From Tui to Santiago on the Portuguese Way

Stage 5 of 5

117.7km

8 days

Comfort

Popular time

may

Starting from

639

Jan
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Apr
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Jul
Aug
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Dec
Popular Time
Good Time
Off/Low Season
Not Possible

Gentle terrain that gets gradually hillier as you approach Santiago de Compostela.

Overall

Distance:

16.3 min | 19.6km average | 24.7 max

Ascent:

211.2 min |351.6m average | 526.3 max

Cardio:

2   2.8   4

Follow the Camino Preview Map Trip 302

This walking holiday explores the Camino Portugues, or Portuguese Way, of the iconic Camino. This route, the main option for the Camino de Santiago in Portugal, was used by Queen Isabel of Portugal in the 13th Century. It heads north following the Atlantic coast of Portugal and Spain. The Camino Portugues gently winds along ancient paths, running through woodlands, farmlands, vineyards and historic towns. Every day during the walk from Tui to Santiago you’re guaranteed scenic views and local gastronomic delights. This section requires a reasonable level of fitness. However, it’s a highly rewarding walk that includes numerous cultural highlights.

Tui Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption of Tui, right in the centre of the town, is the starting point of this section of Portugal's Camino de Santiago and shouldn’t be missed! Dating back to the 11th Century, the cathedral displays stunning Romanesque architecture with decorative Gothic elements. The Portico is believed to be one of the earliest pieces of Gothic art in Spain. A small charge for entrance is worth it to marvel at the interior and fully take in the sheer size of the Cathedral.

Church in Padron

Padron

The last main town before reaching Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Portuguese is Padron and this is also the town where St James’ body was returned to the Iberian Peninsula from Jerusalem. A must-see in town is the Church of Santiago. There, below the altar, is the original stone O Pedrón, which is said to be the mooring post that the boat carrying St James was tied up to. Another wonderful place to visit is Monte Santiaguino – it is here that St James is said to have first preached in Spain. A short but steep walk up to Monte Santiaguino is well worth it for the tranquillity and views back over Padron.

Albarino Wine making grape picker

Albarino Wine

This section of the Camino Portuguese goes through the Albarino Wine region. There are a number of theories as to how wine came to be grown in the region – some suggest it was brought here by Germans, while others say it was French Monks. No matter how it got there, the wine is now widely available throughout the region and has a unique refreshing taste. Due to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean this wine pairs very well with many local fish dishes, so why not eat and drink like the locals!! Salud!

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TUI

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Starting from € 639
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Services

Included in this package

Bed & Breakfast

Specially Hand-Picked Accommodation

Our Holiday or Pilgrim Pack

24/7 On-Call Support

Virtual Face-to-Face Pre-Departure Briefing

Add-On

Premium Accommodation

Airport Pick-Up

Additional Nights

Dinners

Luggage Transfers from Hotel to Hotel

Day Tours to Local Sites of Interest

Not included: Flights/trains, Insurance, Drinks/Lunch

Itinerary

Day

1

km

TUI

You’ll be booked into a hotel in the heart of Tui. Take a walk through the town’s picturesque streets, and as you approach the Plaza de San Fernando the silhouette of the west-facing facade of the 12th Century cathedral will provide you with a lasting memory.

Day

2

17.2 km

TUI O PORRINO

From the long-standing port of Tui, the Camino winds its way up to the old town, following the so-called Camino da Barca. Then, through the Tunel das Monxas, the Camino enters a very steep section and leads us to the historic bridge of San Telmo. From there, travelling over less strenuous terrain, we come to the town of O Porrino.

Day

3

16.3 km

O PORRINO REDONDELA

The terrain becomes easier to navigate as we cross the Louro Valley. Keeping the valley to the east, after a gentle climb you arrive at the chapel of Santiaguino de Antas; a pleasant place to take a rest. We now enter a wide expanse of woodland. Surrounded by pine trees, the Camino starts its descent to Redondela.

