Portuguese Camino - Porto to Tui
Portuguese Camino - Porto to Tui
$1290
Tour Overview
Embark on a captivating journey along the Portuguese Camino from Porto to Tui, traversing the scenic river valleys, charming villages, and historic pilgrimage sites. This self-guided walking tour offers the perfect blend of cultural exploration and culinary delights, with opportunities to savor local port wine and enjoy the warm hospitality of family-run hotels. Discover the rich history of Porto, Barcelos, and Ponte de Lima, and marvel at the medieval architecture and vibrant markets. With daily walks ranging from 15-22km, this moderate-grade adventure ensures a fulfilling experience, complete with luggage transfers, digital route notes, and a Pilgrim Passport. ...more ...less
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive Porto
Location: Porto
Accommodation Name: hotel
Set on the banks of the Douro River, Porto's historical centre was declared a World Heritage site in 1996 and in the 12th Century it was in Porto that the country took its name and became an independent nation. Its maritime legacies and importance as a new world trading port have shaped it into the proud city it has become, with its impressive cathedral and port wine lodges. After checking in to your hotel, take the time to explore the city with its many cultural sites.
We can assist with booking pre-tour nights on request (recommended, there is much to see). ...more ...less
Day 2 : Transfer To Vilar Do Pinheiro And Walk To Arcos (4Hrs, 19Km/11.8Mi)
Location: Porto
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning a private transfer (at 8.30am) will take you from your Porto hotel to the small town of Vilar do Pinheiro where you begin an easy walk down in part through woodland trails to the rural town of Arcos.
The transfer enables you to avoid the urban sprawl of Porto, taking you directly to a rural landscape, however if you want to walk this section we recommend doing it the previous day and taking a taxi or bus back to your Porto hotel. (Walking the full distance Porto-Arcos is 35km/22mi, 8-9hrs).
Day 3 : Walk To The Market Town Of Barcelos (5-6Hrs, 20Km/12.4Mi)
Location: Barcelos
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
The trail today takes you through lush valleys through towns such as Sao Pedro de Rates and its church of St Peter, and over the Monte Franqueira, before reaching Barcelos. There is an alternative route for a small section, via the ruins of the Castelo de Faria.
Arriving in Barcelos you are certainly in for a treat. With its impressive medieval bridge, Barcelos is treasured for its history and legends (eg. the Barcelos cockerel). The feast of the crosses is held on 3 May each year in its octagonal shaped baroque church. Every Thursday the Campo da Feira, or market square, becomes one of Portugal's most atmospheric market places. This is a great place for a rest day.
Day 4 : Continue To Balugaes (4-5Hrs, 16Km/9.9Mi)
Location: Balugaes
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
The route takes you through small villages with pretty gardens and past many baroque chapels enroute to the small and quiet town of Balugães, a traditional resting point on the Camino Portuguese.
Day 5 : Walk To Ponte De Lima, The Oldest Town In Portugal (5Hrs, 18Km/11.3Mi)
Location: Ponte de Lima
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
The route takes us gradually closer to the valley of the Lima River, where the village of Ponte da Lima is located, the oldest in Portugal. The cobble stoned streets are a delight to walk through and there are many points of interest including museums, historic houses, a prision tower (now a library) and the main square, Largo de Camoes. The medieval bridge spanning the Lima River has Roman foundations but was rebuilt in 1368. Many festivals also take place here including Vaca das Cordas in June (the day before Corpus Christi), medieval markets in August, and Feiras Novas on the third weekend in September, a party which goes on for 3 days.
Day 6 : Along Delightful Trails And Crossing Small Hills En Route To Pecene (6Hrs, 22Km/13.6Mi)
Location: Ponte de Lima
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This is the first day on the trail where much of the route will be unpaved. Leaving by the Ponte de Lima ascend the Labruja Valley and up to a mountain ridge where you reach the Alto da Portela Grande, the highest point on the trail at 405m. The views sweeping back down to the Lima valley are well worth the effort! Descending trails heading north you soon enter the town of Rubiães by its Roman road and then continue on to Pecene, where you will overnight.
Day 7 : Cross The Spanish Border To Tui (4-5Hrs, 16Km/10Mi)
Location: Tui
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This stage is characterized by hilly terrain that gradually leads to Valença before crossing the border into Spain. The trail is along quiet country roads and unpaved trails for the most part. Before crossing into Spain it is worth taking a look at the historic walled town of Valença. Later reaching Tui, the final stop on the trip, you can reflect on the past week, as you visit the cathedral which dates from 1120. This evening take a walk along the Paseo de Calvo Sotelo where a lively atmosphere is usually evident.
Option to upgrade to the parador in Tui - supplement applies and must be requested at time of booking.
Day 8 : Trip Concludes
Location: Santiago de Compostela
Meals Included: Breakfast
Trip concludes after breakfast. Own onward arrangements or continue to Santiago de Compostela.
