What to expect?

The Portuguese Way is the second most travelled route, both inland and along the coast. Although it starts in Lisbon at its longest stretch, few people start their journey before Porto, the large city in the north of Portugal, as the sections between these two Portuguese cities have fewer services for walkers. Porto is also the origin of the so-called Caminho da CostaThe coastal variant.

Following a south-north route, both routes allow you to enjoy some of the most interesting places in both Portugal and Galicia. The inland route enters Galicia through the border town of Tui, while the coastal route enters Galicia through the town of A Guarda. From these points, this Way runs through the most populated area of Galicia, the Rías Baixas, which means that it crosses several historic towns and cities, such as Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis or Padrón, also following the historic route of the Roman road XIX.

This route also has an important network of services, such as hostels and other types of accommodation, gastronomic options, refreshment services, etc. However, some people are put off by the fact that several sections of the route run along roads. It is true that they do not have much traffic, but walking on tarmac is not the same as walking on roads.

Even so, the Portuguese Way has attractions that compensate for the inconvenience. For starters, it is a simpler route than the French Way. And, in addition, it is not all asphalt! Far from it. Forests, small villages, manor houses and fortresses or panoramic views over the long Portuguese beaches and the jagged Galician estuaries are just some of the things you can find on this route. And that's not to mention the spectacular wines and delicious seafood cuisine. It's definitely worth it.