Portuguese Way

The Portuguese Way is the second busiest. It comes from the south and enters Galicia from the border town of Tui. In the past, its bishopric extended its dominions to both sides of the border. This road runs through the most populated area of Galicia, the Rías Baixas. This 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, provisioning 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 asphalt 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 estuaries are some of the things you can find on this route. And that's not to mention the spectacular wines and delicious seafood. It's worth it, of course.

The most common starting point for pilgrims on foot is the border town of Tui (107 km). But, of course, the temptation to walk through two countries is great, so many people start in Porto (224 km), which is also the most common starting point for cycling routes. Or in Ponte de Lima (145 km).

In addition, the Portuguese Way has a bonus track: the coastal variant, which runs parallel to cliffs and beautiful open ocean beaches and comes close to some impressive lighthouses, such as Cabo Silleiro. If you want to do this route you can also come from Porto, crossing by ferry between Caminha and A Guarda. Or you can start in the town of A Guarda itself (150 km). You will have the famous hillfort of Santa Trega behind you.