Portuguese Camino by the Coast

Arrival in Porto. The hotel is centrally located in Porto's beautiful old town, a short walk from the city's many attractions.

You will be free to dispose the day on your own in this beautiful city. The historical core of the city is full of charm and was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Interesting monuments, history, the beautiful location and not to mention the portwine, are some of the reasons why you should visit this city.

On the opposite bank of the river you'll find the port wine houses. Here you can conveniently use the afternoon to taste the many brands. Several of the port wine bodegas have been frugally and beautifully restored - some modern, others classic, but all with the history and pride of the product.

The day can also be spiced up with a boat trip on the Douro River, where the city can be experienced from the water side, all the while saving your legs for the next few days hike.

Whether it is your 1st or 10th pilgrimage, the first day is always something very special. On this first camino stage out of Porto, we recommend taking the metro the first 11 km. out of Porto. This makes the stage 22 km (13,7 miles). You can also choose to hike all the way from Porto, making the stage 33 km. long (20,5 miles). Our guide material will explain both scenarios in details.

From the metro stop in Matosinhos, the camino follows the beautiful coastline along kilometers of delicious sandy beaches. It can be a meditative experience to hike to the sound of the Atlantic waves. The terminus, the historic port city of Vila do Conde, is known for its historic shipyards. During Portugal's maritime heyday, when explorers crossed the oceans, several of the large wooden ships were built here. A cozy town with good restaurants and an exciting history.

Distance: 22 Km

Another day with magnificent coastlines awaits you. Along with cosy cafés and views that you will never forget, today´s pilgrimage takes you to Esponsende. This is also one of your longer stages, so get started in the morning, giving yourself enough time for lunch and maybe a dip in the refreshing Atlantic Ocean during this amazing hike to Esposende.

Distance: 26 Km

Heading on from Esposende, your hike now enters the countryside where you will walk through beautifully maintained villages and experience Portugal in an authentic manner. On this stage you will also have had your first inclines, so maybe the day will end with your legs a little sorer. When you arrive at Viana do Castelo you should explore and enjoy the Old Town, which is beautifully renovated with the usual Portuguese feel for the details and respect for their history.

Distance: 21 Km

From Viana do Castelo you will follow the coastline, which you probably will notice, has changed as you approach Spain. The many beach areas have now changed into a rockier coastline, where the waves have carved the rocks into amazing sculptures. This part of your pilgrimage does not have many inclines, but is nonetheless relatively long. Before arriving at Caminha, take a break at one of the beaches. Find yourself a comfortable spot on the beach or on one of the rocks, take a look over the ocean, listen to the waves that never stop pulsing and then take a deep breath and recall the last days' incredible pilgrimage. In other words, take time to say goodbye to Portugal before the next chapter on your pilgrimage takes you across the border to Spain.

Distance: 27 Km

This part of your pilgrimage has a special element as you take the ferry between Portugal and Spain. Even though crossing the River Minho takes no more than 20 minutes, there is still something special about crossing the border between Portugal and Spain in this way. Once in Spain you will definitely notice the change along the coastline, as the Galician shoreline seems to have a beautiful roughness to it.

When you get to Oia go visit the Mosterio de Santa Maria de Oia, founded in the mid-12th century. It is one of the few monasteries in Europe with a location right next to the Ocean. This stage offers varied terrain and takes you between the main road and the Atlantic Ocean.

Distance: 22 Km

From Oia, your journey continues to the picturesque coastal town Baiona. One of the main attractions in Baiona is the impressive fortress, Castillo de Montereal, whose foundation dates back to the 12th century. Baiona has great historical significance for Spain, as this was where the first news of "The New World" in America was delivered by Martín Alonso Pinzón in 1493. The nightlife in Baiona is extensively varied in restaurants, cafes and bars. So, if your pilgrimage not has been too hard on you so far, we suggest you spend a pleasant evening on the town before your next stage towards Vigo.

