Customwalks: Guided walking tours in Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Turkey and Croatia.
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Portugal Easy Camino de Santiago Hike Write a review
Hike the legendary Camino de Santiago, but by the back door, via Portugal. This lesser-known route will take you through the glorious landscapes of northern Portugal and north-western Spain to the tomb of the Apostle St. James in Santiago de Compostela. Your adventure begins in the beautiful and historic seaside city of Porto. Your guides will lead you along three historical paths of the Portuguese Camino, the "Central", the "Coastal" and "Queen Isabel’s Way". You will hike through remote villages, verdant highlands, and along the dramatic Atlantic coastline. Iron Age, Roman, and Medieval era villages will pique your curiosity while the local cuisine and wine will delight your palate. You will relax in 4-star comfort at the end of every day in wonderful, distinctive, and historic hotels. Beautiful Santiago will ultimately welcome you, after you have followed the footsteps of pilgrims from centuries past to arrive at the tomb of St. James.
We have partnered with a Portuguese kindred spirit to develop this tour which we think is the best possible Camino hiking experience available*. All the criteria are fulfilled: excellent food and wine, spectacular and diverse landscapes, beautiful trails, charming accommodation, companionship, history, and culture. Some people do the Camino for all those reasons, independent of its religious connotations. Those who seek the mystic and spiritual element will not be disappointed either.
*We ran the “classic” Leon to Santiago de Compostela Camino through Spain for many years but frankly, we were never entirely happy with it. Why? Because there are too many segments where you hike along paved roads, and the countryside is not always that spectacular. One of our guides who has done the Spanish Camino did the Portugal route a few years ago on her own and she preferred the Portugal route, by a mile. That inspired us to develop this Camino tour along the Portuguese Camino routes.
Camino de Santiago - The Portuguese Way Tour Includes:
Portugal Easy Camino de Santiago Hike itinerary Request full itinerary
Check into the Hotel Moon and Sun, located in the heart of Porto’s vibrant Baixa neighborhood. This modern and comfortable 4-star property features a superb rooftop terrace which provides you with stunning views over the city’s jumble of terracotta roofs. You will also appreciate the sound-proofed rooms, which are always welcome after a trans-Atlantic flight! We like to stay in Baixa because it is less touristy than the “rival” Ribiera area. Baixa is frequented by locals, so this is where you will find the most genuine restaurants and cafes. It is also within walking distance of many of Porto’s attractions. The famous port cellars of Villa Nova di Gaia are just across the Dom Luis I Bridge and should be experienced. If you wish to arrive a day or two early, just let us know, and we will happily book those extra nights for you.. Overnight. 4-star Hotel Moon and Sun (or similar), Porto. Hotel included. No meals included.
A 10-minute taxi drive brings you to our Rendez-vous hotel (for logistical reasons, we meet at a hotel on the outskirts of Porto). Meet the other tour guests and your guides at 09:00 this morning. We will give you a short briefing and then transfer you to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bom Jesus Sanctuary. An evocative flight of baroque stairs will take you past stations of the cross, chapels, and fountains as you climb to the 18th c. church that surmounts the forested hill. The trail winds through the forest down to our shady picnic spot. After lunch, we transfer to the outskirts of beautiful Ponte de Lima to enter the town on foot via its medieval bridge. The town has been inhabited since Mesolithic times. Its verdant hills, meandering river, and cool ocean breezes breathe relaxation while the quaint old town, all gleaming white stucco and red-tile roofs, invites exploration. We stay two nights at the splendid 4-star Pousada Viano do Castelo, a grand old Belle Époque hotel on a mountaintop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. You will have time to relax by the pool and admire the expansive river and ocean views before dinner. Overnight. 4-star Pousada Viana do Castelo. The Hike: 3 kms/1.8 miles, Elevation gain/loss: 250m/815ft Elevation loss: 180m/590ft. Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner and hotel included.
