Lugo

The complete circuit of the Roman wall takes about 45 minutes and is one of the finest walks in any city on the Camino. The wall is over 10 metres high and 4 metres wide, with 71 towers and 10 gates. You can access the top from several staircases around the circuit. From the wall, the view into the old town reveals rooftops, church towers, and gardens, while the view outward stretches across the Galician countryside. The wall has stood here for nearly 2,000 years. Walking on top of it, you are w

The Catedral de Santa Maria de Lugo was begun in the 12th century and has been modified many times since. The Romanesque bones are visible beneath Gothic vaulting and a Baroque facade. Inside, look for the carved wooden choir stalls and the chapel of the Virxe dos Ollos Grandes (Virgin of the Large Eyes), the patron of the city. The cathedral is quieter and less crowded than Santiago and has a genuine, workaday spirituality.

The Rua Nova, known locally as the Calle de los Vinos, is a narrow street near the cathedral lined with tapas bars. The tradition here is simple and generous: order a drink (a small beer costs around 1.20 euros) and a free tapa arrives with it. The tapas vary from bar to bar, so the local custom is to move from one to the next, sampling as you go. On weekends the street is packed with locals. This is one of the best eating experiences on the entire Camino Primitivo.

The remains of the Roman thermal baths are located near the wall and offer a glimpse into daily life in Lucus Augusti. The complex includes changing rooms, heated pools, and the engineering that made Roman bathing culture possible. The baths are modest in comparison to the wall, but they reinforce the sense that Lugo was once a city of genuine importance in the Roman Empire.

Many Primitivo pilgrims take a rest day in Lugo, and for good reason. You have walked over 200 km through some of the most demanding terrain on any Camino route. Your body needs time to recover. Lugo has enough to fill a full day: the wall, the cathedral, the museums, the food. Sleep in. Wash your clothes properly. Eat three good meals. Walk the wall at sunset. Tomorrow, the Camino continues, and you will be ready.