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Palas de Rei is a small town in the south of Lugo province, close to the border with A Coruña. Its name is often linked to an ancient royal palace, and the 12th-century pilgrim’s guide, the Codex Calixtinus, already marked it as the end of the penultimate stage on the way to Compostela.
Today, it’s still a stop along the Way, with more guesthouses than monuments. We’ll help you choose the best part of town and the places to stay we’ve selected one by one; you can find the full range on our page of places to stay in Palas de Rei.
How to choose an area
You can walk across the town centre in 15 minutes, so your choice depends more on how you’re travelling than on the neighbourhood:
- The centre: San Tirso, the town hall and Praza de Galicia, with bars and shops. The Way passes through here.
- By the main road: the N-547 runs through town, with guesthouses and cafés nearby. There’s more traffic, but it’s convenient if you’re travelling by car.
- The outlying villages: stone houses and quiet just a few kilometres away, only an option if you have a car.
Parking makes all the difference: half of our picks don’t have it. If you’re travelling by car, check this before anything else.
Where to stay in Palas de Rei: our picks
Family-run guesthouses for pilgrims are the mainstay here, and our selection reflects that. None includes breakfast in the rate, although almost all offer it for an extra charge. Here are our six recommendations:
Pensión Agro da Porta
A good choice for couples: double rooms with private terraces overlooking the garden, a lovely place to stretch your legs at the end of the day’s walk. Free public parking is available at the property. The rooms are compact, and check-in is only available from 13:00 to 18:00.
Hotel Trina 20
A two-star hotel right beside the Camino route, with rooms for two or three people, family rooms and a double with a balcony. The buffet breakfast costs extra and there’s a gluten-free option. There’s no parking, and check-in is from 14:00 to 18:00: let them know if you’ll arrive later.
Pensión Santirso
Right by the French Way, with a garden, sun terrace and 24-hour reception, so there’s no need to rush to arrive at a particular time. It’s one of the few accessible options, with wheelchair access and grab bars. All beds are single, including in the double room, and there’s no parking.
Pensión As Hortas
Single, double and triple rooms, all with private bathrooms: a good option if you’re walking alone and don’t want to share. There’s a garden, terrace and picnic area, and in the morning you can choose between a buffet or a full English breakfast, both at an extra charge. There’s no parking, and check-in ends at 19:30.
Pensión Casa Cancela
The best-equipped choice for families travelling by car: free private parking with no reservation needed, plus an on-site restaurant and café, and rooms with terraces. They also rent out a two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen for four people, the only option with a kitchen. Check-in is from 12:00 to 17:00.
As Casiñas Bed & Breakfast Porto de Bois
Three apartments with kitchens, living rooms and terraces overlooking the garden, 160 m from the French Way. The two-bedroom Deluxe sleeps up to six, and there’s free private parking and a restaurant. Pets are allowed, although a supplement may apply, and breakfast is available at an extra charge.
What to see in Palas de Rei and nearby
In town, make a stop at San Tirso church: the current building dates from the 20th century, but it retains the Romanesque doorway from the original. Just a few steps away, Praza de Galicia is where locals gather for coffee.
The highlights are outside town. A few kilometres away, Vilar de Donas church, associated with the Order of Santiago and a National Monument since 1931, has Gothic mural paintings depicting the women who gave the place its name. To the south, Pambre Castle, built in the 14th century, survived the Irmandiño revolts and is now open to visitors.
This is Arzúa-Ulloa cheese country, with its own designation of origin, and Melide, a short stage away, is a classic stop for octopus. If you arrive from Portomarín, you’ll pass by Castromaior hillfort, a pre-Roman settlement worth the detour.
The Camino from Palas de Rei
Most pilgrims arrive from Portomarín, about 25 km away, including the climb to the Ligonde hills. The next day, you can choose: about 15 km to Melide or about 29 km to Arzúa, passing through villages with granaries such as Leboreiro.
This is a very busy stretch: more than 530,000 Compostela certificates were issued in 2025, and almost half went to pilgrims who walked the French Way. And 2027 will be a Holy Year in Santiago, because 25 July falls on a Sunday: if you’re going that summer, book Palas de Rei along with the rest of your overnight stays.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the best seasons: mild temperatures, green countryside and fewer people than in summer. The town fills with pilgrims in July and August. The Ecce Homo festivities take place in mid-September, with a procession and open-air dances in Praza de Galicia, while winter is cold, rainy and very quiet.
How to get to Palas de Rei
Palas de Rei is on the N-547, which connects Lugo and Santiago, and since February 2025 the A-54 motorway has been open as far as Melide. By car, Santiago is about an hour away and Lugo just over half an hour.
There’s no train: the usual option is to travel to Lugo or Santiago and take one of the scheduled buses that stop in town. The nearest airport is Santiago. Once you’re here, you can get everywhere on foot.
Palas de Rei is one of the stops featured in our guide to where to stay in Galicia. For the rest of the Camino, see where to stay in Sarria, where to stay in Arzúa and, for the finish, where to stay in Santiago de Compostela.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions most often asked by people planning an overnight stay in Palas de Rei.
Is it worth staying in Palas de Rei, or is it better to continue to Melide?
It depends on your legs. It’s about 25 km from Portomarín to Palas de Rei, a full day’s walk for most people, and continuing to Melide adds another 15 km. Staying here gives you two options for the next day: a short walk to Melide or a long one to Arzúa. The town is also quieter than the larger towns at the end of the Camino.
What’s the best area to stay in Palas de Rei?
If you’re walking, stay in the centre, between San Tirso church and Praza de Galicia: the Camino passes right by, and you can set off straight away in the morning. The streets by the N-547 are more convenient if you’re travelling by car, although there’s more traffic during the day. The villages in the municipality offer peace and scenery, but are only worthwhile if you have a car.
Are there places to stay with parking in Palas de Rei?
Yes, although not all of them have it. Among our picks, Pensión Casa Cancela and As Casiñas Bed & Breakfast Porto de Bois have free private parking with no reservation needed, while Pensión Agro da Porta has free public parking. Hotel Trina 20, Pensión Santirso and Pensión As Hortas don’t have parking. If you’re travelling by car, check this before booking, especially in high season.
What is there to see near Palas de Rei?
In town, see the Romanesque doorway of San Tirso church. Nearby, Vilar de Donas church has Gothic mural paintings and is associated with the Order of Santiago, while Pambre Castle is a 14th-century fortress. On the stage from Portomarín, you’ll pass Castromaior hillfort, and Melide, famous for its octopus, is about 15 km away.
Do I need to book in advance in Palas de Rei?
Yes, from May to October. The town is the end of a stage on the French Way, which accounted for almost half of the more than 530,000 Compostela certificates issued in 2025, and guesthouses fill up quickly. 2027 will be a Holy Year in Santiago, so demand will rise, especially in summer and around 25 July. There’s usually availability in winter, but it’s worth checking before you set off.
