8-day Camino Portugués Walking Holiday

You arrive in Tuy (Tui in Galician). If there's some time left, take a walk around this charming town, located at the riverbank of Minho River and natural frontier with Portugal.

Don’t miss a visit to its main and majestic monument: Santa Maria’s Cathedral, of Romanesque style (XII century) but with some Gothic touch from later periods. If you arrive in the morning or have booked and extra night, you might want also to cross the river and visit the impressive Fortress of Valença do Minho, in the Portuguese part. And for dinner? Choose one of the many restaurants in town to taste the delicious Galician seafood.

Be prepared to penetrate deep into Galician countryside. Although, unfortunately, this stage has much tarmac, it is mainly flat, so you will enjoy every step you take, walking from village to village through shady eucalypt forests.

Being a relatively short route, you will have plenty of time to stop for a drink and soak up the atmosphere with other pilgrims along the way. At the end of the walk, enjoy the natural space of As Gándaras and Louro River, already integrated in the Camino as an alternative to the industrial area arriving in O Porriño. Can you smell it? It is the freshly bread baked in traditional Galician wood fired ovens… yummy!

Challenge: 17 km / 10.5 mi,  320m ascent / 340m descent

Following the Portuguese Way your will reach the Pazo de Mos, in the village with the same name. Take a drink or snack before starting the main ascent of the day until you reach the highest point (Alto de Inxertado) and the hermitage of Santiaguiño de Anta, with some Jacobean motifs. From there, take it easy, as it will be all downhill until you reach Redondela, with its leaving atmosphere.

The views of the Vigo River during the descent won’t go unnoticed! In the evening, opt for tapas in any of the many bar/ restaurants in town and mingle with folks. You won’t regret it!

Challenge: 15 km / 9.3 mi,  340m ascen t/ 370m descent

Don’t be afraid of today’s mileage, as it is really easy to take a taxi in Redondela (not included) and have this route shortened. This is perhaps the best option if you want to explore the city of Pontevedra in detail in the afternoon.

The first 8 kms don’t have much interest, but if you are an oyster lover, then Arcade is a must for you today! Once in Pontesampaio, you will cross its fantastic Medieval bridge, where Napoleon’s troops were defeated in 1809 during the Independence War. From there, the landscape turns greener and lusher.

Approaching the end of today’s stage, Pontevedra, you will follow the ‘Complementary Way’ on a river path along Dos Gafos river. Once in Pontevedra… what to say? Let yourself get lost in this small city bursting with charm!

Challenge: 20 km / 12.4 mi, 535 m ascent / 520 m descent

You say farewell to Pontevedra as you cross the bridge Ponte do Burgo, over Lerez River. Today’s route goes parallel or near national road N-550 most of the time, so it is quite easy to take a taxi in Pontevedra to any point along the Camino if you want to walk less today. Of course, you will enter green sceneries, not all is tarmac! Following mainly rural tracks and walking through forests you reach Caldas de Reis, known for its wellness culture.

If you arrive early today, you might want to go for a walk along the river to waterfall Fervenza de Segade, located at 2km from the Caldas de Reis.

Challenge: 21 km / 13 mi,  400m ascent/descent

Put your boots on to explore what will probably be the most beautiful stage of this Camino in terms of landscape: bucolic forests come into scene and that will make you speed down as you descend along the forest track from Pino to San Miguel de Valda, with the picturesque church and cemetery with the same name.

From there, you will follow quiet country roads and gravel tracks, from village to village, until Padrón, on the banks of River Sar. And… what happens in Padrón? This area is known for its peppers, which are said that “sometimes they burn, others not”. Good luck with this!

If you have time in the afternoon, you can visit the Nobel Prize in Literature Camilo José Cela foundation (and his grave) in Iria Flavia, following the Camino for just 1 km.

Challenge: 19 km / 11.8 mi, 425 m ascent / 440 m descent

This stage goes mainly on tarmac and urban areas but don’t become disappointed: today you arrive in Santiago and it is well worth it!

In a progressive but moderate ascent, you reach O Milladoiro but still a last descent and ascent through a beautiful forest await to reach the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. On the way, why not to stop at the Nobel Prize in Literature Camilo José Cela foundation or the baroque Sanctuary da Escravitude?

As you approach Santiago you will be continually meeting joyful and excited pilgrims from all over the world, coming from different Caminos. Once at the Praza do Obradoiro, time stands still! Enjoy that moment which is only yours. Listen to the clapping, laughters, crying for joy…

Congratulations! You’ve done it!

Challenge: 25 km / 15.5 mi, 645m ascent / 400 m descent

Your arrangement comes to the end today after breakfast.