Whether you are religious or not, following the St. James Way feels special. Possibly because you are so aware that this has been a pilgrim’s route for centuries. So many have travelled along these tracks, spurred by a great devotion. It is a route that impresses all who follow it with it challenges, delights, and lifelong lessons.
It is a pleasant bike ride, starting from Porto where you will spend the night after your arrival. You will cycle up to 60 kilometres per day, following the medieval pilgrims’ way from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. You will go past famous Camino de Santiago landmarks such as Barcelos, on the Cavado River, and Ponte de Lima with its world-famous arched bridge. In Valença, you will cross the River Minho on the remarkable bridge built in 1885 by Eiffel, to Tui in Spain. All along the way you will have a chance to speak to the friendly local inhabitants who are always ready to welcome all who come to visit their region.
Sense the excitement that all pilgrims feel as they approach Santiago de Compostela. The air thrills with their enthusiasm and it is clear that this is one of Christianity’s greatest holy cities, a beautiful city to which so many people throughout the ages travelled. By all means, do visit the cathedral to Saint James. It is a place of history, devotion and hope. A lovely town to end your biking journey.
Porto, a World Heritage City, has a historic centre with over 150 listed monuments. Biking alongside the Douro River is sufficient to make you aware of what this beautiful, lively city has to offer visitors: the Bolsa Palace housing the Stock Exchange, the monumental Clérigos church and tower and the Cathedral are just some of the highlights. The historic Lello bookshop, considered a pearl of Art Nouveau neogothic architecture, is also not to be missed as it may well contain the most beautiful staircase in Europe.
Whether you are religious or not, following the medieval Portuguese route to Santiago de Compostela is a special experience. Possibly because you will be so aware that this has been a pilgrims’ way for centuries and that so many have trod these paths with such fervour and dedication. Barcelos, on the River Cavado, is known for its pottery industry, and is also of religious importance. You should visit the 13th century Mother Church. Every hour on the hour, you will hear the pealing of the church bells of the many parishes for which the city is famous.
Cycling: 53km (+/-596m)
The terrain
Asphalted road / cobblestones: 85%
Paths and trails: 15%
Queen Isabel of Portugal (1271 - 1336) followed the medieval pilgrims’ way you will follow, as she made at least one pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. On this second stage, you will arrive in Ponte de Lima, the oldest village in Portugal, famous for its beautiful 24-arch Roman bridge of immense. In the morning, spread your toast with the finest honey from the bees on the estate. Take your time enjoying a delightful breakfast.
Cycling: 33km (+/-456m)
Hotel (example):
The terrain
Asphalted road / cobblestones: 80%
Paths and trails: 20%
Leaving Ponte de Lima, you will enter a magical landscape of mountains, forest and valleys. A land of flowers and silence. Valença, the fortified town you will spend the night in, rises from the banks of the River Minho, on the Spanish border. An awe-inspiring location, partly due to the 17th century double-moated fortifications that surround it, it offers breath-taking views over the River Minho and the cathedral town of Tui, in Spain.
Cycling: 40km (+/-607m)
Hotel (example):
The terrain
Asphalted road / cobblestones: 55%
Paths and trails: 45%
After crossing the border to Spain over the bridge built by Eiffel in 1885, you will cycle northwards along the valley of the River Louro, through thick pine forests and enjoy the magical landscapes of the valleys of Galicia. At Redondela, as you cycle further north towards Vilaboa, you will have captivating views of an Atlantic waterway where the ocean streams inland. You are back to the land of fishermen. Pontevedra, picturesquely located on the River Lerez, deserves some time spent in the well-preserved ancient city centre. Be sure to visit the farmers’ market and buy some of the delicious local cheese for tomorrow.
Cycling: 56km (+/-563m)
Hotel (example):
The terrain
Asphalted road / cobblestones: 65%
Paths and trails: 35%
Today you leave the Atlantic Ocean, travelling inland through majestic forests and across the picturesque Valley of the River Gandra to Caldas de Reis, a nice little town and a welcoming place for a coffee or lunch stop. The approximately 15 kilometres ride to Padrón takes you past the church of Santa Maria de Carracedo, again through a fascinating landscape, gently cycling with views of the banks of the River Valga. Legend has it that Saint James often preached in the mountains above Padrón, at a place called Santiaguino del Monte. Another legend is that the saint, striking a rock with his staff, released a spring of fresh water that still flows to this day.
