DAY 8: 28 km

Caldas de Reis to Teo

I soared along on my second-to-last day. Birds, butterflies and flowers livened up the trail and I felt thankful for the experience. This hike is truly good for the soul.

Teo to Santiago de Compostela

On the last day, every step was pure joy. I could see the cathedral rising up from far away, but it disappeared from view when I entered the town, suddenly to reappear right in front of me. It’s a magnificent building, with roots that go back to the dawn of Christianity. I sat on the steps for about an hour, taking it all in, then I went inside for the special service delivered at noon every day for pilgrims and tourists. It was surreal. I’d done it. is also much lighter if you don’t have to carry a sleeping bag or a towel. During my visit, guesthouse accommodation cost about €35 per person (about R600), compared to €5 (R85) at a hostel. I booked accommodation in Lisbon, Porto and Santiago beforehand. On the trail, I used booking.com to find a bed depending on how far I wanted to hike on the given day. That’s one of the bonuses of hiking in spring: In summer you have to book all your accommodation beforehand. Food? You can buy food from supermarkets along the way (budget about €15 per person per day, about R250) or you can eat in restaurants (budget about €25 per person per day, about R430). Most menus are in Portuguese, Spanish and English so that pilgrims can understand them.

Siesta time… Many shops and restaurants in Portugal and Spain close from 4 pm to 8 pm. Bear this in mind if you want to hit the sack early.