Camino Portugués Tour

Experience and Expertise

Your two bilingual guides that accompany the tour are either Spanish or live in Spain year round. This is our home and we love to share it with you!

Fabulous Food

All your meals (B,L,D) are included, so you only need to worry about enjoying the trail! Weather permitting, our gourmet picnics showcase the freshest of local flavors.

Unique Accommodations

Charming restored manor homes and 3-4 star hotels that offer the best in hospitality, comfort, and location.

La Compostela

Our itinerary qualifies you for the Compostela certificate upon your arrival to Santiago.

Semi-Independent Tour

You choose! Walk alone with the assurance that we’ll take care of you or enjoy the company of others and your knowledgeable guides.

Van Supported

No need to carry a heavy pack – let us do the lifting while you do the walking.

Expect to have a wonderful time!

We’ve designed each trip to enjoy the stunning beauty of the Portuguese and Spanish landscape, while giving you a true sense of the soul and magic of these exciting people and their culture. We love to share these magnificent countries and want you to feel a part of it – for us it is more than just a trip, it is our home.

Day 1

Guimarães

Accommodations: Guimarães (D)

Meeting time: 4:00pm

In the afternoon, your Fresco Tours guides meet and greet you at Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal as an independent country. In 1100, Portugal’s first King, Afonso Henriques, was born inside the thick walls of the medieval castle that overlooks the town. Before dinner, we sit down for our orientation meeting to discuss our journey along the Camino de Santiago followed up by a stroll around town with our local expert.

Day 2

Vitorino de Piães to Ponte de Lima

Accommodations: Ponte de Lima (B, L, D)

Walking: 16 km / 10 mi

After breakfast, we hop in the van and shuttle to Vitorino where we hit the trail and have a warm up of our week to follow. We lace up our boots to take our first steps on the Camino, getting our first stamp in the parish town of Vitorino de Piães! We finish in the lovely river valley town of Ponte de Lima. What are all those Roman soldiers doing here?

Day 3

Ponte de Lima to Rubiães

Accommodations: Ponte de Lima (B, L, D)

Walking: 15 km / 9 mi

Yesterday's walk into the river valley means that today we have to climb out on the opposite side! Our most difficult climb (while you are still fresh!), we head up and over the Alto da Portela Grande, the highest point of our walk at a mere 400 meters. Coming down to Rubiães, follow the Roman Via XIX and pass by a miliáro, ancient mile marker used by the Romans.

Day 4

Rubiães to Tui

Accommodations: Tui (B, L, D)

Walking: 17 km / 11 mi

With our boots on, we take to the trail for our last complete stage in Portugal. We wander through various wooded pathways that lead us into the fortress town of Valença. Here we prepare our passports for a border crossing over the Miño River into Spain. Actually, as both are part of the European Union, you'll only need your Pilgrim's Passport and know that the word for stamp will change from Carimbo to Sello!

Day 5

Tui to Porriño

Accommodations: Tui (B, L, D)

Walking: 17 km / 11 mi

Remember to change your watches as Spain is 1 hour ahead of its neighbor. We begin our day admiring the views from the 12th century Santa Maria Cathedral in Tui. We end our day with an excursion that takes us back over 2000 years to the Celtic remains of the Castro de Santa Tecla, where the views of the Atlantic and Portugal are unmatched!

Day 6

Porriño to Redondela

Accommodations: Pontevedra (B, L, D)

Walking: 15 km / 9 mi

Saying goodbye to the granite cutting mills of Porriño, we get the blood going with a good climb up to the Monte de Santiago de Antas, where we find another Roman mile marker. Continuing along the Camino towards Redondela, we get our first glimpse of the Estuary of Vigo, where mussels and scallops are farmed on floating barges! Sounds delicious – anyone for a tapa and Galician white wine?

Day 7

Redondela to Pontevedra

Accommodations: Pontevedra (B, L, D)

Walking: 21 km / 13 mi

We hit the trail and soon come to the lovely stone bridge in Pontesampaio where Napoleon’s troops were defeated in the War of Independence. Here we can dip our toes into the Verdugo River before preparing for our walk into the pedestrian-friendly city of Pontevedra. Here, we must stop in and get a stamp at La Peregrina, the 18th century chapel whose floor is in the shape of a scallop shell!

