When one of my best friends said she had always dreamed of walking the Camino since visiting Santiago in her twenties, it didn’t take much convincing. She was coming to visit me in Portugal 🇵🇹, and I thought, why not? It would be a fun, meaningful adventure—a few long walks, some fresh air ☀️, and a lot of conversations. We picked the final stretch of the Portuguese Coastal Route—from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela—five stages, five days, just over 100 kilometers.

In reality? Over 170,000 steps, more than 125 kilometers, and over 80 miles walked 🥾. Because it’s not just the stages — it’s the walking to dinner, wandering through town 🏘️, detours, and sometimes completely unplanned bonus miles when you decide to just “keep going.”

And that, in a nutshell, was the Camino: equal parts plan and surprise, effort and joy. 🎒

Getting Started

We took the train from Porto to Vigo 🚆 on Sunday, excited for the days ahead — five stages of walking, talking, and being outside with no distractions.

Our first hike day — Vigo to Redondela — was beautiful: about 10 miles through forests 🌳, along river views, and winding through old stone villages. The trail was marked by yellow scallop shells on a blue background and bright yellow arrows, sometimes painted randomly on old walls, curbs, or even in the middle of the road.

We spent the day spotting every birch and lemon tree 🍋 (my friend’s favorite hobby) and soaking in the peace of walking without rushing.

At the end of that first hiking day, reality set in. We stayed at a freezing ❄️ pilgrim “hotel,” where the tiny beds and icy rooms made for a long, sleepless night. I tossed and turned with a sore back, but somehow it still felt like part of the adventure.

After realizing my hiking boots weren’t cutting it, I upgraded to hiking trainers 👟 that night—easily one of the best decisions of the trip. (The boots were downgraded to backpack decoration for the rest of the journey.)

Settling In: Trails, Laughs, and Lemon Trees

Each day brought new terrain and new rhythms: pine forests 🌲, medieval stone paths, and sleepy villages where dogs barked from balconies 🐕.

Somewhere near Pontevedra, we stumbled across a 15th-century ruin 🏰 — and later that evening, found ourselves eating burgers 🍔 and sipping cocktails 🍸 across from it. Old meets new, Camino-style.

The second day — Redondela to Pontevedra — was tougher: over 13 miles and more than 5,000 feet of climbing ⛰️. My calves were feeling it. My friend’s collarbone was bruised from her backpack and her legs were not happy! We kept moving forward, helped by endless scenery, endless lemon trees, and a few little yellow arrows guiding the way.

A Serious Shift

By day three, it was clear that the physical toll was mounting for my friend. Sore feet, aching knees, blisters. She was tough, but carrying a full backpack wasn’t making it any easier.

So on the morning of day four, we made a smart move: we arranged to send her backpack ahead by courier 🚚, allowing her to walk just with a daypack. It was a game changer — and looking back, there’s no way we would have made it through what happened next without it.

The Monster Day (And The Camino Cocktail)

What was supposed to be a reasonable day to Caldas de Reis turned into something else entirely.

Late in the afternoon, as we sat at a café 🍹 chatting with a group of German pilgrims, they mentioned they still had 9 kilometers left to walk. Somehow, without really thinking, we decided to do the same.

And off we went.

It turned into an 18+ mile day — nearly 30 kilometers — and we didn’t stumble into our hotel until 8:30 PM 🕣.

By the time we arrived, my Apple Watch was down to 1% battery ⌚️ — but just enough left to upload to Strava. (Because seriously: if it’s not on Strava, did it even happen? 🤪)

Sometime during that second half of the day, with the afternoon sun burning down, we improvised a special boost: the Camino Cocktail — Nuun electrolytes + water + vodka🥤. It made those extra miles a lot more entertaining.

Despite the smart call on the backpack, it was still a punishing day. My friend fought through it with taped-up feet 🩹, a knee brace, a strong heart, and a lot of stubbornness. I was impressed — and proud.

The Final Push

The last day — Caldas de Reis to Santiago de Compostela — was a mix of pain, hope, and grit.

We woke to blessedly cool, drizzly weather 🌦️. Perfect walking weather after days of hot sun ☀️.

The miles passed slowly. Santiago got closer with every step. The yellow arrows felt both familiar and sacred by now.

And finally, after villages, fields, forests 🌳, and a final push up city streets, we reached the Cathedral ⛪️. Heavy rain started falling just as we arrived, but we couldn’t have cared less. We had made it. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was stunning and awe-inspiring, regardless of your religion or spiritual beliefs. 

That night, we stayed in a hotel my friend had dreamed about since she was 23 years old – originally a 15th-century hospital — a full-circle moment 🎉 that made everything even sweeter.

So… how did it feel?

Physically, I felt great — energized, strong, and honestly ready to keep going. Emotionally, I felt pretty grounded, though a few things happening back home pulled on me and stopped me from feeling 100% free. Spiritually, I felt calm and deeply grateful for the experience.

My friend had a different Camino: physically beat up but emotionally beaming. Spiritually, she said she felt at one with the universe — and you could see it in her huge, exhausted smile. 🌟

What I’ll Remember

I’ll remember the endless lemon trees 🍋 and her excitement every time she spotted a birch 🤣.

I’ll remember the woods 🌳, the stone villages, the scenery changes, and the fellow pilgrims.

I’ll remember duct-taped feet, moleskin patches, and knee braces — signs not of weakness, but of stubborn strength.

I’ll remember every buen Camiño shared with strangers on the trail — and how much those small words mattered.

I’ll remember laughing over a Camino cocktail, inventing interesting questions to pass the hours, and the way my friend pushed herself further than she thought possible.

And I’ll also always fondly remember the adventure I shared with my friend — one step, one laugh, one stubborn, brilliant mile at a time. 🥾✨

Mostly, I’ll remember what the Camino gently reinforced for me:

Have fun.

In the easy moments. In the hard moments.

In every single step, if you’re lucky enough to notice.

Because in the end, it’s not about how far you walk.

It’s about how fully you live every step.