Explore two countries: Portugal and Spain
Visit Porto's UNESCO World Heritage city centre
Experience a path rich in history and taken since the twelfth century
Indulge yourself in en-suite rooms and with a high level of comfort all along the way.

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Departures:

>Self-Guided
Any time, all year round!

>Guided
See Guided Departures page

The Portuguese Way became very popular after the country gained its independence in the mid 12th century. Nowadays, some people claim the Portuguese Way offers one of the richest cultural and architectural heritages of the whole of the existing Caminos. The Portuguese way starts in Lisbon and crosses Lisboa, Alentejo and the Central and Northern regions of Portugal. It then enters Spain in Tui to continue North through Galicia and towards Santiago de Compostela!

Starting in Porto, a UNESCO World Heritage city, this 4th section of the Portuguese Way crosses Northern Portugal to end up in Tui, on the other side of the border, in Galicia, Spain. From the entire city of Porto itself to the famous ceramics of Barcelos, from the flat landscape of the Portuguese Atlantic coast to the greener hills of Northern Portugal and Galicia, not to forget the numerous wonderfully decorated Baroque churches all along the way, this stretch of the Portuguese Way has plenty to offer! Moreover, the mostly flat landscape and reasonable long daily walks make it accessible to anyone with an average level of fitness!

DAY 1 – Porto
The entire old city of Porto was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1996 and there is plenty to do and see in here indeed. Set on the bank of the Douro river and near the Atlantic Ocean, the city is also internationally known for its famous Port wine. And there are plenty of terraces and restaurants in Porto to enjoy it!

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities

DAY 2 – Porto to Fajozes (5h45, 23km, +250m -150m)
The mainly flat terrain makes this first walking day an easy start, even though we spend most of the day along busy roads, as often on the Camino when we leave big cities. However, there are numerous old and interesting churches along the Camino or nearby, such as the twelvth century monastery Mosteiro Leca do Balio.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 3 – Fajolez to Arcos (6h15, 25km, +50m -50m)
From Fajolez the Camino starts to head North East, gradually getting away from the coastline. A few kilometres after leaving Fajolez, we cross the beautiful medieval Dom Zameiro bridge. The first woodlands of this section also appear here, with pine and eucaliptus trees providing shade from the sun.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Accommodation: En-suite. 2* accommodation or equivalent. You hotel is located in the centre of Lalin, 2 kilometre off trail. Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 4 – Arcos to Barcelos (3h45, 15km, +50m -300m)
Today is an enjoyable and short enough walk as we leave Arcos to reach the lively market town of Barcelos. Gently undulated woodlands and charming villages alternate on today's route and we then have the option to visit the Chapel of Santa de Franqueira, perched at 290m and to enjoy a panoramic view from the top of the hill. Further on, we cross one of the many well preserved medieval bridges of the Camino and soon we enter Barcelos and its attractive main square.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 5 – Barcelos to Ponte de Lima (8h15, 33km, +220m -220m)
As we leave Barcelos, we start to feel Galicia approaching. Indeed, the landscape begins to change, becoming both hillier and greener, offering some nice views all day long. This day is the hardest of the section as there are not so many towns nor villages along the Camino and few steep uphill bits but it is also the most beautiful one!

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Accommodation: En-suite. 2* accommodation or equivalent. Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 6 – Ponte de Lima to San Pedro de Rubiaes (4h45, 19km, +450m -250m)
As for the previous day, there is a good deal of ascent today along the Camino, with its culminated point at Alto da Portela Grande (alt. 410m). There are also numerous chapels and wayside crosses where pilgrims to Santiago have placed stones to mark their passage.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 7 – San Pedro de Rubiaes to Tui (5h, 20km, +150m, -250m)
Today is a special day as we start the walk in Portugal, and end it up in Galicia, in Spain! The landscape here is very like the rest of Galicia: green and hilly. So it is no surprise we start by walking down towards Rio Coura before starting a long climb up to Alto Sao Bento da Porta Aberta. Then, it is a steep descent to Fontoura before continuing towards Rio Minho, natural and modern border between the two countries. We then head towards Tui, the last stop over of this section.

Town: ATM, Internet, shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast

DAY 8 – Tui
After breakfast, we bid you farewell.

Town: ATM, Internet, shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast

• Luggage transferred from hotel to hotel
• Rooms en-suite
• Half-Board during the hike
• Detailed Walking Notes
• Map
• Pilgrim passport

• Flights
• Insurance (recommended)
• Drinks
• Dinners in Porto and Tui
• Transfers from/to airport