Day 8

Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

Accommodations: Padrón (B, L, D)

Walking: 22 km / 14 mi

Leaving the city of Pontevedra, we quickly return to nature, crossing through quiet paths where we come to the granite Cross of Amonisa with the carved figure of Santiago facing our destination. We arrive in Caldas de Reis, whose natural thermal springs have made this a place to soak your weary feet for thousands of years!

Day 9

Caldas de Reis to A Esclavitude

Accommodations: Padrón (B, L, D)

Walking: 25 km / 16 mi

Today we arrive in Padron (or pedrón – Galician for big stone) and pay homage to the famous rock where the boat that contained Saint James was moored to upon its arrival from Jerusalem after he had been martyred. Padron is also famous in culinary circles for its little green peppers, some which are hot and others that are not.

Day 10

A Esclavitude to Santiago de Compostela

Accommodations: Santiago de Compostela (B, L, D)

Walking: 19 km / 12 mi

9 days, 168 kilometers, and we have arrived in Santiago de Compostela. Congratulations! You are going to love this magical city filled with fantastic monuments and a lively buzz from the international pilgrims and university students that fill its medieval streets. After requesting our Compostela certificates at the Pilgrims' Office, we head to our hotel and get ready for our evening celebratory dinner!

Day 11

Santiago, Camino Portugués

Accommodations: ITINERARY ENDS (B)

After a buffet breakfast, our local historian gives us a closer look at the amazing Cathedral that has seen so many transformations since the original chapel built in the 9th century. After the tour, we sadly say our last buen camino as we leave you at the Cathedral in time for the Pilgrims' Mass at noon.

*Please note: This itinerary is subject to slight modifications due to hotel availability, weather, festivals, and other occurences.

2 Guides

Our greatest resource! We know Spain, because it is our home. Both of your guides are experienced professionals that are either Spanish or live in Spain year round – no hired out summer help! When specified, local art historians will join us to provide further insights of the specific monument / museum that we visit.

* Groups of 3 – 6 pax are accompanied by only 1 guide.

Limited Group Sizes

Fresco Tours are in small groups to ensure that you receive the individual attention that you deserve. In order to treat each of our clients with a personal touch, we limit our group size to a maximum of 16 participants.

Local Guided Visits

In Guimarães and Santiago, we will be joined by local art historians, who will bring the monuments and cities to life! A minimum of 5 people is necessary for this service to be provided.

Accommodations

Fresco Tours selects a combination of 3-4 star hotels, restored country manors and B&B’s that offer the best in hospitality, comfort and location. All rooms have their own bathrooms. Tour prices are based on double occupancy.

All Meals

Food speaks volumes about a culture and we love to eat! During our walk days, when possible, we prepare gourmet picnics, using the freshest of local ingredients and selecting the tastiest recipes of the region. Dinners are celebrated in restaurants chosen not only for their menu, but also their atmosphere and service. All breakfast, lunches and dinners are included. We are proud to cater to vegetarians and those with food allergies as well.

Support Vehicle

Your walks will be accompanied by a support vehicle that will be there to provide you assistance when the route permits. The possibility of shorter routes and pick-up options will be explained on a daily basis.

Luggage Transfer

Your luggage will be transported between hotels. You do the walking, we’ll do the lifting!

Special Event Tickets

Wine tastings, garden tours, concerts, etc. as outlined in the itinerary.

Additional Services

We are here to help! Need assistance with hotels prior to or after your trip? Questions about what to wear? Need a taxi while on the trail?

Based in Spain, we are here to make sure that your trip runs smooth as can be – we are available!

* Please note that any additional services purchased will have the following conditions:
Hotel reservations – can be cancelled up to 1 week before arrival without penalty
Extra luggage/Private transfers – can be cancelled up to 72 hours before without penalty

Ground Transportation

All ground transportation between the designated starting and finishing point of your Fresco Tour is provided. We will help facilitate information for your travel arrangements prior to and after the tour start and finish.

Not Included

Airfare to and from Portugal or Spain, airport taxes / departure fees, visas, or items of personal nature – laundry, phone, luggage surplus charges, medical expenses, bar, tips, etc.

Prior to / After your Fresco Tour: Should your vacation to Spain be for more than a few days prior to or after your Fresco Tour, perhaps you would be interested in a Spain-taineous Custom Tour and personalized private itinerary. Let us know and we’ll create an itinerary especially in tune with your needs and desires.

General FAQ for all tours

Getting There & Back

How do I get to the Camino Portugués Tour starting point?

