Camino Portugues Coastal Guided Tour from Baiona to Santiago

This tour starts at your hotel in Baiona.  At dinner this evening, you will get to meet with your guide and other group members.  Your guide will briefly outline the coming few days of walking and answer any questions.  In your free time this evening, stroll around this beautiful town and sleep well tonight as your walking adventure begins tomorrow after breakfast.  There are plenty of artistic, cultural and historical sights to see in Baiona, so try some before you leave on your Galician adventure.

Today you will follow the coast from Baiona to Nigrán and finally to the city of Vigo. You will enjoy fantastic views of the Bay of Vigo, with the magnificent Illas Cíes and its Natural Park in the horizon. On a hot day, stop at the blue flag beach Praia América in Nigrán for a quick swim.

From the city of Vigo, you will continue on your coastal Camino with the Bay of Vigo to your left. Today is quite a short day so you can enjoy a more relaxed pace. Your stop for the night is the town of Redondela where you will join the original Portuguese Camino.

Today is your last day along the coast and quite a short walking day so you can make the most of the seaside. Stop to try the famous oysters in the fishing village of Arcade. Your final point is the city of Pontevedra, with its pretty historic centre. At today is quite a short day so you will have time to explore the old town, with its many Romanesque churches and quaint granite squares.

Leaving Pontevedra, today, the Camino will take you through chestnut groves and pine and eucalyptus woods. In the village of Ponte Cabras you will see the rectory of Santa María de Alba. At Lombo da Maceira, a statue of Saint James with his walking stick will show you the way. On your way to Caldas de Reis you will pass the hamlet of Tivo with its lovely fountain and public washing bath.

From Caldas de Reis you will cross the river Umia and find the hot springs that have given the town its name since Roman times. The trail once again takes you to forests and gradually climbs to the village of Santa Mariña. You will continue on the Camino through pine forests to today’s destination: the town of Padrón. When the body of Saint James was being brought to Compostela by boat, Padrón was said to be the first land it reached.

Today you will walk through a number of small villages on your way to the historical sanctuary of A Esclavitude. Nearby on a hilltop, sit the ruins of a fort known as Castro Lupario.  As you make your way towards Agro dos Monteiros, you will see the cathedral’s spires in Compostela. You will pass the ruins of the castle of A Rocha Vella as you approach Santiago de Compostela.

Take time to explore this gem of a city, small and vibrant. Its UNESCO-listed old town will enchant you. In Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims, locals, and students will be socialising and enjoying a few bites and glasses of wine in the many bars, restaurants and cosy cafes.

This tour finishes after breakfast. We hope you have had a fantastic trip full of unforgettable moments and, hopefully, lifelong friends.