Camino de Santiago from Tui – Final 100km of the Portuguese Way
Spain's second most popular pilgrimage route, the Portuguese Way from Tui is a nature-rich journey. Walk the spiritual variant and rediscover the history of the world's most famous pilgrimage.
A Piedi Per Il Mondo
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Table of Contents
- Starting Point: Sarria
- Distance: 117 km
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Number of Stages: 5
Tui is one of the most popular starting points on the Way of St. James, the fourth most important after Sarria, Saint Jean Pied de Port and Porto. The first Galician and Spanish town on the Portuguese Way, it is just 117km from Santiago de Compostela. Those starting from here on foot are entitled to receive the Compostela certificate, provided they walk the route under their own power and collect two stamps per day on their credenzial.
Way of St. James from Tui: Essential Information
The Miño river marks the border between Spain and Portugal, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean just a few kilometres from Tui.
Interesting fact! The Miño river appears on all four of the most famous Ways of St. James: at Portomarín on the French Way, at Lugo on the Camino Primitivo, at Ourense on the Camino Sanabrese (Via de la Plata) and at Tui on the Portuguese Way. Truly one of the key features of the pilgrimage route to the city of Compostela.
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An iron bridge links the river banks, passable by both car and foot. Two footprints, facing opposite directions and positioned exactly at the midpoint of the bridge, mark the border between Spain and Portugal. On the other side, perched on the hillside, stands a magnificent fortified city, Valença do Minho: absolutely worth visiting when in Tui—you can reach it in just twenty minutes on foot from the town centre.
Tui itself is a charming town. Its fortress cathedral is truly impressive and dominates the entire promontory. You can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the scenic riverfront, explore its narrow winding streets, or treat yourself to a meal at one of the many bars and restaurants in the centre.
The Portuguese Way from Tui covers 117km and is typically divided into 6 stages, though it's easily manageable in 5. Unlike other routes in Galicia, where eucalyptus forests and cattle pastures dominate, here you'll also find potato fields and vineyards.
After all, Galicia is renowned for its abundant potato production—delicious ones at that—and its excellent white wine production, most notably Albariño.
Unfortunately, the route does have one downside: considerable stretches of asphalt. While the trail winds through nature and shaded woodland, the extensive tarmac can become tiring and can weigh on your feet over the course of the pilgrimage.
Stages of the Way of St. James from Tui
The Way of St. James from Tui spans 117km. The route can be divided into 5 or 6 stages depending on how much distance you're willing to cover on your first day. Six stages lighten the physical exertion considerably, but covering 5 stages has the advantage that during a typical week-long journey, you'll have a full day free to explore Santiago.
It's important to note that the lack of accommodation options along the trail makes certain end-of-stage locations nearly essential.
Here's a breakdown of the 6 stages of the Way of St. James from Tui, with an alternative for completing it in just 5:
1b. Tui – Redondela | 33km
Difficulty of the Tui Route
The Portuguese Way from Tui is a straightforward route, classified as Moderate on the trekking difficulty scale. It's therefore perfect for someone embarking on a multi-day walking journey for the first time, or those with limited fitness levels and time availability.
As with any multi-day walking route or trek, the challenges fall into three main categories. Here they are:
- Elevation Gain and Loss – The total elevation gain and loss is approximately 3,200m, which is quite modest when spread across 5-6 days of walking covering 117km.
- The route from Sarria, for comparison, has a total elevation change of 4,300m, making it somewhat more challenging than the Tui section.
- To get a sense of what this elevation gain means, I recommend taking a mountain hiking trip before departing and tracking your activity with a sports watch or fitness app. You'll quickly see that this is an endeavour you're capable of undertaking.
- Walking Over Multiple Days – Walking consecutively for several days demands considerable physical effort, quite different from even a strenuous mountain hike.
- The fact that after a day of walking you don't get rest—instead, another walking day awaits, possibly even more demanding—really makes a difference, believe me! The right approach is to pace yourself, walk at your own rhythm, don't overexert yourself, and take regular breaks during each stage.
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