So you have arrived in Santiago, but it doesn’t feel like the end just yet. Maybe you’re not quite ready to stop walking. Maybe you need a few more days to let it all sink in. If so, you should consider the Camino Finisterre, the Camino to the End of the World, the Way to the Sea. The Camino Finisterre is a beautiful extension that takes you all the way to the Atlantic coast. It’s about three days at a good pace, or four if you prefer to take it easy. I absolutely love this route. After the intensity of arriving in Santiago, it feels like the perfect way to decompress and reflect on it all.
The path winds through a landscape steeped in Celtic culture, quiet forests, ancient hórreos, fields of corn and sunflowers, narrow country lanes, and small farms. It’s unhurried, beautiful, and, after everything you’ve just walked, exactly what you need.
The whole route follows an ancient pre-Christian pilgrim path, tracking the Milky Way to the Atlantic coast and the end of the known world. Some walkers head to Finisterre, others split off and follow the path to Muxía, while many choose to walk to one and then continue on to the other. The Camino Finisterre even has its own official certificate, which you can pick up at the tourist office or the municipal albergue in Finisterre. So let’s get started on this magnificent route.
Santiago
90 km (55 miles) to Finisterre
Leaving Santiago is straightforward. Stand in the main square facing the cathedral, then turn around so it’s behind you. Walk across the square and exit opposite where you entered, with the Parador on your right, and head down the steps at Rúa das Hortas. After a few hundred metres, veer left, and you’ll pick up the familiar yellow arrows.
As with so many cities on the Camino, the way out of Santiago feels so much calmer and more peaceful than the way in; there are no long stretches of industrial suburbs to pass through, no airport to circle. Instead, you will find yourself walking on shaded country trails almost immediately. After about half an hour, you reach a lovely viewpoint where you can look back over Santiago, with the cathedral glowing in the morning light.
Ventosa
80 km (50 miles) to Finisterre
From here, you will walk on quiet roads and forest paths. Along the way, you’ll pass through a few tiny hamlets and spot plenty of hórreos. As you walk with a skip in your step, it feels like you’re starting a whole new adventure. If this was your first Camino, you probably started in St Jean full of trepidation, but this time around you feel like a confident, seasoned veteran already carrying the knowledge of the ways of the road. You’ll also meet like-minded pilgrims who’ve arrived in Santiago from all sorts of different routes, so there’s plenty of time to swap stories, compare notes and maybe even start planning your next Camino.
After about 10 km, you will descend into Ventosa, a small, sleepy village. Just off to the left as you enter the village, you’ll see A Casa do Boi (House of the Ox), a lovely café and albergue; a great place for a morning coffee. It’s also a popular stop for walkers doing shorter stages, and I even met a few pilgrims who stayed there instead of Santiago, choosing to collect their credential in the city and then continue on to spend the night in this quiet little spot.
As you leave the village, you’ll pass another nice little stop, Café 79km, and then there is a bit of a climb. Nothing too difficult,
Ponte Maceira
73 km (48 miles) to Finisterre
Continue along a lovely stretch through quiet forest paths and rolling countryside, passing small farms and streams. The view opens up on the approach to Ponte Maceira, revealing the River Tambre and its stunning medieval bridge. It’s easy to see why it’s considered one of Spain’s prettiest villages, with old stone houses, watermills, and a peaceful, timeless feel.
Right by the bridge, there’s a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the river, perfect for a cold drink or a proper Galician meal while you take in the view. Crossing that bridge into the village feels like walking straight into a postcard.
Negreira
69 km (43 miles) to Finisterre
Leaving Ponte Maceira, the path follows the river for a bit before climbing gently toward Negreira. It’s a pleasant walk, passing through shaded lanes and open countryside with the occasional farmhouse and barking dog in the distance.
Negreira is a busy little town of around 8,000 people, a working Galician town with a mix of modern streets and older stone buildings, and good services including bars, bakeries and supermarkets. It’s pleasant enough, if a little nondescript, and there isn’t much to say about it. It does have one little claim to fame, though, in Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, a soldier names it as his birthplace. A completely useless fact, I know, but I couldn’t resist mentioning it.