The friendly ghost of Queen Isabel of Portugal guides you today. She took the trail you hike on this day during her pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in the 13th Century. Step back in time as you pass stone farmhouses and corn stacks as you hike through the small mountain villages of the Serra D’Árga. Indeed, we share our trail with goats, sheep, and foraging hens. Our hike ends with a picnic lunch at a 13th century monastery where you will be treated to magnificent views over the Minho River valley. We transfer you back to the Pousada to enjoy the pool and grounds or you may prefer to wander into town to explore its ancient streets. Dinner is on your own tonight. You can choose between one of the many authentic restaurants in the village or have a relaxed evening and dine again on the hotel’s scenic terrace overlooking the lovely old church of Santa Luzia.Overnight. 4-star Pousada Viana do Castelo. The Hike: 13km/8 miles, Elevation gain 600m/1900 ft Elevation loss 550m/1760ft. Breakfast, lunch, and hotel included. Dinner not included.
A rewarding climb starts your day (or a short van ride to avoid the climb!) as we hike through the eucalyptus woodlands of Labruja Mountain. Today’s trail is on the Portuguese Central Camino, and it takes you to the ancient town of Rubiães. You will cross over the river Pedreira on the same stone bridge used 2,000 years ago by the original Roman townspeople. From Rubiães, we transfer you to lunch in the fortified town of Valença do Minho, where you will walk along the fortress walls to our lunch spot. After lunch, you will cross the Minho River into Spain and settle into the 4-star Parador de Tui. Located on the banks of the Miño river, the Parador faithfully reproduces the architecture of a traditional Galician “pazo”. The ample park and inviting pool provide a relaxing space to soak up the lovely views of the river and surrounding mountains. For the remainder of the day, we’re free to stroll along the river into town and visit the cathedral of Tui and its medieval center or just relax at the hotel. Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight. 4-star Paradour di Tui. Overnight. 4-star Paradour di Tui. The Hike: 10kms/5.9 miles, Elevation gain/loss: 400m/127ft Elevationn loss 360m/1164ft; Optional additional 4km/2.5 mile hike Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
You can savor a relaxed morning with a 10:30 start or join us for an optional hike to the medieval center of Tui. Mid-morning, we all transfer to the austerely beautiful 12th-century monastery of Santa Maria de Armenteira. We compensate by enjoying yummy pastries and coffee at a local cafe before setting off on our trail, which takes you to verdant woodlands, fertile fields, and trellised vineyards to our lunch spot. After lunch, we transfer you to Santiago de Compostela. As we drive, the city and towers of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela come into view. Our destination is the Plaza Obradoiro, Santiago’s grandiose square where the 4-star San Francisco Hotel Monumento is located. Part of the 800-year-old monastery of the same name, the hotel is just 150 meters from the cathedral of Santiago di Compostela. You might enjoy the jacuzzi and indoor swimming pool set beneath the ancient vaulted ceilings of the monastery before heading off to explore Santiago. Tonight is a free-night dinner so your schedule is your own. Overnight. 4-star San Francisco Hotel Monumento in Santiago de Compostela. Overnight. 4-star San Francisco Hotel Monumento in Santiago de Compostela. The Hike: 10 km/5.9 miles, Elevation gain 390m/1276 ft Elevation loss 363m/1164ft; Optional morning hike of 4 km/ 2.5 mile with minimal elevation gain/loss. Transfer: 1.5 hours. Breakfast, lunch and hotel included. Dinner not included.
A splendid hike along the Finisterra Camino to La Costa da Morte awaits you today. You begin hiking from Arnela Beach, on the Camino de los Faros (The Way of the Lighthouses). We meander through pine forests, along rocky clifftops, and down to the pristine beaches of the Galician coast. Our destination is the Lighthouse of Cape of Finisterra, known as “Land’s End” by the ancient people of the region. Free time and lunch on your own in Finesterra before continuing along the spectacular coastline where many ancient ships lay wrecked beneath the waves. We return to Santiago for our final dinner together. Overnight. 4-star San Francisco Hotel Monumento in Santiago de Compostela. The Hike: 10.9km/6.7 miles, Elevation gain and loss 580m/1866ft, Transfers: 75 minutes each way. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Wait, we are not finished yet! Unlike most of our tours, on this one, we offer you another hike before departing, on this, our last day. After breakfast, we transfer you to Monte Pedroso for a lovely hike through a pastoral landscape of age-old agricultural allotments and manor houses as we head back to Santiago. This hike rewards you with unforgettable views of the Cathedral’s towers soaring above the terracotta roofs of the medieval city. We culminate your Camino hike with a visit to the tomb of St. James (Santiago) inside the cathedral. We offer you one last delicious tapas lunch together before departing with the guides back to the Porto Vincci hotel* where we arrive at approximately 16:00. The Hike: Optional 4.8 km/3 mile hike: minimal elevation gain/loss; Transfer to Porto: 2.5 hours. Breakfast and lunch included.
