Day One: Porto to Tui – Walking Together on the Path

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Moyra, Lidia, Lucia, Sabrina, Silvia, Claudia, Barbara and Maurizio – here's the group of young walkers who will tackle the Portuguese Way from Tui over the next 6 days, backpacks on their shoulders. Ordinary people, some embarking on their first pilgrimage to Santiago, others already seasoned with kilometres under their belts.

We meet directly at the airport at 6 in the morning, Milan Bergamo to Porto flight. The plane is packed and running late. We finally arrive in Porto around 9 (local time) and into the city centre by 10.

Unfortunately, we manage to see very little: we cross the iconic Dom Luís Bridge, visit the Sé Cathedral, São Bento train station, and the municipal square – but without time to venture down to the Ribeira for a stroll or visit the world's most beautiful bookshop.

Just a taste then, though I'm sure it's left many of us eager to return and explore it properly another time.

We grab lunch at a café behind Trinidade station, jump in a taxi to Campanhã station, and board the train towards Valença do Minho. Although it feels more like travelling on a tractor than a regional train, the stunning beauty of the lush green hills of the Rias Baixas region makes us forget the deafening engine noise and simply savour the landscape beyond the window.

Two hours later we're in Valença do Minho. We reach the fortress walls and wander through the charming narrow streets. An incredible view across the Minho River towards Tui, with its imposing Cathedral-fortress, prompts another round of "Seeeelfie!" as we all pose before a shaft of soft light.

Tomorrow's weather remains uncertain – rain is quite likely. But I'm confident this group has exactly the right spirit and carefree attitude to say with a smile on their faces, "Let it rain, what does it matter! The important thing is to keep going".

Either way, this is going to be a success.

Go to Stage 1 〉

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