Last places
Way of Saint James from Sarria in group with guide
00
Days
00
Hours
PTB1
By bike

Portuguese Way by bicycle from Oporto

SERVICES
Configurable
TYPE OF TRIP
Half distance
MODE
On your own
4 STAGES
6 DAYS
238 KM
DIF. ●●○○○
Complete the Portuguese Way from Porto by bike
Enjoy the gastronomy of Portugal and Galicia
6 days in heritage cities and charming villages
Experience the Portuguese Way by bike starting in Porto, the capital of northern Portugal, and ending in Santiago de Compostela in four pleasant stages spread between Portugal and Galicia. An unbeatable way to enjoy the landscape, the Atlantic gastronomy, the cultural heritage and everything that makes the Camino de Santiago great, on a bicycle.

Services

This programme includes these services.

6-day trip along the Portuguese Way.
5 nights' accommodation according to the chosen category. Configure it.
Full documentation about the travel.
GPS tracks in your smartphone
Pilgrim's passport
Travel insurance with special coverage for sports activities.
24/7 telephone assistance during your trip.
VAT and other taxes

Not included services

Extras in hotels and restaurants.
Other transfers requested by you, not specified in the contract.
Any other service not specifically defined as included.

Optional Services

A whole range of optional services are at your disposal, so that you can configure your trip to suit your needs.
Luggage transport
Bicycle and ebike rental
Private transfers
Reinforced breakfasts
Half board (dinners)
Cancellation insurance

Breakfasts, half-board
Bicycle rental.
Luggage transportation on route (up to 15 kg / package).
Transfers to and from Oporto and Santiago de Compostela airports and stations.
Complementary activities
Cancellation insurance

Free cancellation if you book through our website

Is this trip for me?

Type of trip: Half distance
Journeys to savour slowly, with the best of each space and that indescribable sensation of overcoming your own limits.
Type of services: Configurable
You choose your category of accommodation, if you want breakfast or not, if you want us to carry your luggage, etc. You decide and we will make sure everything runs smoothly.
Travel style: On your own
Programmes designed so that you can travel the route on your own, at the pace set by your steps. Full autonomy and the peace of mind of knowing that we are with you if you need us.
Physical demands: Trail
Routes with frequent changes of level and some occasionally demanding climbs, on changing surfaces and requiring minimal experience on two wheels.

Itinerary


Day 1. Arrival in Porto

Starting your Portuguese Way by bike in a big city in the north of Portugal is a guarantee of a great start. Porto - in Portuguese, Porto - offers you the possibility of cycling through one of the must-see places in the north of this Atlantic country. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it has many attractions, from its cathedral and the Torre dos Clérigos to the popular and bustling cais da Ribeira, passing through one of the most famous bookshops in the world: Lello & Irmão.

Porto is one of Portugal's top tourist destinations and it shows. And the experience you're about to begin on two wheels is a great excuse to drop by.

Hostel: Porto Lounge Hostel or similar
Standard accommodation: Hotel Poveira or similar
Charming accommodation: Porto Coliseum Hotel or similar
Premium accommodation: The Clover Act or similar


Day 2. Stage Porto - Barcelos

Distance: 51 km
Difficulty level: ●●●○○○○○
Accommodation: Barcelos

The first stage of your adventure starts from the city of Oporto, which we recommend you have visited the day before. The first part of the route is obviously urban. You have to move through the heavy traffic of the metropolitan area, which will give way to the open countryside as you go along.

Soon you will find small villages such as Mosteiró, Gião and Vairão that will lead you to Vilarinho, one of the places where pilgrims usually stop on foot. For those who cycle, however, this is only half of the journey. For the remainder of the day, rural and agricultural areas reign supreme. The Camino runs along small, almost traffic-free roads and dirt tracks. Finally, you will reach Barcelos, an interesting locality that is at the base of one of the Portuguese symbols par excellence: its rooster.

Hostel: InBarcelos Hostel or similar
Standard accommodation: Hotel Bagoeira or similar
Charming accommodation: Casa da Ana Boutique Guesthouse or similar
Premium accommodation: Art'Otel Barcelos or similar


Day 3. Stage Barcelos - Tui

Distance: 71 km
Difficulty level: ●●●○○○○○
Accommodation: Tui

The second day of this Portuguese cycling route will in fact be the longest and the last truly Portuguese stage, as its end, Tui, is already on the Galician side of the river Minho. From Barcelos you will cross the region of vinhos verdes, a young wine that is highly appreciated in Portugal. The vineyards will accompany you to Ponte de Lima, one of the jewels of the day. There you will find the river Lima, which the Romans knew as the River of Oblivion, and which played an important role in the Roman conquest of Gallaecia.