Please note: Some details of the itinerary may change according to the departure date of your tour. Whenever we run a tour, we make discoveries. Sometimes, they are promising discoveries, like a wonderful new trattoria, and sometimes bad, like a trail has been washed away. We sometimes change our itinerary to improve it by adding new beautiful elements to the tour or by removing something that does not work anymore. Rest assured, our goal is always to provide you with the best possible experience. We will advise you of any changes to the original itinerary before departure.
Activity Level 2 out of 5 = Easy to Moderate:
In general: This is an Easy to Moderate tour for fit hikers, and will be do-able with some effort by less fit hikers.
Terrain: Flat to gently rolling terrain with some rocky areas. Perhaps some short, relatively steep climbs and descents, but nothing longer than 20 minutes.
Actual hiking time: Between 4 - 6 hours per day, mostly in the morning but sometimes also in the afternoon
Distances: Usually 7 - 14 km (4.5 - 8 mi). Max distance is 15.5 km (9 mi) on the optional Day 6 hike.
Surfaces: Trails consist mainly of compact earth and/or gravel and sometimes gravel roads
Footing: Easy/good. Proper hiking shoes with thick soles with good treads are required. Sport sandals, running shoes and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Hiking Poles: Not required, but if you habitually use hiking poles then you will find them helpful
Compared to the Cinque Terre: This tour is significantly easier than the hikes in the Cinque Terre
Other: This tour is appropriate for fit, first-time “hikers” who enjoy hiking
Easy to Moderate Tours: Puglia & Basilicata, Piedmont Hike. All of our boat–based tours in Turkey, Croatia, and Greece Dodecanese Islands would be “easy to moderate” IF you decide to skip the one or two of the more challenging hikes. Your guides of course can advise you of the difficulty level and the terrain and footing of each hike.
As a point of reference, what is a 1 out of 5 Activity rating? A 1 out of 5 rated tour is a tour without any hiking. Walks would be in towns, cities, and villages, and the countryside walks would be on paved, or gravel/dirt roads, and occasionally on some packed earth trails. Elevation gain and loss would be negligible.
As a point of reference, what is a 5 out of 5 Activity rating? A 5 out of 5 rated tour is a tour that would be physically challenging and technically difficult even for very fit and experienced hikers. The hikes would have steep ascents and descents on narrow, exposed trails with challenging footing, such as on scree fields, or through rock falls and boulders. Distances would be up to 25 km/16 miles per day and feature ascents of over 1,000 m/3,200 feet in a day. A 5 out of 5 tour would also mean that you would be carrying a heavier-than-normal pack. None of our tours are rated 5 out 5. Our most challenging tours are 4.5 out of 5, and they are the Dolomites Alta Via (because of some exposed trail that requires some technical expertise) and our Republic of Georgia tour which has some long hikes with over 1,000 meters of elevation gain.
5
From our first inquiry to our departure, the experience of working with Brett and his team at Customwalks was terrific. Four of us joined six others for the Customwalks / Terra Cotta Journeys Portugal/Spain Camino de Santiago hiking tour. While the food and accommodations were excellent, the guides - Andre', Isabel and Manuel - made the trip meaningful and quite special. Their attention to detail (and the interest/needs of their guests), knowledge of history, fauna and flora, and just lovely demeanors were unparalleled in our experience. That probably explains why of the four groups of people on our tour two had travelled with Customwalks previously. We will certainly return to Customwalks for our next hiking adventure.
