A Guarda

The Celtic hillfort on Monte de Santa Tegra is one of the finest archaeological sites in Galicia. The circular stone foundations of dozens of houses are visible across the hilltop, dating to around the 1st century BC. Some houses have been reconstructed with thatched roofs to show how they originally looked. The small museum at the site displays pottery, tools, and metalwork. The views from the summit over the Rio Minho, Caminha, and the Atlantic are magnificent. A taxi up the hill is recommende

A Guarda is famous across Galicia for its seafood, and the harbour restaurants serve it at its freshest. Try the langosta (lobster), the navajas (razor clams), the percebes (goose barnacles), or the grilled fish of the day. The seafood here is some of the best on the entire Camino Portugues. You are now in Galicia. The food is outstanding and it stays that way all the way to Santiago.

If you arrived by boat from Caminha, you have just crossed an international border on the water. You are now in Spain. The clocks have jumped forward one hour. The language has shifted from Portuguese to Galician and Castilian Spanish (though Galician and Portuguese are closely related and you will notice the similarities). The euros are the same but the food, the architecture, and the atmosphere have changed. Take a moment to appreciate the transition. Not many pilgrimages include a river cross

Leaving A Guarda, the Camino follows the coast north towards Oia. The coastline here is rugged, rocky, and wild. Waves crash against granite boulders, small sandy beaches appear between headlands, and the path alternates between coastal tracks and forest sections. This is the Costa da Morte's southern neighbour, and the scenery is dramatic. The walking is relatively flat but the landscape is anything but monotonous.