Camino Portuguese – Catholic Walking Pilgrimage

Board overnight flights from your local airport to begin your Portuguese Camino pilgrimage.  Meals are served on board the flight.

Arrive at the Santiago de Compostela airport and meet your guide and driver in the arrivals hall.  Then, travel to Vigo, a popular tourist destination in Spain famous for its seafood, particularly oysters and tapas.  Enjoy some free time unpacking and relaxing.  We will attend Mass at Santiago de Vigo Church and receive our Pilgrim’s Credencial.  The stained glass windows depict events from the life of Saint James and symbols of the pilgrim, such as the scallop shell and walking staff.  Enjoy dinner and spend the night in Vigo.

15 km or 9 miles

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.  Begin your Camino by walking along the coast.  You’ll reach the Fonte da Mina do Conde, a fountain where you can refill your water bottles. We will visit the Iglesia de San Andrés de Cedeira. Built in 1743, it is dedicated to Saint Andrew and was built over a much older medieval church.  Fernando de Casas Novoa, the architect, is renowned for the famous Obradoiro façade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.  He is the most distinguished architect Galicia produced in the 18th century, and his works also include the Pilar Chapel and the Azucena altarpiece in the Cathedral of Santiago.  We will stop at the church if it is open.  Dinner and an overnight stay in Redondela.

7 km or 4.5 miles

After breakfast, we will embark on the shortest walking day of your Camino, giving you time to enjoy the river beach.  We will visit the local parish church, the Igrexa de Santiago de Redondela.  This 15th-century Romanesque church is named after the Apostle Saint James the Greater due to its proximity to the Camino de Santiago.  It was consecrated by Archbishop Xelmírez in 1114 upon his return from Portugal and was later reconstructed.  Its facade features a rosette and a stone statue of Santiago on horseback as the Moor-slayer, the patron saint of Redondela, which is situated on the roof.  Be sure to admire the ornate entrance as you enter.  Inside, you can see the chapels of the Nazarene, Christ, St. Sebastian, St. Bieito, and the Immaculate Conception, each adorned with altarpieces in various styles.  The main altar displays an impressive image of Santiago.

After leaving Redondela, the route soon leads to As Angustias Chapel.  On the left, to the east, is the spectacular Ría de Vigo.  The islands of San Simón and San Antón emerge from the center of the ria, beneath whose waters lie the remains of the galleons from the Battle of Rande in 1702.  In the background, the panoramic view is completed by Rande Bridge, a cable-stayed structure that rises above the mussel farmers’ rafts.  The route then enters the parish of O Viso and continues to Arcade,  to the historic medieval Sampaio Bridge over the Verdugo River.  For lunch, try the famous oysters in the fishing village of Arcade.  Free afternoon, then dinner and overnight in Arcade.

12 km or 7 miles

Enjoy breakfast.  Today is your last day along the coast, so take full advantage of the seaside view.  When we arrive in Pontevedra, near Praza da Ferraría, you’ll find the Church of La Peregrina, a unique example of late Baroque architecture with a hint of Neoclassical style.  The chapel’s floor plan is shaped like a scallop shell and houses the statue of the Pilgrim Virgin, the city’s patron saint.  Dinner and overnight accommodations are in Pontevedra.

22 km or 13 miles

After breakfast, you will walk through chestnut groves alongside pine trees and eucalyptus. Cross the Verdugo River via Ponte Sampaio. This bridge marks the site of one of Napoleon’s army’s greatest defeats in Galicia.  From Ponte Sampaio, the Camino continues along a cobbled road, guiding pilgrims to the 13th-century Church of Santa María de Alba, where you can take in magnificent views over the Bay of Vigo while heading toward Pontevedra.  At Lombo da Maceira, you will notice a statue of Saint James with his walking stick, directing pilgrims on their way.  Enjoy dinner and spend the night in the spa town of Caldas de Reis.

