Finisterre way / Camino Fisterra

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Finistere Way 6 Days/5 Nights, Half Board, hotels en-suite, year round, From €490 Walk From Santiago de Compostela to Cape Finisterre - 90km.

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The Jacobean pilgrimage as such comes to an end in the city of Santiago de Compostela. However, dating back almost to the discovery of the tomb of Saint James the Apostle (9th century) at a site where the cosmopolitan city now stands, many of the pilgrims, from both the Iberian Peninsula and elsewhere, decided to extend their journey to the Costa da Morte ("Coast of Death"), located in the westernmost part of Galicia, looking out onto the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The reasons that have inspired this tradition are many – all different, but somehow linked – and they have given rise to the route known as the Fisterra — Muxia Way.

For the people of ancient times – and indeed up until the late Middle Ages – the Costa da Morte was the last redoubt of explored land in the westernmost part of continental Europe; the final stretch of an itinerary traced in the sky by the Milky Way; a mythical and symbolic place whose most extreme point was dominated by the impressive mass of Cabo Fisterra ("Cape Finisterre"). It was a place rich in pagan rites and rituals, an awe-inspiring site for the Romans (2nd century BC) who marvelled when they saw the mighty sun vanish into the sea.

Nonetheless, the Christianisation of the pagan traditions of Fisterra was a process that had taken root by the middle of the first millennium. From the 12th century onwards, the Calixtine Codex associated these lands with the pilgrimage tradition. This renowned codex tells the story of how the disciples of Saint James journeyed to the obsolete city of Dugium in present-day Fisterra, seeking authorisation from a Roman legion to bury the apostle at a site where Compostela stands today. The Romans, suspicious of their motives, threw them into prison. However, the disciples eventually managed to escape. With the Roman troops in pursuit, the disciples crossed over a bridge which then collapsed under the weight of the soldiers.

Yet the interconnectedness of Galicia's Land's End with Santiago is rooted, above all, in the many spiritual histories of the area. Not only did it offer the ancient pilgrims a view of the end of the known world, but it was also the birthplace of two of the most popular cults in Galicia. The first is the Holy Christ in Fisterra, which was described by 16th-century scholar Moline in the following way; "at this spot gather the most devout of the pilgrims who come to worship the Apostle". After they had visited Santiago, the pilgrims were drawn by the possibility of being able to prostrate themselves before the son of God in this remote place. The second cult is that of the Virgin of A Barca, in the nearby coastal town of Muxia. According to a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, the Virgin Mary came to this beautiful spot in a "stone boat" to encourage Saint James in his preaching. It is this event that links Muxia with Zaragoza and the Virgin del Pilar.

The Fisterra — Muxia Way is frequently referred to in odeporic literature, surpassed only by the French Way. The oldest story is that of George Grissaphan, a Magyar knight from the 14th century. The story recounts his adventures as a pilgrim and hermit in Fisterra. In the late 15th century, the Polish pilgrim, Nicholas von Popplau, journeyed to Muxia after having visited Compostela. He described the remains of the "wrecked ship, made of genuine stone" belonging to the Virgin Mary. On his pilgrimage from Italy, the Venetian traveller, Bartolommeo Fontana (16th century), visited Fisterra, and reported that those who were free of mortal sin could move the stones of the ship of Muxia with just one finger. Domenico Laffi (17th century), a clergyman and scholar from Bologna, also journeyed to Fisterra. He wrote of the lighthouse guiding the sailors to safety through turbulent waters in the area.

The preceding paragraphs recount the interesting features of this pilgrimage route, which is unique in that, unlike all the others, its starting point is in the city of Santiago. Consequently, the final destinations are Cape Fisterra and the Sanctuary of A Barca, some 89 and 87 kilometers from Santiago.

Stages of the camino Fisterra

This is the list of the sections and stages of our Walking holidays on the Camino Fisterra (Finisterre Way). Click on the Camino section to go directly to the walking holiday.