Negreira is a natural first-night stop for most pilgrims, as it’s about 22 km from Santiago and the next place you will find a bed is 8km further on. You’ll find plenty of albergues here, including the popular Albergue San José, which has a lovely garden out back. It’s also worth stocking up on supplies and taking out some cash, as it’s the last proper town you’ll pass through for the next few days.
A Pena
61 km (38 miles) to Finisterre
That said, I always prefer the smaller villages and hamlets on the Camino, and even a town like Negreira, with its few traffic lights, can feel a bit too busy for me. So instead, I like to push on through the woods for another 8km to the lovely little hamlet of A Pena.
You leave Negreira through the old archway of the Pazo de Cotón and pass the church of San Julián after about a kilometre. From there, the path climbs gently through quiet lanes and stretches of forest. As the bustle of Negreira fades, you wander through farmland and small hamlets like San Mamede before reaching A Pena.
The Albergue A Pena suddenly appears on your left through a little gate. I almost missed it at first. I wandered up the path and found this lovely, rustic place surrounded by fields, with that unmistakable smell of the countryside. In the morning, you’ll hear roosters crowing and the world waking up slowly around you. They serve a wonderful communal dinner here, maybe the first one you’ve joined since the Camino got busy, way back around Sarria. When I stayed, it started with lentil and chorizo soup, followed by a hearty pasta dish and plenty of wine.
There is also the Albergue Rectoral in the hamlet, and those staying here are invited to join the communal meal. The village here is definitely one of my favourite places to stay.
Santa Mariña
48 km (30 miles) to Finisterre
Continue on forest tracks and quiet country roads for about 4 km to Vilaserío. There’s a lovely albergue here called Casa Vella, a traditional country house with hammocks swinging in the garden, flowers everywhere, and a relaxed, hippy vibe. It looks like a great place to stay. From there, keep going another 5 or 6 km to Santa Marina, where you’ll find a small café called Casa Pepe, which also has an albergue. Not far beyond here, you’ll pass Albergue Santa María. This place gets excellent reviews, especially for its communal meal; the only downside is that it sits along a fairly busy road.
Olveiroa
35 km (22 miles) to Finisterre
Continue on, and at around the 45 km mark to Finisterre, the road splits in two; the main path continues to the right, and the complementary route heads left. We decided to stick with the main trail.
At first, I was a bit worried that maybe the complementary route was created to avoid a busy road or less scenic stretch, but there was no need to worry. The main path was beautiful, though a little demanding in parts as you climb up Monte Aro. It’s a steep hill, the highest point (1300 ft) on the Camino Finisterre, with a viewing platform at the top.
After descending from Monte Aro, you will pass through a number of small hamlets, including Lago, where you will find the highly recommended buzzing Albergue Monte Aro.
Eventually, you reach Olveiroa, a small village of about a hundred people and, it seems, almost as many hórreos. There are a handful of bars and cafés, a few private albergues, and an old-school, municipal one. The hospitalero doesn’t arrive until the evening, but the door is open, so just let yourself in and make yourself at home. Olveiroa is a perfectly good place to stop, but I like to press on, tempted by stories of a magical little hamlet just beyond.
Logoso
31 km (20 miles) to Finisterre
Just a few kilometres past Olveiroa waits one of my favourite places to stay on the entire Camino Finisterre: Logoso. It’s a bit of a climb to get there, but absolutely worth it. The hamlet appears quite suddenly, tucked into what feels like a clearing in the woods, little more than a handful of houses. The albergue is family-run, and it shows. Everyone seems to be involved, bustling about and keeping things moving with infectious energy.
About 500 metres past the albergue, there’s a well-signposted spot on the river that’s perfect for dipping your feet or taking a quick swim before dinner. This is definitely one of those places I’d highly recommend staying at.
The Great Divide
29 km (18 miles) to Finisterre
A few kilometres after Logoso, you’ll come to a roundabout that’s known among pilgrims as the Great Divide. This is where the Camino splits; left takes you to Finisterre and right leads you to Muxía.
The Finisterre route is by far the most popular; probably 90% of walkers go that way. It brings you down through the town of Cee, and finally on to Finisterre with its iconic lighthouse and incredible sunsets.
