O Salnés Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Camino de Santiago from Valença

Day 1: Arrival in Valença 

When you check into your Valença do Minho hotel, you will receive your Welcome Kit, which contains all the information and documents you need to enjoy this fully self-guided walking holiday.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Day 2: Walk from Valença to Porriño

Distance: 20 km (12.4 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Today, you’ll say goodbye to Portugal as you cross the metal bridge over the River Minho.

Try to get an early start, especially in winter, to give yourself time to enjoy the medieval town of Tui before making your way to the small industrial town of O Porriño.

Depending on your route, you will either spend most of your day walking through forests and fields or a significant chunk of it in industrial areas.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Walk from Porriño to Arcade

Distance: 22 km (13.6 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

You get your first glimpses of the Ria de Vigo estuary today when you reach Redondela and again towards the end of the stage in Arcade. In between, you have two hills to negotiate. The first is a slow, steady climb through rural scenery to an altitude of 235m. The second, although lower, is somewhat steeper and perhaps more tiring as it’s towards the end of the day.

About 15 km into the stage, you’ll pass through the town of Redondela, where the central and coastal routes merge to follow the same route all the way to Santiago de Compostela. Redondela has some interesting medieval buildings, including the 16th-century Casa da Torre, now the pilgrim hostel.

You’ll end the day in the small town of Arcade, renowned for its seafood, thanks to its proximity to the water. It has an attractive beach and riverside park area. If you can’t find the time or energy to enjoy these when you arrive, try to do so in the morning.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Walk from Arcade to Pontevedra

Distance: 13 km (8 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Today’s journey is short and should only take about 4 hours. You can delay your departure and still have plenty of time to visit the historical centre of Pontevedra in the afternoon.

This short stage is also one of the most pleasant on the Way, especially if you make a detour to start from the beach in Arcade. After leaving the town behind, you’ll follow ancient stone paths through the woods, and if you take the detour via River Tomeza, you will spend most of the day surrounded by trees and birdsong.

You have a hill to climb, up to 145 m altitude, but it isn’t steep and mostly in shade. After that, it’s downhill, then level for the rest of the journey to Pontevedra.

Pontevedra itself is a beautiful city. The historical centre is full of pretty squares and plenty of opportunities to enjoy tapas outdoors and watch the world go by.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: “O Salnés Spiritual Variant”  

Walk from Pontevedra to Armenteira

Distance: 23 km (14.3 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Today’s stage marks the beginning of the Salnés Spiritual Variant, which begins about 2 km after leaving the city of Pontevedra.

You will walk through the picturesque landscapes of Comarca and O Salnês, crossing the village of Poio – with its old monastery – and the beautiful coastal town of Combarro before beginning the long and demanding climb to A Armenteira. Here, you will find a magnificent Monastery, built in the 12th century and still in operation today.

Accommodation: 2/3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6: “O Salnés Spiritual Variant”

Walk from Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa

Distance: 23 km (14.3 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Today’s stage is one of the most beautiful and pleasant on the entire Portuguese Camino. From Armenteira to Pontearnelas, you will travel “A Ruta da Pedra e da Auga”, which unfolds through natural landscapes of great beauty in the municipalities of Meis and Ribadumia. Walking under the shade of the trees along the banks of the Armenteira River, you will find ancient watermills that rest on the riverside, small waterfalls and bridges.

Vegetable gardens and vineyards indicate that the Arousa estuary is approaching. After walking almost 23 km, you will reach the beaches and town of Vilanova de Arousa.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: “O Salnés Spiritual Variant”

Boat trip (Translatio) from Vilanova de Arousa to Pontecessures

Walk from Pontecessures to Teo (Rua de Francos)

Distance: 13 km (8 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

On the last day of the Salnês Spiritual Variant, before resuming the traditional Portuguese Camino, you will journey between Vilanova de Arousa and Pontecessures.

This journey can be made in two ways: the first is by taking the Translatio, a boat trip up the Ulla River honouring the journey that the remains of Saint James made to Pontecessures.

If travelling by boat is not possible, the second option is to walk along the coast of the Ria de Arousa, passing through a succession of fishing villages until you reach Pontecessures, where you will find the Portuguese Camino.

From Pontecessures to Teo, there are a couple of sections on busy main roads without pavement, but most terrain is tarmac lanes and stone or dirt tracks.

Accommodation: 3-star country hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8:Walk from Teo (Rua de Francos) to Santiago de Compostela

Distance: 14 km (8.7 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

The final stage begins with a steady but not arduous climb, mainly through woodlands, of 160 meters to a peak of 260 metres. As you descend along quiet tarmac lanes, you will see the city of Santiago de Compostela ahead of you on the next hill.

