Portuguese Way from Porto by bike

If you have never been to Porto, we strongly recommend to arrive early and spend the day getting to know the city: its old town, the bridges, the cathedral… you can even visit some wine cellars. Furthermore, the local gastronomy will allow you to taste some of the best Portuguese specialties, such as cod fish, custard pastries or Port wine.

If you need, we can organise a transfer from the airport or the train station to your accommodation.

The first stage of this adventure runs quietly along rather flat terrain. Once you leave the big city behind, you will cross small villages, such as Vilarinho, where you can visit San Miguel monastery.

In Barcelos, do not miss out on Nossa Senhora do Terço church, which stands out for its Baroque style and its walls decorated with white and blue tiles.

This might be the most challenging stage of the entire way from Porto to Santiago, both for the distance and for the elevation, which will take you over 400 metres. You will switch between tarmac and dirt tracks running across forests, and pass by vineyards and villages full of history, such as Ponte de Lima, considered the first Portuguese town.

If you need, we can organise a transfer from the airport or the train station to your accommodation. Today’s journey ends at Valença do Minho, on the shore fo the river Miño. Do not miss out on its medieval fortress, dating from the 12th century and where you will find lots of shops selling local products.

This stage begins with the crossing of the natural border between Portugal and Spain: the river Miño. Once in Galicia, the only Spanish region you will walk in this adventure, you will pass by Tui, one of the most common starting points for pilgrims on foot and whose cathedral is worth visiting, located on top of a promontory.

By crossing rivers, forests and some small urban areas, you will reach Redondela, bathed by Vigo estuary, where you can finally rest and take a stroll to enjoy the views.

During today’s stage, you will leave the coast behind and start heading inland towards Compostela. But first, taking advantage of the easy journey, we recommend to make a stop in Pontevedra and get to know its pedestrianised old town, vibrant with a pilgrimlike atmosphere thanks to the increasing amount of pilgrims along the different Portuguese routes.

Soon before reaching the end of the stage, you can take a little detour and visit river Barosa waterfalls, where you can even take a dip if the weather allows, or just enjoy some rest in pure nature.

The last stage of this aventure will take you across the small town of Padrón, famous for its small green peppers, which have their own motto: “Pementos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non” (“Padrón peppers, some are hot and some are not”). From here, you can almost sense Compostela. Once you reach its old town, you will be just a few pedal strokes from reaching Praza do Obradoiro and the satisfaction of having achieved your goal.

Free day to visit all the attractions that, apart from the Cathedral, form the great Galician capital.