We start our walk from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis from the front door of our hotel in Pontevedra. As we leave the town, we will cross the River Lérez, in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims before us. The scenery around us will soon change dramatically as we enter the woods near the village of San Mauro, named after the 13th century French abbot and pilgrim who completed the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and decided to settle down in Castile and open a hospice for lepers.
Further on our journey we will take a brief detour to the Río Barroso Waterfalls. Here, the Agra River forms waterfalls and small pools where you can enjoy the temperate water and a lovely spot for a Fresco Tours picnic. After a relaxing and refreshing stop we will continue on our walk through vineyards.
Having enjoyed a long day on the trail, we will finally enter Caldas de Reis on the bridge that crosses the River Umia. The town is named after the hot thermal springs of Alfonso VII of León, who was born here in the 12th century. The village is still well known for its thermal hot springs and has always been a popular spot along the Roman road Vía XIX and the Camino. There’s even a place where we can soak our feet!
The 19th century Church of Saint Thomas Becket in Caldas de Reis, where the Saint stopped on his pilgrimage to Compostela in the 12th century. This is the only church in Spain dedicated to the English saint.