When you reach 4 km of the city, you must decide whether to stay amid greenery for as long as possible or stick with the original route, which involves taking a shortcut up a steep hill through a built-up area.

Either way, the last few kilometres will be along the tarmac and urban roads, but as the graffitied sign at Ponte Rio Sar says, “Don’t Stop Now!”

The yellow arrows all but disappear once you enter the centre of Santiago de Compostela, so follow these directions to arrive at the cathedral, the Portuguese Way.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9: Santiago de Compostela

After breakfast, prepare for your onward journey. If you have time, explore the old city of Santiago de Compostela before you leave.

Meals: Breakfast

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For more itinerary suggestions, please consult our specialist Portuguese Camino de Santiago website: www.portugueseway.com

Map

O Salnês Spiritual Variant from Valença

Tour type: Self-guided

Nº of people: From 1

Walking grade:  Moderate

Total walking distance: 128 km | 79 miles

Region: Minho and Galicia

Highlights: Historical cities, ancient pilgrim trails, Roman roads, rivers, valleys, iconic bridges, beautiful churches, chapels, roadside shrines, forests, farmland, authentic villages, rural lifestyles, regional dishes, and comfortable accommodations close to the Camino trail.

Available: From 1st March to 31st October

What’s included?

• 8 Nights of accommodation with breakfast included;
• Luggage transfer between accommodations (1 bag per person – maximum 15 kg/bag);
• Roadbook with tips, maps and detailed information about the way (in English);
• Pilgrim Kit: Credencial (passport) and Vieira (shell);
• Journey documentation;
• Boat trip from Vilanova de Arousa to Pontecessures
• Welcome Kit and pre-departure information;
• Pre-tour briefing;
• 24/7 Emergency support.

What’s not included?

• Arrival and departure transfers; Lunches and dinners; Insurance; Tourist taxes; Personal equipment; Other personal expenses; All items not mentioned in the “Included”.

Optional extra services:

• Extra nights in Porto (3-star hotel): On request.
• Extra nights in Santiago (3-star hotel): On request.
• Upgrade for 4-star and 5-star hotels and Paradores: On request.
• Transfer from Porto to Valença do Minho: 180 euros for up to 3 people; 230 euros for 4 to 7 people.
• Transfer from Vigo airport to Valença do Minho: 80 euros for up to 3 people; 110 euros for 4 to 7 people.
• Transfer from hotel to airport in Santiago de Compostela: 55 euros for up to 3 people; 80 euros for 4 to 7 people.
• Transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Porto city/airport: 360 euros for up to 3 people; 420 euros for 4 to 7 people.
• Transfer from hotel to airport in Porto: 50 euros for up to 3 people; 80 euros for 4 to 7 people.

At Portugal Green Walks, we firmly believe that travel should be a safe and rewarding experience for all concerned, including the destinations that you visit and the people you meet.

Please find out how we embrace sustainable and responsible travel.

Environment

Following the final section of the Portuguese Camino de Santiago, from the Portuguese border to Santiago, on foot is an eco-friendly way to enjoy the beautiful region of Galicia. Our clients walk from base to base, and we give them a full briefing that includes practical guidelines on how to minimise their impact on the environment, e.g. leaving no litter and respecting the wildlife and architectural heritage. We also recommend that our clients bring refillable water bottles and use local tap water or approved water fountains along the Camino and encourage them not to buy disposable ones.

Luggage transfers between accommodations are made by local transport companies and arranged to coincide with those of other clients so as to reduce the number of car/van trips required and keep carbon emissions to a minimum. Our preferred accommodation partners use eco-friendly practices to save water, use solar power and promote recycling.

Community

Rural Galicia suffers from depopulation as young people tend to head to the cities for work, leaving older generations in the villages. That’s why we make sure our programme not only brings money into these marginalised communities and stimulates entrepreneurship but also makes local people feel appreciated and motivated. We do this by encouraging our clients to eat and drink at local cafés and restaurants and to shop in small grocery stores rather than the major supermarket chains.

Our information pack contains helpful phrases in Portuguese and Spanish to make inter-cultural communication easier, richer and more respectful. The Camino is a well-trodden path, so local people are generally welcoming of and helpful towards pilgrims, which in turn encourages our guests to connect with the people they meet along the way.

Click on the button below to download the itinerary with day-by-day details, highlights, prices and the respective general conditions.

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