Women’s Portuguese Camino (semi-guided)

Settle into your picturesque hotel in the heart of Porto and rest after your long flight. Your Portuguese Camino de Santiago tour for women starts today.

Choose to catch up with your fellow travellers over dinner.

Meals Included: –
Walking Distance: –

Today is a free day to check out the local sights of Porto. Be sure to visit the Porto Cathedral before tomorrow’s walk and obtain your first stamp (carimbos in Portuguese and sello in Spanish). Porto is famous for blue and white tiles, tarts, cod, and of course port wine.  Your Guide joins you today for an orientation of this beautiful city and a briefing for the following days commencement of your Camino.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

Today’s the day you’ve been waiting for! After breakfast we’ll begin our journey to Vila do Conde. It’s time to finally get onto the Camino and on your way to Santiago. This journey is an opportunity to walk and take in your environment at a slower pace than life generally offers.

We ease you into the Portuguese Coastal Camino with flat easy walking with the golden sands of the Atlantic beaches to Vila do Conde. Passing chapels, monuments, villages and stunning sandy beaches. ‘Praia’ is the Portuguese word for beach and you will certainly see this term used for most of the day. The Atlantic Ocean and the beach will have you entranced as you walk in a northerly direction up the coast. You will also be passing by some small churches, lighthouses, colourful fishing villages, beachside cafes, and some houses with the now familiar blue and white Portuguese tiles which adorned their facades. Also, keep your eyes open for the rocks at S. Paio with Viking etchings on them.

A transfer is included today.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 25km

Following the Coastal Way you will continue along with the beach on your left to Povoa de Varzim before crossing the River Cavardo on a spectacular bridge to the fishing village of Esposende.

The terrain is flat all day and easy to navigate. On the boardwalk you pass beachside windmills and tiled beach houses. Today you will see your first community football ground but it won’t be your last as they become familiar land marks on your journey. You will pass market gardens of lettuce and leeks and then briefly through pine and eucalypt forests.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 21km

Today there are choices between the Coastal Way heading inland between villages or the Seashore Path along coastal roads, walkways and the beach to mix things up. Either way your day will be filled with gorgeous scenery!

Most of the day’s scenery will vary between small villages and undulating forests before you reach your destination. Pont Eiffel was designed by the Eiffel Tower man Gustuv Eiffel and you’ll see the similarities to the Parisian landmark as you cross the impressive bridge on the way into the medieval town of Viana do Castelo. This medieval town has many good seafood restaurants specialising in cod and if you have some time in the afternoon there are many museums and places of interest to visit.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 24km

Today’s walk will continue along the Coastal Way, which is a little inland, passing a world of old farms and quaint villages on narrow cobblestone roads offering beautiful views over the hills and coastline old fishing village of Vila Praia de Âncora, your stop for the night with a gorgeous beach.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Walking Distance: 19km

Make sure you explore Caminha before crossing on the ferry to Spain and into Galicia. Once across the estuary in Spain, don’t forget to put your watch forward 1 hour. As an option, on leaving the ferry, if you would like a longer walk you can take the scenic walk around the peninsula to enter town adding about 3km. There is also an ancient Celtic settlement called Santa Tecla on the hill above town to visit – an archaeological gem with stunning views.

Meals Included: – 
Walking Distance: 19km

Another shorter day of walking today past the harbour and out to the coast alongside the PO-552 highway. You might need your sun protection today (shade is hard to find!) but you will enjoy magnificent views of the Santa Maria de Oia Monastery. Enjoy Galician cuisine for dinner at one of the many restaurants in this cute little town.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 15km

Begin todays walking along dramatic coastline before joining the PO-552 and heading inland towards Baredo.

Look for a small granite Camino sign on the right-hand side of the road near some houses where there will also be a large blue sign. Go through a gate and up the hill; soon you will be rewarded with spectacular views over the coast, the lighthouse and the rocky hill known as Monte de Baredo. Note the prominent wheel ruts worn into the granite rocks as this ancient path goes through the forest and over the pass. For the next 2 nights you will stay at the iconic Parador in Baiona – the most popular seaside tourist town in Galicia.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 14km

A day to relax and maybe take a day excursion to the historical town of Tui. Or just people watch and take Baiona in.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

Refreshed and back on the trail. Today, you can choose to follow either the Seashore Path or Coastal Way to the industrial city of Vigo Alto.

The journey to Santiago de Compostela from Baiona crosses the historic Ponte Ramallosa Bridge. This bridge, built in the medieval times is a beautifully preserved stone structure.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 23km

There are two ways to depart Vigo, either along the Seashore Path or the Coastal Way where the two paths meet. The Camino to Redondela is a pleasant walk. Enjoy great views of the Vigo estuary as the trail continues through a string of hillside villages and patches of woodland.

