---
title: "Palas de Rei → Arzúa"
description: "Third Sarria–Santiago stage: 28.5 km, the longest and most demanding of the stretch. It goes through Melide, where the Camino Francés joins the Primitivo."
url: https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/stages-sarria-santiago/palas-de-rei-arzua
locale: en
---

# Palas de Rei → Arzúa

Stage 3 of 5

28.5 kilometres, the longest day of the stretch, with a reward halfway: the octopus of Melide, where the Francés meets the Camino Primitivo.

[By Cesar Rodriguez · local guide](https://santiago.es/en/author)

![Fachada románica de la iglesia parroquial de San Tirso en Palas de Rei, en una mañana soleada](https://santiago.es/img/palas-de-rei.jpg)

[© Calimerojoseluis · CC BY-SA 3.0 es](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iglesia_Parroquial_Palas_de_Rei.JPG)

**Palas de Rei–Arzúa stage card**

| Distance | Approx. time | Elevation | Difficulty |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 28.5 km | ~6h45 | +491 m / −653 m | 3 of 5 |

It is the longest of the five stages and, in practice, the hardest too: there are no mountain passes, but the profile is a constant up and down over the streams that cross the route, above all in the second half, after Melide. The sharpest pull, shortly before getting there, is the one at **O Coto**.

## The route, village by village

You pass San Xulián do Camiño (with the Albergue O Abrigadoiro, 15 €), A Graña (bar), Ponte Campaña (Albergue Casa Domingo, 15 €) and Casanova, which has its own pilgrim hostel at 10 € — this is the village sometimes confused with [the 100 km marker](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/last-100-km), which is really three stages back. After O Coto, with its rural inn, come Leboreiro, with a church and a fountain, and Furelos, where you cross the river on a medieval bridge at the entrance to the village.

Melide: where the Primitivo joins

In the Plaza del Convento in Melide, around kilometre 14-15 from Palas de Rei, the Camino Francés joins the **Camino Primitivo**, which arrives from Oviedo and Lugo. From here both streams of pilgrims share the route to Santiago, and you can tell: Melide is by far the liveliest village on the stage. And there is a solid culinary reason: **Pulpería Ezequiel**, Premio Nacional Plato de Oro 2022 and one of the best rated in town, or **A Garnacha** (Rúa Vello de Santiago, 2), with an average bill of around 16 € a head. It is worth stopping to eat here even if it breaks the rhythm of the stage.

After Melide the route continues through Boente and Castañeda to Ribadiso de Baixo, by then only 4-5 km from Arzúa: one of the best-loved corners of the Camino, with its public hostel beside the river Iso and a medieval bridge next to it.

## Where to sleep in Arzúa

The Xunta's public hostel is in the centre of town, at 10 €. Among the private ones: **Albergue de Camino** (16-18 €), **Don Quijote** (16 €), [**Vía Láctea**](https://www.alberguevialactea.com/) (15 € a bunk, no private rooms, confirmed by the hostel in August 2026) and **Los Caminantes II** (14 €). Arzúa is also the capital of a cheese-making district: Arzúa-Ulloa, with its protected designation of origin, is about the best edible souvenir you can carry away. Guide prices for 2026.

This is the stage where the crowding steps up most, precisely because of the merge with the Primitivo at Melide. Stamp there — at a bar, the hostel or the tourist office — and again in Ribadiso or on arrival in Arzúa, which is what the [pilgrim credential](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/compostela-certificate) asks for. In high season it is worth reaching Arzúa before 13:00-14:00 if you want to avoid [queues at the public hostels](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/beds).

Sigue leyendo

**[Portomarín → Palas de Rei](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/stages-sarria-santiago/portomarin-palas-de-rei)** — Stage 2 — 24.8 km and the Alto de Ligonde, the highest point of the stretch. — Leer la guía

**[Arzúa → O Pedrouzo](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/stages-sarria-santiago/arzua-o-pedrouzo)** — Stage 4 — A comfortable 19.3 km through eucalyptus woods, with Santa Irene as an optional stop. — Leer la guía

**[Where to eat in Santiago](https://santiago.es/en/where-to-eat)** — To repeat in Santiago — Pulpo á feira, tarta de Santiago and the taverns of the old town, with real prices. — Leer la guía