The Camino de Santiago Finisterre: All you need to know

Published by

on

Camino de Santiago Finisterre: Picture of the last 0km marker

Are you wondering about walking to Finisterre, also known as the end of the world? Well, you should do it! If you’ve got time at the end of walking one of the other Camino routes, you’re guaranteed to enjoy the walk from Santiago to Finisterre. Here’s our guide to walking from Santiago to Finisterre on the Camino de Santiago Finisterre.

Table of contents

Jump the relevant bit of the article.

  1. Canmino Finisterre FAQs
  2. Camino Finisterre Daily Stages
    1. Day One: Santiago to A Pena 29km
    2. Day Two: A Pena to Logoso 28km
    3. Day Three: Logoso to Finisterre 30km
    4. Walking to Faro de Finisterre
  3. What to pack for the Camino de Santiago Finisterre?
  4. How to get from Finisterre to Santiago by public transport

What is the Camino de Santiago Finisterre?

The Camino de Santiago Finisterre is the only Camino route in Spain that does not end in Santiago. It has it’s own route map, way markers and Albergues. But most people walk to Finisterre after completing another route to Santiago.

Is Finisterre the end of the world?

Finisterre is often referred to as “the edge of the world” (the Latin etymology is Finis Terrea meaning end of the world.) Legend has it that the Romans really did think it was the end of the earth.

It is also described as the most Westerly point of Spain, so lands end. Finisterre is also kind of a big deal in Maritime history and in popular culture (having featured in three movies.)

You’ll hear Finisterre also referred to as Fisterre (The Galician translation.) The Cape of Finisterre (literal edge) is around 3km from Fisterre town, which is important to note when booking Albergues and making your walking plans.

How long does it take to walk the Camino Finisterre?

The Camino Finisterre is the shortest Camino at 90km. It can be walked in 3 days at an average of 30 km per day, or over a long period if you want to walk less than 30km per day.

Who walks the Camino de Santiago Finisterre?

Walking to Finisterre has some interesting connotations. I’d heard various stories. Including “it’s only the hardcore hippies who walk there”, “everyone goes there to burn their bras/passports/shoes” etc.

I also expected that it would be quiet, just a few solitary pilgrims walking on past Santiago and refusing to believe that their Camino was over.

Let me tell you, it is not that! Its mainstream and popular and actually busier than the Norte and Portuguese route combined. I walked it in October, in the pouring rain.

But even as I battled against the elements and carried on West, there were other Pilgrims as far as the eye can see. I did spot a few hardcore hippy types, they all looked equally baffled and imagine were thinking “Dude, this has changed” as they saw coach loads of tourists arrive to the Cape.



Is it worth walking to Finisterre?

It absolutely is worth walking from Santiago to Finisterre. Here’s why:

1. It extends your Camino experience

2. It’s fun and Finisterre itself is a good place to party and celebrate your achievement

3. There are some incredible walking trails and scenic views – better than many days we walked on the Camino Portuguese

4. You will metaphorically reach the end! For many people, arriving in Finisterre feels more emotional than the arrival into Santiago.

Would you like us to plan your walk for you?

Embark on a journey of a lifetime with Lotus Eaters Travel Planning, where we turn your dream of long-distance walking into a meticulously planned reality.

Our passion for exploration, love for diverse cultures, and commitment to providing an unparalleled experience drive us to offer personalized consultation services for some of the world’s most iconic walking trails

Find out more here.

Itinerary for walking the Camino de Santiago Finisterre

As the Camino de Santiago Finisterre is 90km long, you could walk it in 3 or 4 days comfortably. Or longer if you prefer. We had 3 days available so chose to walk roughly 30km each day, which worked really well around Albergues and also lunch stops.

We also chose to stay an extra day in Finisterre so that we could recoup and walk to Faro Finisterre to enjoy the sunset properly.

Camino Finisterre Daily Stages

Map for reference only, please note this does not show the Camino walking path and distances are not accurate.

Day One: Santiago to A Pena 29km

Highlights: Crossing the bridge in Ponte Maciera. Woody trails on the run up to A Pena are stunning.

Route: It’s quite an up and down day with a large hill just on the run up to A Pena. There are around 13km on trails today, which we love. Some small towns on route to replenish for food and drinks before going on the way.

Food and accommodation: We stayed in a private room in A Pena at Albergue Alto Da Pena. It is a cafe/albergue serving yummy food and drinks and a nice clean and restful place to stay just a few steps up from the Camino trail.

Day Two: A Pena to Logoso 28km

Highlights: Stunning day of trails. Highlight definitely the couple of kms into Logoso with views of the river, even in the rain. We also had a stray dog escorting us for around 25km.

Walking the Camino Finisterre
“Finn” the Finisterra Camino Dog

Route: A few small hills but mostly you are already at high elevation for the entire route. 7kms of trails and the rest “road” but many are quiet. Theres a cafe around 6km into the morning for breakfast if you’ve skipped it at the Albergue. Then a few small cafes along the way.

Food and accommodation: We stayed at Albergue O Logoso and it was great. Bunk beds with curtains for around 13 Euros and enjoyed a 3 course dinner with wine for 14 Euros. Home cooked and delicious.



Day Three: Logoso to Finisterre 30km

Highlights: Stunning 13km long trail and finding “Finn” the stray dog in the forest 10km from where we last saw him.

Walking the Camino Finisterre
Reunited with Finn

Route: 13 to 14km after Logoso is on a trail, it’s absolutely stunning but there is nowhere to get food and water. After that, you drop into the coastal path and the route is mostly flat into Finisterre. Plenty of nice cafes and bars on route for lunch.

Vakner on the Camino Finisterre
Look out for the Vakner statue. Legend has it that early Pilgrims Pilgrims in between 1450 – 1490 found the Vakner creatures (pre dating Weerwolves) guarding the route to Finisterre.

Food and Accomodation: Finisterre has a Municpal Albergue that is central to town. We stayed at Albergue La Paz, which is cheap and comfortable. For food, we liked the Menu Del Dia at Rombos restaurant. There are a few late night bars for partying.

Walking to Faro de Finisterre

The end of the land, or the tip of Finisisterre is actually 3km from the centre of town. The Albergues and most hotels are in the town (although one solitary hotel is built at the end of Cape.)

The walk up has a sturdy path, with incredible views of the coast as you meander up. There’s a lovely bar at the top and a few souvenir shops (yes, seriously!)

Our tip – pack a picnic and head up to watch sunset! Don’t be in a rush, take your time up there and enjoy!

What to pack for the Camino de Santiago Finisterre?

Packing for this Camino is much like packing for the the Camino routes. However, do be aware that the weather near to the coast can turn pretty quickly. It’s a good idea to have an extra layer and a rain coat to walk the Camino de Santiago Finisterre.

You can find our packing lists here:

We’ve also answered some key questions about packing for the Camino here:

How to get from Finisterre to Santiago by public transport

You could walk of course! The arrows mostly point you all the way back to Santiago.

Alternatively, book a bus through Monbus.es. They run around 4 to 5 times per day, take 3 hours and cost 7 Euros.

If you have more time in Santiago to enjoy, check our guide to visiting Santiago de Compostela here.


<- READ ALL CAMINO POSTS


Read more Camino

Loading…

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.


Most of our planning is done using other blogs, but you can’t beat a guide book at the bottom of your case.

Find them here on Amazon.




CHECK LATEST FLIGHTS

ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Please note that some links on our website are partnered with affiliates. Using an affiliate links does not make it more expensive for you to purchase. We receive a small commission whenever you buy something which in turn allows us to keep writing independent travel guides and your support is greatly appreciated.



9 responses to “The Camino de Santiago Finisterre: All you need to know”

  1. Mark Stevens avatar

    Great blog guys

  2. Meteoedu avatar

    The end of the old world

  3. brilliantviewpoint avatar

    Beautiful! Thanks for sharing photos, your story, etc.

    1. lotuseaters.travel avatar

      Thanks so much Brilliantviewpoint. Your comment means a lot.

      1. brilliantviewpoint avatar

        Absolutely, YOU could be a tour guide with all of your knowledge or write a travel guide.

      2. lotuseaters.travel avatar

        We’ve only written one book on the Camino de Santiago so far. The ‘Camino Survival guide’ on Amazon. We want to get out a couple more by spring.

      3. brilliantviewpoint avatar

        That’s great. A Survival Guide is good, helps people know what to do, where to go, what to bring, etc.

  4. […] Camino Finisterre 0.5% […]

  5. […] many talk about feeling that they never “arrived” and want to continue, perhaps on to Finisterre. As soon as you do finish and return home, there can be a creeping feeling when it hits you that […]

Discover more from LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading