Overview
This is the final 100km section of the Camino Portugues, walking from Tui to Santiago in 8 days, so just walking in Spain, not actually in Portugal. Although your first night is spent in Portugal’s fortress town of Valença, this is just a quick hop over the River Minho into Spain which is where your 116km camino begins. This is important because, by completing this 116km section, through some of Galicia’s gorgeous landscapes, you are entitled to get your Compostela Certificate. And you will definitely get your fill of fine walking, with highlights including the coastal town of Arcade, the ancient city of Pontevedra and the natural spring spas in Caldas de Reis. Stay in a mix of mostly locally-owned guesthouses and hotels, with luggage transfers.
- Tui
- Pontevedra
- Caldas de Reis thermal springs
- Padrón
- Catedral Basilica de Santiago de Compostela
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Valença/Tui
Arrive in the fortress town of Valença in Portugal, separated from Spain by the River Minho. Depending on your arrival time, explore the famous Fortaleza de Valença and its network of walls and watchtowers, taking in views over the river towards the Spanish town of Tui, where your camino will begin. Depending on availability, your accommodation may be in Tui rather than Valença.
- Accommodation: Hotel Lara or similar in Valença or Villa Blanca Hotel, Hotel Torre do Xudeo or similar in Tui
Day 2: Valença/Tui – O Porriño | 20km
Leaving Valença, cross Ponte Internacional Tui-Valença into Spain. Spend time wandering through Tui’s Old Town and visit the impressive Catedral de Santa María de Tui, dating back to the 12th century. Continue following the route into the countryside, heading along the Louro River valley through woodland. Cross a stone bridge and enter a wetland area, home to an array of wildlife. Today’s stage ends in the Galician town of O Porriño, where a visit to the town hall, Casa do Concello do Porriño, is highly recommended.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Hostal Expo or similar
Day 3: O Porriño – Arcade | 22km
From O Porriño, follow the route through several villages, gradually ascending towards Chan das Pipas pine forest. Take in the views over Ria de Vigo estuary as you begin your descent to Redondela, where the Camino Portugues Central Route meets the Coastal Route. Your day comes to a close in the coastal village of Arcade, known for its oysters and medieval ten-arch bridge, Ponte Romano de Ponte Sampaio.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Duarte or similar
Day 4: Arcade – Pontevedra | 13km
Today’s stage is one of the shortest of the Camino Portugues. 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. Continue on the route, walking along the Tomeza River. Once in Pontevedra, don’t miss the well-preserved Old Town, the Gothic Basílica de Santa María la Mayor, as well as the city’s numerous tapas bars.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 3-4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Avenida or similar
Day 5: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis | 22km
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: 22km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Balneario Acuña or similar
Day 6: Caldas de Reis – Padrón | 19km
Today’s stage is varied in terms of landscape, as the route winds through valleys, vineyards and chestnut or 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: Casa Antiga do Monte or similar
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 you get your 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
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 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.
Please note: we aim to book you into each town listed on the itinerary. However, in the event of low availability, we may book you two nights in the same town and provide 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 Lara (Valença)
- Hostal Expo (O Porriño)
- Hotel Duarte (Arcade)
- Hotel Avenida (Pontevedra)
- Balneario Acuña (Caldas de Reis)
- Casa Antiga do Monte (Padrón)
- Hotel Lux Santiago (Santiago de Compostela)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with accommodation 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 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 12-22km. The terrain is mostly flat and 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 from the beginning of March until the end of October. 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
FCO up-to-date travel advice for Portugal and Spain
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airports for this tour are Vigo Airport (VGO) and Porto Airport (OPO) and the recommended departure airport is Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ).
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Portugal or Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in Valença and Santiago de Compostela. For more details, see the national rail operator CP (Portugal) or Renfe (Spain), or use the Omio planner above.
Arrival in Valença:
- From Vigo Airport, take the bus to Vigo city centre (30mins, see Vitrasa) and then to Valença (30mins, see ALSA or Autna)
- From Porto Airport, take the bus from the airport to Valença (1h 45mins, see ALSA or Autna)
- From Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport, take the shuttle bus from the airport to Santiago de Compostela railway station (45mins, see Monbus). Take the train to Vigo (1h, see Renfe) and then the bus to Valença (30mins, see Autna). Alternatively, take the bus from Santiago de Compostela to Valença (1h 45mins, see ALSA), but note that there are limited services
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
- Detailed tour materials, including maps, roadbook, practical information, Pilgrim’s Passport (credential) and scallop (Vieira)
- Luggage transfers 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 and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax and entrance fees (payable locally)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically 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
- Arrival meeting with our local representative
- Extra nights
- Private airport transfers
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.
