I am trying to figure out where to fit the loop of Santiago/Cambados/Combarro in our itinerary and have been trying to determine how much time one might spend between Combarro and Santiago. We like to explore but I think we will spend less time eating and drinking than MM reported in his journal.

Does anyone have a summer estimation as to the time frame of this trip? We might be staying at a farm outside of Ponteareas and try to do this as we return to Santiago airport to meet our group for the horse trip. I think that will be sometime after 3:00.

Hi sel -

Wow! - I was amazed to find someone planning on arriving in Santiago the EXACT same day as I plan to. My 2 sons and I are walking the Camino Fonseca (Salamanca to Santiago) starting approx. June 8th & arrive in Santiago July 2nd.

See you there! -

fupanier

That is realy cool!! How old are your sons?

sel, where did you find out about the horse trip to Santiago? It sounds amazing and it might work for my family's plans at some point.
thanks... esperanza

Sel,

I agree with MadridMan:

Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria, or even Castilla-León seem to be forgotten by most tourists, but there are very beautiful and special places to visit there.

Hey, Esperanza: I don't want to seem like MR. Buttinski, but you might find some info at http://www.galinor.es

>>>That is realy cool!! How old are your sons?

They're 16 & 18. We're having one last adventure before my oldest heads off to college. In 2001 my oldest & I hiked the Camino Frances from Burgos to Santiago. We had a great trip - even with heat (meseta) - cold (mountains) - rain - dog attack - wading through sheep on dusty trails - & a bout with bad water (imagine explaining to a doctor in poor spanish cramps & dysentary - the hand signals were disgusting - but hey - he wrote me out a prescription & didn't charge me!). We also met great people - saw beautiful scenery - had great food - drank some fantastic wine (& beer) - & earned our pilgrim Compostela - It was a wonderful way of seeing the northern Spanish country-side.

I'm looking forward to this next route, 300 miles from the southeast. Hopefully I work harder at getting in shape this time - it took me awhile to get my "legs" last time (by the way, I won't)

Since it's a holy year it's going to be very crowded in Santiago. If you want to stay in the old town - especially if budgeting, be sure to reserve ahead -

A horse trip sounds like a great way to see Galicia -

Buen Camino!

fupanier

http://www.turismo-rural.com/castelo/

This website gives you a variety of horseback rides. Also, the granja de castelo link on the left side of this page looks like an interesting country home located south of Pontevedra where we might spend a couple nights.

Since my husband cannot go on this trip, I will be traveling solo with our 19 year old daughter and 14 year old son. Our daughter is skipping the two weeks of school in Málaga and just joining us for the Galicia portion. It is always a challenge to try to connect all the dots!

Slowly but surely the trip is beginning to take shape. A TA at Ohio State who is from Santiago has been giving me some valuable information about overlooked 'must do things' and I continue to read all the info on this site. It seems as though there are not as many inexpensive places to stay in this part of Spain and that fewer places are internet connected.

After Christmas I will begin working again on the trip and probably start booking some of the places I have uncovered.

sel -

Sounds like a great trip - and a fantastic way to generate memories with your kids. My wife isn't making the trip with us either, she doesn't have the legs for it & says that this one's for "the boys".

As with the Camino Frances we'll be spending many of our nights in refugios set up for pilgrims, which cost little (sometimes donation). But they can be very crowded as you get close to Santiago - but on the Frances there were lots of small pensions that were inexpensive along the way - as little as 14 euros for two of us! (shared bath & simple - but clean). I don't know about the route we'll be on - The hardest part as far as cost goes has been watching the dollar collapse - the same trip that we took before would now cost over 25% more today !!!

Best of luck on your planning - I know info can be difficult to track down - which protects the area from being over-run I guess - but look out! - Even Rick Steves is now planning on investigating Santiago & rural Galicia - so our quiet corner of Spain maybe opening up

Take care - & Merry Christmas

Fupanier