best views of the Camino.
On the approach to Santiago, many people visit the Roman altar stone believed to be that which the boat carrying the body of St James moored up against in Padrón. Then it’s a case of catching your breath and reflecting on your journey as you enter the old town of Santiago de Compostela, finishing at the steps of the magnificent cathedral in Praza do Obradoiro.
The list of cultural highlights is extensive, but often it’s encounters with other people that make the longest-lasting memories; the Portuguese are friendly, genuine and kind-hearted – so don’t be surprised if you’re invited for coffee and a pastel de nata (sweet pastry) soon after being introduced!
St James and the beginnings of Santiago de Compostela
Leaving Porto along Rua das Flores (Central Camino Stage 16)
St James the Great (Sant Iago), son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of John was a fisherman and disciple of Jesus. He is believed to have left Jerusalem to preach in the Iberian Peninsula but after returning to the Holy Land was murdered by King Herod Agrippa in AD44. His disciples brought his body back to Spain by boat, landing at Iria Flavia (present-day Padrón), near where he had preached. His body was then transported by ox and cart and buried on Mt Libredón.
In the ninth century (believed to be around 813–820) a hermit named Pelayo discovered the tomb by following stars shining down on a field. He notified Teodomiro, the Bishop of Iria Flavia, who sent word to King Alfonso II of Asturias. Alfonso travelled from Oviedo to the tomb in the field of stars, ‘campus stellae’, and ordered a church to be built on top. This was replaced with a grander church by Alfonso III, consecrated in 899.
In 997 the Moorish Caliph Almanzor attacked Santiago, stole the church’s bells and forced Christian slaves to transport them to the mosque in Cordoba (they were returned in the 13th century). The church was rebuilt, then in 1075, during the reign of Alfonso VI, work began on the grand-scale cathedral that exists today. The spectacular Romanesque Pórtico da Gloria by Maestro Mateo was completed in 1188; the cathedral was consecrated in 1211 and Santiago de Compostela became a place of holy pilgrimage alongside Jerusalem and Rome.
Portuguese history and the Camino
Prehistoric finds including petroglyphs (outside of Pontevedra on Stage 1 of the Spiritual Variant/Variante Espiritual) and megalithic tombs (Dolmen of Barrosa at Vila Praia de Âncora, Stage 4 of the Coastal Camino) pre-date the arrival of the Celts who came to the Iberian Peninsula around 1000BC and built fortified hilltop settlements (Viana do Castelo and A Guarda, Stages 3 and 5 of the Coastal Camino). The Romans arrived around 218BC and after initial resistance from the Lusitanian tribes they flourished, building bridges and a major road network. They introduced new salting techniques to preserve fish (seen in Praia de Angeiras, Stage 1A of the Coastal Camino) and cultivated wine, olive oil and cereals to export back to Rome. One of the best examples of Roman civilisation in Portugal is found in Conímbriga (Stage 9 of the Central Camino) – a key Roman settlement with spectacular mosaics. Portugal’s name derives from the Roman name for Porto, Portus Cale.
Roman mosaics, Conímbriga (Central Camino Stage 9)
Barbarian invasions accelerated the downfall of the Romans from the fifth century with the arrival of Alans, Vandals, Suevi and Visigoths, the latter being displaced by the Moors in the eighth century. Under Moorish rule Christians, Jews and Muslims lived alongside each other – although non-Muslims were taxed. The Moors left a lasting legacy which can be seen in place names (such as Alvaiázere and Alvorge), decorative ‘azulejo’ tiles, castles and food items such as citrus fruit and rice. The long Christian Reconquest reached a pivotal moment when Afonso Henriques captured Ourique in 1139, declaring himself King of the Portuguese nation. He went on to capture Santarém and Lisbon in 1147 and was formally recognised by Pope Alexander III as King of Portugal in 1179.
Portugal’s ‘Age of Discoveries’ reached its peak under King Manuel I when explorer Vasco da Gama discovered a sea route to India (1498) and Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil (1500). The Monarchy lasted until Manuel II ‘The Unfortunate’ abdicated in 1910 and a Republic was declared.
Praça da República, Tomar (Central Camino Stage 6)
Choosing your Camino
There are several options when it comes to choosing the route of your Camino, depending on the length of time you have at your disposal and your personal interests or preferences.
Central Camino (Caminho Central)
This historic route often follows Roman roads (Via XVI connecting Lisbon to Braga and Via XIX connecting Braga to Astorga) and the itineraries of medieval pilgrims such as Jérôme Münzer (a German doctor, 1494) and Giovanni Battista Confalonieri (an Italian priest, 1594), passing through the Ribatejo, Beira Litoral, Douro and Minho regions before crossing into Galicia in Spain.
To reach Santiago:
from Lisbon (621km), allow 25 days plus a few rest days to enjoy Tomar, Coimbra and Porto
from Porto (243km), allow 10 days plus a rest day to explore Pontevedra
from Tui (117km), just across the border in Spain, allow five days. This is a popular starting point for pilgrims with limited time but who want to complete the minimum 100km walking distance to be eligible for the Compostela.
Igreja de Bom Jesus da Cruz in Barcelos (Central Camino Stage 17)
Coastal Camino (Caminho da Costa)
Starting from Porto, the ‘younger’ Coastal route doesn’t always hug the coastline although it’s spectacular when it does. King Manuel visited Azurara and Vila do Conde (Stage 1) in 1502 on his pilgrimage (modern-day hikers can visit the churches he instructed to be built). Further north, the Church of Santiago in Castelo do Neiva (Stage 3) has the oldest inscription dedicated to Santiago outside of Spain, dated 862. In Viana do Castelo (also Stage 3) there’s the opportunity to visit the old pilgrim hospital, opened in 1468. On reaching the border in Caminha (Stage 5) there’s a choice: either cross the River Minho by boat into Spain then continue to follow the coast to Vigo, connecting with the Central Camino in Redondela; or follow the Minho east and join the Central Camino in Valença.
To reach Santiago:
from Porto (253/263km), allow 10 to 12 days depending on where you rejoin the central route. If you have time for rest days, consider choosing Viana do Castelo then Vigo to visit the Cíes Islands.
from Vigo (100km), allow 4 to 5 days. This is the minimum walking distance required to be eligible for the Compostela.
View of the Basílica de Santa Luzia at sunset from the Pousada in Viana do Castelo (Coastal Camino Stage 3)
Seaside Path (Senda Litoral)
This seaside route along the Portuguese coastline is a work in progress consisting of sections of boardwalks, esplanades and cycle paths. Although it’s not currently possible to