What's Included
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Accommodation
7 nights in comfortable hotels -
7 breakfasts and 5 dinners. Breakfasts are usually continental inclusive of breads, cheese, ham, tea, coffee & juices. Dinner will consist of 3 courses, usually starting with a salad, followed by a chicken, red meat, fish or pasta dish & finishing with a
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7 nights in comfortable hotels on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities (optional upgrade to parador in Tui - supplement applies)
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Transfer from Porto to Vilar do Pinheiro on day 2
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Luggage Transfer, 1 piece maximum 20kg, supplement applies for excess
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Digital information pack with route notes, maps & GPX
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Pilgrim Passport
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Emergency hotline
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Travel to Porto and from Tui
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Meals not listed as included, drinks
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Travel insurance - mandatory
What's Not Included
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Travel to Porto and from Tui
Travel to Porto and from Tui.
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Meals not listed as included
Meals not listed as included, drinks.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance.
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Guide
Guide – this is a self-guided walking trip.
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Solo Traveler Supplement
A supplement will apply if you are travelling solo or book a single room.
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Entrance Fees
Entrance fees not listed as included.
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Transfers
Transfers not listed as included.
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Transfers by Taxi or Public Transport
Transfers by taxi or public transport if you need to skip a stage.
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Excess Luggage
Excess luggage.
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Items of a Personal Nature
Items of a personal nature.
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Lunch and Drinks
Lunch and drinks throughout, 1 dinner.
Grading
GRADE 3 - Daily walks are between 15-22km on well marked trails over diverse terrain – from relatively flat to hilly. The trail takes you along quiet rural roads, occassionally on the verges of roads with traffic. Some of the route is on walking trails away from the road and there are often alternative routes available. Route finding is reasonably straight forward following the yellow arrows and granite pillars (showing distance to Santiago), however you still need to be vigilant as markers from other trails can be confusing (refer below for further details on self guided adventures). However our notes include hints and pointers to help you navigate the route. The route will inevitably cross main roads close to cities and towns, although the majority is on side roads and walking trails. The main areas to concentrate on route finding are arriving and leaving towns and cities. The accent is on keeping a steady pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos. You will need a good level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure. ...more ...less
What You Carry
As the walks are fully supported you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, phone etc.
Mode of Transport
The tour includes a private transfer from Porto to Vilar do Pinheiro on day 2, and luggage transfer with a maximum of 20kg per piece. Travel to Porto and from Tui is also included.
Accommodation
Enjoy 7 nights in comfortable hotels on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities, with an optional upgrade to a parador in Tui for an additional supplement.
Check out our Q&As
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What type of meals are included in the tour?
The tour includes 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners. Breakfasts are usually continental, inclusive of breads, cheese, ham, tea, coffee, and juices. Dinners will consist of 3 courses, usually starting with a salad, followed by a chicken, red meat, fish, or pasta dish, and finishing with a dessert. ...more ...less
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What kind of accommodation can I expect during the tour?
You will stay in comfortable hotels on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities for 7 nights. There is also an optional upgrade to a parador in Tui, for which a supplement applies.
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Is luggage transfer provided during the tour?
Yes, luggage transfer is provided. You can transfer one piece of luggage with a maximum weight of 20kg. A supplement applies for excess luggage.
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What kind of support is available during the tour?
The tour provides a digital information pack with route notes, maps, and GPX files. You will also receive a Pilgrim Passport and have access to an emergency hotline.
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Is this a guided tour?
No, this is a self-guided walking trip. There will be no tour guide.
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What should I carry with me during the walks?
As the walks are fully supported, you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements, including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, a water bottle, a warm top, and a phone.
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What is the difficulty level of the tour?
The tour is graded as moderate (Grade 3). Daily walks are between 15-22km on well-marked trails over diverse terrain, ranging from relatively flat to hilly.
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What happens if I need to skip a stage of the walk?
If you need to skip a stage, transfers by taxi or public transport are available, but these are not included in the tour price.
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Are there any additional costs I should be aware of?
Yes, additional costs include meals not listed as included, drinks, travel insurance, entrance fees not listed as included, and a supplement if you are traveling solo or book a single room. Transfers not listed as included and items of a personal nature are also additional costs.
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How fit do I have to be?
Our adventures are first and foremost holidays and can be undertaken by anyone in a reasonable state of health and fitness - however, please carefully read our Terms & Conditions when booking and view the trip grading. We rank our trips according to our honest Trip Grading System. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with our grading system by reading our detailed trip notes (which you can order through this site) and to speak with us about the physical requirements of your chosen trip.
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What happens if something goes wrong?
On our guided tours, you travel in small groups with a local multi-lingual guide whose knowledge of the terrain, flora, fauna and history of the region is exemplary. Our self guided tours give you the freedom to explore at your own pace - but they're not unsupported. We provide detailed route notes and maps and our local partners are on hand throughout the day in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. All we request is that you select a program that matches your level of fitness to ensure that you have a comfortable experience.
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I'm travelling solo on a self-guided trip. Do I pay the single supplement or the single traveller surcharge?
Most of our self guided trips are priced based on twinshare. If you are travelling solo the single traveller surcharge will apply. The single supplement would apply if you were travelling in a party with others and you had chosen to book a single room. You would never pay a single traveller surcharge and a single supplement.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
UTracks allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform utracks, 70 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
UTracks requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of utracks charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 35 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
Portuguese Camino - Porto to Tui
8 Days Starting in Porto, Portugal and ending in Tui, Spain
Visiting: Porto, Barcelos, Balugaes, Ponte de Lima, Tui, Santiago de Compostela
Tour operator:
Tour code:
PTT
Group Type:
Independent
Guide Type:
Self Guided