. We also received a distance certificate that included the number of days walked and total distance – this one cost €3.

We’d heard about the Cotolaya certificate, which is issued by the Igrexa de San Francisco to pilgrims who show their stamped credential. We went to investigate and were told to be persistent – to knock if the door didn’t open. There was a bell, but nobody answered at first. It all felt slightly odd.

Cotolaya certificate

The Credencial, or pilgrim passport, is stamped along the route and is necessary to prove the journey and qualify for the Compostela.

We returned to the Cathedral (we’ll visit properly tomorrow when it’s quieter) and headed down one of the touristy side streets in search of food. We ended up at Burger King – cheaper than anywhere else, nearly empty, and offering €1 ice cream cones. Needless to say, we each had more than one.

It was a 15-minute walk to our accommodation – Albergue Seminario Menor da Asunción – a spacious former seminary now housing 254 beds. We each got a single room (the doubles were fully booked) – only our second non-dorm experience on the Camino.

Our home for the night

After the usual shower and proper clothes wash, we spent time exploring the city and sitting in the Plaza do Obradoiro, reflecting on the journey so far.

Plaza do Obradoiro & Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Tomorrow is our first rest day – and our first lie-in in 29 days. We’re not sure if we’ll actually manage it or find ourselves awake at 5:30am, itching to go for a walk. Either way, the day after we’ll be back on the trail, heading to Finisterre – the “end of the world.” Just another 85 km. So keep reading – the blog continues.

Where we stayed
Albergue do Seminario Menor da Asunción
€28 single room (shared bathroom)
Hand washing, line drying. Washing machine & dryer. Good kitchen, dining area, outside area, huge building, great views
Our rating 9/10