Güimaraes, Portugal is the official starting point of the Portugués Tour, which has train connections from both Porto and Lisbon.

Intercidades (IC) Train

Alfa Pendular (AP) Train

How can I purchase my bus or train tickets beforehand?

Train tickets can be purchased online on Spain’s leading rail provider, RENFE. Keep in mind that the sale of train tickets depends on RENFE’s scheduling and some routes cannot be purchased until approximately 30 to 60 days prior to departure – please be patient. Schedules and availability are also subject to change based on train maintenance needs.

For bus tickets, these can be purchased on ALSA .

Both of these websites have an English language option that accept most major credit cards. Tickets are issued as PDFs and are sent to the email address used to purchase the tickets.

How do I get from Santiago de Compostela to Lisbon and other cities?

There are buses that will get you from Santiago to Lisbon and from Santiago to Porto.

If you are planning to fly back to Lisbon or Porto, please click here for a complete list of companies that service the Santiago Airport. Keep in mind that there are NO direct flights to either city from Santiago.

How do I get from Lisbon Airport to the Güimaraes?

If your flight arrives in Lisbon, there is a train that will get you from Lisbon to Güimaraes. Most trains take anywhere between 5.5 – 6 hours.

On the Road

What is the weather like on the Camino Portugués Tour?

The Fresco Tours Camino Portugués Tour covers about 168 km of the Camino in the Northwest region between Portugal & Galicia. Here we enjoy a more temperate climate than other parts of the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Visit these links for average monthly temperatures of Porto and Santiago de Compostela.

What is a typical day like on the Camino Portugués Tour?

After breakfast, we lace up and get the blood going with a walk for a couple hours, where we will do a check point to make sure that everything is OK. You then continue along the Camino for another 1-2 hours where you will come across a complete gourmet picnic prepared with the freshest local ingredients. On some days, we continue for 1-2 hours more after lunch to burn off dessert.

In the afternoon, we go to our hotels, where we take a shower, siesta and just relax! We finish our day with a glass of tinto and a feast of the local gastronomy. We then retire for the night and get ready to do it again! On some afternoons, we have planned excursions, such as a visit to Celtic ruins or perhaps a massage!

Does the group stop for breaks on the Camino Portugués Tour?

The great thing about the Camino is that it is very well-marked and we encourage people to walk at a pace that is comfortable for them – this is not a race! We want you to enjoy the route and we also like to stop with our clients for a coffee or cerveza along the way and take everything in!

What is the terrain like on the Camino Portugués Tour?

In Portugal & Galicia, the regions where we walk, the terrain is green rolling hills – there are neither steep climbs nor treacherous descents. The trail itself is a combination of very well maintained compact dirt and stone footpaths and small country roads.

What is the change in elevation on the Camino Portugués Tour?

We will be walking from Portela to Santiago de Compostela, the last 168 km of the Camino de Santiago. For more information on the distances between towns along the Camino and their respective altitudes, please click here.

How many kilometers are walked each day on the Camino Portugués Tour?

The number of kilometers scheduled for each day varies from 12 km to 23 km. We have designed this tour to allow the possibility to walk the last 100 km to Santiago, which is a requirement by the Church if you are going to ask for the Compostela Certificate. However, the walks are accompanied by a support vehicle and options for less (or more!) km’s are possible on a daily basis. We can tailor the Camino to suit your needs!

Will I be able to do laundry on the Camino Portugués Tour?

On El Camino Portugués Tour we offer a Fresco Tours laundry service roughly halfway through the trip where you can send your clothes to the laundromat to have them washed and dried. In addition, some hotels will have the capability to do laundry on the premises or you can use local laundromats whenever you’d like. We also recommend that you bring quick-drying clothes that you can handwash and dry overnight at the hotel if all else fails!

Before You Go / Preparing

What type of shoes do I need to walk the Camino Portugués Tour?

Footwear is a very personal question – depending on how active you are and how much support you will need. Since we will be walking on a daily basis on the Camino de Santiago, I believe that comfort is key – you do not want to get blisters. You probably won’t need a full high boot that covers your ankle (unless you need this support), but rather light trail walkers or even running shoes if you are used to walking. In the spring, there may be mud and water along the trail, so keep that in mind. Most important: Make sure that they are well broken in!

What sort of conditioning do I need to undertake before the Camino Portugués Tour?

