Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[Janeh]

after the I reach Santiago I would like to go to Finisterre just for the day before leaving Santiago. Can anyone tell me a cheap car hire company that offers day rates - ones I've found on the web won't hire for just a day. thanks. Jane.

[falcon269]

I got a ride from Fisterra with two Danes who rented a car for the day from a rental company on Rua de Gomez Ulla a half-block from Rue do Horreo in Santiago. I do not recall the name or the rental cost; sorry.

[viajero]

Hi Jane,
I walked the Camino Frances in March and four friends that I met on the camino and I rented a car for the day to go to Finisterre. We had a gorgeous day with great weather and had a lovely drive through some of the seaside villages. I am on holiday away from home now so I don't have all of the information with me but will post again in a few days with more specifics. I believe we rented from Avis. There are two or three car rental agencies located at the train station in Santiago but this was the only one open on Saturday or Sunday (the day we needed the car). There were five of us and the car and the gas (we took a rather scenic route) ended up costing about 100 euros which was 20 euros each which was less than the 22euro price of the round trip bus ticket. We had made a reservation on line but the friendly lady at the avis counter spent about an hour on her adding machine trying to find us the best deal (it might have helped that I could speak spanish but she may speak English as well). As a bonus, on the way back to santiago, we stopped at the albergue in Negreira to surprise friends who had walked there from Santiago that day enroute to Finisterre. Another bonus was that we happened to be flying out from Santiago the next day and we were able to return the car to the Santiago airport instead of the train station for no additional charge. We gave a ride to the airport to some other pilgrims as well. Walking to Finisterre would have been great but time didn't permit it so I really am happy that we chose to hire the car. Sorry this is rambling and if no other specific information is posted, I'll let you know the specifics when I returne home--also the route we drove was lovely but now I can't seem to remember the names of any of the villages that we visited.

[ivar]

Hi there,

There are 3 rental agencies at the train station in Santiago, Avis, Hertz and National rental car. The last one, just before you go down the stairs. The station is about 15 minutes walk from old town.

There is a 3rd alternative, http://www.easycar.es . They do not have an office, it is all online, but you pick up your car at the "National" rental agency as mentioned above. I think they have an agreement of sorts. I think all of these offer daily rates... I think...

... I think Sil mentioned another rental car site/place once that she had used, but I am not familiar with them.

As for how to drive out, I would recommend your to drive west, out to Noia then north along the coast. This road is really beautiful, you will pass by many fishing villages and beaches on your way. The road is "turny" as you go in-and-out of fjords along the coast. You will pass, Muros, one of my favorite places. Muros is a good place for lunch on the way out.

For the return, there is a more straight and faster (and more dull) way that goes from the coast, via Negreira, back to Santiago. You will see it when you study the map. To save time, take this route. To enjoy, take the route via Noia and Muros.

Enjoy!
Ivar

[Janeh]

thanks everyone for your posts. Looks like car hire will be a bit pricey - 100 euros as suggested above, but worth it? I feel having walked all along the camino frances it would be a shame not to at least see Finisterre so will bite the bullet and do the car hire thing. I had thought of a bus but would like to drive along the route you have suggested Ivar. Perhaps I'll know others who will want to go there as well so they can share in the cost. I will check out the online company for their rates too Ivar - many thanks everyone. I only have 47 more sleeps to go before I leave Australia so am now dreaming camino and all my waking day seems to be involved with camino planning. Jane.

[viajero]

The route that Ivar has suggested sounds like the route that we did. I'm sure you will meet up with others who will split the cost with you. I looked on the avis website and it seems the lowest price was 70 euros or so but with gas... IF you go on the avis website it seems to be listed under La Coruna-Santiago.

[Red Kite]

We thought about hiring a car, or going by taxi, but something different turned up.

We were in Restaurant St Jaime and mentioned to one of the waiters that we wanted to go to Fisterra - and one of the staff offered to take us. It cost us 80euros. We went the direct route. And we all thought it money well spent.

We returned on the coach via the coastal route and the journey is absolutely gorgeous. The Galician coast is stunningly beautiful and largely unspoilt. Let's keep it a secret amongst ourselves.

[viajero]

This last post reminded me...we stayed at the Acuario Albergue in Santiago and I think there was posted information there about a couple of different people who would take you there--either taxi drivers or others...I don't remember the details but for us it worked out to be the same price or less to rent the car. We had more freedom that way too.

[KiwiNomad06]

This last post reminded me...we stayed at the Acuario Albergue in Santiago and I think there was posted information there about a couple of different people who would take you there--either taxi drivers or others...I don't remember the details but for us it worked out to be the same price or less to rent the car. We had more freedom that way too.

The same thing was possible at Monte de Gozo albergue... you could put your name down on a list and go in a shared taxi at your own preferred times etc, sharing with others. (You can stay at Monte de Gozo more than one night. We stayed here the night before we went into Santiago, and walked the last 5km just with a daypack. Then, pilgrimage completed, compostelas in hand, we returned via local bus to Monte de Gozo.)
Margaret

[Javier Martin]

Hi, Jane,

If you have problems to rent a car for just one day, try to rent it for three days (no problem to do that) and during this time you can visit Finisterre, and from there to go back to Madrid (¿Do you have your plane from Madrid?). You can visit again places like Cebreiro, Villafranca, Astorga, or even to go back by la Cruz de Ferro.

Yo can visit any other places like Lugo, with it's roman wall (Camino Primitivo) or Sobrado (Camino del Norte). Or Segovia (Camino de Madrid).

It's so hard than walking if you want to use all your free time for visits, buy with a car you can do a lot of thinks while visit everything as a tourist.

Buen Camino, hope to be helpful for you.

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.