Camino Portugues Coastal Way

The Camino Portugués Coastal involves daily walks of between 8-16 miles (13-26 km). It is suited to experienced walkers with long-distance and a good level of fitness. The route profile does not require surefootedness and a head for heights.

The stages in Portugal and until Vigo in Galicia are mostly flat. The final stages through Galicia (from Vigo) to Santiago are a little more hilly, but even here you won't have to climb many metres. Most of the route along the coast is on wooden footbridges, with a few sandy stretches. As you approach a town, there are numerous cobbled and tarmac roads. Throughout the route you will hike on gravel and dirt tracks, which are relatively wide and characteristic of the Portuguese Coastal Way. There are no technical challenges on this route.

This tour is graded easy-moderate overall. Within the tour, individual days may vary in difficulty - some sections are a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

Accommodation is a mix of small rural hotels and hostels (in Spain and Portugal, "hostal" simply means a small, family-run hotel or guesthouse, not a backpacker hostel). You'll always have a private room with an en-suite bathroom, and in the larger towns and cities you'll stay in comfortable hotels.

You can add extra nights at any point along the way, and we particularly recommend an extra night in Santiago de Compostela to enjoy this historic city.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

A local breakfast is included each morning, usually consisting of coffee and bread with jams. Lunch and dinner aren't included as standard, so you're free to choose from the available options along the way.

You can start your walk any time between the beginning of March and the end of October, subject to availability. July and August can get very hot, so bear this in mind if you're walking at that time of year.

Spring (April to June) is a fantastic choice, with pleasant temperatures, blooming landscapes, and fewer crowds than summer, though there's a chance of spring showers. Summer (July and August) brings intense heat to much of Spain, but the northern coastal regions stay milder, and the trails are at their busiest with fellow pilgrims, making for a lively atmosphere and plenty of chances to meet people. Autumn (September to early November) is another excellent time to go, with milder temperatures, colorful autumn scenery and quieter trails as the summer crowds thin out, though like spring there's still a chance of rain.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

It's vital that you adhere to these limits. Heavier bags, or additional items might not be transferred, and you may be charged locally. Airlines may have different allowances, but our luggage handlers do not have the same capacity or equipment, and their health and safety is our priority.

If you'd prefer not to use luggage transfers and would rather carry everything yourself as you walk, this can also be arranged - just ask your Adventure Specialist for more information.

The Camino is well signposted and relatively easy to follow. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows and a yellow shell on a blue background, though you may find a few gaps in the signage here and there.

On some days you can choose between two routes: the official, well-signposted Camino Portugués por la Costa, which runs slightly inland with views of the Atlantic, or the Senda Litoral, which runs closer to the sea along promenades and wooden walkways and is less well signposted in places. As the two often cross, you can pick whichever suits your mood, the weather, or how you're feeling on the day.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

If you choose the Camino Portugués Coastal Way tour or the Relaxed Camino Portugués Coastal Way tour, running from Porto to Santiago de Compostela:

By air: Porto is easily reached from London and many other European airports on direct flights, or via Lisbon with an onward train (2.5 hours). Airlines serving Porto include low-cost carriers such as British Airways, TAP and Lufthansa.

By rail: Porto is one of the main railway hubs in northern Portugal, with trains from Lisbon taking around 3 hours.

By road: Porto has good road connections to the rest of Portugal - it's around a 7-hour drive from Lisbon.

Ferry between Spain and Portugal: the short ferry between Caminha and A Guarda takes just 5 to 10 minutes and should be booked in advance. Two companies run it - Taxi-Mar (+351 915 955 827) and Xacobeo Transfer (+34 613 011 226, xacobeotransfer.com).

Getting from the end: if flying on to the UK, low-cost airlines such as Ryanair fly direct to London Stansted and Gatwick. For the rest of Europe or the US, you can fly via Madrid with Vueling, among other options - check the Santiago Airport website for details. By rail, you can also take the train from Santiago to Madrid (around 7 hours) - timetables and fares are on the RENFE website. Please note that Santiago Airport will be closed from 23 April to 27 May 2026 for runway renovation works. Other nearby airports include A Coruna and Vigo, and further afield Porto and Madrid, and bus connections between Santiago and other cities will be reinforced during this period. Macs Adventure can help arrange additional private transfers if you need them.

If you choose the Stage 1 tour, running from Porto to A Guarda:

By air: Porto is easily reached from London and many other European airports on direct flights, or via Lisbon with an onward train (2.5 hours). Airlines serving Porto include low-cost carriers such as British Airways, TAP and Lufthansa.

By rail: Porto is one of the main railway hubs in northern Portugal, with trains from Lisbon taking around 3 hours.

By road: Porto has good road connections to the rest of Portugal - it's around a 7-hour drive from Lisbon.

Ferry between Spain and Portugal: the short ferry between Caminha and A Guarda takes just 5 to 10 minutes and should be booked in advance. Two companies run it - Taxi-Mar (+351 915 955 827) and Xacobeo Transfer (+34 613 011 226, xacobeotransfer.com).

Getting from the end: the closest airport to A Guarda is Vigo, reached via flights with Iberia via Madrid. Alternatively, fly into Porto and take a 4-hour bus to A Guarda.

If you choose the Stage 2 tour, running from A Guarda to Santiago de Compostela:

Getting to the start: the closest airport to A Guarda, Spain, is Vigo, reached via flights via Madrid. From Vigo, take a bus to A Guarda - this involves 2 changes and takes just under 3 hours. Alternatively, we recommend taking a taxi straight from the airport, which Macs Adventure can pre-book for you at an additional cost. You can also fly into Santiago de Compostela, take the shuttle bus to Santiago's train station, then travel by bus via Vigo to A Guarda (around 3 hours) - we recommend checking timetables in advance at the travel planning website rome2rio.com. Note that A Guarda in Spain is sometimes confused with Guarda in Portugal, so be sure to select A Guarda on the Spanish Galician coast when planning your journey.

Getting from the end: if flying on to the UK, low-cost airlines such as Ryanair fly direct to London Stansted and Gatwick. For the rest of Europe or the US, you can fly via Madrid with Vueling, among other options - check the Santiago Airport website for details. By rail, you can also take the train from Santiago to Madrid (around 7 hours) - timetables and fares are on the RENFE website. Please note that Santiago Airport will be closed from 23 April to 27 May 2026 for runway renovation works. Other nearby airports include A Coruna and Vigo, and further afield Porto and Madrid, and bus connections between Santiago and other cities will be reinforced during this period. Macs Adventure can help arrange additional private transfers if you need them.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport. Our local partner in Portugal and Spain is also on hand to help if you need support getting to your next stop.

Once you've started walking, it isn't possible to change your accommodation bookings or itinerary, as alternative accommodation generally isn't available at such short notice, so it's worth planning your route carefully before you set off.

Your Pilgrim Passport (Credencial del Peregrino) and scallop shell will be waiting for you at your first accommodation. Think of the Passport as a record of your journey along the Camino, officially issued by the Church of St James, and the scallop shell as an iconic Camino symbol, often displayed on pilgrims' backpacks.

Along the way you'll collect stamps (sellos) on your Passport at albergues, churches, cafés and other stops. To earn your Compostela Certificate in Santiago, you need to walk at least the final 100km of the Camino, with your stamps serving as proof of this. If you're walking only an earlier stage of the route rather than the final 100km, note that this stage alone won't qualify you for the Compostela.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation