Food Experiences on the Camino: Beyond the Pilgrim Menu

The Camino is also walked with your palate

Walking works up an appetite, and Galicia is one of Spain's great gastronomic destinations. The Camino Francés, on its Galician stretch, crosses lands of octopus, cheese, wine and seafood. Sticking to the pilgrim menu would mean missing half the journey.

The Galician essentials

• Pulpo á feira: Melide is the undisputed capital. Snipped with scissors over a wooden board, with olive oil, coarse salt and paprika. A must-stop to eat it in Melide.
• Arzúa-Ulloa cheese: creamy, with its own Denomination of Origin. Try it in Arzúa.
• Ribeira Sacra wine: the heroic vineyards on the slopes of the Sil, one of the most spectacular landscapes in Galicia.
• Seafood and Galician empanada: , and for dessert, the tarta de Santiago.

You'll find the full guide in what to eat on the Camino.

Experiences that go beyond the plate

If you want to go beyond simply eating well:

• Cheese dairy visits: with a tasting of freshly made Arzúa-Ulloa cheese.
• Off-route pulperías: , where the locals eat.
• Tastings at Ribeira Sacra wineries: , with the vineyards overlooking the Sil canyon.
• Galician markets: and "farm-to-table" experiences.

How to organise them

Many of these experiences are off the Camino or require a booking. Arranging them yourself, between one stage and the next, is complicated. A local DMC coordinates them for you: it books the visit, takes you there and brings you back. We recommend OurWay.Travel, which organises food experiences for pilgrims and travellers in Galicia. If you're going to hire a company, first take a look at how to choose an agency.

Reaching the ones that are off the Camino

The Ribeira Sacra, the wineries and many cheese dairies lie off to one side of the route. We'll take you there by taxi and bring you back to your stage: tailor-made transfers throughout Galicia, at a fixed price. Combine the Camino on foot with a food getaway, hassle-free.