Day 1:

Day 1: Arrival in Porto

One member of our team will meet you at the hotel to welcome you and provide a full briefing and all the documentation you’ll need.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Day 2:

Walk from Porto (Matosinhos) to Vila do Conde (20 km | 12.4 miles)

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 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 historical coastal town of Vila do Conde.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3:

Day 3: Walk from Vila do Conde to Esposende (25 km | 15.4 miles)

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 and villages and a bridge across the wide Cávado estuary.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4:

Day 4: Walk from Esposende to Viana do Castelo (23.5 km | 14.5 miles)

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:

Day 5: Walk from Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Âncora (19 km | 11.8 miles)

Today’s journey is largely 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: 4-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6:

Day 6: Walk from Vila Praia de Âncora to A Guarda (15 km | 9.3 miles)

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:

Day 6: Walk from Vila Praia de Âncora to A Guarda (15 km | 9.3 miles)

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 8:

Day 8: Walk from Oia to Baiona (17.5 km | 10.9 miles)

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 bring you into the medieval center of Baiona via two ancient churches.

Accommodation: 2 or 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9:

Day 9: Walk from Baiona to Vigo (25 km | 15.5 miles)

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 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:

Day 10: Walk from Vigo to Arcade (22 km | 13.5 miles)

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:

Day 11: Walk from Arcade to Pontevedra (13 km | 8 miles)

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 center, its atmospheric squares and tapas bars.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12:

Day 12: Walk from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (22 km | 13.6 miles)

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:

Day 13: Walk from Caldas de Reis to Padron (19 km | 11.5 miles)

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:

Day 14: Walk from Padron to Santiago (25 km | 15.5 miles)

The final stage of the Camino is largely through the countryside with a pretty area of woodland. Only the final few kilometers are in busy urban areas and once you enter the ancient narrow streets of the narrow medieval center of Santiago de Compostela, the atmosphere changes on your approach to the cathedral square.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 15:

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?
Simply tell us what you’re looking for. We’ll happily adapt this itinerary to suit your personal interests, needs and schedule to create your ideal holidays.

If you would like any additional nights in Porto or Santiago de Compostela, please don’t hesitate to ask for a quote;
Availability to upgrade to 4 or 5-star hotels and Paradores;
You can choose to start in Viana do Castelo, Caminha, Baiona or Vigo in case you want to do a shorter version of the Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago