Day 10: From Vineyards to Hot Springs: A Walk to Caldas de Reis

Today was another awesome day! So beautiful! So incredible! Once we left Pontevedra, it was wilderness almost the entire way, until we came into Caldas de Reis.

So, to give you a sense of our hike today, here’s a short video:

Leaving Pontevedra

To start our morning, we had to hike a bit to get out of the city. Pontevedra is a beautiful historical city!

Seeing the Countryside

While hiking the El Camino, there’s always so much to see and explore.

Lavaderos

Almost every day, we would come across one of these lavaderos — a traditional stone washhouse that locals once used to do their laundry. These public wash areas were common in small villages and rural towns, where women would gather to scrub clothes by hand, catch up on news, and enjoy each other’s company. This one, with its mossy stone walls and gentle trickle of fresh spring water, feels like a quiet reminder of a slower, more communal way of life.

The structure is simple but beautifully practical. Clean water flows in from a spout and overflows gently out the front, keeping the basin fresh. A sloped stone edge made it easier to wash clothes, and the red-tiled roof offered shelter from Galicia’s famously rainy weather.

Refueling Station

We had been hiking non-stop for ten miles and we were ready for a break. We came across this cute family-run cafe.

They had some great homemade food, including this chorizo sausage that was cooked right in front of me.

Pilgrim Parade

We were told that the closer we got the Santiago, the more hikers and pilgrims we would see, and there were quire a few today.

And, we are hiking this in the off season. Can you imagine what the peak pilgrim season this summer will be like?

Rows and Rows Vineyards

Another very common sight on our hike almost everyday are all the vineyards. They are everywhere, covering the hillsides. And, most homes even have small vineyards in their backyards.