Albergue Folgueira

Albergue Folgueira sits at the entrance to Portomarín, making it one of the first stops pilgrims reach after the long descent into town. Its position on the Rúa de Chantada puts it within easy walking distance of the main square and the town's landmark church of San Nicolás, which was famously dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt on higher ground when the old town was flooded by the Belesar reservoir in the 1960s.

The hostel accommodates 32 pilgrims across its 2-star rated facilities, with a practical setup aimed at walkers who want to cook, rest, and sort their gear. The full kitchen with cookware means pilgrims can prepare their own meals, a welcome option at the end of a stage. Laundry machines, a dryer, and an outdoor clothesline address the perennial problem of wet or dirty kit. Heating and WiFi add to the comfort level, and the secure indoor bike parking is worth noting for cyclists making the Camino by bike rather than on foot.

Portomarín itself is a town with an unusual history. The original settlement now lies beneath the waters of the Embalse de Belesar, submerged after the dam was completed in 1962. In dry years or during periods of low water, the foundations of the old bridge and buildings occasionally reappear, offering a strange glimpse of the drowned town below.