The coastal variant of the Portuguese Way. From Porto along the Atlantic coast to Santiago.
Stages(13)
Porto → Vila do Conde
Start of the Portuguese Coastal Way from Porto. Leave through Matosinhos and its beach, following the Atlantic coast along seafront promenades and fishing villages. Vila do Conde is an elegant city with a Gothic monastery, 18th-century aqueduct and bobbin lace tradition.
Vila do Conde → Esposende
A spectacular coastal stage following the Atlantic shoreline. Cross the mouth of the Ave river and walk along extensive beaches and protected dunes. Esposende lies at the mouth of the Cávado river, with a beautiful estuary and fine sand beaches within the Litoral Norte Natural Park.
Esposende → Viana do Castelo
A coastal stage along the northern Portuguese coast. Walk among beaches, pine forests and seafaring villages. Viana do Castelo is one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal, with its Santa Luzia basilica atop the hill, medieval quarter, Eiffel bridge and exceptional seafood gastronomy.
Viana do Castelo → Caminha
A stage following the coast to the Spanish border. Pass through Vila Praia de Âncora with its spectacular beaches. Caminha is a historic town at the mouth of the Miño river, facing the Galician coast, with a beautiful central square surrounded by medieval and Renaissance buildings.
Caminha → Valença
A short stage ascending the Miño river inland. Leave the coast to follow the riverbank with views of Galicia across the water. Valença do Minho is an impressive Vauban-style walled city, with panoramic views of the river and Spanish Tui opposite.
Valença → Tui
The shortest stage of the Camino: crossing the international bridge over the Miño river from Portugal to Spain. A symbolic moment when changing countries. Tui is an episcopal city with a 12th-century Romanesque cathedral-fortress and a medieval old town above the river that deserves a leisurely visit.
Tui → O Porriño
First stage in Galician lands after crossing the border. Walk through the Louro valley among Albariño vineyards and rural villages. O Porriño is an industrial town that surprises with its natural surroundings and proximity to the Mondariz thermal baths, a historic spa.
O Porriño → Redondela
A short stage with a climb up Monte de A GuÃa. Cross eucalyptus forests and small villages. Redondela is a seafaring town on the Vigo estuary, with two stone railway viaducts crossing the bay and a seafront promenade with excellent mussels and Galician octopus.
Redondela → Pontevedra
A stage along the RÃas Baixas coast. Pass through Arcade, capital of Galician mussels, and cross medieval bridges. Pontevedra is one of Galicia's most pleasant cities, with a magnificent pedestrianized historic center, the basilica of Santa MarÃa la Mayor and a lively cultural scene.
Pontevedra → Caldas de Reis
A stage through the Pontevedra interior among forests and rural villages. Follow the course of the Lérez river. Caldas de Reis is a thermal town known since Roman times, where you can enjoy free hot water fountains right in the center. A great place to recover tired legs.
Caldas de Reis → Padrón
A gentle stage to Padrón, a town of enormous Jacobean importance: according to tradition, this is where the stone carrying the body of the Apostle Santiago arrived by boat. Also famous for its Padrón peppers (some are hot, some are not) and as the homeland of poet RosalÃa de Castro.
Padrón → Santiago de Compostela
The final stage of the Portuguese Coastal Way. From Padrón gently ascend through forests and Compostelan villages. The last kilometers through Monte Pedroso reveal the cathedral towers. An emotional arrival at the Plaza del Obradoiro, culmination of a journey that began beside the Atlantic.
Alternative: A Guarda → Baiona
A spectacular coastal variant along the mouth of the Miño. From A Guarda with its Celtic castro on Monte Santa Trega, follow the Atlantic coast through wild beaches and cliffs to Baiona, a seafaring town where the Pinta arrived with news of the discovery of America. From here you can connect with the main route at Vigo.