The Portuguese Road to Santiago
 Using
the Caminho Portugues (in Portuguese)/Camino Portugués (in
Spanish) as the backdrop for this culturally rich 7-day tour, we
will be roughly following the same trails taken by pilgrims heading
from Porto, Portugal to the tomb of the apostle James in Santiago
de Compostela. The riverside, historical city of Porto will be our
launching point for our journey that will go beyond the Camino and
expose you to many fascinating aspects of Portuguese and Spanish
(specifically Galician) pre-Roman history, folk life and culture.
Over the course of the seven days we will walk sections of the Camino
as well as explore other trails near to the pilgrim’s way
selected for their cultural interest or natural beauty.
Northern Portugal and southern Galicia are both
characterized by green rolling hills separated by expansive valleys
whose inhabitants have managed to retain their largely rural lifestyles.
In both areas we will enjoy the bounty of their gardens, pastures
and sea beds as well as their world-famous wines including Port
from Porto, Vinho Verde (young white wines) from the river valleys
north of Porto and the white Albariño from southern Galicia.
The very comfortable accommodations that we have selected will also
enhance your enjoyment of the areas as they are conveniently located
in the historical quarters where we stay.
- 7 days & 7 nights (4 nights in Portugal
and 3 nights in Spain)
- Starting Point: Porto, Portugal
- Ending Point: Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Level: Easy (walks range from flat to rolling
terrain with minor ascents and descents; while most trails have
even walking surfaces not all sections of each trail are groomed
and boots with ankle support are required)
- Walking Days: 7
- Total Distance: 57 km/349mi
- Distance including optional walks: 69.6km/42.6mi
- Price: US$2200/€1745
- Single supplement fee: US$300/€240
Weather: The region is blessed with mixed Mediterranean (warm
and dry) and Atlantic (temperate and humid) climates. In May expect
possible temperatures from 15 to 25 C / 65 to 80 F with sunny
and partly cloudy skies. Being the Iberian Peninsula's greenest
corner watered by weather off the Atlantic, it is possible to
have showers in late May.
What is and isn't included:
The trip price includes accommodations (double occupancy), all
meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) each day (except for one
lunch and two dinners), all entry fees, pre-departure information,
experienced guides (Nancy & Jose), air-conditioned support
vehicle, all transportation during the trip. Airfare to Spain
is not included nor is insurance or transportation to the start
(Porto, Portugal) and from the end point (Santiago de Compostela,
Spain).
Daily Itinerary
 Day
1 - Porto, Portugal
We will gather in historic Porto, an UNESCO World
Heritage city, located at mouth of the Douro River and long-famed
for the wine that gives the city its name, Port. Historically,
boats would bring the harvest down the Douro from the wine
fields upstream to Porto where numerous bodegas transformed
the grapes into the well-known spirit. After walking the city's
twisting, hilly streets of its historical quarter and learning
about the city's past as northern Portugal's most influential
urban center, we will cross the river and visit a wine cellar
for a visit and tasting. We will dine this evening in a charming
port side restaurant and begin to enjoy the flavors of the
Portuguese kitchen. Our hotel is located conveniently in the
historical quarter. Walking Distance 3km/1.8mi w/ optionals
4.5km/2.8mi
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 Day
2 - Guimarães, Portugal
After breakfast we will shuttle to our trailhead
at a 12th century Romanesque church to walk our first section
of the Caminho Portugues starting from the village of San
Pedro de Rates. Following rural lanes through small villages,
we will wend our way through the countryside and then enjoy
a picnic lunch from a lovely lookout adjacent to one of northern
Portugal's numerous centers of pilgrimage, the Santuario da
Senhora da Franqueira (the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Franqueira).
After lunch we will shuttle to and cross the historic town
of Barcelos on foot. Barcelos, well-known as a center of local
handcrafts - especially ceramics, is responsible for the country's
national symbol, the rooster. As it turns out the rooster
became important in Barcelos precisely because of the Caminho
de Santiago! We'll find out why. In the afternoon we'll head
to Guimarães considered one of Portugal's most beautiful
cities, also an UNESCO World Heritage city and the probable
birth site of Portugal's first king Afonso Henriques. Our
hotel is located in the heart of the historical quarter. This
afternoon you will have the option to walk around the town
to learn about its important sites: the intact stately, castle
dating from the 12th century, the majestic 15th century Palace
of the Dukes of Bragança as well as the charming historical
quarter which includes the Santiago Square. Walking Distance
6.4km/3.9mi Optional Walk in Guimarães 9.4km/5.7mi |
 Day
3 - Guimarães, Portugal
The morning’s walk takes us to the nearby 19th century
San Torcato sanctuary where the incorrupt body of this 8th
century martyr (he was trying to stop the advance of Tarik's
Arabic army which was set on conquering the Iberian Peninsula)
is found. The walk passes underneath the curious, high Portuguese
grape arbors as well as the field that was allegedly the site
of the decisive battle that gave birth to Portugal in 1128.
