Ponferrada, capital of the Bierzo region, is an uncrowded starting point for walking the final 200 kilometres of the Camino Frances to Santiago: nine stages, just over a week. It has a train station on the Madrid\u2013Galicia line and bus connections, and the Camino passes right by its Templar castle. Starting here lets you walk the whole Galician stretch with a couple of Bierzo days added on beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From Ponferrada to Santiago it’s about 205 kilometres over 9 stages: the Bierzo valley among vineyards, the climb to O Cebreiro, and then inland Galicia through Sarria, Portomar\u00edn and Arz\u00faa. With your pilgrim credential stamped daily \u2014 twice a day from Sarria onward, in the last 100 kilometres \u2014 you qualify for the Compostela. The full Camino Frances, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, is covered in our guide to all 34 stages<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe 9 Stages from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela<\/h3>\n\n\n\n