After leaving this village behind, where we recommend you stop in any case, the route continues through pleasant wooded surroundings, with the only difficulty being the climb to Portela Grande de Labruja. The steep slope and the absence of towns and services in the 9 km that separate the towns of Codeçal and Rubiães constitute the challenge of the day.

After Rubiães, it is less than 20 km to the Miño river and its international bridge, which leads to the old city of Tui, one of the seven ancient capitals of the Kingdom of Galicia, and the place to end this long and intense stage. Don't miss the cathedral of Santa María, a fortified temple that forms the centre of an intricate and pleasant historic quarter.

Hostel: Pilgrim Ideas or similar
Standard accommodation: Hotel Villa Blanca or similar
Charming accommodation: A Torre do Xudeu or similar
Premium accommodation: Tui Parador or similar


Day 4. Stage Tui - Pontevedra

Distance: 52 km
Difficulty level: ●●●○○○○○
Accommodation: Pontevedra

The Portuguese Way continues northwards and, on leaving Tui, it will ask you to make a decision: continue along the traditional route, which today runs through the monotonous industrial estate of As Gándaras, or take a detour through the natural area of Gándaras de Budiño and Río Louro. Both variants have the same length and end in O Porriño after 7.9 km. We recommend the second one, although it is a bit more demanding in terms of slopes, because it is worth the effort to get away from the industrial area and it is much more interesting from a scenic point of view.

After leaving O Porriño and Mos behind, the climb to the top of Enxertade begins, hard but relatively short. At the top, the Roman milestone of Vilar de Infesta awaits you, which corresponds to the old Roman road of via XIX, which linked Braga and Astorga. From there, you reach the village of Redondela, famous for the railway viaducts that fly over the houses.

Redondela may be a good place to take another break before tackling the last 19 km to the end of the stage. A new effort will take you to the top of O Viso, with splendid panoramic views over the Vigo estuary, where wrecks full of gold from America lie at the bottom. A gentle descent will take you to Arcade, a town famous for the quality of its oysters.

From there, a short pedal ride will take you to Pontevedra, which is said to be a good town (in Galician, boa vila). And no wonder. Its historic centre, the charming church of La Peregrina and its legend, its lively squares and streets make it the perfect place to stop the Camino and rest.

Hostel: Acolá Hostel or similar
Standard accommodation: Hotel Avenida or similar
Charming accommodation: Hotel Boa Vila or similar
Premium accommodation: Parador de Pontevedra or similar


Day 5. Stage Pontevedra - Santiago de Compostela

 

Distance: 64 km
Difficulty level: ●●●○○○○○
Accommodation: Santiago de Compostela

Last stage of this Portuguese Way by bike that will take you to Santiago de Compostela. Don't be in a hurry: the Camino is about giving time to time and stopping where the mood takes you. You will start the journey leaving Pontevedra behind by the Burgo bridge, where the river Lérez becomes the Pontevedra estuary. This stage is for nature lovers: wonderful landscapes dotted with vineyards and the characteristic villages of the Rías Baixas - a name inextricably associated today with the wines of the area, especially Albariño.

After 20 km you will reach Caldas de Reis, one of the towns with the longest thermal tradition in Galicia, and another 20 km will take you to Padrón, on the banks of the river Ulla, which flows into the immense Arousa estuary. According to Christian tradition, this is where the stone boat that brought the remains of the apostle St. James to rest in Galicia entered. It is worth taking a stroll through its historic centre and its breakwater to the church of Santiago, where the pedrón is kept: the stone on which, according to the same tradition, the boat was moored when the disciples and the remains of Saint James continued their journey on foot.

From Padrón, the Camino will take you through Iria Flavia, where the bishopric of Teodomiro was located at the time of the discovery of the apostle's tomb, and through O Milladoiro, today a dormitory town of Santiago whose name comes from the Latin humiliatorium - a clear reference to the pilgrimage and to the fact that from its top it was possible to see, at last, the towers of the Cathedral of Santiago.

Only five kilometres more and you will enter the city from the south, through the Porta Faxeira of the old city wall and the Rúa do Franco, a name related to the pilgrims, who were indistinctly called Francos, whether they came from Portugal or from the south of Galicia. Congratulations, pilgrim! You have reached your goal. The journey continues.