Your stop for the night is the town of Redondela, known as the ‘Village of Viaducts’. Here, the Coastal and Senda Litoral Caminos join with the inland Central Portuguese Camino to Santiago de Compostela.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 16km

Today is a gorgeous day of walking with bridges, forest and narrow stone paths to Pontevedra. You will start to see more pilgrims join the path to Santiago de Compostela. Pontevedra has a wonderful atmosphere to soak up and enjoy with vehicle free streets and plazas.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 19km

Today the Camino Portuguese will take you over the Rio Lerez via the pretty stone Ponte do Burgo bridge decorated with scallop shells. Also, through chestnut groves, pine and eucalyptus forest to the village of San Amaro. Then, Continuing through fields and vineyards to Caldas de Rei.

You may wish to soak your feet in the hot thermal water upon your arrival into the town.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 21km

Today’s walk is one of the most beautiful of the whole route. The path once again takes you through pine forests and rural areas through the Bermana and Verga valleys, across the Ulla River, and into the town of Padron.

Padron was the starting point for Saint James ministry in the Iberian peninsula. Also, it’s said to be where his body first reached land when returned by boat after being martyred in Jerusalem. The parish church has the legendary Pedron, the stone where St James’ boat was moored.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: 17km

Your final walking day on the Camino Portuguese will provide some variety through woodlands and on increasingly busy roads before passing through suburbs and Old City before reaching the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Enjoy evening Mass and celebrate completing your Portuguese Camino experience with a wander along the pedestrian streets of the Old City.  Tonight we enjoy a celebration dinner at your accommodation, at the Parador de Santiago, the oldest hotel in all of Spain.

Meals Included: – Breakfast, Dinner
Walking Distance: 26km

This morning marks the end of your Portuguese Camino de Santiago tour for women. We hope that you have enjoyed your walk with us and you’re sure to have some amazing memories, stories and fun anecdotes to take home with you.

We can assist you with onward travel arrangements such as trains, flights or extending your adventure.

Meals Included: – Breakfast
Walking Distance: –

We grade the overall walking on this itinerary as MODERATE
(see our grading system)

This grading is provided as general advice only, and is based on our assessment and also feedback from past participants. Please consider your level of fitness and experience in regard to this rating, and if you’re unsure please contact us for more information

10 REASONS TO WALK WITH US

Realistic Itineraries
we want you to love and be inspired as you walk the Portuguese Camino. This tour itinerary is well-designed and realistic, allowing you to complete the full itinerary ….. we don’t over sell and under deliver

Flexibility
we understand that a Camino can be deeply personal and it’s best experienced at your own pace. So, we only provide semi-guided tours along the Portuguese Camino. This itinerary provides the freedom you need and also peace of mind, knowing our guide is on the trail behind you for support and other group members are available for a chat on the days you need it. Each day you have the flexibility of choosing to walk alone, walk with other group members, or walk with our guide ….. you can ‘walk your way’

Be Fulfilled
this itinerary is designed to maximise your awe and leave you fulfilled. You will walk 260km from Porto to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, with a rest day spaced mindfully along the way in Baiona for a 2 nights stay at the spectacular Parador, and the final night at the oldest hotel in all of Spain, the Parador de Compostela. We’ve planned this itinerary so you get the full experience and time to relax ….. you won’t leave feeling unfulfilled

Group Fitness
we want you to succeed and maximise your enjoyment, so pre-tour training walks, training programs, and group chats online are provided leading up to your walking tour (included as part of the tour price). These will assist you to practice on terrain that you are likely to encounter, meet your guides and other group members, ask questions on what to expect, receive advice on the trail, travel, and the destination, and gauge your level of fitness. Many people underestimate the difficulty of walking this trail and end up under-prepared and unfulfilled ….. so we invest in your preparation

Travel Assistance
our in-house travel specialists can assist you with travel insurance. If you want to see more of Europe, we can also package any accommodation, flights, and add-ons in addition to this tour. Package your Portuguese Camino with us and save stress, time and money

Meaningful Moments 
we will bring your Portuguese Camino alive ….. a guide book and phone App alone can’t do this as well as our local guides

Safety
our female local guides carry group first-aid kits, communication devices, and safety equipment. In addition, safety procedures are in place, and constant communication is undertaken with local emergency services

Nature Connection
we want you to feel de-stressed and re-energised. So, our guides also immerse you with your surrounds. Not only do we safely guide you and share our knowledge, we also provide invitations for you to slow down and connect deeper with nature ….. we’re pioneers of hiking with deep nature immersion

Timing
we go at the best time of the year for comfortable walking conditions. We can’t guarantee perfect weather everyday, but you can book with confidence 

Small Groups
a maximum of 12 only on each departure. Meaning, it’s better for the environment and you won’t feel like you’re just a number in the crowd

Requires following trails carrying a day pack on uneven surfaces. Accommodation and transport includes stairs. Please talk to us about your accessibility needs before booking