Distance: 16 km/10mi
The route
We started our day with a delicious breakfast of Pan Con Tomate (tomato toast) and then hit the trail. The day’s hike was quite hilly, including a ridiculously steep hill near Redondela—I was so thankful we didn’t have to climb it! This part of our journey mostly ran close to roads, and while we enjoyed the amazing weather, the constant buzz of cars passing and trying to overtake us was less enjoyable.
One spot that really stood out for us was the small town of Mos. It had a quaint church and a few restaurants where my mom tried Padrón peppers (Pimiento de Padrón), my favorite tapas, for the first time. There was also a pilgrim shop packed with everything from scallop shells to backpacks and souvenirs. In retrospect, we wished we had spent the night in Mos instead of O Porriño—it had such a charming vibe.
As we walked, we started noticing odd structures in many backyards—I guessed they were chicken coops, while my mom thought they might be altars. Driven by curiosity, I turned to Google and discovered they were actually horreos—traditional wooden or stone granaries raised on legs to keep rodents away from the grain. Surprise! Neither of us had guessed correctly. It seems these days, horreos are used more for decoration than for storing grain, but they’re still quite fascinating to see.
Redondela
As we approached Redondela, I noticed signs advertising pilgrim massages. With my feet feeling dead, we figured, why not give it a try? Luckily, we managed to secure appointments for both of us in the evening.
While waiting for our massages, my mom felt that the 16 km we had walked that day weren’t enough, so she decided we should take a stroll along Paseo Portela, which runs beside the river. It was a beautiful and peaceful walk, with not another person in sight. True, I was deader than dead after the additional hike, but it was worth it 🙂
The city itself was quite cozy, especially the old town area, with charming old buildings nestled closely together.
