This is the second post about our 2-week trip in August 2026 through Northern Portugal and Galicia. You can see a summary of it here:

Day 6 – 13/8/2026 (Thursday)

Still at the Gerês campsite, we had coffee and then started taking down the tent and packing our things in the car to go to the next campsite. Since Celo still had back pain, I ended up doing all the heavy lifting and he stayed in the campsite pool with the children. It was a hot day, but the water was quite cold according to them.

On the way to our next campsite, we stopped at Ourense, ...because I wanted to visit their famous thermal pools. We chose to go to the... Outariz Hot Springs We parked the car in the parking lot recommended by Chatgpt, but wow, it was far away, and with the heat, it was a real struggle to walk there under the blazing sun. I can't even say we cooled off in the pools because they weren't cold, they were quite hot… A real adventure, but it's something the kids will remember, and they loved the hot pools.

Before going in, we had lunch – salads and sandwiches – at the on-site restaurant and drank plenty of water to cope with the 40-degree heat. We bought our tickets on the spot – 7 euros per person – and received the keys to the... lockers We heard several times that it wasn't allowed to enter with cell phones and take pictures there. Thankfully, everyone there respected that rule.

We left our things in the changing rooms and went down to enjoy the pools. There are several pools with different temperatures, some deeper, some shallower, with or without waterfalls, with or without water jets. The indoor pools are the warmest, and I can proudly say that Ju and I managed to go into the warmest one and stay there for about 5 minutes. How relaxing that was! The boys couldn't even get in… curious, isn't it?

We tried all the pools and rested as much as we could, having two small children with us. I think the hot water did wonders for Celo's aches and pains, thank God. We found the place well-organized and not too crowded, and we were surprised by the number of Asian people there. When we left the complex around 5 pm, we saw a very long line of people wanting to get in, and I think they were the locals who usually go there after work. It seemed like an excellent after-work activity. I just don't know if I would go on such a hot day…

We continued our journey to our campsite. Huttopia Caminos de Galicia And when we arrived, we were impressed by the size of the place. It's a huge property with a separate area for tents, caravans, and motorhomes, and an area for cabins in the middle of the trees, and the main house with a restaurant, reception, bathrooms, and the swimming pool right in front. There are two houses with bathrooms and sinks for washing dishes that serve those not staying in the cabins, and the rest is a large grassy field without anything very interesting. In front of the main house there's a playground and some space prepared for playing ball, bocce, and other sports, but nothing very elaborate. Take a look at the map:

We pitched our tent while it was still daylight and went to have pizza again at the campsite restaurant. To our surprise, there was a magic show going on at that moment, and we discovered that the campsite organizes various events throughout the day for children and adults alike.

We ordered fresh bread for the next day and went back to our tent to get our things so we could shower. We slept like rocks, all huddled together!

Day 7 – 8/14/2026 (Friday)

We woke up without rushing, went to the bathroom, and then had breakfast at the campsite restaurant. We hadn't been to the market and therefore didn't have anything to prepare, just the bread we ordered at reception, so since we woke up hungry, we thought it best to make do there. Unfortunately, the restaurant didn't have any breakfast options, but they agreed to take our bread and prepare something for us there. It worked out!

We decided to have a quiet day at the campsite and took the opportunity to wash our clothes, dry everything in the washing machine and on the clothesline, go to the market to buy supplies, and enjoy the pool and games available at the restaurant. The pool water was delightfully warm and thankfully it wasn't too crowded. When hunger struck, we had lunch in our tent: grilled chicken with bread and mayonnaise. We've never eaten so much junk food on a trip… haha

As we were finishing our meal, a Galician dance group arrived in a procession, and we accompanied them to the building where the restaurant is located. I found it interesting how similar Galician music is to Celtic music and I needed to confirm this with Chatgpt. Here's the answer:

“Yes! 😊 Galician music and Celtic music are very similar, And that's no coincidence. Galicia, in northwestern Spain, has a musical tradition closely linked to the universe. Atlantic Celtic, along with Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Wales, and parts of Cornwall. Some very clear similarities:

💃 Music for dancing — Galician muiñeiras, for example, have a rhythmic character that is quite reminiscent of some traditional Irish and Breton dances.

