Camino Via de la Plata

The Via de la Plata, or Silver Way, is one of the oldest and least-travelled roads to Santiago de Compostela. Rooted in the Roman roads that once connected southern Spain to the north, the full route stretches nearly 1,000 kilometres from Seville. This experience joins the trail at Ourense for the final stretch through the green heart of Galicia, finishing at the cathedral steps in Santiago de Compostela.

Ourense sets the tone from the start. The city's thermal springs have been soothing pilgrims for centuries, and its Roman bridge and cobbled old town make for a compelling introduction to the history that lines every kilometre ahead. From here, the route winds through eucalyptus forests, quiet stone villages and rolling farmland, passing the magnificent 12th-century Cistercian Monastery of Santa María de Oseira tucked into its peaceful valley.

Chosen by fewer than two percent of all pilgrims, this is the Camino at its most quietly rewarding. The pace is unhurried, the countryside is genuine, and the arrival into Santiago through the city's last remaining medieval gateway is an experience the busier routes simply cannot offer.