And if you’re after a quieter, more reflective final day, the Muxía route is pure magic too. It finishes at the beautiful church of Nosa Señora da Barca, perched on the rocks facing the wild Atlantic, next stop, Boston!
It’s hard to choose between them. If you have the time, the best option is to walk to both, Finisterre first, then continue to Muxía. You won’t regret it.
Finisterre Option – Cee
12 km (8 miles) to Finisterre
So let’s start with the busier Finisterre route. Veer left at the roundabout and follow the main road for about 300 meters before turning off onto a trail on the right. From here, you’re in for a lovely stretch of peaceful walking. For the next 12 kilometres or so, the path stays well away from traffic, winding through open countryside and quiet forest tracks before a steep descent off the plateau and suddenly the Atlantic comes into view below, a stunning moment after so many inland days.
Keep your eyes open, as somewhere along this forest path you’ll come face to face with the Vákner, a towering 5-metre statue of a werewolf lurking at a crossroads in the trees. The legend of this mythical beast dates back to the 15th century, when an Armenian Archbishop returning from Finisterre brought back tales of a terrifying creature stalking these woods. The only buildings you’ll pass are a couple of small chapels until you finally reach the outskirts of Cee.
Cee itself is a fine little seaside town, with plenty of cafés, shops, and a good handful of albergues to choose from. Many pilgrims stop here to grab a swim in the bay, or enjoy a plate of fresh seafood before continuing on toward Finisterre.
Leaving Cee, continue towards Corcubión, an easy, flat walk along the waterfront with the sea right beside you. Corcubión is another lovely old fishing town with cobbled streets, stone houses, a small church, and a few good cafés.
After Corcubión, the trail climbs steadily through pine forest and quiet hillside paths. The views back over the bay are fantastic. You’ll pass a couple of tiny hamlets on the way and a very special donativo albergue in San Roque, simple, peaceful, and full of heart.
From there, the path begins a gentle descent back toward the coast. When you reach Sardiñeiro, the sea is once again right beside you. From here it’s an easy, beautiful walk along sandy tracks and small lanes all the way to Finisterre, with sea just to your left the whole way.
Finisterre
0 km to Finisterre
Finisterre, or Fisterra in Galician, comes from the Latin Finis Terrae, meaning “end of the earth.” Long before Christianity, people came here to watch the sun sink into the ocean, believing they were standing at the very edge of the known world. Today, it’s a charming, unhurried little fishing harbour where the smell of the sea is never far away.
On the pier, you’ll find the town’s working fish market, which you must visit. Boats bring in fresh fish and shellfish each afternoon, and you can watch the day’s catch being auctioned through a large glass viewing area off in the traditional way, with local fishmongers and restaurant owners bidding on fresh sardines, mussels, octopus, and whatever else the Atlantic has delivered. Then, in the evening, pull up a chair at one of the harbour restaurants and enjoy it all over again on a plate. The auction starts at 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, and it costs just €2 to get in.
Finisterre is packed with good places to eat, from seafood restaurants to cafés and bars. There’s a lovely little bohemian café, La Frontena, in the middle of town, open for breakfast and brunch, with a real Goa feel and an eclectic mix of customers. If you want to keep the bohemian vibe going into the evening, there’s The World Family, a funky little place painted in psychedelic colours. And for dinner, one of my favourites is the quirky Etel & Pan, known for its artisan burgers and sandwiches, homemade hummus and local craft beers.
Finisterre also has plenty of places to stay. I really liked Albergue de Sonia, but there are loads of other good options around town, from simple pilgrim hostels to small hotels and guesthouses.
From the centre of Finisterre, it’s still about three kilometres to the 0 km marker at the lighthouse. It’s all uphill, but it’s worth every step; the views are incredible, especially if you catch the sunset. And if you have the budget, there’s O Semáforo, a tiny five-room hotel right beside the lighthouse. It would be a pretty spectacular place to spend your final night on the Camino. It’s expensive, but not crazy expensive.
