El Camino de Santiago The Portuguese Way

For more than a thousand years, men and women have walked across the top of Spain to stand before the tomb of the Apostle James. Kings walked it. Beggars walked it. St. Francis of Assisi is said to have walked it. The scallop shells they carried have been dug out of graves from Ireland to Poland. We are going to walk the last hundred kilometers of it. This is a pilgrimage, not a hiking holiday. We begin in Porto, cross into Galicia, and walk the Camino Portuguese stage by stage through Redondela, Arcade, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padrón until we come down into Santiago de Compostela on foot. We celebrate Mass each day. We pray at the relics of the Apostle. Afterwards we drive to Finisterre, then east through O Cebreiro and Astorga to Ávila, the city of St. Teresa, before a last evening in Madrid.

Spiritual & Sightseeing Highlights

• Overnight transatlantic flight from the United States.
• Arrival in Porto
• Porto, Minho River crossing into Spain, Vigo.
• 15 km from Vigo to Redondela along the Camino Portugués.
• 8 km from Redondela to Arcade over the historic bridge at Ponte Sampaio.
• 12 km from Arcade to Pontevedra and Santuario de la Virgen Peregrina.
• 22 km from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis past oak woods and river valleys.
• 18 km from Caldas de Reis to Padrón along the Umia River valley.
• 12 km from Padrón to Teo through rural countryside and lanes.
• 13 km from Teo into Santiago de Compostela to reach the cathedral.
• Relics of St. James in Santiago and Cape Finisterre excursion.
• O Cebreiro Eucharistic Miracle site and Astorga visit.
• Ávila, Convent of St. Teresa, and Monastery of the Incarnation.
• Madrid
• Return flight to the United States.

Your Journey

What's Included

• 13 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels
• Daily breakfast and dinner
• Private air-conditioned coach throughout
• English-speaking Catholic tour escort
• Daily Mass arrangements
• Local guides in Porto, Santiago, and Ávila
• Travel Tyme host
• Cathedral of Santiago entrance
• Entrances to Ávila Cathedral, Convent of St. Teresa, and Monastery of the Incarnation
• Finisterre excursion
• Porterage of one suitcase per pilgrim at some hotels
• Audio headsets for guided visits
• Wi-Fi access aboard the coach
• Hotel-to-hotel luggage transfers on walking days
• Camino kit with passport, scallop shell, walking notes, distance accreditation, and Compostela certificate
• Round Trip Airfare will be added in 2027

Physical Requirements

This is a walking pilgrimage. Most days involve walking around 10–14 miles (16–22 km) on footpaths, country roads and village streets, including hills and uneven surfaces, in all weather. Pilgrims should be in good health and comfortable walking several hours a day, several days in a row. We recommend training with regular long walks in the months before departure. If you have any mobility or health concerns, please tell us on this form so we can talk with you about them before you travel.

Questions about this pilgrimage? Call us at 636.391.1000