Portuguese Way of St James
From Valença to Santiago de Compostela.

Arrival in Valença
Valença – O Porriño
Right at the beginning of your holiday you enjoy a wonderful view along the river Minho. You cross the bridge and land border into Spain, where the magnificent cathedral and chaming historic centre of Tui invite you to explore further. Further inland you hike along ancient trails through green fields and forests.
O Porriño – Arcade
You walk past some sleepy villages before heading slightly uphill to the pine forest of Chan das Pipas. En route down to Redondela, gaze out over the blue waters of the Ria de Vigo, a bay reaching far inland. The stage ends in the riverside town of Arcade with its impressive bridge. Be sure to try the fresh seafood and oysters.
Arcade – Pontevedra
You leave Arcade and proceed on old stone paths into the hills. Through charming scenery and in the shade of the trees along the Tomeza river. Your Day Finish Pontevedra is the largest city on your route and impresses with historical buildings worth seeing and the spectacular location on the Ria de Pontevedra and the Atlantic Ocean.
Through the winding alleys of Pontevedra out into the countryside, where you soon find yourself in an idyllic forest. Across colourful fields and through the vineyards, you follow the pilgrimage path to the medieval spa town of Caldas de Reis, charmingly situated on the Umia river. The place is best known for its thermal springs, which are said to have healing properties.
Caldas de Reis – Padrón
Initially steadily uphill through a series of green hamlets, up to the forest of Valga. Once outside, the many intricately carved wooden crosses will show you the way to Padrón. According to legend, this is where the boat with the body of Saint James was washed ashore.
Your final day on the Camino is largely rural, so enjoy the beauty of the Galician countryside once again before reaching the outskirts of Santiago. The last strides lead you through winding alleys and lively streets into the city centre to the Praza do Obradoiro, the main square of the old town with its impressive cathedral, destination of countless pilgrims from all over the world and at the same time the end of your picturesque hiking holiday along the Camino Portugues.
Departure or extra days
Tour character
You hike through the green scenery of Galicia on good pilgrim- and forest paths. For the daily walking times up to a maximum of 6 hours and the gentle ascents and descents through the hills, you need some stamina and a good basic fitness level is sufficient.

Season 1 01.03.2023 - 30.06.2023 16.09.2023 - 31.10.2023 Arrival daily | Season 2 01.07.2023 - 15.09.2023 Arrival daily | |
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Portuguese Way of St James, 8 days, PO-NOWVS-08X | ||
Base price | 579.00 | 629.00 |
Surcharge half board 5x mostly multicourse, sometimes outside the property, payable with voucher) | 129.00 | 129.00 |
Surcharge single room | 259.00 | 259.00 |
Category: pretty 2**- and 3***-hotels
You can book extra nights for any day of your tour. Prices on request.
Season 1 Mar 1, 2023 - Jun 30, 2023 Sep 16, 2023 - Oct 31, 2023 Arrival daily | Season 2 Jul 1, 2023 - Sep 15, 2023 Arrival daily | |
---|---|---|
Valenca | ||
Extra night/BB | 49.00 | 49.00 |
Surcharge single room | 25.00 | 25.00 |
Included:
- Accommodation as already mentioned
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfer (1 piece of luggage per person, max. 15 kg)
- Welcome briefing (German, English)
- 1 pilgrim pass
- Carefully elaborated route description
- Detailed travel documents 1x per room
- GPS-data available
- Service hotline
Optional:
- In case of half board dinner (mostly multi-course, 5x, not in Valença and Santiago de Compostela).
- Transfer from Porto airport to Valença, cost per trip € 180 (up to 3 persons), € 215 (up to 7 persons), reservation required, payable in advance.
- Return transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Porto Airport, cost per trip € 340 (up to 3 persons), € 380 (up to 7 persons), reservation required, payable in advance.
Arrival / Parking / Departure
- Porto airport and from there by bus (www.rede-expressos.pt) in approx. 3 hours to Valença.
- Parking: fee-based parking spaces near the hotel, no reservation.
- Return journey by bus from Santiago de Compostela in approx. 30 minutes to Santiago airport or in approx. 4.5 hours to Porto airport.
Things to note
- Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
- Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
