Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago

Day 1: Arrival in Porto

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

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Day 2: Walk from Porto (Matosinhos) to Vila do Conde

Distance: 20 km (12.4 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

After breakfast, you will meet a member of our team who will drive you to Matosinhos to start your Portuguese Coastal Way of St James. By doing this, you avoid the busy, noisy roads through the urban areas of Porto and its suburbs. Wooden boardwalks and pavements will lead you along the coastline via a series of wide sandy beaches, nature reserves and fishing villages to the historic coastal town of Vila do Conde.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Walk from Vila do Conde to Esposende

Distance: 25 km (15.4 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Cross the residential areas that connect Vila do Conde with the seaside resort town of Povoa de Varzim. Spend a significant portion of the day walking alongside the coast between flowers and sand dunes and across beaches, then head inland towards Esposende via market gardens, forest, villages, and a bridge across the wide Cávado estuary.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Walk from Esposende to Viana do Castelo

Distance: 23.5 km (14.5 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

After leaving the coast behind, you’ll pass through various villages and some delightful sections of woodland and rivers. The exceedingly long Eiffel Bridge into Viana do Castelo, an attractive town famous for its ancient and contemporary architecture, offers magnificent views over the Lima Valley and estuary with views of distant mountain ranges.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Walk from Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Âncora

Distance: 19 km (11.8 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Today’s journey is mainly inland, with occasional coastal views from a string of hillside villages. Enjoy the shade of the eucalyptus forest as you make your way uphill before descending to the low-key beachside resort town of Vila Praia de Âncora.

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6: Walk from Vila Praia de Âncora to A Guarda

Distance: 15 km (9.3 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

A level coastal path connects Âncora with Moleda and then continues to the charming town of Caminha. If there’s time, take a detour through the pine forest beside the beach before catching the ferry across the River Minho to the peaceful fishing town of A Guarda in Spain, a great place to tuck into fresh seafood.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Walk from A Guarda to Oia

Distance: 13 km (8.1 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Before leaving A Guarda, try to make time for a detour to the Santa Tegra Celtic settlement — the views are spectacular. Follow the Camino through the town centre and out towards the rugged coastline. Use coastal paths, forest tracks, and tarmac roads to reach the small beachfront village of Oia, dominated by its 12th-century monastery.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8: Walk from Oia to Baiona

Distance: 17.5 km (10.9 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

The day begins with tiny fields, scattered houses and a few villages along the coast before a change of scenery and terrain as you cut across the mountains. A final descent through the countryside and outlying villages brings you into the medieval centre of Baiona via two ancient churches.

Accommodation: 2 or 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9: Walk from Baiona to Vigo

Distance: 25 km (15.5 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Once you leave the residential areas around Baiona, the terrain becomes ever more rural, with villages and patches of woodland. There is a brief section along a busy road, after which you’ll be back among villages on the approach to Vigo. The Camino takes you through Castrelos Park to avoid walking through the city.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10: Walk from Vigo to Arcade

Distance: 22 km (13.5 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Walk along Vigo’s main shopping street and out of the city onto a long road that connects a string of peaceful hillside villages with views across the city, estuary and port. Around halfway into the journey, you’ll exchange houses for trees before the steep descent towards Redondela. Climb through the woods before heading down to Arcade, a riverside town famous for its oysters.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 11: Walk from Arcade to Pontevedra

Distance: 13 km (8 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Leave Arcade via its iconic bridge. Follow ancient stone paths up through another forest, then take a scenic detour along the River Tomeza to approach Pontevedra, surrounded by birdsong and greenery instead of traffic. Explore the historical city centre, its atmospheric squares and tapas bars.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12: Walk from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

Distance: 22 km (13.6 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Today’s walk to Caldas to Reis takes you through attractive countryside and a section of forest to the riverside spa town of Caldas de Reis. Bathe your weary feet in the thermal spring when you reach the main square.

Accommodation: 2-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 13: Walk from Caldas de Reis to Padron

Distance: 19 km (11.5 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

Begin the day with an easy ascent through a series of small villages and the delightful Valga forest. Several impressive churches and stone crosses line the route to Padrón, the riverside town where St. James’s body is said to have been laid to rest by his faithful followers.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 14: Walk from Padron to Santiago de Compostela

Distance: 25 km (15.5 miles)

Elevation (gain/loss):

The final stage of the Camino is mainly through the countryside, with a pretty woodland area. Only the final few kilometres are in busy urban areas. Once you enter the ancient narrow streets of the medieval centre of Santiago de Compostela, the atmosphere changes as you approach the cathedral square.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 15: Departure

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

Meals: Breakfast

Like what you see but it’s not quite a perfect fit?

