8 things to do in Northwest Spain - beyond hiking the Camino de Santiago

06.11.2024 - 20:35 / lonelyplanet.com

Nov 6, 2024 • 9 min read

On a cliffside in Fisterra, Spain, I sipped orujo de hierbas (herbal brandy) while victorious hikers rested on rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Yet unlike those tourists with battered clothes and stamped Pilgrim Passports, I hadn’t arrived at Spain’s Costa da Morte by foot. Rather, I was road-tripping across the Camino de Santiago, one of the world's most popular pilgrimage routes. 

While the Camino splinters into multiple paths with various starting points, the Camino Frances ranks as the most popular track. It intersects with the Spanish regions of Galicia and Castilla y León, which widely appeal to hikers in search of spiritual clarity, a sense of accomplishment, or, quite simply, a nice, long walk. 

Northwest Spain, however, is far more than its trails. The Way of St. James pairs the landscapes of Green Spain with Gothic cathedrals, family-run wineries and longstanding traditions that range from the crafty to the spooky. Here, you’ll find eight reasons why Galicia and Castilla y León warrant a pilgrimage in their own right — with or without your hiking boots. 

While the Camino technically ends in Santiago de Compostela, many pilgrims extend their journeys further west to Muxía and Fisterra, fittingly nicknamed “the end of the world” as one of mainland Spain’s westernmost points. Because I was traveling by car, I visited both locations in one scenic day, breaking up the drive with a stop at the Ézaro waterfall. The peaceful landscape counts as Europe’s only river to meet the ocean via waterfall.

Also leading to the world’s end is the quaint fishing town of Muros, where curious dolphins frequently surface in the harbor. 

Planning tip: Access to the waterfall is both free and straightforward; there’s a parking lot with a boardwalk that leads to Ézaro, as well as bathrooms, food stands and kiosks to stamp your pilgrim passport. A little ways away, the Mirador de Ézaro overlooks the coastline, with sweeping vistas that demonstrate where, exactly, the river meets the sea. 

For an experience that’s truly off the beaten path, head to the Ribeira Sacra: a dramatic wine landscape known for the production of Mencía. Divided by a series of rivers, the Ribeira Sacra’s steep mountains contain sloping vineyards that are best explored by boat. 

I took a boat tour that drifted along the Miño River before stopping at a riverfront wine cellar. There, I savored a lunch of chestnut jamón, Galician-style empanadas, and, of course, plenty of red wine. Some boat tours serve wine onboard, while others – particularly those near the Sil Canyon – beckon to birdwatchers with peregrine falcons and the occasional golden eagle.

Planning tip: Pricing and hours for boat experiences depend on your length of