Camino de Santiago – The Portuguese way by sea

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INCLUDED:
Price per person in double room.
2 nights of accommodation in Tui.
2 nights of accommodation in the Hospedería Monasterio de Poio.
2 nights of accommodation in the Hospedería Campus Stellae.
Half board according to the program (breakfast and dinner).
A support bus for the realization of the Portughese Way until it reaches Santiago.
Boat trip on the Arousa Sea and the Ulla River until arrive to Padrón.
Lunches according to the program including drinks, (4 during the St. James Way + 1 in Santiago).
Access to the termal circuit in Caldas de Reis.
1 official guide for the guided tour of Santiago.
Travel insurance.

ITINERARY:
Day 1: Tui
Day 2: Tui – Redondela (31 Km)
Day 3: Redondela – Pontevedra (21 Km)
Day 4: O Grove – Padrón, route by boat.
Day 5: Padrón – Santiago (24 Km)
Day 6: Santiago de Compostela
Day 7: End of the program.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
Cancellation insurance.
Private transfer from the airport to the point of beginning of the program, Tui.

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Since the XII century pilgims departed from important villages such as Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto or Braga for religious reasons. The secular stream of people along this Jacobean route helped to establish between Portugal and Galicia deep bonds of intercultural, economic and deep thought. One of these cultural contributions is the Portuguese Way, which we will try to know through this trip, combined with gastronomy and rural and thermal tourism.
We will cross the Portuguese Way from Tui to Redondela. After, we will continue to Pontevedra, from where we will continue to the “vilas mariñeiras” (fishing villages) of Combarro, Sanxenxo and O Grove, and from where we will do the Jacobean route by boat along the Sea of Arousa and Ulla. We will navigate to Padrón, discovering the twelve “cruceiros” which form the aquatic “Via Crucis”, and then we continue our journey on foot to Santiago de Compostela.

PROGRAM:

Day 1: We will move to Tui to start the pilgrimage with one night in Tui. Here we will meet all the people that will be joining us on this adventure. Dinner and accommodation in Tui.

Day 2: After breakfast, we will start the Portuguese Way from the beginning of the stage Tui – Redondela (31 Km.), descending down the San Simón River and crossing the bridge A Ponte das Febres. Later, we will see the Gándaras de Budiño, a natural ecosystem formed by lakes, reservoirs and streams, that follow the Louro river’s course, to crossing then the historic center of Porriño, where is seated a valuable “cruceiro” of the XVIII century. We will have lunch on route. At the end of the stage a bus will take us to Tui to rest in the hotel. Dinner and accommodation in Tui.

Day 3: From the early morning and after a great breakfast, we will have 24 km ahead, which separate Redondela of Pontevedra. The first steps will be on the railroad bridge and then the way goes into a forest until reach the Lugar de Setefontes and from there to Arcade, famous for its oysters. Lunch will be on route. On the Verdugo River we will continue to Ponte Sampaio, going up narrow streets. There are several villages that we will pass, leaving behind “cruceiros” and remains of an old coaching inn, until reaching Pontevedra. At the end of stage we will move to Poio to stay at the Hospedería Monasteiro de Poio. Dinner and accommodation in Poio.

Day 4: Breakfast and departure by minibus along the coast crossing the fishing villages of Combarro, Sanxenxo until arrive in O Grove, where we will board a catamaran for the cruise of the Sea of Arousa and Ulla. One legendary route which will allow us to discover, sailing from O grove to Padrón, and passing from the Ría de Arousa to the Ulla River, The twelve “cruceiros” that form the aquatic “Vía Crucis “. At midday we will taste a delicious menu in Padrón and in the arternoon we will enjoy a thermal circuit in Caldas de Reis of return back to the Hospederia Monasterio de Poio. Dinner and accommodation in the Hospederia Monasterio de Poio.

Day 5: After breakfast, from Padrón we will take again the Portuguese Way and we will head to Iria Flavia and then to A Escravitude. After walking through woods and crossing the railroad we will reach the picturesque village of Angueira de Suso. Lunch will be on route. Thereafter we will go to the urban center, like Milladoiro, in the common council of Ames, or the district of A Choupana, already in the municipal district of Santiago. We will arrive, finally, at our destination, Santiago de Compostela, entering through Porta Faxeira, one of the seven doors of the wall of Santiago, now disappeared, and we will reach the Cathedral walking through the busy commercial activity of the Rua do Franco. Dinner and accommodation in a guest house in Santiago.

Day 6: After breakfast, we will spend a whole day stepping the stones of the historic center of Santiago. We will do a guided tour and we will be able to assist at the pilgrim’s mass in the Cathedral. We will taste one of the most legendary menus of the city in one of the restaurants of the old town and then walk at our whim by these charming streets and squares which make you feel renewed after such a long way. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 7: Breakfast and end of the services.