30 years' experience providing walking holidays worldwide
Established by 30 years' experience providing walking holidays worldwide
30 years' experience providing walking holidays worldwide
Read More Reviews
Bravo!
Auswalk Walking Holiday rated "excellent" by232 travellers
-
SELF-GUIDED
-
8 DAYS
-
Moderate
PRICE FROM
£ 690 per person
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
£ 295 per person
WALK MENU
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
The Portuguese Camino de Santiago (or the Portuguese Way of St James) is one of the main pilgrim routes to Santiago and one of the most beautiful, but without the crowds. Walk from one world heritage site to another, from Tui/Valenca to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela via some of the most scenic parts of Portugal. The hike makes its way over 100km to Santiago de Compostela through forest and via countryside trails.
This is an excellent way to procure the coveted Camino Passport.
Enjoy carefully chosen hotels, and charming country houses to enable you to get right up close to the history, culture and all the culinary delights of northern Portugal.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The magnificent gothic town hall in the city of Porrino
- Passing through lush forest to where the central and coastal routes merge
- The wonderfully preserved old town of Pontevedra – a cultural overload!
- Soaking your feet in Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs
- Passing through charming woodlands and a plethora of historical buildings
- The thrill of walking into Santiago de Compostela, ending your journey at the grand cathedral
ITINERARY
DAY one
ARRIVE IN VALENCA/TUI
Today you arrive in Valanca or Tui ( they are essentially the same place) and rest or explore both towns. Tui has some excellent restaurants and is worth a visit today even though you pass through it almost immediately tomorrow. Before you leave Valenca/Tui make sure you visit the famous Gothic cathedral.
Accommodation: Valença, a 2-3-star country hotel
DAY two
VALENÇA/TUI TO PORRINO
The path from Tui follows the Louro valley via a forest track, crosses a very old stone slab bridge to a wetland area where there’s an abundance of birdlife. Today’s walk ends in the city of Porrino in Spain, noteworthy for its magnificent Gothic town hall building at its centre.
Walking: Moderate / 19 km or 11.8 miles / 5.5 to 6.5 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Porrino, a 2-3-star country hotel
DAY three
PORRINO TO ARCADE
From Porrino the walk makes its way through the forest of Chan das Pipas. As you leave the forest you’ll pass Redondela, where the central route and the coastal route merge. You walk into the town of Arcade in Spain, a small village that is renowned for its oysters and, interestingly, as a site of a very important battle in the Napoleonic wars.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 22 km or 13.6 miles / 6 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Arcade, 2-3-star country hotel
DAY four
ARCADE TO PONTEVEDRA
From your accommodation, in Arcade we traverse what is one of the most beautiful sections of the Portuguese Camino de Santiago. Today’s section is one of the shortest. Pontevedra is a city in northwest Spain and is known for its well-preserved old town. The Gothic Santa María la Mayor Basilica, the Ruínas de San Domingos (the remains of a 14th-century convent) and the nearby Sexto Edificio museum showcases Galician art. In the evening be like the Spanish and wander from one tapas bar to another.
Walking: Easy to moderate/ 13 km or 8 miles / 3 to 4 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pontevedra, a 2-3-star country hotel
DAY five
PONTEVEDRA TO CALDAS DE REIS
Explore more of Pontevedra as you walk out of town into the pleasant countryside. This stage to Caldas de Reis is fairly long but fairly flat so it is not that hard. A real highlight is soaking your feet in Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs, a great way to finish the day’s walking.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 22 km or 13.6 miles / 6 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Caldas de Reis, a 2-star country hotel
DAY six
CALDAS DE REIS TO PADRON
With only one more day after today, you’re nearly there! This section exits Caldas de Reis and takes you on a soft climb to the charming woodlands of Valga. There are lots of historical buildings along the way including many churches and stone crosses. Our final resting place for today is Padrón in Galicia. The town merges with the ancient and famous town of Iria Flavia a centre for religion, trade and Roman and Vikings invasions of all things.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 18 km or 11.2 miles / 5 to 6 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Padrón, a 2-star country hotel
DAY seven
PADRON TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Your final stage. You will walk mostly through rural settings. This last stage is one of the toughest but your goal is in sight. Enter in the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and enjoy the end of your journey at the cathedral. Celebrate your fantastic achievement. Savour all the culinary delights of Spain and your last meal on the Camino in the company of pilgrims that have travelled here from all parts of Spain and Europe.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 23 km or 14.3 miles / 6 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Santiago de Compostela, a 3-star country hotel
DAY eight
LEAVE SANTIAGO
After breakfast, prepare for your onward journey. If you have time, explore the old city of Santiago de Compostela before you leave or why not add a day to relax and soak up the atmosphere of this magnificent town.