Hostel: The Last Stamp or similar
Standard accommodation: Hospedería San Martín Pinario or similar
Charming accommodation: Hotel Costa Vella or similar
Premium accommodation: Hotel Monumento San Francisco or similar


Day 6. Santiago de Compostela and more

You have completed your Portuguese Way by bike and after a well-deserved rest, you finally have time to visit the city you have cycled more than two hundred kilometres to reach. Its historic centre, its university, its market and its countless parks, its surroundings...

And, if you have time, the End of the World awaits you. We bring it to you on a full day trip to Muxía, Fisterra and the Costa da Morte to complete a fantastic week.


The recipe for great journeys

Natural, historical and ethnographic heritage, spectacular gastronomy, good company, slow pace and time for time. These are the ingredients with which we design trips in Viando. Are you staying at home? 

Book now and get
free cancellation

Choose dates, type of accommodation, what services you want to hire and method of payment. You are in full control

Frequently asked questions

What to expect from this tour?
This programme for the last 240 km of the Portuguese Way is for you if you want to complete the route by bicycle in compliance with the requirements to obtain the Compostela. It is a generally easy Camino, and no special cycling skills are required. It is also aimed at people of different fitness levels, which is why, together with the magnificent services it offers, it is one of the most popular stretches.
The Portuguese Way is open all year round. Although it can be done in the middle of winter, taking into account a number of technical conditions (more information here), the most advisable time is usually the first half of autumn, when the weather is milder. It can also be done in summer, because temperatures are usually mild, but in this case you should expect more people on the Camino and there may be a certain saturation in the last stages.
All the stages of this route can be completed on foot, so there is no need for additional transfers. If you need transport to get to Porto from the airport, or if you want to hire a transfer from Santiago to the airport for your return home, we can include them as an optional service.
Accommodation in the following categories is available on this route: hostels, standard accommodation, charming accommodation and premium accommodation. You can find more information about the categories of accommodation we use on Viando. in this link.

By default and compulsory, all our programmes include travel insurance with specific coverage for the Camino de Santiago. You can see the details in the section Insurance of our website. 

All our programmes include a 24-hour telephone support service, should you need help at any time during your experience. This means that you can also contact us outside office hours (when you are on pilgrimage). 

If you want to book this programme, you have the following options available a form where you can indicate the starting date, the type of accommodation and a series of optional services. The price will be updated according to the options you choose, so you have full control. Once you have configured your trip, click on "Book" to make the payment.

Once we receive your request, you will automatically receive a proof of purchase and within 48 working hours we will contact you to confirm the details of your booking and provide you with the documentation. 

In Viando we also work with tailor-made programmes (short stages, intermediate rest days, itineraries different from those proposed, etc.). If you are looking for a Camino that meets your needs/preferences, you can ask us for a quote. here.

Mode

This label indicates the intended mode of travel, based on two typologies:

In groups

These are group trips, where you are part of a small group of people who have chosen the same destination as you. Perfect for meeting like-minded people. Group trips usually have a guide who is in charge of overseeing the dynamics of the group, revealing the secrets of the destination and, in general, making sure that everything runs smoothly.

On your own

In this type of trip you have full control: you choose the dates and the pace. In addition, they are usually trips with configurable accommodation and services. It is the perfect mode for independent and experienced travellers, as well as for private groups of friends or families.

Type of trip

This label indicates the type of trip we propose to you based on the following options:

Getaways

These are trips that concentrate all their essence in two or three days. The aim is to live a series of experiences in a specific geographical area.

Half distance

These trips offer routes that take only a few days to complete and are perfect for most people who want to enjoy an active holiday without being too physically demanding.

Long distances

This type refers to long routes, which offer a great variety of natural and human spaces to visit and which require several days, usually two weeks or more. They are routes and destinations designed to really disconnect and live the experience to the fullest.

Exploration

These are trips off the beaten track and off the beaten track. They often require certain orientation skills or offer specialised guides at the destination.

Accommodation

This label indicates the type of services (mainly accommodation) we offer on each trip, based on three categories: 

Configurable

The trip offers different types of services and categories of services that you can choose from. For example, standard or premium accommodation. 

Standard

The trips in this group do not offer configurable options. The accommodations correspond to the standard category (not luxurious, but clean and in good condition).

Premium

Trips with this label offer non-configurable options. Accommodation and other services correspond to the premium category.