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While most pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela take the well-known French Route, there’s a quieter, equally rewarding path that winds up from the south – the Portuguese Camino. Often referred to as the ‘Inspired Way’, this trail has long stirred the hearts of poets and pilgrims alike, thanks to its peaceful rural landscapes, historic towns and understated beauty. This gentler, self-guided itinerary – the final section of our four-stage Central Portuguese Camino – begins in the charming border town of Tui. From here, you'll walk just over 100km, the minimum required to earn your Compostela certificate. Designed for walkers who prefer a slower pace with time to reflect, this Rambler version allows you to soak up the cultural and spiritual essence of the trail, with fewer kms per day.
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Day 1
Arrive Tui
Make your own way to the historic city of Tui in Spain, on the border with Portugal. Connected to the Portuguese town of Valenca by a 19th Century bridge over the River Mino, Tui is a walled town with a compact historic centre. The Cathedral is a central focus of the city perched on the top of the hill at the top of the town. Visit the cathedral to stamp your pilgrim passport. Overnight in Tui.
Meals: Nil
Day 2
Walk to O Porrino along quiet country roads & woodland paths (5hrs)
This stage is on woodland paths that follow the lovely Louro River valley, then along the N550 to the historical centre of O Porriño, a town famous for its pink granite due to its proximity to the granite quarries. There are hardly any gradients and you can enjoy a mixture of historical heritage and natural beauty. Essentially now a sprawling industrial town, O Porriño is located at the intersection of two motorways and the main railway line passes through town, so a private transfer (at 4pm, included) takes you back to Tui and your hotel. Overnight in Tui. Distance 17.5km/11mi
Meals: B
Day 3
Transfer to O Porrino, walk to Arcade on the coast (6-7hrs)
At 8:30am, transfer back to O Porriño (included) to continue your walk. Soak in the rural essence of Galicia: small villages, ancient churches and paths that wind through forests and rivers. After a stage following and crossing the N550, ascend through mixed forest to Monte Cornedo and the Chans das Pipas plateau before walking down to the town of Redondela. It's here that the Coastal and Central Portuguese Caminos meet. Continue through tiny hamlets along a coastal inlet to reach Arcade, where you stay overnight. Distance 24km/15mi Option to split today and stay overnight in Redondela. In this case the walking is O Porrino-Redondela 16km/10mi and Redondela-Arcade 8km/5mi. Must be requested at time of booking, supplement applies.
Meals: B,D
Day 4
A shorter walk to the old town of Pontevedra (3-4hrs)
You start the day by walking over the beautiful old bridge at Pontesampaio. From here there's a short, quite steep uphill stretch following ancient stone paths before the path descends to the provincial capital of Pontevedra. There are some interesting sites to be explored here including the Santuario da Peregrin chapel and the Convento de San Francisco. The Medieval town centre is a maze of cobbled laneways with tapas bars and cafes. Overnight in Pontevedra. Distance 12km/7.5mi
Day 5
Walk to San Amaro and Outeiro (3hrs)
Most of this stage is through woodland and countryside along gentle river valleys with virtually no climbing. Overnight in rural accommodation in Outeiro/San Amaro. Distance 12km/7.5mi
Day 6
Continue to Caldas de Reis (3hrs)
Continue walking after breakfast. Closer to Caldas de Reis the route crosses the N550 and follows this road for short sections. Located between the Umia and Bermana rivers, the town of Caldas developed as a result of its thermal waters and continues to be a major health spa. The botanical gardens next to the river are lovely for some respite from the walk. Overnight Caldas de Reis. Option to upgrade to a comfortable 4 star inn with pool or 3 star rural inn - supplement applies and must be requested when initially booking the trip. Note transfers are required for the rural inn option - additional cost applies. Distance 12km/7.5mi
Day 7
Via the river valleys of Bermana and Valga to Lestrove/Padron (5-6hrs)
Enjoy a beautiful walk through the Bermana river valley. The path then drops down into the Valga valley. There are two short stages of main road: leaving Caldas and entering Padron. Padron town is lovely, set on the banks of the Sar and Ulla rivers, with some St James relics to be seen at the Igrexa de Santiago (church). Overnight in Lestrove/Padron. Distance 19km/11.5mi
Day 8
Walk to Rúa de Francos or Milladoiro (3.5-4hrs)
Breaking the long day to Santiago allows you to enjoy your arrival into Santiago tomorrow even more, and gives you that time to reflect on the journey so far. Overnight in Rúa de Francos/Milladoiro dependent on availability. Distance 13-15km/8.2mi
Day 9
Final stage to Santiago de Compostela (3.5hrs)
The final day takes you through pine, oak and eucalyptus wood, before there's a climb to reach Santiago. Closer to Santiago the route follows some sections of main road. Overnight in Santiago. Own dinner arrangements. Distance 10-12km/6-7.5mi
Day 10
Trip concludes
Trip arrangements conclude after breakfast. We can assist with booking an extra night or two if you'd like to stay longer in Santiago, and a day trip to Fisterra - please ask our team.
What's included
What's not included
GRADE 2 - Daily walks are between 10-24km on well marked trails over diverse terrain – from relatively flat to hilly. Route finding is reasonably straight forward following the yellow arrows and granite pillars (showing distance to Santiago), however you still need to be vigilant as markers from other trails such as the GR11 can be confusing (refer below for further details on self guided adventures). However our notes include hints and pointers to help you navigate the route. The route will inevitably cross main roads close to cities and towns, although the majority is on side roads and walking trails. The main areas to concentrate on route finding are arriving and leaving towns and cities. The accent is on keeping a steady pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos. You will need a good level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure.
Per Person, Twin Share
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
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We offer different levels of accommodation and comfort so that even the most budget conscious can treat themselves to active holidays on Europe's most celebrated tracks and trails. Our trips are great value for money because you only pay for what you want.
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