A Taste of Camino de Santiago Deluxe Walk from Portugal to Spain 6D5N, Fully Guided

THREE HIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 5 km (3 miles),  Elevation gain: 61 m (200 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 8 km (5 miles), Elevation gain: 122 m (400 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 11 km (7 miles), Elevation gain: 122 m (400 ft)

On the first day of the trip, meet your tour leaders at 9:30 a.m. at Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Please ensure you arrive dressed in your hiking clothes and bring your luggage and a daypack containing your rain gear and anything else you may want for the day’s hike (your luggage will be transported to our first night’s accommodations.) Note that most of our walking paths are on pavement on our first day. On this day, you may find it more comfortable to wear running shoes (or something similar) instead of hiking boots.

!Bem-vindo a Portugal! The country’s Minho wine region and Spain’s tranquil Galician countryside are culturally diverse, rich in traditions and history, and geographically varied, making them perfect for walking and hiking. This week, you’ll experience the area’s renowned Camino de Santiago, or Way of Saint James, a historic pilgrimage system that meets at Santiago de Compostela. Christians have treaded these routes since the Middle Ages, and today, pilgrims and adventurers make the same spectacular journey. In addition to holding significant spiritual value, Camino offers paradisal scenery and a remarkable display of European artistic and architectural evolution.

After meeting in Porto, we shuttle north to Castelo de Neiva, a windswept town on a thick forested coast. We navigate an easygoing stretch of the Caminho Portugues, one of the traditional pilgrimage paths that originate in Lisbon. Adorned by gorgeous vine tunnels, the route winds through the verdant farmland, vineyards, and charming aldeas (villages) that characterise Portugal. Along the way, we get our first taste of the area’s history, passing the majestic Igreja de Santiago church dating back to the 9th century. We take a break at a traditional Quinta (farm) for a homemade regional fare lunch.

If you still want to conquer more miles, trek through the area’s hunter-green forests after lunch, passing more historic buildings, like the nearby Benedictine monastery of Sao Romao, with its stunning baroque church.

Tonight, we reside at Pousada Viana do Castelo, a historic building renovated to perfection in 1979, with rooms overlooking the ocean and verdant terrain. Settle into your room, relish a relaxing dip in the pool, or savour a drink at the bar, soaking in expansive views of the Lima River, mountains, and iconic Santa Luzia Basilica.

We convene tonight for a welcome reception at the hotel, followed by a festive welcome dinner featuring mouthwatering local and international dishes.

THREE HIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 10 km (6 miles),  Elevation gain: 152 m (500 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 14 km (9 miles),  Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 18 km (11 miles), Elevation gain: 213 m (700 ft)

Savour a hearty breakfast this morning before we begin our hike. Head straight to the Trilho dos Canos de Agua trailhead from our hotel doors, which starts close to The Romanesque-Byzantine-inspired Basilica de Santa Luzia. You will want to have your camera with you because the picturesque views around Santa Luzia are rated some of the best in the world by the National Geographic Magazine.

Encircled in awe-inspiring vegetation is an old water trail from the mountain mines above Viana do Castelo down to its historic centre, which we follow. Viana do Castelo is an architectural treasure with magnificent mediaeval and modern buildings. Trek past palaces, ruins, and cathedrals that mirror an impressive variety of architectural styles as you make your way to a nearby Quinta, where your tour leaders have arranged a delectable lunch, including an array of small plates containing cod fritters, tortillas, olives, sausage and more.

This afternoon, we navigate the coast, connecting with the Camino on tree-lined paths that provide sweeping views of the glistening sea.

Get some rest in the van as you return to our hotel, where there is time for a rejuvenating dip in the pool or indulge in a relaxing massage. (Spa treatments are at own expense).

We savour a delectable medley of Portuguese specialties for dinner tonight at a local restaurant in town.

THREE HIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 8 km (5 miles), Elevation gain: 213 m (700 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 11 km (7 miles)
Level 3, Approx. 13 km (8 miles), Elevation gain: 274 m (900 ft)

Adeus Portugal, hola Spain. This morning, we leave Portugal for Spain’s Galicia, a region decorated with gorgeous mountains, verdant landscapes, melodious local dialects, and more. Heading north, we shuttle over the Minho River to Tui, the first town of the Caminho Portugues in Spain. Moving inland, we tread along stunning riverside greenery, following a branch of the Louro River through grassy wetlands, coastal forests, and moss-coloured hills.