Meals: Breakfast
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Walk the Portuguese Camino de Santiago (way of St James) from Porto all the way to Santiago de Compostela
- 7 nights accommodation in 2 to 3 star character filled hotels (an upgrade to 4 star and better accommodation is available.)
- Breakfast on every day of the walk
- On the ground support from local representatives
- Our comprehensive set of notes, detailed walking itineraries, integrated maps and insider tips (where to get the best tapas plus a lot more)
- Total walking distance of 117km, a real challenge
- All luggage transfers
- Take advantage of nearly 30 years experience in organising self-guided walking holidays
ACCOMMODATION & DINING
Comfort is always a priority, at the end of each day we ensure that there is a hot shower, comfortable bed, an en suite and plenty of quiet. We know that a comfortable night’s sleep ensures you’ll wake refreshed and primed, ready for the next day’s walking after a full breakfast. All the 2-3-star accommodations have been handpicked to reflect the character and history of the region.
On the upgraded, luxury version of this walk, the accommodations are all 4 stars or better – there is an extra cost on the single supplement as well. Even though the accommodations are much more luxurious they still reflect the culture of the region. In addition, you can still expect a warm country welcome each day and all the hospitality typical of being in a country in Portugal.
It’s not by chance that when walkers visit Portugal, they almost immediately fall in love with the food and wine here. In Portugal, all the dishes, recipes and ingredients have a story to tell. This is a world you’ll get to experience both on foot but also with your knife and fork. The Camino travels through many towns that are renowned for excellent authentic traditional food. In the North, it is worth frequenting Spanish Tapas bars to experience the wide range of local delicacies available.
Both Portugal and Spain have very old and sophisticated wine industries, some of the wines you’ll find on this walk you won’t find anywhere else. Please note, alcohol or drinks with meals are not included (except tea/coffee and juice with breakfast).
GENERAL INFO
AVAILABILITY
This trip is available from the 15th of March to the 31st October.
WALKING
This track is well-graded and without a great deal of incline or decline. Walks on average about 19 km a day. There’s always time to walk and explore further if you’re up to it or to relax and enjoy the towns/villages each evening.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY
Travelling to the Start of the walk
You will need to get yourself to and from the start and end of your walk. i.e. you will need to organise your travel to the start of the walk in Valenca/Tui. To make it easy, we have collated some useful information that will assist you in making arrangements for your travel.
Porto Airport Francisco Sá Carneiro, Maia (+351) 229 432 400 is about 11 km from the city centre. There are regular flights from and to almost all major European cities. An airport bus is available from outside the terminal, which takes you to the city centre. The Metro line connects the Airport to the city centre, offering a fast and comfortable ride into the heart of the city.
The train takes just under 2 hrs to get to Valenca from Porto.
Santiago de Compostela airport is also another option; it takes 2hrs and 20 minutes by bus to get to Tui from the town centre.
To book flights we have found this site helpful
BUSES: This is information for those who may be catching a bus.
PORTO – VALENÇA: Rede Expressos (www.rede-expressos.pt) coaches from Porto transit station (Campo 24 de Agosto, 125, 4300-096 Porto, Tel: +351 707 223 344) depart daily to Valença. Tickets can be purchased from the train station or on-line on the English language pages of the railway company’s website http://www.rede-expressos.pt/default.aspx no more than 14 days before your travel date. Tickets cannot be bought on the coach.
PORTO – VALENÇA: AUTNA (www.autna.com) coaches from Porto Airport transit station (Bus stop of Galicia Bus on the Airport arrivals) depart daily to Valença (Single fare is between €9.00 and €12.00)
TRAINS: There are several trains to and from Porto (Train station of São Bento or Train station of Campanhã). Trains transit daily to Valença. The metro lines link the airport to both train stations. Tickets can be purchased from the train station or on-line on the English language pages of the railway’s company’s website https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en no more than 28 days before the travel date. Tickets cannot be bought on the train.