🪈 Bagpipes The Galician bagpipe is one of the most emblematic instruments of Galicia, just like the bagpipe in Scotland.

🥁 Traditional percussion — especially drums and tambourines.

🎻 Melodies and scales Many songs have that sound that immediately brings to mind Celtic music.

🌊 Atlantic tradition "There is a strong cultural connection between the peoples of the European Atlantic coast."”

Traveling and learning, right?

We spent a very pleasant summer evening with music, children playing in the playground and playing football, and we were able to rest a little while observing this new environment for us. I think it would have been really nice if we had been with a group of friends with children too. We saw that many families there were French and knew each other, and it reminded me of my childhood trips with my parents' friends and their children. We always stay in hotels, but this "resort" camping experience, with many activities for families in a welcoming but not luxurious environment, really captivated me.

We went back to the tent, had some tuna sandwiches for lunch, and took a shower to get ready for bed. A relaxing day for sure!

Day 8 – 8/15/2026 (Saturday)

We had a leisurely breakfast and got ready to spend the whole day out. We drove for an hour to... La Coruna because we wanted to explore the city and try the famous [restaurant/restaurant]. Galician-style octopus, Since we are all big fans of octopus.

We parked the car in a parking lot very close to the city center and went on foot to explore the restaurants, squares, and streets. We strolled through a very clean, organized, and pleasant city, with many families with babies in strollers. It even made me a little nostalgic for the time of my babies… haha. It's a shame it wasn't sunny, because if it had been, we would have taken a dip in that long beach in the city.

We tried to get a table at the restaurant. Pulperia de Melide, It was highly recommended in several places, but there was a considerable waiting line, and the guy said it would take more than an hour for them to call us. We put our names down and went for a walk until we found a restaurant that looked good and had a table available, the Pulperia Maria Rita. We ordered the city's famous dish and loved it! We ordered a small portion just as an appetizer and went back to the first restaurant to order the same dish. It was MUCH better. It was worth the wait. 🙂

We walked around the city a bit more, the children played in the playgrounds along the way, we strolled along the beach feeding the seagulls, and then returned to the car. A relaxed day without much of a plan was exactly what we needed.

We arrived at the campsite an hour later, played a bit with the wooden games, and made our dinner in the tent. Afterwards, we washed the dishes, took showers, and went to sleep rested.

Day 9 – 8/16/2026 (Sunday)

We woke up without rushing, made our breakfast, and got ready to explore. Santiago de Compostela, the city on my bucket list that made me want to do this itinerary through Galicia.

We arrived at the Cathedral square around 10:30 am and encountered a considerable queue to enter this 11th-century building, which impresses with its architecture, Baroque facade, and interior full of history. According to tradition, the remains of the apostle James are kept there.

I found it fascinating to stand in line watching the pilgrims arrive, excited and celebrating with their friends and family. Some looked more tired than others, but all were visibly happy to be there. My father has already done the Portuguese Way twice and enjoyed it very much, and he would like to do it someday as well. Of course, I'll tell you all about it here when I do!

We strolled through the interior, prayed, and then had to join another queue outside the cathedral to see the apostle's tomb. Another 30 minutes in line for a quick visit, and then we lit a candle and admired the golden interior of that very special place one last time. The energy there is different.

We started looking for restaurants for lunch and many were already full, much to our dismay. Celo found the... Camilo House It had great reviews and was very traditional – since 1942 – so off we went. What delicious food! We ordered house croquettes, octopus à la feira, zamburinhas – incredibly good grilled scallops – , garlic prawns, and a petit gateau dessert. Everything was divine and the service was wonderful, so I highly recommend it!

We happily returned to the campsite and took advantage of the many hours of warmth and sunshine to enjoy the pool. I packed things up to make checkout easier the next day, and we made a quick dinner to use up the remaining food. The plan was not to cook at the island campsite – after all, I deserve a break from the kitchen, right? – so we made sure to finish off everything that would spoil if left in the car.

We slept super excited for our trip to Cies Islands The next day!