Take a break at the charming Ponte das Febres, a popular stop for hikers on the Camino, where an array of local picnic foods are laid out for lunch. Keep going on foot past dense foliage and native flora to arrive at the arched front entryway of the concerted Galician country house, Pazo Los Escudos Hotel & Spa, a historic manor seated above the sea. We have enough time for a scenic walk through its stretched-out gardens or to the white-sand beach just down the hill, where you can dip your toes in the sapphire ocean.

For dinner tonight, we visit the hotel’s Galician restaurant featuring mariscos (seafood)---you might be tempted to try the zamburinas (scallops) or the merluza la gallega (hake with paprika and potatoes). Galicia is famed for its divine chuleton de buey (beef steak) if you prefer to turf and surf.

TWO HIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 6 km (4 miles), Elevation gain: 152 m (500 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 10 km (6 miles), Elevation gain: 244 m (800 ft)

Today, we leave the Camino to traverse one of Spain’s most breathtaking national parks, the Maritime-Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. After breakfast, we board a private boat bound for the Ons Islands Nature Reserve.

Available data shows people have lived on Ons Island since the Bronze Age. It’s possible the island had a monastery in the 15th century, and remnants of a tomb from this era, known as ALaxeenar do Crego, can be seen near one of its beaches.

Our walk features seaside trails and leafy vegetation on inland paths. It winds to a local seaside restaurant where you may want to try “Pulpo de Ons.” Presently, only about 80 people live in Ons full-time. A reasonable amount of these people are fishermen who help catch Ons’ famed octopus. It is fished from the ocean nearby and, according to today’s menu, is prepared island-style with potatoes, a little oil, garlic, onion, and paprika.

Following that, we continue exploring on foot or stretch out on a gold-sand beach to soak in the sun before we join a shuttle to our final destination, Parador de Santiago de Compostela, our elegant home for the next two nights. This majestic hotel is famed as one of the oldest in the world and has been popular among pilgrims journeying to the cathedral since as early as the 15th century.

Tour the lively Santiago de Compostela in the evening and savour the experience. Its Old Town has been a World Heritage Site since 1985 and is famous for its tasty eateries and stunning museums, churches, and university buildings.

THREE HIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 6 km (4 miles), Elevation gain: 91 m (300 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 10 km (6 miles), Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 13 km (8 miles), Elevation gain: 213 m (700 ft)

We enjoy breakfast and set out into the Galician countryside to walk along a section of the final stages of the Camino Frances. The Camino Frances is the most popular route to Santiago, and it originates in the French Pyrenees and runs across northern Spain. Many pilgrims view this journey as a communal experience, so expect a welcoming atmosphere and friendly chat. Head out on the trail past scented eucalyptus forests, green pastures, and tiny hamlets. We eat lunch at a traditional restaurant in a small village surrounded by other pilgrims replenishing their energy to continue the journey.

Following lunch, we shuttle to the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela to cover the final miles that lead into the cathedral. You can also spend some time touring the town or check in at the hotel. We head back into town in the evening for a spectacular farewell reception and dinner at the historic Parador Hostal Dos Reis. If you want to attend the Pilgrim’s Mass, feel free to skip the reception and find a seat for the 7:30 p.m. mass, finishing just in time to savour dinner with the rest of the group. After eating, there is still plenty to do—Santiago stays lively until the early morning hours.

Today, enjoy a guided tour of the cathedral and old town, which displays Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque architecture magnificently. The remarkable Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a World Heritage site that marks the official end of the Camino de Santiago. According to legend, the burial grounds of the Apostle Saint James are located here.

In the 9th century, King Alfonso II ordered that a chapel be built on-site, and from century to century after that, it evolved into a Romanesque church and the striking baroque cathedral that stands today. Following a local guide, take in the bustling atmosphere as we step into the cathedral alongside hundreds of pilgrims waiting to receive their Compostela, a certificate of accomplishment for completing the Camino. This journey may mean different things to different people—a spiritual journey or a break from their busy lives.

If you’d prefer a more relaxed start to the day, you can skip the tour and sleep in our majestic hotel. Then savour a tapas lunch before you bid your tour leaders farewell and shuttle to Porto.

NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.