Our transport partners on the ground can also provide private transfers on all routes. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Travelling from the End of the walk
The walk finishes in Santiago de Compostella
By plane: There is an airport in Santiago de Compostella where you can catch flights. This site is useful in booking flights away from Santiago de Compostella.
WEATHER
March through to October is usually warmer, with long sunny days, perfect for walking.
See Holiday Weather.com for information about average temperatures and rainfall at different times of the year.
INSURANCE
We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.
For all trips that require international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance that also includes medical evacuation coverage.
We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred from our suppliers and in the office. See the FAQ section for more information.
INFORMATION PACK
For nearly 30 years we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know, even with that in mind, that you’ll have many more questions. You will receive a very detailed information pack and itinerary approximately six weeks out from departure outlining all the fine detail and much more.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, email us at info@stroll.com.au, or call us on +44 808 304 8701.
MAP
DEPARTURE DATES
-
DATESAVAILABILITYPRICESingle OccupancyDetails
-
15 Mar 2024 - 31 Oct 2024AVAILABLE
from £ 690
SINGLE OCCUPANCY£ 295Upgrade accommodation available please contact the office for more information
-
15 Mar 2025 - 31 Oct 2025AVAILABLE
from £ 715
SINGLE OCCUPANCY£ 305Upgrade accommodation available please contact the office for more information
-
15 Mar 2026 - 31 Oct 2026AVAILABLE
from £ 745
SINGLE OCCUPANCY£ 315Upgrade accommodation available please contact the office for more information
sections
Overview
The Portuguese Camino de Santiago (or the Portuguese Way of St James) is one of the main pilgrim routes to Santiago and one of the most beautiful, but without the crowds. Walk from one world heritage site to another, from Tui/Valenca to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela via some of the most scenic parts of Portugal. The hike makes its way over 100km to Santiago de Compostela through forest and via countryside trails.
This is an excellent way to procure the coveted Camino Passport.
Enjoy carefully chosen hotels, and charming country houses to enable you to get right up close to the history, culture and all the culinary delights of northern Portugal.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The magnificent gothic town hall in the city of Porrino
- Passing through lush forest to where the central and coastal routes merge
- The wonderfully preserved old town of Pontevedra – a cultural overload!
- Soaking your feet in Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs
- Passing through charming woodlands and a plethora of historical buildings
- The thrill of walking into Santiago de Compostela, ending your journey at the grand cathedral
Itinerary
DAY one
ARRIVE IN VALENCA/TUI
Today you arrive in Valanca or Tui ( they are essentially the same place) and rest or explore both towns. Tui has some excellent restaurants and is worth a visit today even though you pass through it almost immediately tomorrow. Before you leave Valenca/Tui make sure you visit the famous Gothic cathedral.
Accommodation: Valença, a 2-3-star country hotel
DAY two
VALENÇA/TUI TO PORRINO
The path from Tui follows the Louro valley via a forest track, crosses a very old stone slab bridge to a wetland area where there’s an abundance of birdlife. Today’s walk ends in the city of Porrino in Spain, noteworthy for its magnificent Gothic town hall building at its centre.
Walking: Moderate / 19 km or 11.8 miles / 5.5 to 6.5 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Porrino, a 2-3-star country hotel
DAY three
PORRINO TO ARCADE
From Porrino the walk makes its way through the forest of Chan das Pipas. As you leave the forest you’ll pass Redondela, where the central route and the coastal route merge. You walk into the town of Arcade in Spain, a small village that is renowned for its oysters and, interestingly, as a site of a very important battle in the Napoleonic wars.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 22 km or 13.6 miles / 6 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Arcade, 2-3-star country hotel
DAY four
ARCADE TO PONTEVEDRA
From your accommodation, in Arcade we traverse what is one of the most beautiful sections of the Portuguese Camino de Santiago. Today’s section is one of the shortest. Pontevedra is a city in northwest Spain and is known for its well-preserved old town. The Gothic Santa María la Mayor Basilica, the Ruínas de San Domingos (the remains of a 14th-century convent) and the nearby Sexto Edificio museum showcases Galician art. In the evening be like the Spanish and wander from one tapas bar to another.