If you want to do a shorter version of the Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago, you can choose to start in Viana do Castelo, Caminha, Baiona, or Vigo.

Or, simply get in touch to tell us what you’re looking for. We’re happy to make changes to create your ideal holiday.

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

Map

Portuguese Coastal Way

Duration: 14 nights | 13 walking days

Tour type: Self-guided

Nº of people: From 1

Walking grade: Moderate

Total walking distance: 259 km | 160 miles

Region: Minho and Galicia

Highlights: Historical cities, ancient pilgrim trails, coastal trails, gorgeous and varied beaches, rivers, valleys, iconic bridges, beautiful churches, chapels and roadside shrines, forests, farmland, authentic villages, rural lifestyles, regional dishes, spa town, comfortable accommodations close to Camino trail, amazing seafood, great local wines.

Available: From 1st March to 31st October

Price per person:

Low season: March, April, May and October
> In double room occupancy: 1.140euros
> Single room supplement: 640 euros

Mid season: June and September
> In double room occupancy: 1.230 euros
> Single room supplement: 680 euros

High season: July and August
> In double room occupancy: 1.350 euros
> Single room supplement: 820 euros

What’s included?

• 14 Nights of accommodation with breakfast included;
• Luggage transfer between accommodations (1 bag per person – maximum 15 kg/bag);
• Private transfer from Porto to Matosinhos on day 2;
• Roadbook with tips, maps and detailed information about the way (in English);
• Pilgrim Kit: Credencial (passport) and Vieira (shell);
• Welcome Kit and pre-departure information;
• Pre-tour briefing;
• Journey documentation;
• 24/7 Emergency support.

What’s not included?

• Transfers from and to Porto airport; 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 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

The historical and spiritual Portuguese Coastal Camino de Santiago offers a wide range of scenery and gastronomic experiences. The unspoilt coastal landscapes in Northern Portugal and Galicia in Spain are varied and beautiful, as are the inland stretches through woodland, farmland, country villages, and historical towns.

Whether our clients choose to follow the Camino on foot or by bike, the environmental impact of our programme is minimal.

We provide our self-guided clients with detailed instructions for the route, which includes a code of conduct for respecting their environment by sticking to the trail and leaving no litter, as well as preventing damage such as inadvertently starting a forest fire.

We also recommend that our clients bring refillable water bottles and encourage them to use local tap water or approved water fountains along the Camino. We explain how they can tell when water is safe to drink. We stress the importance of leaving no trace, which includes not following the popular practice of adding stones to cairns to mark their passage.

For luggage transfers, we usually have more than one client undertaking the route at any given time so we arrange bulk delivery and collection with local drivers to reduce carbon emissions.

Our preferred accommodation and catering partners are those who make effective use of eco-friendly practices to save water, utilise solar power and promote recycling.

Community

This programme follows an ancient pilgrim route that passes through non-touristed villages and small towns that depend on the revenue generated by the pilgrims for their survival and development.

For this reason, we encourage our clients to use local cafés, traditional non-chain restaurants, markets, and grocery stores, not only to support the local economy but also to maximise their opportunities to interact with local people. If there is a local delicacy worth trying, such as octopus in Esposende or the renowned oysters in Arcade, we point this out in the roadbook (info pack).

Our ‘roadbooks’ contain information about the destination and advice for clients on respecting local cultures and interacting without inadvertently causing offence, as well as some helpful phrases in Portuguese and Spanish.

One thing that every pilgrim will agree with is the helpfulness of local people. They are used to seeing pilgrims and are pleased to see and support them where possible. If a pilgrim appears to be in any doubt as to which way to go and there is a local nearby, they will point the traveller in the right direction without them even having to ask.

Our office is in northern Portugal, close to Porto, the usual starting point for this programme, and a few days’ walk along the Camino. Our staff live locally and have in-depth knowledge of the route, so they are able to help out rapidly and effectively, mobilising local resources where necessary to help clients if they encounter any difficulties.

We ensure our staff and those who work for us are treated with respect and have fair working conditions. As such, we are directly supporting the local economy and communities in which we operate.

In our office, we recycle as much as possible and do our best to minimize printing and waste in general, e.g., by using washable crockery and cutlery and providing a 20-litre water cooler for staff to refill.

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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