Overview
This eight day, self-guided walking holiday along the Camino Portugues combines some of the best bits of both the Central and Coastal Way. However, it starts and finishes in Galicia, Spain, picking up the route just across the border in the fishing village of Baiona. The Camino Portugues Baiona to Santiago route is just over 120km, relatively flat and easy to navigate, with highlights along the way including the Rías Baixas inlets, Vigo estuary and its historic city, and the stunning town of Pontevedra. And last but not least, the great city of Santiago itself.
- Vigo
- Pontevedra
- Caldas de Reis
- Santiago de Compostela
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Baiona
Arrive in the fishing village of Baiona, one of the most popular tourist destinations of the Rías Baixas. If time allows, explore some of the noteworthy local sights, including Paseo del Monte Boi, Castillo de Monterreal, Cape Silleiro Lighthouse and the Cíes Islands, and do not miss out on trying the local tapas offerings.
- Accommodation: Hotel Tres Carabelas or similar in Baiona
Day 2: Baiona – Vigo | 27km
Leaving Baiona, cross the Miño River and follow the route towards Nigrán. Head north, passing several beaches as the route winds along the Vigo estuary, including Panxón, Patos and Samil, before reaching Vigo, the largest city in Galicia.
- Walking for the day: 27km, 6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Silken Axis or similar in Vigo
Day 3: Vigo – Redondela | 16.3-21.3km
Follow the route in the direction of the Senda da Traida das Augas Nature Trail. Continue on the route and head to Trasmañó, where some pilgrims opt for a 5km detour to an impressive waterfall. From Trasmañó, follow the trail towards Redondela, where Coastal and Central Way meet.
- Walking for the day: 16.3km, 4h
- Accommodation: Pensión Rua Do Medio or similar in Redondela
Day 4: Redondela – Pontevedra | 18.3km
This stage is one of the most memorable of the Camino Portugues. Leaving Redondela behind, pass landscapes of inlets and woodland before reaching Cesantes., continue towards Arcade, a small town famous for its oysters, where the route crosses the Ponte Medieval de Pontesampaio over the Verdugo River. Follow the ancient stone road of Verea Vella da Canicouva uphill towards Pontevedra, and visit the 13th-century Capela de Santa Marta along the way. Once in Pontevedra, don’t miss the Old Town, the impressive Gothic church, Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor, as well as the city’s numerous tapas bars.
- Walking for the day: 18.3km, 4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Galicia Palace or similar in Pontevedra
Day 5: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis | 21km
Leave Pontevedra and head back into the countryside. This stage of the camino, to Caldas de Reis, is fairly long but it is mostly flat. In Caldas de Reis, there is the opportunity to rest your tired feet and relax at one of the town’s spas, thanks to the nearby thermal springs.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Roquiño or similar in Caldas de Reis
Day 6: Caldas de Reis – Padrón | 19km
Today’s stage is very varied in terms of landscape, as the route winds through valleys, vineyards and grain fields, as well as chestnut and eucalyptus forests. Today’s route ends in Padrón, the place where St James’ remains were taken following his martyrdom in Jerusalem. Do not miss the opportunity to try the town’s famous Padrón peppers.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Pazo Lestrove or similar in Padrón
Day 7: Padrón – Santiago de Compostela | 25km
Today marks the final stage of the camino. First, hike towards Iria Flavia, where your ascent to the town of O Milladoiro begins. Continue ascending to Agro dos Monteiros, the highest point of the Camino Portugues in Galicia, from where there is the first glimpse of Santiago de Compostela and the towers of the cathedral in the distance. Enter the ancient city and walk the final steps to reach the famous Catedral Basilica de Santiago de Compostela.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Lux Santiago or similar in Santiago de Compostela
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast, or extend your stay with an extra night in Santiago de Compostela.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of 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 you two nights in the same town with provided transfers. Also, on some occasions, your accommodation can be located a few kilometres away from the trail, so we organise transportation to/from your accommodation.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Tres Carabelas (Baiona)
- Hotel Silken Axis (Vigo)
- Pensión Rua Do Medio (Redondela)
- Hotel Galicia Palace (Pontevedra)
- Hotel Roquiño (Caldas de Reis)
- Hotel Pazo Lestrove (Padrón)
- Hotel Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
Accommodation is 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, usually a simple buffet breakfast consisting of coffee and toast, bread or croissants. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks should 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, with daily walking distances ranging from 17-27km. The terrain is mostly flat. The route follows a mixture of dirt roads, woodland paths, minor roads and some busier roads close to the bigger towns and cities. The route is way-marked with yellow painted arrows and the symbol of a yellow shell on a blue background, it is well-signed and generally easy to follow. However, caution is required at intersections, where there may be a choice of several different routes (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available all year round, from January until the end of December. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season.
The best months for this walking holiday are April to June and September to October, as during the summer months it may become too hot and crowded. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to walk the Camino de Santiago.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival and departure airports for this tour are Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, Vigo Airport and Porto Airport.
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in Vigo (bus connection to Baiona takes just over one hour) and Santiago de Compostela. For more details, see the national rail operator Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
Arrival in Baiona:
- Baiona has regular bus services to and from Vigo (1h). For further information, visit Gal or use the Omio planner above
- There are regular train services to Vigo from many destinations in Spain. For more information and tickets, visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above
Departure from Santiago de Compostela:
- There is a shuttle bus to Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport from the city centre, with several stops in the city. For more information, see Monbus or use the Omio planner above
- From Santiago de Compostela, there are regular train services to many destinations in Spain. For more information and tickets, visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above
- Private transfers are also available upon request
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Pilgrim’s Passport and scallop
- Digital pack (general route information and simple maps)
- Luggage transfers on all walking days (one piece per person, up to 20kg)
- Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela Old Town
- Galician cheese tasting in Santiago de Compostela (not possible on Sundays)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax and entry fees (payable locally)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
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. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights
- Private airport transfers available upon request
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
You will need to get your Pilgirm’s Passport stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way, if you wish to obtain your Compostela Certificate at the end of the walk in Santiago de Compostela. A minimum of two stamps per day is required to obtain the certificate. For more information visit Los sellos del Camino.
Important: due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, to avoid long wait times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago de Compostela has installed a numbered ticket system for issuing pilgrim certificates (the Compostela). This new system allows pilgrims to collect their tickets and, using a QR code, pilgrims are able to check the status of the queue and the estimated wait time. However, the number of tickets per day is limited, so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving, there is the possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will have to return the following morning to collect it.
Therefore, if obtaining a pilgrim certificate is important to you, and if you plan to undertake the camino between 15 April and 15 October, we recommend arranging your return travel in such a way that will allow time in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival there. Better still, we would recommend booking a second night there, so that you can collect the certificate without rushing and with ample time to explore the city.
