Overview
The Camino Portugues from Baiona to Santiago is an alternative to the classic final stage from Tui that goes from Porto along the coast instead of the interior route that enters Galicia through Tui. It is a route of just over 120km of little difficulty. You will also have better weather on the southern coast of Galicia, with milder temperatures and less rainfall. The Camino Portugues route is relatively flat and easy to navigate, and it is a great alternative to the French Camino. Spend one unforgettable week walking through stunning countryside and villages and exploring fascinating historic towns and cities.
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Baiona
This fishing village is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the Rías Baixas. The Paseo del Monte Boi, the Monterreal fortress, the Silleiro lighthouse and the Cíes Islands are noteworthy. And, of course, do not miss trying the local gastronomic specialities.
- Accommodation: a family-run hotel in Baiona
Day 2: Baiona – Vigo | 25km
Following the mouth of Vigo, you hike to Nigrán. Then pass nice beaches such as Panxón, Patos and Samil until you reach the largest city in Galicia, Vigo.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 6h
- Accommodation: a family-run hotel in Vigo
Day 3: Vigo – Cesantes | 18km
You leave Vigo in the direction of Senda da Traida das Augas, where the route leads you to Redondela, where the route merges with the classic Camino Portugues route via Tui. Before the Camino reaches this point, it passes near Trasmañó. Some pilgrims opt for a deviation of approx. 5km to see the impressive waterfall. The forests and the inlets remain your companions during the rest of the day.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 4h
- Accommodation: a family-run hotel in Cesantes
Day 4: Cesantes – Pontevedra | 17km
This stage is one of the most beautiful of the Camino Portugues. Climb the ancient stone paths of the Verea Vella da Canicouva and explore the 13th-century church. When you arrive at Pontevedra, don’t miss the historic city centre and its numerous tapas bars.
- Walking for the day: 17km, 4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Avenida or similar
Day 5: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis | 21km
Leave Pontevedra through the pleasant countryside. This stage to Caldas de Reis is fairly long but not demanding, and you will have the opportunity to rest your tired feet in Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Balneario Acuna or similar
Day 6: Caldas de Reis – Padrón | 19km
Today’s route leaves Caldas de Reis and takes you on a soft climb to the charming woodlands of Valga. You will see many churches and stone crosses on the way to Padrón and take in the Bermana and Valga river valleys. Padrón is the place where St James’ remains were brought following his martyrdom in Jerusalem.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Casa Antiga do Monte or similar
Day 7: Padrón – Santiago de Compostela | 25km
Your final stage! You will walk mostly through rural settings, but there are still pleasant sections through oak, pine and eucalyptus woodland. Enter the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and relish the end of your journey at the Cathedral.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Lux Santiago or similar
Day 8: Departure
Arrange extra nights in Santiago or enjoy breakfast, then make your way to Santiago Airport. If you have time, explore the old city of Santiago de Compostela before you leave.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in nice 1-star, 2-star and 3-star hotels and guesthouses. They all have private en-suite rooms and offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour. Please note that many rooms with en-suite/private facilities have a shower rather than a bath, usually because of limited space.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Avenida (Pontevedra)
- Balneario Acuna (Caldas de Reis)
- Casa Antiga do Monte (Padrón)
- Hotel Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included (usually buffet breakfast/coffee and toast/bread/croissant). 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 at the restaurant of your accommodation or in the towns where you overnight.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded moderate and includes daily walks of 17-25km; the terrain is mostly flat (read more about difficulty grades). You will follow 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, and in general, the itinerary is very easy to follow. However, please be careful at intersections where there may be a choice of several different alternative routes. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from mid-March until the end of October. The best months to visit are April – June and September – October as in the summer months it may become too hot. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice about Spain
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By plane
Our recommended arrival and departure airports for this tour are Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and Porto.
By train or bus
To get down to Baiona, you will have to take a bus or train which connects through Vigo. For further information, timetables and tickets, visit ALSA.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in hotels in private en-suite rooms
- 7 breakfasts
- Pilgrim passport
- Maps
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (1 pc up to 20 kg per person)
- Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela (old town)
- Galician cheese tasting in Santiago (not 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 & entrance fees (payable on the spot)
- 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)
- Extra nights
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
You need to get your passport stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way. At the end of the walk in Santiago de Compostela, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate.
Important: Due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, and to avoid long waiting times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago 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, to check the status of the queue and estimated waiting time to obtain the Compostela. However, 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 have to return for it on the following morning.
Therefore, if obtaining a pilgrim certificate is important to you, and if you plan to undertake the Camino between April 15th and October 15th, we recommend that you arrange the return travel in such a way that you will be in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival. Better still, we encourage you to book a second night in Santiago so that you can collect the certificate without rushing and enjoy the charms of the city!
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