Cycling: 40km (+/-356m)
Hotel (example):
The terrain
Asphalted road / cobblestones: 80%
Paths and trails: 20%
The last stage is a little exciting for most people, as today you will indeed reach Santiago de Compostela. As you arrive in Compostela, you will sense the thrill in the air that all pilgrims feel as they approach the medieval sanctuary to Saint James. Clearly, that this is one of Christianity’s greatest holy cities, a beautiful destination for so many people throughout the ages. By all means, do visit the cathedral. It is a place of history, devotion and hope. A lovely town in which to end your biking journey.
Cycling: 25km (+/-456m)
Hotel (example):
The terrain
Asphalted road / cobblestones: 75%
Paths and trails: 25%
This tour is now over. During the morning you check out from the hotel. It is possible to book extra nights after the tour if you prefer.
The price is based upon two people sharing. It is also possible travel alone in a single room. Simply choose "single room" in the booking form and it will automatically add the single room surcharge.
On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.
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For example, if you want a flight included or changes to the trip, you can order a quote for this using the "Get a quote" button. Remember to describe in detail what, if anything, you want changed.
The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. This process typically takes 2-5 working days, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
Rental of this bike is included in the price. It is a 'Specialized Mountainbike' with 21 external gear and rear pannier bags.
In order to ensure that you get the correct size bike we ask that you enter your heights on the booking form.
Please note: In Portugal it is required by law that cyclists wear helmets. You can borrow a helmet for free and it is of course also possible to bring your own. Write it on the booking form if you want to borrow helmets.
E-bikes
On this tour it is also possible to rent an e-bike which makes it very easy to traverse the hilly terrain. If your legs get tired you can get support from the electric engine. The e-bikes are of the brand 'Cube' and you do not need any special knowledge to use them.
E-bike rental costs extra and can be selected on the booking form.
The flights to/from Porto are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.
Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.
It works like this:
Book a quote
If you prefer that we handle your flight, then we would be happy to arrange this for you. You simply book a quote below the map on this page and we will return with a quote as soon as possible (usually within 48 working hours). Please note that we add a handling fee of 45 euro to each flight and this means that the flight will be cheaper if you book it yourself.
Airport transfers
In the booking form you can book arrival and return transfers.
Luggage transfer is included on this tour. Upon arrival at the first hotel you will be given luggage tags along with the rest of the welcome package. You fill out the luggage tags and put them on your bags where they will remain for the duration of the tour.
Your luggage is picked up from the hotel lobby around 9am every morning and will arrive at your next hotel at 6pm at the latest (often long before that). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer you will be notified upon arrival.
Luggage transfer includes one bag per guest and the bags can weigh 15kg each. If you need to have an extra bag transported, the price is €110,- pr. bag.
On this tour you will be accommodated in 3-star hotels with breakfast included.
In the itinerary you can see some examples of the hotels we use on this tour. Notice that the hotels are examples and you may end up staying in different hotels. It depends on availability when you book the tour.
Breakfast is included every day. It is easy to find lunch in the small villages before the walks and you will have plenty of choices for dinner in the many restaurants.
Half board
If you prefer to have dinners included then you can book Half Board (5x dinner) in the booking form.
This tour has difficulty grade 3.
Grade 3
Longer distances in hilly terrain, often with steep climbs. The distance is usually 65 – 80 km or 40 – 50 miles per day. Requires good shape and health. We highly recommend that you practice on some longer rides before you leave home.
Read more about our Grading System
Here you can get an overview of the entire route and the elevation profile for each day. The data shows the data from the GPX-files related to the tour. Notice that the routes are sometimes updated, which means that there might be small variations.
Colors
Blue routes: The route as normal
Red routes: Variations/options (such as shortened or extended routes)
You will recieve the following documentation
Upon booking
You recieve practical information about the tour in a digital format
One month before arrival
You recieve your hotel list and your voucher (hotel list is often supplied upon booking)
Upon arrival
You recieve the welcome package which contains the printed version of the road book, luggage tags, local specific vouchers and if you have rented bikes then they will also be delivered and fitted at the first hotel.
It can be hard to plan your trip according to the weather, but to give an idea of the local climate, you can see the data below:
The statistics are from yr.no.
We are members of the Travel Guarantee Fund (nr. 2529) and have all available insurances. This covers you regardless of your nationality. Read more about that here.
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