Stage 5 Santarém to Golegã
Stage 6 Golegã to Tomar
Stage 7 Tomar to Alvaiázere
Stage 8 Alvaiázere to Rabaçal
Stage 9 Rabaçal to Coimbra
Stage 10 Coimbra to Sernadelo
Stage 11 Sernadelo to Águeda
Stage 12 Águeda to Albergaria-a-Velha
Stage 13 Albergaria-a-Velha to São João da Madeira
Stage 14 São João da Madeira to Grijó
Stage 15 Grijó to Porto
Stage 16 Porto to Vairão
Stage 17 Vairão to Barcelos
Stage 18 Barcelos to Ponte de Lima
Stage 19 Ponte de Lima to Rubiães
Stage 20 Rubiães to Tui
Stage 21 Tui to Mos
Stage 22 Mos to Pontevedra
Stage 23 Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Stage 24 Caldas de Reis to Padrón
Stage 25 Padrón to Santiago de Compostela
Stage 1 Porto to Vila do Conde
Stage 1A Porto to Vila do Conde (via the Senda Litoral)
Stage 2 Vila do Conde to Esposende
Stage 3 Esposende to Viana do Castelo
Stage 4 Viana do Castelo to Caminha
Stage 5 Caminha to Mougás
Stage 6 Mougás to A Ramallosa
Stage 7 A Ramallosa to Vigo
Stage 8 Vigo to Redondela
Link route 1 Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates
Link route 2 São Pedro de Rates to Esposende
Link route 3 Caminha to Tui
Stage 1 Pontevedra to Armenteira
Stage 2 Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa
Stage 3 Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón
Appendix A Facilities tables
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Useful contacts
Appendix D Further reading
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
ROUTE SUMMARY TABLES
Central Camino
Coastal Camino joining the Central Camino at Redondela
Coastal Camino joining the Central Camino at Valença/Tui
Link routes between the Central and Coastal Caminos
Spiritual Variant (Variante Espiritual)
Painting of St James on the ceiling of Igreja de Santiago, Castelo do Neiva (Coastal Camino Stage 3)
INTRODUCTION
Starting in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, and ending in Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the 621km Portuguese Camino – ‘Caminho Português’ in Portuguese and ‘Camino Portugués’ in Spanish – has attracted pilgrims for many centuries. Count Henrique and Dona Teresa, the parents of Portugal’s first king, visited the Apostle’s tomb in 1097 (they later ordered an inn to be built for ‘pilgrims, the poor and the sick’ in Albergaria-a-Velha on the Central Camino); Queen (later Saint) Isabel undertook the journey in 1325 and 1335; while Jérôme Münzer (1494, a doctor from Nuremberg) and Giovanni Battista Confalonieri (1594, an Italian priest) wrote accounts so detailed that modern-day hikers will recognise shared experiences. There have been countless other voyagers, both the faithful and the intrepid, across the years.
The Camino follows Roman roads and crosses ancient bridges; it passes through villages, farmland and forests (and provides memorable Atlantic views on the Coastal Camino). Along the way there are four sites that are now designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Tomar’s magnificent Knights Templar castle, Coimbra University (one of Europe’s oldest), and the old towns of Porto and Santiago. Conímbriga Roman site with its exceptional mosaics is also a must-see. Walkers with time to spare might take a scenic river cruise down the Douro in Porto before continuing north and into the Minho region. There’s a wonderful albergue (hostel) in Ponte de Lima, Portugal’s oldest village, and before leaving Portugal there’s a chance to marvel at Valença’s ancient fort with panoramic views of medieval Tui over the River Minho in Spain.
The Coastal Camino passes through historic shipbuilding and fishing ports, important during Portugal’s ‘Age of Discoveries’. On this route, hikers can enjoy fresh seafood and experience
