Portuguese Way of St. James, Valença – Santiago de Compostela

Your hiking holiday on the Camino Portugues begins in the historic fortified city of Valença in Northern Portugal. On old pilgrim paths leads you across the Minho river, which also represents the national border with Galicia. The two formerly rival cities of Valença and Tui await you with their rich historical heritage, while typical Galician towns such as Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padrón invite you to linger. You hike through wooded sceneries and green meadows through numerous small hamlets and villages where time seems to have stood still. Sample the many fresh local produce, including mussels from the Ria de Vigo and oysters in Arcade, best paired with a glass of excellent local wine. The destination of your hiking holiday is the capital, Santiago de Compostela, with its world-famous cathedral.

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Details about the hiking holiday Portuguese Way of St James

Exciting cultural sights await you on this hiking holiday along the Portuguese Way of St James. Starting from Valençia in Northern Portugual, you hike in eight days and six stages to O Porriño, Arcade, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis, Padrón and to the final destination of the hiking tour – the pilgrimage centre of Santiago de Compostela. Along the route there are numerous historical highlights in the cities such as Tui, Redondela, Pontevedra or Padrón. A culinary highlight when hiking the Way of St James in Portugal is the fresh seafood. We especially recommend the ‘pulpo a la gallega’ – a typical regional dish made from cooked octopus with peppers, sea salt and potatoes. Add a wonderful glass of red wine and the perfect dinner is served.

Highlights of the hiking holiday Portuguese Way of St James

• Freshly caught fish: At the end of your second stage, you can look forward to wonderful ‘catch-of-the-day’- fish dishes in the town of Arcade. After a pleasant hike, the seafood tastes even better.
• Beneficial thermal springs: On the fifth day of your tour, the route takes you to the spa town of Caldas de Reis. The place became known mainly for its thermal springs, which promise a particularly healing effect at 15 to 72 degrees Celsius. Enjoy the beneficial effects in one of the thermal baths.
• Pilgrim centre Santiago de Compostela: The final destination of this hiking holiday, and at the same time the capital of Galicia, is Santiago de Compostela. Numerous sights await you here: the main square Praza do Obradoiro with the impressive cathedral, the city park Parque da Alameda or the Museum of the Galician People (Museo do Pobo Galego), where you can learn a lot about the culture and traditions of the region.

Worth knowing about hiking on the Portuguese Way of St James

This hiking holiday on the Portuguese Way of St James is assigned a level of difficulty of ‘walking’. You experience the picturesque landscape of Galicia in a particularly healthy and intense way – by foot. The daily stages are scheduled to take three to six hours of walking and lead you through beautiful nature on nice pilgrimage or forest trails. With a basic fitness level this hiking tour in Portugal will be an unforgettable active experience.

• More details and information for hiking holidays in Portugal at a glance.