Portuguese Camino de Santiago, The Old Way

Day 1  Tui  
Transfer to your hotel in Tui.          

Day 2  Tui        
Today you have the full day to leisurely explore the attractive city of Tui with its ancient cathedral, historic old quarter and riverside walk. Strolling across the bridge to Valença takes you over the border into Portugal where you temporarily gain an hour, and time to discover this little-known, fortified town with its cobbled squares; shops selling traditional textiles; battlements; and views over the River Minho.

Day 3  Tui to Saramagoso    
A transfer takes you to O Porriño where you join the Camino de Santiago to begin your pilgrimage, the first milestone showing you have 102 kilometres, 616 metres ahead of you on your journey. The Camino follows the XIX Via Romana which passes through farming communities and the pretty little centre of Mos before arriving into Redondela. An ascent along forest roads takes you away from the Camino to reach the rural idyll of Saramagoso and the Casa Rural As Chivas where you stay for one night.

Day 4  Saramagoso to Pontevedra      
Leaving Saramagoso, a short walk takes you back to re-join the Camino from where you descend to cross a Roman bridge into the alluring village of Arcade; this sits at the mouth of the Verdugo river on the Atlantic coast and is famous for its oysters. The Camino climbs from the coast, passing through the narrow streets of the medieval village before joining a lovely forest path. From the outskirts of Pontevedra, you follow a camino complementariowhich takes you along a dappled, riverside track all the way into Pontevedra and either the Parador de Pontevedra or Hotel Rias Bajas.

Day 5  Pontevedra to Meaño      
Crossing the River Lérez, you re-join the Camino as it heads out of Pontevedra and continues its journey northwards. Shortly beyond the city, you leave the main Camino to head west on the Variante Espiritual, which includes the original Camino route along which the body of St James was carried in AD 44. Hugging the Galician coastline, the route passes through the captivating coastal village of Combarro with its narrow streets; stone hórreos (grain stores); fishermen's cottages; and riverside seafood restaurants. Opt to take a taxi from here to your destination to shorten the route (pay locally); alternatively, a steady climb out of the village and into the forest takes you to the Monastery of Armenteira where two inviting bars provide a welcome place to await your transfer for the short drive to the sumptuous Quinta de San Amaro in Meaño where you stay for two nights.

Day 6  Meaño          
Today you have a full day to discover the Rías Baixas region. We provide notes for a delightful, out-and-back woodland trail along the Ruta de los Muiños where the remains of 17th- and 18th-century mills line the banks of a stream which tumbles and cascades through rolling hillsides and valleys.

Day 7  Meaño to Vilanova de Arousa        
A short transfer takes you back to San Amaro monastery where you re-join the Camino along the breathtaking ‘Route of Stone and Water’ which follows a cascading river of waterfalls as it tumbles through 7 kilometres of dappled woodland before joining a delightful riverside path for a further 7 kilometres. Heading due west, you then trace the coastline towards Vilanova de Arousa, a traditional Galician fishing town with a small old quarter, where you stay overnight in the central Hotel Bradomin.

Day 8  Vilanova de Arousa to Lestrobe        
Today, you board a river launch to travel along the only waterborne pilgrim route in Europe, where ancient crosses mark the way. Stopping at mussel platforms, your crew will explain the process of acquiring, growing and harvesting the mussels, as well as pointing out landmarks, and sharing some of the legends and cultural events of the area. A short cruise through marshes provides an opportunity for bird-watching before you disembark in Pontecesures, from where a short walk takes you to your penultimate accommodation in Lestrobe, on the outskirts of Padrón.

Day 9  Lestrobe to Santiago de Compostela
The final leg of your pilgrimage takes you first into historic Padrón – a town named for the stone to which the boat carrying the body of James the Apostle was moored (and whose impressive Church of Santiago still houses this same stone). Although this is the longest day, the kilometres seem to pass quickly as the route meanders along forest tracks and through a potpourri of charming hamlets set in verdant countryside (choose to shorten the route by taking a taxi (pay locally) to begin from A Escravitude). Arriving into the outskirts of Santiago, path gives way to asphalt as you push on for the final few kilometres, finally reaching the Plaza de Azabachería and the iconic Cathedral where sore feet and weary shoulders give way to elation. Your two nights here are spent at Hotel Virxe da Cerca or, if you choose to upgrade, at Parador de Santiago de Compostela.

Day 10  Santiago de Compostela      
Once you’ve collected your official Compostela certificate from the Pilgrim’s Office, you have a full day to rest and enjoy the singular beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage city – where Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque buildings sit cheek-by-jowl with lively bars and restaurants. Apart from Santiago’s monumental treasures, the city is rich in greenery, with parks, gardens, and riverside paths to enjoy. We provide a suggested walking tour, but you may prefer simply to allow yourself to get lost in the fascinating maze of lanes and plazas.

Day 11  Santiago de Compostela      
Transfer to the airport.