Padrón

Padrón is a town and municipality in the province of La Coruña, Galicia, situated at the confluence of the Ulla and Sar rivers. The town’s name derives from padrão, meaning a stone or pillar, specifically the mooring stone that, according to tradition, anchored the boat carrying the body of Saint James from Jaffa to Galicia. The stone is preserved beneath the altar of the church of Santiago, where it can be seen by visitors.

The church of Santiago de Padrón, built over the legendary landing site, is the principal monument and a significant pilgrimage destination in its own right, independent of its role on the Camino. The town also has strong cultural associations with the Galician poet Rosalía de Castro, who lived here and is buried in the garden of her house, now a museum.

Padrón is also the origin of the pimientos de Padrón, the small green peppers fried in olive oil with sea salt, one of the most iconic dishes in Galician cuisine. For pilgrims on the Camino Espiritual, Padrón is the spiritual endpoint of the sea crossing, where the route rejoins the standard Camino Portugués for the final stages to Santiago.