Overview
The Camino Portugues Coastal Way (Caminho da Costa) is a quieter but equally impressive alternative route to the traditional Central Way of Portugal’s camino. Over 15 days, follow the rugged Atlantic coastline from Porto, past dune-rich and sandy beaches such as Povoa de Varzim or Vila Praia de Âncora. After crossing the Miño River to enter Galicia in Spain, you follow more coastal paths and forest tracks to the small beachfront village of Oia, then onto the coastal city of Vigo. Join other pilgrims on the Central Way at Arcade, then it’s plain sailing all the way to Santiago.
- Porto
- Viana do Castelo
- Baiona
- Pontevedra
- Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Porto
After arriving at your hotel, spend some time wandering around Porto, taking in its numerous sights, including Ponte de Dom Luís I Bridge, Torre dos Clérigos and the famous Livraria Lello bookshop.
- Accommodation: Hotel Moov Porto Centro, Hotel Porto Trindade or similar
Day 2: Matosinhos – Vila do Conde | 20km
Begin the morning with a short transfer to Matosinhos to begin the first walking stage of the Camino Portugues Coastal Way. Following the coastline, walk along wooden boardwalks and pavements along a series of wide sandy beaches, nature reserves and fishing villages until you reach the historic coastal town of Vila do Conde.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Brazão or similar
Day 3: Vila do Conde – Esposende | 25km
Today’s route crosses the areas that connect Vila do Conde with the seaside resort town of Povoa de Varzim, following the coastline past flower meadows, dunes and beaches. The route then heads inland towards Esposende, passing through market gardens, forests and villages before heading over a bridge across the Cávado Estuary and arriving in Esposende.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Suave Mar or similar
Day 4: Esposende – Viana do Castelo | 24km
This morning’s route passes through several villages, passing woodlands and rivers before reaching the Neiva River’s mouth and returning to the coast. From here, walk along a forest path to the small port of Cabedelo before crossing the Eiffel Bridge into Viana do Castelo, known for its architecture and magnificent views over the Lima Estuary and distant mountain ranges.
- Walking for the day: 24km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Laranjeira or similar
Day 5: Viana do Castelo – Vila Praia de Âncora | 19km
Spend the morning exploring Viana do Castelo, taking the funicular up the eucalyptus-clad hill of Monte de Santa Luzia or visiting the neo-Byzantine Temple to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for panoramic views. Heading out of the city, walk along wooden footbridges and promenades across beaches and dunes before heading inland through shaded eucalyptus forests. The last section of today’s route takes you uphill, rewarded with some splendid coastal views, before descending to the secluded beachside resort of Vila Praia de Âncora.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Meira or similar
Day 6: Vila Praia de Âncora – A Guarda | 15km
From Âncora, follow a coastal path towards Moledo before continuing to Caminha. If time allows, take a detour through the pine forest beside the beach before catching a ferry across the Miño River to the peaceful fishing town of A Guarda in Spain, a great place to taste some fresh seafood.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 3-4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Villa da Guarda or similar
Day 7: A Guarda – Oia | 13km
If time allows, visit Santa Tegra Celtic settlement and its hill fort and take in the far-reaching views before following the camino through the town centre and out towards the rugged coastline. The route follows a combination of coastal paths, forest tracks and tarmac roads to reach the small beachfront village of Oia, dominated by its 12th-century monastery and a perfect location to sample some locally-sourced grilled fish and a glass of Vinho Verde as you take in the sea views.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 3-4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Raina or similar
Day 8: Oia – Baiona | 18km
Walk across fields underneath impressive cliffs to reach the Cabo Silleiro lighthouse before heading across the mountains and eventually descending into the medieval centre of Baiona. The route passes two ancient churches as it enters Baiona, the first port in Europe to receive the news of the discovery of America.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Tres Carabelas or similar
Day 9: Baiona – Vigo | 25km
Leaving the residential areas around Baiona behind, the terrain becomes even more rural before heading through several villages and woodland. From here, the route briefly follows a road before entering Vigo via Castrelos Park, where you can spend the evening exploring the city.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel OCA Ipanema or similar
Day 10: Vigo – Arcade | 22km
Walk along Vigo’s main shopping street and out of the city via a long road that connects a string of peaceful hillside villages with views across the city, estuary and port. The scenery gradually changes from houses to trees before the steep descent towards Redondela. The day comes to a close in Arcade, a riverside town known for its oysters and for being the place where the routes of the Central Way and the Coastal Way of the Camino Portugues merge.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Duarte or similar
