Depending on your arrival time, you should allow time to explore this wonderful city, full of history and charm. It's well worth adding an extra night here in Porto. It's packed with places worth visiting, from the historic city centre to the most fashionable shops of Rua de Santa Catarina, or the unique Port wine lodges. Exploring the Porto Mercado do Bolhão (Bolhão Market), a big open-air food & goods market and considered a city historical monument, is certainly worth a visit to take care of last-minute provisions. Upon arrival at the hotel, you'll receive an in-person welcome briefing along with a bike fitting. Porto city centre is easily reachable from Porto Airport, with a metro line taking you to the city centre every 20-30 minutes. Porto is also reachable from Lisbon by high-speed train, taking just 2 hrs 45 mins. A private transfer to your first hotel can be arranged from Porto Airport (not included). 

Set off from Porto Cathedral to begin your epic journey. By the time you reach the village of Mosteiro, the sprawl of Porto and Maia will be behind you, allowing you to enjoy rural scenery. This stage passes through several peaceful villages, lots of agricultural land, some small patches of forest and over two splendid Romanesque bridges. Allow yourself time to enjoy the attractive historical town of Barcelos. You will cycle past some of its most significant monuments as you enter the centre, which are worth visiting after your ride. Highlights include the Archaeological Museum with the cross of St. James, the Romanesque parish church, the medieval keep which now hosts the ceramic figurines that Barcelos is renowned for, the Pottery Museum and the Baroque Gardens. Other points of interest in the town include the old Jewish quarter and the various streets lined with medieval and baroque houses. If you happen to be there on a Thursday morning, you will see the massive market as you leave town.

Total ascent/descent: 582m/610m or 1909ft/2001ft

Once you leave the small city of Barcelos behind, the scenery becomes even more peaceful and rural. You'll pass through hamlets and villages but no major settlements until you reach Ponte de Lima. Enjoy the scenes of country life and traditional small scale farming that you'll see on today's ride. The section between Balugães and Ponte de Lima is one of the most beautiful stages of the Camino. You'll catch a glimpse of the Padela hills on your left as you cycle through quiet countryside filled with vineyards and crops. As you descend into the gorgeous Lima Valley, the Nora hills appear on your right with Corno do Bico in the distance. The last few kilometres as you approach Ponte de Lima take you past orchards and through a series of small villages. Enjoy exploring Ponte de Lima, one of Portugal's oldest towns, with an iconic image of its bridge over the Lima River.

Total ascent/descent: 434m/458m or 1424ft/1502ft

As you leave Ponte de Lima, you'll see that the surrounding beautiful countryside features Roman bridges, small hamlets, patches of forest with small waterfalls and impressive Romanesque churches. As you approach Valenca, you'll spot its fortress, which is worth visiting upon arrival. Or you may decide to dine on regional cuisine in this medieval fortification. It's considered to be one of the largest and most well-kept fortifications in the world.

Total ascent/descent: 526m/496m or 1725ft/1627ft

Today you'll say goodbye to Portugal as you cross the international bridge over the River Minho. It's worth setting off early today to enjoy the town of Tui and its remarkable cathedral before reaching Pontevedra and its historic centre full of pretty squares. You have reached Spain, and now it's time to indulge on tapas alfresco style, watching the world go by. You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining options in Pontevedra, which is known to have one of the best preserved historical centres in the country. It's now completely pedestrianised, which means you can go for leisurely strolls in the most famous squares, like Plaza de la Verdura, Plaza da Leña and Plaza de la Herreria, all filled with lively bars, restaurants and traditional shops.

Total ascent/descent: 656m/685m or 2152ft/2247ft

Today's ride is mostly through pleasant countryside, starting on Pontevedra's ancient streets before you reach beautiful woodland. You'll pass through the pretty riverside spa town of Caldas de Reis, renowned for its thermal springs. Bathe your feet in one of them before taking a stroll around the small but attractive medieval centre. From here, you'll cycle through a series of hamlets, passing attractive churches. The highlight today is your destination, Padrón, which is closely linked to the story of St. James with its Church of Santiago. Venture into the town’s medieval streets and discover several squares full of character and cafés, and make sure to try the local speciality - pimentos (green peppers).

Total ascent/descent: 317m/338m or 1040ft/1109ft

Your final stage takes you through largely rural scenery, passing Galician churches, hamlets and grape vines to reach the famous cathedral of Santiago. You will soon spot its spires, relishing that moment of cycling into Santiago and completing your journey. If you decided to collect stamps in your pilgrim passport along the way, you might want to head to the Pilgrim's Office on the following day when it's less busy, to collect your certificate. There are countless restaurants in Santiago de Compostela to celebrate the end of your journey, with plenty of delicious Galician food and wine. 

Total ascent/descent: 386m/125m or 1266ft/410ft

We strongly recommend adding an additional night in Santiago to allow you to attend the Pilgrims Mass at the Cathedral, which takes place at noon each day. If you have collected stamps along the Coastal Way to prove that you have travelled the required distance, head to the Pilgrims' Office to ask for your compostela. Otherwise, enjoy breakfast before checking out and making your way back to Porto Airport, Santiago Airport or Madrid. If you require a private transfer back to Porto or to Santiago Airport, please contact us for prices. The airport in Santiago is just a 20-minute bus ride away from the city centre or you can book a private transfer through us (not included).

If you have booked return flights out of Porto, you can either go to Porto by train (via Vigo, approx. 4.5hrs), catch a bus (approx. 3hrs), or arrange a private transfer through us (not included).

It is also possible to take the train to Madrid (approx 7hrs). Train timetables and fares can be viewed at RENFE.