The Vía de la Plata – The Silver Way

Via de la Plata

The Vía de La Plata (Silver Way) or Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route) is an ancient pilgrimage and trading route that crosses the west of Spain from north to south. This route is the lesser known Camino making it ideal for hikers to enjoy the stillness of undisturbed natural surroundings. 

This is a chance for you to completely switch off and relax, walking trough this quiet, lesser known and stunning county-side Camino trail. We only take a small group of 10-12 people max on this peaceful Pilgrimage to ensure a quiet and relaxed atmosphere on ‘the road less travelled‘.

The term Vía de la Plata is commonly thought to derive from the modern Spanish word for silver, “plata”. The name actually derives from the Arabic word al-balat, which means cobbled paving and describes the road as engineered by the Romans.  

As a traditional Pilgrimage route since the 9th Century the route has been used by pilgrims traveling to and from the tomb of St. James the Apostle and recently is becoming a popular alternative for modern pilgrims on a Camino to Santiago de Compostela. Our route takes us from Ourense through beautiful Galician country side to Santiago de Compostela. 

For this tour we will guide you on 100km of the Vía de la Plata – the ancient central camino route stretching South-North for over 800 km from Seville. 

Prices / Dates

Price:  €990 per person sharing

Single Supplement: +€350

Tour Dates 2025: 16th to 23rd June 2025

Tour Grade: Easy to Moderate

Accommodation: Guesthouse or B&B

Included / Excluded

Day 1 - Travel to Ourense

A 5pm meeting at Santiago de Compostela Airport, where you will meet your expert guide, Sarah. We will have an evening transfer to our first overnight in Ourense. 

Ourense is a city known for it's natural thermal springs.

Day 2 - Ourense to Cea

Our first days walking takes us to the small village of Cea - known for showing off their traditional ovens where they make their famous bread, Pan de Cea. 

Distance: 20 km / 12.5 miles, Ascent: 280 m / 920 ft, Approximate walking time: 4/5 hours

Day 3 - Cea to Dozon

We leave our accommodation after breakfast and set out towards the ancient, Oseria, where we can visit a beautiful 11th Century Monastery (optional).

This is a small town with stunning ancient architecture,  our halfway point to Dozón to stop for lunch.

We will then continue to Galician Dozón, where we will be transferred by taxi back to our accommodation in Cea.

Distance: 22km / 13.5 miles, Ascent: 671 m / 2200 ft, Approximate walking time: 5/6 hrs

Day 4 - Dozon to Silleda

We leave our accommodation after breakfast, transfer by taxi back to Dozon, where we will begin our walk through vibrant countryside to Silleda.

Distance: 28 km / 17 miles, Ascent: 463m / 1500 ft, Approximate walking time: 6 / 7 hrs

Day 5 - Silleda to Ponte Ulla

We continue on our Camino through forests and countryside to the beautiful village of Ponte Ulla, where we will stay for the night.

Being our easiest walking day, we will ample time to really take in the natural surroundings and explore Ponte Ulla.

Distance: 18 km / 11 miles, Ascent: 174 m / 570 ft, Approximate walking time: 3 /4 hours

Day 6 - Ponte Ulla to Santiago de Compostela

Our final day of walking, we will pass through small villages and the suburbs of Santiago until we reach the city of Santiago and our finishing point - Cathedral de Santiago.

Distance: 22.5 km / 14 miles, Ascent: 629 m / 2000 ft, Approximate walking time: 4/5 hours

Day 7 - Explore Santiago

Today is a day to completely relax. Explore and enjoy the beautiful city of Santiago. Sarah will organise the printing and
collecting of your Compsostela's.

Day 8 - Depart

Today we will end our journey after breakfast in Santiago. Sarah will assist you plan on your onwards travels from the city. 

A few words from our customers...

I am a single woman traveller embarking on a self-guided hiking trip. While it's common for woman to embark on such adventures these days, it's my first time ever to be on a self-navigated hiking trip overseas. This is why I feel so grateful that I have the Footfalls as my backbone
Joan
UK
We thoroughly enjoyed our weeks self-guided walking on the Connemara and Western Way. This emphasized for me that Footfalls are there with you along the way albeit in the background. The B&Bs chosen were excellent and taxi pick-ups were very efficient. Even though the Way is well sign-posted, Christopher had provided us with very comprehensive route notes. Overall a very well organized and enjoyable week. Thank you Christopher and Teresa.
Anne & Ita
Ireland