Lourenzá

Camino de Santiago stage town on Camino del Norte

Vilanova de Lourenzá, usually just called Lourenzá, is the end of the Camino del Norte's first stage in Galicia — about 28–29 km from Ribadeo and the point where the route leaves the sea for good. The stage is long but manageable, with two notable climbs (up to A Ponte de Arante and the final ridge before town) and a stretch of roughly 15 km without services after Vilela, so stock up there; tracks can be muddy after rain. Pilgrims enter over the medieval Ponte da Pedra. The town grew around the Benedictine monastery of San Salvador, founded in 969 by Count Osorio Gutiérrez, the 'Conde Santo'. Its 18th-century church of Santa María has a Baroque façade by Fernando de Casas Novoa, often described as a rehearsal for his Obradoiro façade of Santiago Cathedral, and inside is the Count's early-Christian marble sarcophagus with a small hole where pilgrims traditionally put a finger and make a wish. The monastery also houses the town hall and a Museum of Sacred Art. Lourenzá is famous for its fabas (IGP-protected beans), and there is a Xunta pilgrim albergue plus several private hostels.

• 634 kmfrom route start
• 116 mElevation
• 2 · 1albergues · hotels
• 26 kmfrom Ribadeo
• 23.5 kmto Abadín

Highlights

• End of the first Galician stage from Ribadeo (~28–29 km), where the Norte turns inland
• Monastery of San Salvador, founded in 969 by the 'Conde Santo' Osorio Gutiérrez
• Casas Novoa's Baroque church façade, seen as a rehearsal for Santiago's Obradoiro
• The Conde Santo's sarcophagus: put a finger in the hole and make a wish
• Try the IGP fabas de Lourenzá; Mondoñedo is only about 8–9 km on

Albergues in Lourenzá

• Albergue de Peregrinos da Gracia
• Albergue Castelos

Hotels & guesthouses in Lourenzá

• Pensión Residencia Casa Gloria guesthouse

Lodging names from OpenStreetMap; check availability before you walk.

Stages through Lourenzá

Nearby towns

Nearby stages

Frequently asked questions

Where can I stay in Lourenzá?

2 albergues and 1 hotel in Lourenzá.

How far is Lourenzá from Ribadeo?

26 km from Ribadeo, 23.5 km to Abadín on the Camino del Norte.