Day

4

19.7 km

REDONDELA PONTEVEDRA

Leaving Redondela, which is known as the Village of Viaducts due to the two 19th Century railroad viaducts in the town, you will proceed to the village of Arcade. From here you cross a Romanesque bridge where Napoleon was defeated by the Spanish during the War of Independence. Arriving into Pontevedra you will head through the narrow streets before reaching the 13th Century Church of Santa Maria. Of interest to pilgrims is the Capela da Peregrina which, although it appears round, is actually in the shape of a scallop shell.

Day

5

21.2 km

PONTEVEDRA CALDAS DE REIS

Passing chestnut groves, the Camino leaves Pontevedra and runs parallel to the railway for a while. After passing through the hamlet of Ponte Cabras, we encounter the rectory of Santa Maria de Alba, tucked away among pine and eucalyptus trees. Emerging from the dense woods of Lombo da Maceira, you’ll see a statue of St James, his staff pointing the way to proceed. Passing the lovely village of Tibo, with its fountain, public washing place and stone cross, brings us to Caldas de Reis.

Day

6

18.7 km

CALDAS DE REIS PADRON

Exiting the town, we take a bridge over the River Umia that leads us to a fountain of hot spring water that has lent the town its name since Roman times. Entering the woods once more, the Camino makes its way gently uphill to the hamlet of Santa Marina. Going downhill, we cross the river Fontenlo. Finally, we catch up again with the river as we arrive in Padron. Padron is famous for being the first land sighted by the ship bearing the body of St James.

Day

7

24.7 km

PADRON SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

The Camino passes through many small hamlets before arriving at the Baroque sanctuary of A Esclavitude. On a hilltop to the left stands the mysterious ruins of the hillfort Castro Lupario. A few kilometres later, we come to the oldest wayside crossing in Galicia. As we near Agro dos Monteiros, it’s now possible to see the spires of the cathedral in Santiago. Finally, the Camino passes by the ruins of a castle known as A Rocha Vella, before entering the city of the Apostle.

Day

8

km

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

After breakfast, we bid you farewell.
If you wish to stay in the area, we recommend that you:
– Take your time and visit the magnificent historic centre of Santiago.
– Continue with us along the wild Camino Fisterra (Finisterre Way), and stay overnight at the hotel in the lighthouse!
– Or take a bus to Fisterra to visit the unspoilt sandy coves and beaches of the west coast. With very few tourists, you are guaranteed a very special experience. Buses depart from Santiago Bus Station at 9am and 10am. Buses return to Santiago at 4:45pm and 7pm. The journey takes 3 hours.

How to Get There

Getting to Tui, Portugal

To get to Tui, it is best to fly to Santiago de Compostela.

Fly into Santiago de Compostela

Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Iberia/BA fly direct to Santiago de Compostela from the UK and Ireland. Ryanair flies from Stansted, Iberia/BA operates from Gatwick and Aer Lingus from Dublin. Santiago de Compostela can also be reached by a number of locations around Spain and Portugal, as well as major European cities. Iberia/BA offers the best selection of flights and you can fly to and from Santiago De Compostela returning to Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma, Seville, Tenerife and Valencia. To get to Tui, you will need to get 2 public buses from the Santiago Airport or we can organise a private airport transfer. First you take a bus from the Santiago Airport to Vigo (this will take around 1 hour). Then, from Vigo Bus Station you can depart for Tui. This is a 30-minute journey and several buses run per day.

    Getting home from Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Fly from Santiago de Compostela

    Shuttle buses from Santiago city centre to the airport depart every 20 minutes. Or, you can arrange an airport transfer with us that will collect you from your hotel.

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      Gentle terrain that gets gradually hillier as you approach Santiago de Compostela.
      January Off season
      February Off season
      March Off season
      April Good time
      July Good time
      August Good time
      October Good time
      November Off season
      December Off season