Muxía Option – Dumbria
23 km (14 miles) to Finisterre
So let’s backtrack to the roundabout at the Great Divide and take the Muxía Option. At the roundabout, take the right option and follow the road toward Dumbría. Dumbría is a small, pleasant village with a couple of cafés and a nice church where I went to Sunday Mass. There is also a very impressive and remarkably modern albergue in town, though being so close to Muxía leaves it tragically under-used. Funding came from billionaire Amancio Ortega, founder of the clothing chain Zara and Spain’s richest man.
Muxía
0 KM to Muxía
The walk from Dumbría to Muxía is very quiet and peaceful. It starts off through shady woodland and country tracks, gently descending toward the coast. You pass through a few small hamlets, some with cafés where you can stop for a break. Along the way, you’ll also come across the longest hórreo on the entire Camino. By this stage, we’d all become a little obsessed with hórreos, so seeing the biggest one felt oddly exciting.
After a few hours, the trees begin to thin out and, about 7 km before Muxía, you suddenly catch your first glimpse of the sea. There have been two moments on the Camino when the view brought a tear to my eye. The first was on Monte do Gozo, when I first saw the spires of the Cathedral in the distance, sharing the same experience Christian pilgrims have had for over a thousand years. The second was here, seeing the Atlantic for the first time, knowing that for even longer, Celtic and Roman pilgrims reached this very same spot, and I was sharing that same mix of excitement and gratitude they must have felt, as they first met the end of the earth.
Even though you can see the sea, there’s still about 7 km more hiking to go before reaching Muxía. The path rolls up and down a few small hills, and a few kilometres before town, you’ll pass the 12th-century Monastery of San Julián de Moraime on your left. I took a few minutes to explore it and learned with fascination that Vikings sacked and burned it to the ground in the 10th and 11th centuries. Funny, I’d never really connected the Vikings with Spain, but I guess their reach was far and wide. After that, it’s a gentle final descent before you walk along the wooden boardwalks leading right into Muxía.
You have to visit the Church of Our Lady of the Boat; it’s the perfect place to end your Camino. The church is simply stunning, built right onto the rocks and looking straight out to sea. If you’ve seen the film The Way, this is where Tom scatters his son’s ashes. It used to open only for Mass, but when I visited in 2025, a wonderful new touch had been added: gentle choir music plays as you approach, making the place feel even more magical. The church stands on ancient holy ground, long before it became Christian, and it’s such a moving, reflective spot, gazing out over the wild Atlantic on the Costa da Morte (Coast of death), with nothing between you and America but open ocean.
There are plenty of places to stay in Muxía, including the municipal albergue, Albergue Arribada, and Albergue Bela, all clean and comfortable, if a bit on the functional side. There are also plenty of good places to eat. Down by the pier and in the little streets behind it, you’ll find cafés and restaurants serving some of the freshest seafood you’ll have on the Camino, grilled sardines, pulpo, scallops, and whatever came in from the boats that morning.
Whether you take the route to Muxía or Finisterre, I really recommend continuing on to walk the other; it’s about 30km between the two on the Camino path, and I really believe that it is the perfect way to complete your Camino. You can find a quick guide to that route here.
When your journey finally comes to an end, and it’s time to say goodbye, you can catch a bus back to Santiago from either town with Monbus. They run a couple of times a day. Check the website for current schedules, and a little tip: book your ticket in advance, especially in high season, as these buses do sometimes sell out.
Finally, people often ask me about shorter Caminos, something they can do in about a week to get a taste of the experience. Most think of the Sarria to Santiago route, but I’d really recommend this one too, as the Camino Finisterre stands perfectly on its own as well. Some people make it a seven-day walk, taking three days to reach Finisterre, one day from Finisterre to Muxía, and then three more days to walk back to Santiago.
Thanks! I love those places. The walk between Muxia and Finisterre is also amazing! There is also now a Camino de Faros that goes from lighthouse to lighthouse along the coast!!! So many choices!
Thank you so much. I so want to do it, but not sure my knees will cooperate. I could take it super slow, have no time constraints to speak of.
This is awesome! I’m even more motivated and excited now!!!
I added Santiago to Finisterre and it was one part of the best experience for sure.