Walking: Easy to moderate/ 13 km or 8 miles / 3 to 4 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pontevedra, a 2-3-star country hotel
DAY five
PONTEVEDRA TO CALDAS DE REIS
Explore more of Pontevedra as you walk out of town into the pleasant countryside. This stage to Caldas de Reis is fairly long but fairly flat so it is not that hard. A real highlight is soaking your feet in Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs, a great way to finish the day’s walking.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 22 km or 13.6 miles / 6 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Caldas de Reis, a 2-star country hotel
DAY six
CALDAS DE REIS TO PADRON
With only one more day after today, you’re nearly there! This section exits Caldas de Reis and takes you on a soft climb to the charming woodlands of Valga. There are lots of historical buildings along the way including many churches and stone crosses. Our final resting place for today is Padrón in Galicia. The town merges with the ancient and famous town of Iria Flavia a centre for religion, trade and Roman and Vikings invasions of all things.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 18 km or 11.2 miles / 5 to 6 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Padrón, a 2-star country hotel
DAY seven
PADRON TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Your final stage. You will walk mostly through rural settings. This last stage is one of the toughest but your goal is in sight. Enter in the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and enjoy the end of your journey at the cathedral. Celebrate your fantastic achievement. Savour all the culinary delights of Spain and your last meal on the Camino in the company of pilgrims that have travelled here from all parts of Spain and Europe.
Walking: Moderate to Challenging / 23 km or 14.3 miles / 6 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Santiago de Compostela, a 3-star country hotel
DAY eight
LEAVE SANTIAGO
After breakfast, prepare for your onward journey. If you have time, explore the old city of Santiago de Compostela before you leave or why not add a day to relax and soak up the atmosphere of this magnificent town.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s Included
- Walk the Portuguese Camino de Santiago (way of St James) from Porto all the way to Santiago de Compostela
- 7 nights accommodation in 2 to 3 star character filled hotels (an upgrade to 4 star and better accommodation is available.)
- Breakfast on every day of the walk
- On the ground support from local representatives
- Our comprehensive set of notes, detailed walking itineraries, integrated maps and insider tips (where to get the best tapas plus a lot more)
- Total walking distance of 117km, a real challenge
- All luggage transfers
- Take advantage of nearly 30 years experience in organising self-guided walking holidays
Accommodation & Dining
Comfort is always a priority, at the end of each day we ensure that there is a hot shower, comfortable bed, an en suite and plenty of quiet. We know that a comfortable night’s sleep ensures you’ll wake refreshed and primed, ready for the next day’s walking after a full breakfast. All the 2-3-star accommodations have been handpicked to reflect the character and history of the region.
On the upgraded, luxury version of this walk, the accommodations are all 4 stars or better – there is an extra cost on the single supplement as well. Even though the accommodations are much more luxurious they still reflect the culture of the region. In addition, you can still expect a warm country welcome each day and all the hospitality typical of being in a country in Portugal.
It’s not by chance that when walkers visit Portugal, they almost immediately fall in love with the food and wine here. In Portugal, all the dishes, recipes and ingredients have a story to tell. This is a world you’ll get to experience both on foot but also with your knife and fork. The Camino travels through many towns that are renowned for excellent authentic traditional food. In the North, it is worth frequenting Spanish Tapas bars to experience the wide range of local delicacies available.
Both Portugal and Spain have very old and sophisticated wine industries, some of the wines you’ll find on this walk you won’t find anywhere else. Please note, alcohol or drinks with meals are not included (except tea/coffee and juice with breakfast).
General Info
AVAILABILITY
This trip is available from the 15th of March to the 31st October.
WALKING
This track is well-graded and without a great deal of incline or decline. Walks on average about 19 km a day. There’s always time to walk and explore further if you’re up to it or to relax and enjoy the towns/villages each evening.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY
Travelling to the Start of the walk
You will need to get yourself to and from the start and end of your walk. i.e. you will need to organise your travel to the start of the walk in Valenca/Tui. To make it easy, we have collated some useful information that will assist you in making arrangements for your travel.
Porto Airport Francisco Sá Carneiro, Maia (+351) 229 432 400 is about 11 km from the city centre. There are regular flights from and to almost all major European cities. An airport bus is available from outside the terminal, which takes you to the city centre. The Metro line connects the Airport to the city centre, offering a fast and comfortable ride into the heart of the city.
The train takes just under 2 hrs to get to Valenca from Porto.
Santiago de Compostela airport is also another option; it takes 2hrs and 20 minutes by bus to get to Tui from the town centre.
To book flights we have found this site helpful
BUSES: This is information for those who may be catching a bus.