We encourage you to walk before and be prepared for your own enjoyment. However, this is your vacation and not boot camp! During your walk, one of the two guides will be on the trail with the group to ensure that all is well. Additionally, we have planned check points along the way with our support van to make sure you have plenty of water, offer you need a change of shoes, or if you just feel like taking a break. In most cases, you will see the van at a minimum every couple of hours.

General FAQ for all tours

Booking a Tour

Thank you for choosing to travel with Fresco Tours! We are very excited for you to join the ranks of our Happy Customers. If at any moment you should have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you again and we look forward to sharing memories of a lifetime with you.

Reservations and Payments

To join us on a Fresco Tour, please visit our Secure Online Reservation Form or download and print a PDF version of the Reservation Form, one for each participant. To reserve your space on a tour, a 15% deposit per person is required and payment should be made via credit card (Visa or MasterCard only), bank transfer or via Wise transfer. The balance of your tour payment is due 60 days prior to the departure date. If the tour that you selected begins within 60 days of booking, final payment is due at that time. Failure to receive the remainder of your trip balance by the due date will be considered a cancellation.

Confirmation

Once Fresco Tours has received your registration form and tour deposit, we will send you an email with an invoice of payments received and your remaining balance, a copy of our Assumption of Risk / Liability Waiver Form and a link to your Guest Questionnaire. These last 2 items must be returned 60 days prior to the start of tour. In addition, we will send you a Confirmation Packet with information regarding suggestions on preparation, a packing and reading list and other tips to get you excited and prepared for your Fresco Tour.

Final Registration

Once we have received final payment, the signed Assumption of Risk / Liability Waiver Form and Guest Questionnaire, you will be sent a receipt and final details regarding your tour, including a detailed itinerary and the hotel contact list.

Single Supplement Fee

Due to the nature of the accommodations we use, there are a limited number of single rooms available. Requests for these rooms are based on availability. Please see the tour itinerary for the cost of this fee. In some cases, it may imply a room smaller in size than a standard double room. If you are traveling alone, and would like to share a room, we will do our best to match you with a same-gender roommate.

Cancellation / Refund Policies

All cancellations must be made in writing. No refunds will be issued due to late arrival, early departure, or any unused portion of a tour. The Assumption of Risk / Liability Waiver form must be signed and received 60 days prior to tour departure or the reservation will also be treated as a cancellation. Due to Fresco Tours’ limited group sizes, we strongly recommend trip cancellation insurance to offset the possibility of the following cancellation fees.

Time	Price
Cancellations received 121 or more days prior to trip start	10% of trip price
Cancellations received 120 - 61 days prior to trip start	15% of trip price
Cancellations received 60 - 31 days prior to trip start	50% of trip price
Cancellations received 30 days or less prior to trip start	100% of trip price

Fresco Tours reserves the right to change, modify, or cancel a tour prior to departure for any reason, including lack of participants (tour minimum: 3-6 passengers with 1 guide, 7 passengers or more with 2 guides) or acts of nature and/or circumstances beyond our control. In this case, any payments received will be refunded in full, and this will constitute full settlement. Fresco Tours is not responsible for any additional expenses due to a canceled tour, such as the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets.

Fresco Tours reserves the right to accept, refuse, or decline any tour member’s participation at any time for any reason. In such a case, Fresco Tour’s liability is limited to the actual cost of the unused services.

Changing Tour Dates

If we are notified of a change to your scheduled tour date 6 months prior, you can apply your tour deposit to another departure date without penalty. This change can be up to 1 calendar year in advance and is subject to availability. Otherwise, the above Cancellation Fees will be applied.

As Spain-taneous Private Tours are custom built and created with specific dates in mind, any modifications will incur a 15% surcharge.

Insurance

In accordance with Spanish law and for the duration of your tour with Fresco Tours, you are covered by a basic insurance provided by Intermundial. We strongly advise the purchase of a more comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation / interruption. We suggest using Travelinsurance.com, which allows you to compare and assess top insurance provider policies and their different coverage plans.

Traveling Safely and Responsibly

Traveling during these complex times requires a bit more planning and a lot more reassurance. We believe that the Fresco Tours style of travel is particularly well-suited to safe activities: walking in the outdoors, small group sizes, strong reliable relationships with our local partners and, most importantly, we have the local knowledge of our home – the Camino de Santiago and the Spanish culture.