Day 11: Arcade – Pontevedra | 13km
This stage is one of the shortest yet most scenic stages of the camino, climbing the ancient stone paths of the Verea Vella da Canicouva and passing the 13th-century Church of Santa Maria. Once in Pontevedra, spend some time wandering around the city’s historic centre or visit Museo Provincial de Pontevedra, a museum housed in the former palace of Edificio Castelao, displaying a collection of paintings, sculptures and other artefacts from the province of Pontevedra.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 3-4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Avenida or similar
Day 12: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis | 22km
Set off from Pontevedra walking through typically rural landscapes towards Caldas de Reis. This stage of the tour is fairly long but not demanding and offers the opportunity to rest your tired feet in Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Balneario Acuna or similar
Day 13: Caldas de Reis – Padrón | 19km
Today’s route begins with a gentle climb through the woodlands around Valga, passing multiple churches and stone crosses along the way. The day ends in Padrón, the Roman city where Saint James’ remains were brought to from Jerusalem.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Casa Antiga do Monte or similar
Day 14: Padrón – Santiago de Compostela | 23km
The final stage of the tour follows rural paths through oak, pine and eucalyptus woodland before entering the ancient and inonic city of Santiago de Compostela. Enter Plaza del Obradoiro before bringing your day and pilgrimage to a close at Catedral de Santiago de Compostela and collecting your Compostela Certificate.
- Walking for the day: 23km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Lux Santiago or similar
Day 15: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their proximity to the camino, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Important: We aim to book you into each town listed on the itinerary, however, in case of low availability, we may book two nights in the same town and provide transfers. On some occasions, your accommodation can be located a few kilometres away from the trail, in these instances, we will organise transportation to and from your accommodation.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Moov Porto Centro
- Hotel Brazão
- Hotel Suave Mar
- Hotel Laranjeira
- Hotel Meira
- Hotel Villa da Guarda
- Casa Puertas
- Hotel Tres Carabelas
- Hotel Raina
- Hotel OCA Ipanema
- Hotel Duarte
- Hotel Avenida
- Balneario Acuna
- Casa Antiga do Monte
- Hotel Lux Santiago
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate and includes daily walks of 13-25km on mostly flat terrain. The route follows a mixture of dirt roads, woodland paths, minor roads and some busier roads close to the bigger towns and cities. The routes are well waymarked in general, but take care at intersections where there may be a choice of several different alternative routes (read more about difficulty grades).
When to go
This trip is available from March-October excluding July. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice about Portugal and Spain
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this tour is Porto. The best departure airport is Santiago de Compostela.
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Spain and Portugal without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in Porto and Santiago de Compostela. For more details, see the national rail operators Comboios de Portugal and Renfe.
From Porto Airport, you can use the metro, bus, shuttle or taxi to reach Porto’s centre. You can check the various options here. From Santiago de Compostela, there are regular shuttle buses to Santiago Airport. For timetables and further information, visit the national rail operators Comboios de Portugal and Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 14 nights in en-suite rooms
- 14 breakfasts
- Pilgrim Kit: Pilgrim’s Passport and Vieira (shell)
- Detailed journey documentation and practical information
- Transfer on day two to the start of the walk
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece up to 15kg per person)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax & entrance fees (payable locally)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Arrival meeting with a member of our team
- Airport transfers
- Extra nights
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
To receive the Compostela Certificate, you will need to ensure your Pilgrim’s Passport is stamped in each town you visit, with stamps available from churches, restaurants or hotels along the way.
Important: Due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago has installed a numbered ticket system for issuing pilgrim certificates (the Compostela). This new system allows pilgrims to collect a ticket and check the status of the queue and estimated waiting time to obtain the Compostela. The number of tickets per day is limited, so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving, there is a possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will, instead, need to collect it the following morning. Therefore, if obtaining the Compostela is important to you, we recommend arranging return travel in such a way that allows you to be in Santiago de Compostela the morning after your arrival.
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