“Come and experience the Camino de Santiago”
8 Day Portuguese Camino Walking and Hiking Tour in Northern Portugal
Valença, Viana do Castelo District, North Region, Portugal
Hiking Tour in Portugal
Compare the former rival towns of Valença and Tui before entering the wooded countryside on your way to historical Galician towns and cities such as Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis, and Padrón. On the way, you’ll pass through countless hamlets and villages where time appears to have stood still and locals still use traditional methods to cultivate their crops. This route offers plenty of opportunities to taste the fresh produce, including mussels from the Ria de Vigo and oysters in Arcade, and locally produced wine as you follow this well-worn pilgrim trail.
Highlights
- 6 walking days
- Roadbook with tips, maps, and detailed information on the way (in English)
- Pilgrim kit: Credential (passport) and Vieira (shell)
- Journey documentation
- 24/7 emergency support
- Luggage transfer between accommodations
- Daily breakfast
- 7 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
6 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Portuguese
Group size: Maximum of 10 participants
Airport transfer available:
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (US$ 51 per person)
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (US$ 51 per person)
Accommodation
Hotels, Manor Houses and Inns
A combination of 2 and 3-star hotels, restored manor houses, and small inns located on the Camino.
All rooms have their own bathrooms. They have chosen these accommodations for their hospitality, comfort, and location.
Keep in mind that as you will be walking through rural countryside, 3-star hotels are not always available at every stop.
Program
About the Program
Begin your Portuguese Way at the fortress town of Valença in Northern Portugal. From Valença, you’ll cross the border formed by the River Minho and head north through Galicia to the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela.
Compare the former rival towns of Valença and Tui before entering the wooded countryside on your way to historical Galician towns and cities such as Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis, and Padrón. On the way, you’ll pass through countless hamlets and villages where time appears to have stood still and locals still use traditional methods to cultivate their crops.
This route offers plenty of opportunities to taste the fresh produce, including mussels from the Ria de Vigo and oysters in Arcade, and locally produced wine as you follow this well-worn pilgrim trail.
Pre-tour Briefing
You can choose whether to meet with a member of the Portugal Green Walks team online, before you depart, or in person on the day before you start walking to give you a full briefing and personally hand-deliver your Camino Welcome Pack.
This pack contains all the materials you’ll need as a pilgrim: Your Credencial (Pilgrim Passport), a scallop shell with the symbol of St. James, a roadbook with route descriptions and tips plus a few other goodies for the trail! If you opt for the online briefing, your Welcome Pack will be waiting for you to collect when you check into your first hotel.
During the briefing, the members of their staff will be delighted to answer any questions that you have before starting your journey to Santiago de Compostela.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Valença do Minho
Meet with a member of the team for a briefing and to collect the documentation.
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 2: Walk from Valença to O Porriño (20 km / 12.4 miles)
Admire the views up and downstream as you cross the International Bridge into Spain. Take some time to visit Tui’s magnificent cathedral and charming historical center before heading into the countryside. Avoid the ugly industrial zone near Porriño using the recommended detour and you’ll spend most of the day in green fields and forests.
- Accommodation: 2-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Walk from O Porriño to Arcade (22 km / 13.6 miles)
As you leave O Porriño, you’ll pass through a number of villages before a gentle climb to the Chan das Pipas pine forest. As you make your way downhill towards Redondela, look out over the blue waters of the Ria de Vigo estuary. Today’s stage ends in the riverside town of Arcade - if you enjoy seafood, this is the best place to try oysters.
- Accommodation: 2-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Walk from Arcade to Pontevedra (13 km / 8 miles)
Cross a historically significant bridge to leave Arcade and head into the hills along ancient stone paths. The countryside here is delightful and the recommended detour avoids the main road into Pontevedra so that you can walk alongside the River Tomeza in the shade of trees. Pontevedra is the biggest city on this route and has plenty to keep you entertained.
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Walk from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (22 km /13.6 miles)
Walk through the ancient streets of Pontevedra and out into the countryside where you’ll soon find yourself in a forest. That’s followed by fields and grape vines with a few brief stints on the main road before you reach the medieval spa town of Caldas de Reis.
- Accommodation: 2-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Walk from Caldas de Reis to Padrón (19 km / 11.8 miles)
Start the day with a steady climb through a series of hamlets to reach the Valga woods. Once out in the open again, you’ll notice lots of elaborately carved crosses marking your route to Padrón, the town where the boat carrying St. James’ body is said to have washed ashore.
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Walk from Padrón to Santiago de Compostela (25 km / 15.5 miles)
Your last day on the Camino is largely rural with a particularly pretty patch of forest before you get to the urban outskirts of Santiago. Enter the ancient town center and make your way towards the cathedral square, Praza do Obradoiro, to join fellow pilgrims who have completed this epic journey.
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Departure
After breakfast - end of services
- Meals: Breakfast
Location
Minho Region, Northern Portugal and North of Spain
This tour will take place in the Minho Region of Northern Portugal and North of Spain
You will be hiking to the following locations:
- Valença, Viana do Castelo District, North Region, Portugal (Arrival)
- O Porriño, Province of Pontevedra, Galicia
- Pontevedra, Province of Pontevedra, Galicia
- Caldas de Reis, Province of Pontevedra, Galicia
- Padrón, Province of A Coruña, Galicia
- Santiago de Compostela, Province of A Coruña, Galicia
Highlights:
- Historical cities
- Ancient pilgrim trails
- Roman roads
- Rivers
- Valleys
- Iconic bridges
- Beautiful churches
- Chapels and roadside shrines
- Forests
- Farmland
- Authentic villages
- Rural lifestyles
- Regional dishes
- Spa town
- Comfortable accommodations close to the Camino trail
Food
Breakfasts
All breakfasts are included with your accommodation. They have arranged that you will be provided with more than the standard Spanish breakfast of coffee and toast.
Other Dietary Requirements
Let Portugal Green Walks know if you have any dietary restrictions and they can ask their hotels to accommodate for those as well.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- Roadbook with tips, maps, and detailed information on the way (in English)
- Pilgrim kit: credential (passport) and Vieira (shell)
- Journey documentation
- In-person welcome briefing
- 24/7 emergency support
- Luggage transfer between accommodations (1 bag per person - maximum 15 kg/bag)
- 7 nights of accommodation with breakfast
What's not included
- Flights
- Arrival and departure transfers
- Lunches and dinners
- Insurance
- Touristic taxes
- Personal equipment
- Other personal expenses
- All items not mentioned in “Included”
How to get there
Recommended Airports
OPO
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport
88 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 51 per person
Airport: Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport
Airport transfer available:
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (US$ 51 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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