After the walk, we will shuttle to an outstanding pre-Roman
archaeological site and national monument, Citania de Briteiros,
where we will see the extensive ruins (defensive walls, moats,
streets and more than 150 buildings with circular, elliptical
and quadrangular forms) of a large fortified village or castro
lived in by Iron Age peoples. From Citania we will shuttle
to Bom Jesus, a spectacular example of a large-scale Portuguese
sanctuary with a long flight of stairs leading to its main
door. Return to the hotel in Guimarães. Walking Distance:
9.5km/5.9mi w/ optionals 12km/7.4mi
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 Day
4 - Ponte de Lima, Portugal
We start the day walking a lovely rural section of
the Caminho de Santiago that takes us directly to Ponte de
Lima and our hotel. Ponte de Lima is famous for its elegant
16-arched medieval bridge of Roman origin (it retains 5 of
its Roman arches!) spanning the Lima River. We will continue
our walk strolling through the winding streets of the small
town that retains its medieval towers. You will have free
time and lunch on your own. Ponte de Lima is set low in a
rich valley surrounded by rolling granite hills covered with
dense pine trees. This afternoon we will offer an optional
visit to the Lagoas (Lagoons) Nature Reserve. You will have
the chance to enjoy a quiet afternoon in Ponte de Lima or
visit the Reserve and its excellent examples of wetland fauna,
particular the birds. Walking distance: 13.6km/8.4mi w/ optionals
16.1km/10mi
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Day 5 - Baiona, Spain
From Ponte de Lima we ascend the last great pass
that separates Portugal from Spain. Our walk starts just on
the other side of the pass giving us great views north to
Spain as well as close-ups of rural Portuguese villages and
lanes. After reaching Sao Bento and having our picnic, we
will head down to the once great frontier town Valença
do Minho whose imperious, heavily fortified castle (which
managed to fend off Napoleon in 1809) watches carefully over
the Miño River and its Galician counterpart, the town
of Tui. We will stop in Valença to visit the fortress
that is a haven for Spanish shoppers who come here to buy
linens. We will head to Baiona next along Galicia’s
scenic southern coastline from A Guarda, Galicia's southernmost
point, past the coastal monastery of Oia giving us breathtaking
views of the cliffs, beaches and fishing villages. Our day's
destination is the coastal town of Baiona and the parador
dramatically set in the 16th century Monterreal Castle that
once protected the town from sea -bourne danger with its 3km
of defensive walls and three towers. Baiona also happened
to be the first port that the ship the Pinta reached in 1493
- news of the discovery of America spread like wildfire. Walking
Distance: 8km/5mi w/ optionals 9.6km/6mi |
 Day
6 - Baiona, Spain
Today you have the option of a free day on our own
(lunch would also be on your own in this case) in Baiona enjoying
the salt air on the outstanding maritime walkway and small
town or joining us to visit a local nature Reserve on Monte
Aloia and sightseeing along the coast. From the park you get
magnificent views of the Miño river valley and back
to Portugal. At the Reserve we will learn about the area's
native floral species as well as see some curious reminders
of man's pre-Roman past including a well-known 'fertility
bed' (a large granite boulder) that infertile couples would
use in hopes of conceiving. Walking Distance: 7.5km/4.6mi
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Day 7 - Santiago de Compostela,
Spain
On our way to our trailhead, we will briefly stop
at the Río Barrosa ethnographic center to see how the
local people took advantage of the river's power to set up
a series of mills to grind their corn, wheat and rye. In a
very short stretch there are 14 mills descending the hill
as in a cascade. Our last walk starts in Caldas de Reis once
a thriving medieval town and currently a haven for spa lovers
eager to soak in the naturally hot mineral waters that come
bubbling out of the ground. After our picnic we will head
through lovely forested areas of native oak and chestnut trees
and past thick green pastures. Afterwards we'll head to Santiago
de Compostela and walk the last stretch to the Romanesque
and Baroque Cathedral, the long awaited destination for millions
of faithful pilgrims over the centuries. We will visit the
historical quarter's highlights and then you will have free
time before we reunite to say farewell at our final dinner.
Walking Distance: 8.5km/ 5.2mi w/ optionals 10.5km/6.4mi
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