PORTO – VALENÇA: Rede Expressos (www.rede-expressos.pt) coaches from Porto transit station (Campo 24 de Agosto, 125, 4300-096 Porto, Tel: +351 707 223 344) depart daily to Valença. Tickets can be purchased from the train station or on-line on the English language pages of the railway company’s website http://www.rede-expressos.pt/default.aspx no more than 14 days before your travel date. Tickets cannot be bought on the coach.
PORTO – VALENÇA: AUTNA (www.autna.com) coaches from Porto Airport transit station (Bus stop of Galicia Bus on the Airport arrivals) depart daily to Valença (Single fare is between €9.00 and €12.00)
TRAINS: There are several trains to and from Porto (Train station of São Bento or Train station of Campanhã). Trains transit daily to Valença. The metro lines link the airport to both train stations. Tickets can be purchased from the train station or on-line on the English language pages of the railway’s company’s website https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en no more than 28 days before the travel date. Tickets cannot be bought on the train.
Our transport partners on the ground can also provide private transfers on all routes. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Travelling from the End of the walk
The walk finishes in Santiago de Compostella
By plane: There is an airport in Santiago de Compostella where you can catch flights. This site is useful in booking flights away from Santiago de Compostella.
WEATHER
March through to October is usually warmer, with long sunny days, perfect for walking.
See Holiday Weather.com for information about average temperatures and rainfall at different times of the year.
INSURANCE
We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.
For all trips that require international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance that also includes medical evacuation coverage.
We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred from our suppliers and in the office. See the FAQ section for more information.
INFORMATION PACK
For nearly 30 years we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know, even with that in mind, that you’ll have many more questions. You will receive a very detailed information pack and itinerary approximately six weeks out from departure outlining all the fine detail and much more.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, email us at info@stroll.com.au, or call us on +44 808 304 8701.
Departure Dates
-
DATESAVAILABILITYPRICESingle OccupancyDETAILS
-
Date15 Mar 2024 - 31 Oct 2024AVAILIBILITYAVAILABLEPRICEfrom £ 690SINGLE OCCUPANCY£ 295DETAILS
Upgrade accommodation available please contact the office for more information
-
Date15 Mar 2025 - 31 Oct 2025AVAILIBILITYAVAILABLEPRICEfrom £ 715SINGLE OCCUPANCY£ 305DETAILS
Upgrade accommodation available please contact the office for more information
-
Date15 Mar 2026 - 31 Oct 2026AVAILIBILITYAVAILABLEPRICEfrom £ 745SINGLE OCCUPANCY£ 315DETAILS
Upgrade accommodation available please contact the office for more information
Faqs
FAQS
Q: What happens if I don’t want to walk one of the days, can I travel with the luggage?
Unfortunately, walkers cannot travel with the luggage. The information you are provided with has details for local taxi numbers, bus and train timetables should you wish to not walk on any day. Your accommodation hosts will also have up to date information and advice should you wish to travel to the next destination by local transport. As always, you can call us in the office should you need help during your walk.
Q: Where would you suggest adding an extra night?
Santiago, of course! This city is worthy of an extra day and not just to further explore the grand cathedral. Santiago boasts a wealth of medieval architecture, tapas bars and restaurants. We can also arrange an onward walk to the coastal point of Finisterre. Regarded as the end of the world by the Romans, many pilgrims continue on walking for several days to reach Finisterre. Having completed the Camino, it is an extra 4 days to reach Finisterre with a transfer back to Santiago on the fifth day.
Q: Can you extend our stay in Santiago de Compostela?
Of course, please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to extend your time in Santiago.
Q: Can my children walk with me?
We don't allow children under the age of 16 to do this walk.
Q: We’re travelling as friends but would like single rooms?
Subject to a single occupancy payment, single rooms are available. However, due to the limited accommodation single rooms might not always be available for every night of the tour, but we will let you know your options throughout the booking process.
Q: Can we reduce the days walked?
We wouldn’t suggest completing the itinerary in less than 8 days and 7 nights.
Q: Can we extend the days walked?
Of course, we’re happy to discuss your needs. If you feel you would prefer the ultimate Camino walk, you may wish to look at walking the full Camino route for 40 days or Leon to Santiago in 16 days.
ENQUIRE NOW
If you’re looking for further information on any of our walking holidays please fill out the enquiry form and we’ll be in touch.