Ponferrada is the last major town along the Camino de Santiago before it reaches its destination of Santiago de Compostela. In 2008, it had a population of nearly 70,000. The city's name derives from the iron reinforcements added to the ancient bridge over the river Sil, to facilitate the crossing of the Sil River by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. The town of Vilafranca del Bierzo is first mentioned in 791. The origin of the modern town is connected to the Way of St. James, as a rest place for the pilgrims which started to reach Santiago de Compostela from the 9th century. We arrivie in Galicia through the town of O'Cebreiro after a long climb. Galicia ia a hilly, damp, green region in northwest Spain that feels vaguely Irish with a Celtic origin.