19 km or 12 miles 

Enjoy your breakfast before leaving Caldas de Reis via its Roman bridge over the Umia River.  Follow the Bermaña River through a picturesque rural landscape filled with fields and woods.  Ascend through Valga forest, then descend the hill to the charming village of San Miguel de Valga.  Next, we will be sure to stop by the Church of Santiago Apostle de Padron, located along the banks of the Sar River.  Inside the church, beneath the altar, lies the Pedrón, a granite mooring stone tied to the boat that carried the Apostle St. James the Greater.  In Padron, we will also visit Santiaguiño do Monte, where St. James preached the gospel after arriving in Galicia in 45 AD.  He demonstrated God’s power to nonbelievers by striking the solid rock with his staff, causing a spring to miraculously emerge.  Today, the elevated rocky preaching site and the spring still exist, attracting pilgrims following the “Way of St. James” to Santiago de Compostela.  Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay in Padron.

12 km or 7 miles

After breakfast, you leave Padrón and head toward the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor de Iria Flavia, one of the oldest churches in Galicia.  The interesting Gothic doorway stands out in the present building.  It features a beautiful relief of the Virgin with the Child and the Magi, an iconography prevalent in the Compostela context of the time.  Nobel Laureate Camilo José Cela is buried there, and his museum is directly across from it.  

The Igrexa da Escravitude is the next landmark we will reach.  We will visit this church built in the 16th century around the Fonte Santa or holy fountain.  There is a fascinating account of a miracle related to the Fonte Santa that explains the church’s origin.  A sick pilgrim with dropsy was walking the Way of St. James stopped there for a drink, and after 3 days, he was cured without any medical help.  On seeing that he had been miraculously healed, the man exclaimed, “Grazas Virxe, por librarme da Escravitude do meu mal,” or Thank you, Virgin, for freeing me from the slavery of my evil, and this is where the name A Escravitude comes from.  The Sanctuary of A Escravitude is located just 5 km from the historic quarter of Padrón on the way to Santiago de Compostela.  Its main features include the central stairway, beneath which the fountain is situated, and the two large towers that flank the central nave, dating back to the 19th century.  Several small villages can be found along the route before reaching Parada de Francos.  This charming town boasts an intricately carved stone cross from the 14th century, one of the oldest in Galicia.  Dinner and an overnight stay will be in Teo.

13 km or 8 miles 

After breakfast, your final day on the Camino pilgrimage trail starts with a beautiful wooded area that helps ease the gentle ascent to Milladoiro.  The town’s name comes from the Spanish word humilladoiro, reflecting how pilgrims would prostrate themselves or humble themselves upon first seeing the towers of the Santiago Cathedral in the distance, realizing how close they were to the Cathedral and its holy relics.

The Chapel of A Magdalena, a stone church surrounded by trees and benches, is located in Milladoiro, near the Camino.  We will stop here to get a stamp for our Credencial, take a break, and grab a bite to eat before catching our first glimpse of the Cathedral towers.  Dinner and an overnight stay are in Santiago de Compostela.

Enjoy breakfast.  We will take a short walk to the Cathedral’s main chapel, where we will participate in the tradition of hugging the statue of Santiago and visiting his holy relics.  These two spaces are the most visited in the Cathedral of Santiago.

The famous figure of Santiago is located on the altar inside the dressing room.  Santiago is seated and dressed as a pilgrim.  The sculpture, dating back to the 13th century, is made of stone.  The Apostle’s garments resemble rich jewels.  Access is available from the back of the altar to give a traditional hug to Santiago, which is one of the most anticipated moments for all pilgrims.  Under the cabin is the burial crypt, which guards the saint’s remains.  The remains are on a marble altar and inside a Romanesque-style carved silver urn.

After you visit the Cathedral, you’ll have free time for lunch on your own, sightseeing, shopping, and exploring independently.  Stroll through the cobblestone streets of its UNESCO-listed old town, relax in Alameda Park, and sample regional flavors at the local market, Mercado de Abastos, and the various restaurants and bars.  Some recommended stops include Obradoiro Square, Fonseca Palace, Gelmirez Palace, and Franco Street.  Enjoy a final dinner with your group, and spend your last night in Santiago de Compostela.

Your last day in Spain will begin with breakfast at your hotel.  Then, you will be transferred to Santiago Airport for your return flight(s) home.