Cycling the Portuguese Coastal Camino

Enjoy a blend of beaches, gorgeous green countryside, traditional villages and historical towns as you alternate between the Portuguese and Galician coast and inland areas.

Cycling the Coastal Portuguese Way of Saint James is a truly memorable ride. Follow the string of sandy beaches from Porto to Esposende, passing through the historical town of Vila do Conde, villages and market gardens. Between Esposende and Caminha, head inland along rural lanes and through the charming port city of Viana do Castelo.
Cross the River Minho by ferry from Caminha to the fishing town of A Guarda then cycle along the rugged Galician coast towards the pretty coastal town of Baiona. After Vigo, cycle through a string of hillside villages and forest with views of the Ria do Vigo lagoon to reach Redondela, where the route merges with the Central Way.
Continue to the riverside town of Arcade and on through forests and along ancient stone paths to the city of Pontevedra. Explore this historical city then pedal to the spa town of Caldas de Reis. Feast on green peppers in Padrón before cycling the final leg to Santiago de Compostela.
To fully enjoy this wonderful cycle route, you need to be an experienced cyclist with basic bike maintenance skills.

DURATION

9 days – 8 nights

DISTANCE

260 km in 7 stages

AVAILABILITY

March to November

INCLUDED

8 Nights accommodation with breakfast

Luggage transfers between hotels (1 bag per person – Max. 15 kg/bag)

7 days bike rental – MTB bike with 16 gears, disc brakes, 29″ wheels with pannier bags and helmet

24/7 emergency support

Pilgrim kit: passport (credencial) and shell (vieira)

Road book of the Way with tips and information of the way (in English)

In-person welcome briefing

NOT INCLUDED

International flights, arrival and departure transfers, meals (where not listed as included in the itinerary), optional additional tours or activities during free time, tips and items of a personal nature

PRICE

Per person in twin/double bedroom: from 930 euros

EXTRAS

Supplement for single accommodation: from 290 euros
Supplement for June and September: 10 euros/person
Supplement for July and August: 50 euros/person
Upgrade for 4, 5* Hotels and Paradores available
Upgrade for E-bike available

Notes
The Camino de Santiago by bicycle programme generally uses the same route that pilgrims follow on foot and there is no specific cycle route. The route is a combination of rural paths (asphalt, cobblestones or dirt), forest trails (dirt or gravel, uneven and sometimes rocky), secondary roads and some main roads (both on asphalt). Along the journey you may sometimes encounter some steep climbs and descents, so good advance physical preparation is necessary in order to do this trip.
It is essential that clients have experience with mountain bikes and basic bicycle repair knowledge, especially how to change a tire as punctures may occur during the Camino.

Why book with us?
– We are a local company, so there are no intermediaries when booking through us. Our goal is get you the best price/quality possible and give you all the necessary local support
– The hotels in our programs are regularly inspected by our team and have been carefully selected for their location and comfort. All our handpicked hotels have en suite accommodation

Make an enquiry

Arrival to Porto

Meeting with a member of our team for a briefing and to collect the documentation.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Stage 1: Porto - Vila do Conde (35 km / 21.7 miles)

Start from Porto city centre and follow the coastline on wooden boardwalks and pavements where you’ll encounter a series of wide sandy beaches, nature reserves and local fishermen at work before reaching the historical seaside town of Vila do Conde.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Stage 2: Vila do Conde - Viana do Castelo (49 km / 30.4 miles)

Today offers a series of villages interspersed with delightful patches of forest and rivers with views of distant mountain ranges. Cut through the urban areas between Vila do Conde and the coastal resort town of Povoa de Varzim. Then cycle beside the coast and across beaches before heading inland through market gardens, woodland and villages. Admire the views as you cross the River Cávado to enter Esposende. The Eiffel bridge over the River Lima offers spectacular views along the valley and estuary and the attractive historical and contemporary architecture of Viana do Castelo.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Stage 3: Viana do Castelo - Oia (46 km / 28.5 miles)

Leaving Viana do Castelo there’s a steady climb up one mostly forested hill before the descent to the seaside town of Vila Praia de Âncora. From Ancora follow the coastal path between Âncora and Moledo and then continue to the pretty town of Caminha. A short, scenic ferry journey takes you across the River Minho to the fishing town of A Guarda in Spain. Then follow the Way through the town and along coastal pathways, forest tracks and tarmac roads to the small but attractive beachfront village of Oia with its 12^th century monastery.
Accommodation: 2* Hotel

Stage 4: Oia - Vigo (43 km / 26.7 miles)

Continue cycling through a rural coastal landscape of small fields, scattered houses and a few villages then cut across the mountains towards Baiona. This rugged uphill section offers a change of scenery and terrain before the final descent into the pretty resort town of Baiona. The residential outskirts of Baiona gradually lead to more rural terrain and scattered villages interspersed with patches of woodland. A stint on a busy road ends with another series of villages before you reach the commercial city of Vigo.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Stage 5: Vigo - Pontevedra (34 km / 21.2 miles)

Leave Vigo via its main shopping street and follow one long road through a string of quiet hillside villages. After several kilometres you’ll swap houses for trees and views of floating mussel farms, the Cíes islands and the city and port of Vigo before the descent into the town of Redondela. Cycle uphill through a forest then down to the riverside town of Arcade, renowned for its oysters. Ancient stone paths lead up through the woods and a scenic detour takes you along the River Tomeza. Pontevedra’s historical city centre is a maze of atmospheric squares filled with tapas bars.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Stage 6: Pontevedra - Padron (41 km / 25.4 miles)

Although fairly long, the journey to Padron is not difficult and is mostly through pleasant countryside including an attractive section of woodland. Bathe your feet in one of Caldas de Reis’ thermal springs and continue for a gentle climb through a series of hamlets and the charming woodlands of Valga. You’ll see several attractive churches and stone crosses on the way to Padrón, where St. James is originally said to have been buried.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Stage 7: Padron - Santiago (25 km / 15.5 miles)

Leave Padron for the final stage of your Camino. Pass through a series of Galician villages and the magnificent sanctuary of Nossa Señora da Escravitute. After a delightful wooded area you’ll begin to wend your way through the outskirts of Santiago and into the city centre. Enter the medieval streets that lead to Santiago Cathedral where your journey ends.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel

Departure

After breakfast – end of our services

ITINERARY MAP:
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We know the importance of high quality and comfortable bikes for a pleasant cycling tour, so we carefully selected the most appropriate bikes for each type of tour, and only work with the most recent, quality bikes from TREK.

For cycling the Camino de Santiago we selected the MTB bike TREK marlin 5 – 2022 (or similar) and we’ll provide the bike equipped with rear pannier bags, water bottle and helmet. We have available bikes of all sizes for a more comfortable tour and also E-bikes.

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