Santiago de Compostela: a unique experience with hiking tours

As far as tours in Portugal go, the Porto to Santiago de Compostela tour is one of the richest, due to the natural and cultural variety you’ll find along the way.

The fact that it connects two historic cities makes it a great choice for a family trip through the north of Portugal and Spain.

From a hiking tour planned by our team, in this article we take you on a tour of the North.

Pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela date back to the 9th century, when the tomb of the apostle St. James the Greater was discovered.

Since then, to venerate the saint, thousands of people have made their way to Santiago along its famous Caminos.

The walks in the north are well known.

 

Discovering the north of Portugal on the way to Santiago

The proposal we have for a hiking tour has two main stages.

The first part consists of the following stages: Porto - Arcos (18 km), Arcos - Barcelos (15 km), Barcelos - Balugães (16 km), Balugães - Ponte de Lima (18 km), Ponte de Lima - Cossourado (22 km), Cossourado - Valença do Minho (13 km).

The second part is made up of the following stages: Valença do Minho - Porrinõ (20 km); Porrinõ - Redondela (23 km); Redondela - Pontevedra (21 km); Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis (25 km); Caldas de Reis - Padrón (14 km); Padrón - Santiago de Compostela (25 km).

 

Natural and cultural beauties along the way

After a first day in Porto, the journey to Arcos transitions smoothly from the urban landscape to rural surroundings.

From Arcos to Barcelos, you enter Minho and the colors are different: the green landscape is striking. Barcelos is a lively city with medieval architecture. From Barcelos to Balugães, the tone of the placid Minho countryside remains, punctuated by pretty hamlets.

 

Ponte de Lima is an important stop on this tour to Santiago de Compostela: it is considered to be the oldest Portuguese town and its famous bridge welcomes visitors with the same friendliness as the people of Minho.

Valença do Minho has an impressive military fortress dating back to the 13th century.

 

Family trip: from Porto to Santiago

 

From here, the tour from Porto to Santiago de Compostela enters Spain. Redondela is next to the Ria de Vigo and from there it goes to Pontevedra. This drive in the north of Galicia feels like two drives in the north, as it combines the coastal air with the green of the forest. After Caldas dos Reis and Padrón, the approach to Santiago de Compostela is mythical. Its architecture, squares and Santiago Cathedral set the scene for the arrival of these tours in Portugal, which become Iberian tours. The trip from Porto to Santiago de Compostela can be a real family trip through the north of Portugal and Spain.

 

Exploring the North towards Santiago de Compostela

This tour of the north is full of stories and remarkable places, most of which are related to the Catholic religion. Believe it or not, they’re worth seeing!

Landscapes and stories along the way

On the Portuguese side of these walks in the north, it’s worth remembering that this route passes, on its second day, near places such as the church of Santa Maria de Vilar do Pinheiro, an 18th-century temple, and the bridge of São Miguel dos Arcos, a Roman bridge built in the 13th century under the river Ave. On the third day, you can visit the Sanctuary of Franqueira (near the Ecopista on the Famalicão branch). The main church in Barcelos is Bom Jesus da Cruz - a baroque church with an Italian influence.

 

In Ponte de Lima, we’ve already talked about the bridge, but we haven’t yet revealed the secret: it has two sections - one Roman and the other medieval.

Between Ponte de Lima and Cossourado you can find the church of Santa Marinha de Arcozelo, dating from the 13th century, and the Arco da Geia, a bridge built by the Romans. On the way to Valença, the main church of Fontoura, dating from 1258, stands out.

The tour to Santiago de Compostela ends in the Galician city and here you can find, in addition to the cathedral, the Praza do Obradoiro, the Pazo de Xelmírez, the Parador de Santiago - Hostal Reis Catolicos, the college of San Xerome and the Palacio de Raxoi.

 

Prepare for an unforgettable adventure

The best possible preparation is to leave the planning to those who have the experience and know-how in this type of hiking tour, particularly this trip to Santiago de Compostela, and the enthusiasm to share it with you.