Distance: 18 Km

This stage offers you the opportunity to choose between two different routes. You can either take the traditional Camino that leads you into the countryside, through beautifully forested areas, historic monuments and great views of the Atlantic Ocean. Another option is the "new" Camino, which follows the coast and runs along some of the beautiful beaches, that the local Spaniards like to visit during the summer. This route has fewer inclines, but also some slightly longer parts where you walk along the main road. The distance is roughly the same for both routes.

Distance: 22 Km

Today you will follow paths along the authentic Galician countryside. At first, the Camino follows a beautiful route along "La Ruta de Aqua" with stunning views to the Bay of Vigo. Once you have left Vigo, there are not many sevices. 

Distance: 16 Km

Today you will have a few climbs on your way to Pontevedra, but you will also be walking through the very heart of Galicia! Along the way you will get to see the famous stone crosses (Cruceiros), which for centuries have guided and protected pilgrims on their way to Santiago. Several of these small masterpieces are dated back to the 15th century. When you reach Pontevedra, you can visit various churches, monasteries and monuments of the city, go shopping in the city's old quarter (Casco Viejo), or enjoy the vibrant nightlife and the many excellent restaurants - and of course, taste a glass of the local Albariño white vine.

Distance: 20 Km

After leaving Pontevedra's Old Town Centre, the route quickly takes you to one of the most beautiful sections of this part of the Camino. Among other things, you will pass the area of Barro with absolutely wonderful waterfalls, and later Briallos, the latter leading you through scenic vineyards of Galicia. In Caldas de Reis you will have the opportunity to enjoy one of the many thermal baths which Galicia is famed for.

Distance: 22 Km

Today you arrive at Padrón, the next most important pilgrimage city after Santiago de Compostela. According to ancient legend, the Apostle Saint James is said to have preached on the Iberian Peninsula. The tradition has that after being beheaded in the year 44 AD, the body of Saint James arrived by boat to the Galician coast navigated by two of his disciples from the city of Jaffa in Palestine. From here, his corpse was carried to Padrón, because the Apostle James is said to have preached at Monte de Santiaguiño. In Padrón, a long and very beautiful stairway leads along the Mosterio Convento do Carmen to this sacred place that is definitely worth a visit. The route to Padrón is as beautiful as the former pilgrimage route, and there is an overall special atmosphere in the small town of Padrón, with its mere 3,000 inhabitants.

Distance: 19 Km

This is the last of your 13 pilgrim’s stages towards Santiago de Compostela. Whether it is your first pilgrimage, or you have done it several times, you will undoubtedly notice a very unique contrast of excitement while feeling an unexplained serenity throughout your body, both at the same time the closer you come to Santiago.

The route from Padrón to Santiago starts with some walking along the road, but soon you get back to the small and charming paths and dirt roads, which you know so well from the previous days. About seven kilometres from Santiago, you can see the Cathedral's two iconic spires for the first time, and from here there is only path to reach your goal of arriving to Santiago.

When you enter the Plaza de Obradoiro in front of the Cathedral, which may already be filled with happy, tired and redeemed pilgrims, you will most likely see some others you have met on your way to Santiago. Perhaps, you have made new friends along the way, and maybe, you will find that these friendships will grow stronger and evolve over time – Buen Camino!

Distance: 25 Km

True pilgrims often continue further on and finish their journeys in Finisterre. The tour goes by bus with an English-speaking guide from Santiago to Finisterre in the morning and returns mid-efternoon to Santiago. Just off the stunning, rugged coastline and the fabled “Costa de la Muerte” (Death Coast), a reef filled with shipwrecks and tales of legends captures this raw, natural beauty. At the coast’s westernmost point is Finisterre – meaning the world’s end. The Romans named this coast in such a way because it was literally the end of their known world. For many pilgrims this is the symbolic endpoint of the pilgrimage.

The evening is spent in Santiago de Compostela.

Departure from Santiago.