Day 1: Sarria to Portomarin

I didn’t sleep much last night. The anticipation of the day ahead kept me up and thinking…are we able to do this?

We were officially up at 5 am. Having prepared our luggage and backpacks the night before, we were as ready as we could be. Except, we didn’t listen to expert advice.

We always thought of getting a head start by starting our Camino walk at 5:30 or 6:00 am. The receptionist at our hotel told us that wasn’t a good idea, because it would be pitch black at that time and we were not familiar with the terrain. Did we listen? Of course not! We were officially on our way at 6:00 am in darkness, in the empty streets and forest of Sarria.

At first, we were excited! The quiet and desolate streets of the city seemed friendly enough. But then we reached the outskirts leading to the forested area of Sarria. I’m not one to shy away from anything ominous and spooky. I’m the queen of scary. But, this was different. We were walking on unfamiliar territory, dirt and rocky roads difficult to navigate without ending with a sprained ankle! That would have been the end to our Camino adventure. Into the darkness of the early morning we walked alone, until other pilgrims began to appear.

Once we saw the sunrise, we were well on our way and grateful to be on the Camino.

Buen Camino. We were greeted by all with this simple phrase. The people you meet on this pilgrimage is what makes the experience special. Some have been on the Camino since the beginning, starting in France. You can develop a relationship with other pilgrims in over a month of a 500 mile walk.

We met some interesting people today. The American who now lives in Spain. A kind woman from New Jersey who separated from her group to walk with me. The Frenchman who has walked the Camino five times. My favorite encounter was with a local, who sits on the side of a path and stamps your pilgrim passport for a donation. He uses wax in different colors to make a flag of your country as part of his signature on the stamp. He then places a small wooden heart that says love on the wax. He has pins from every country, and as he meets people, he places a pin in a box to reflect the people he met that day. We introduced ourselves as Cuban Americans. When we told him that he lit up, and began telling us his story, having lived in Cuba for three months when he was young. He gifted us two pins with the Cuban flag. I can only imagine how many people he meets daily. How many stories he’s told.

The Camino route from Sarria to Portomarín takes you through lush forests, rolling hills dotted with farms and quiet countryside filled with wildflowers and medieval buildings made of stone that have survived hundreds of years. I wonder how many pilgrims have taken shelter in these old farmhouses throughout history.

The terrain is challenging with many steep uphill areas, with a mix of gravel paths, dirt roads, and asphalt. The views throughout are spectacular!

When we reached the 100km mark, 100km to Santiago de Compostela, we felt a sense of accomplishment and relief. Our next destination, Portomarin, was a few miles away. We were on the home stretch!

100KM to Santiago de Compostela

Four miles before the end of the walk for today. Four miles doesn’t seem like much, but it took every ounce of will and energy in me to walk these last miles.

Throughout the Camino route there are a few establishments, small restaurants that cater to the pilgrims along the way. We needed some rest after walking for 9 hours. And a little bit of fuel for the remainder of the walk. The Mercadoiro, a small cafe and albergue (hostel), was charming with unforgettable views.

Pulpo – a Galician delicacy.

The final stretch! Onwards to Portomarin. At this point, I’m walking very slowly. My legs feel heavy, tired, and painful.

Portomarin has an interesting history. A charming little town in Galicia, it’s most famous for being a key stop on the Camino.

Originally, the town was right on the Miño River, but when they built the Belesar Reservoir in the 1960s, the entire town had to be moved. Whole buildings were literally lifted and relocated. The church of San Juan, for example, was taken apart stone by stone and reconstructed in the new town.

Portomarín has roots going back to Roman times, but it really started to grow in the Middle Ages, especially because of its spot along the Camino. You can still see remnants of that era today, like the Church of San Nicolás and the beautiful, 12th-century Church of San Juan.

Now, it’s a peaceful spot for pilgrims and tourists alike, with gorgeous views of the reservoir and a lot of history packed into its little streets. If you’re walking the Camino, it’s a must-stop, and even if you’re not, it’s worth checking out for the mix of nature and history.

To enter Portomarin, we crossed a long bridge and found ourselves at the foot of the steep stone stairs leading up to the town. After walking 15 miles, climbing these steps seemed insurmountable. But, we did it! Are we really here? The exhaustion is real! Time to rest before exploring the town. Tomorrow is a very challenging day with a 17 mile walk. I hope we can recover enough to make the journey.

Here’s a 3D video map if the walk. We found this great app called Relive that captures your entire route. You can later add pictures you take along the way.