4.6
5
I’ve done three hikes and I think this was my favorite. The scenery and history is absolutely awe inspiring. We walked upon cobbled roads laid down by the Romans, along boulder strewn coastlines, through eucalyptus forests and alongside moss and fern decorated streams. It is easy to get into the pilgrim mode and leave the modern world behind. However, at days end, we were treated royally to wonderful meals and sumptuous accommodations. Everything was thought of by our guides: rain ponchos for those wet days, hiking poles, snacks and extra water. We were entertained with stories of lore, history, geology- our guides were able to answer all of our questions. Andre, Isabel and Manuel took such care with all of us! I can’t wait to book another walking tour.
5
This was the most enjoyable walk that I have done for some time. It was very well organised. Each day there were options that allowed the individual to tailor his or her ability to the walk. These were clearly explained by the guides who were interesting and fun to be with. The food was excellent with an array of experiences from rustic and authentic to more international. I highly recommend this walk. Pack a poncho as it is quick and easy to put over your pack and person. I am looking forward to doing more hikes with Custom Walks.
5
I recently did the Portugal Camino with my grandmother. Before booking, Brett assured me that she would be well taken care of, and they delivered! We had an amazing trip that created life long memories, full of great walks, food, wine, hotels and company. My grandmother was able to take the bus if parts of the day’s hike were too challenging. On one instance the guide took her to a nearby church and told her more about the history of it so that she wouldn’t feel like she was missing out. We learned a lot about the history of Portugal and Spain, the Camino and plenty of other topics from the guides and fellow walkers. There was time and space for reflection if that’s what you are looking for, although there was no pressure. There’s a good balance between hiking, sightseeing and relaxation. It’s a beautiful part of the world and I’m thankful to CustomWalks for allowing us to have this experience.
5
5
Our Portuguese Camino trip in September 2022 was the most perfectly planned and executed trip I have ever enjoyed. My 4 travel companions all agree. Each day’s adventure was meticulously planned by Manuel and Andre with attention to our physical condition, weather conditions, meal preferences, cultural interests (i.e. the museum of traditional women’s clothing on a terribly rainy day!) and even our spiritual interests ( finding mass times at a village church because they noticed us peeking into a church along the way!). We hiked for miles in beautiful mountains, along the gorgeous coastlines, over roman roads through eucalyptus forests, past a 1st century roman village, past fortresses, ancient walled towns, beautiful Baiona port, romanesque cathedrals and churches, culminating in beautiful Santiago. Andre and Manuel are true Ambassadors for Portugal. They are passionate in their love of Portugal and extraordinarily knowledgeable of the history, culture, and natural environments of Portugal. We enjoyed every minute of this wonderful journey.” Please note: This is a review written by a guest but posted on this page by me, Brett
5
I had heard of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela from friends who have done the "traditional" routes in France and Spain, but was intrigued by the Portugese route, both from a historical and tourist perspective. The itinerary and wonderful choices of hotels, manor houses and paradores to relax in after hiking were outstanding and unique. Because of the thoughtful selection of hiking route, we rarely encountered any crowds of hikers. The cuisine and the postprandial food comas only enhanced the experience! Add to all that, a set of guides who were delightful, highly educated and versed in culture and history, who created a week of complete relaxation, adventure, and enjoyment. This was my 5th trip with Customwalks and I look forward to #6!
If you have any questions or specific requests about any of our tours, we’re here to help. You can fill in the form below, send us an email, or call us and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
From our first inquiry to our departure, the experience of working with Brett and his team at Customwalks was terrific. Four of us joined six others for the Customwalks / Terra Cotta Journeys Portugal/Spain Camino de Santiago hiking tour. While the food and accommodations were excellent, the guides - Andre', Isabel and Manuel - made the trip meaningful and quite special. Their attention to detail (and the interest/needs of their guests), knowledge of history, fauna and flora, and just lovely demeanors were unparalleled in our experience. That probably explains why of the four groups of people on our tour two had travelled with Customwalks previously. We will certainly return to Customwalks for our next hiking adventure.
by Gina D-S
The guides were top notch. Hikes were challenging but excellent! The hotels were fabulous. The food was over the top excellent and beautiful!! I recommend extending your trip to spend time in Porto and any other cities to see the people and the towns to a greater extent.
by Sheryl G
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