The Portuguese Way draws more pilgrims every year, until it now almost rivals the French Way. From Oporto you can follow the Central variant (inland, the historic one, which we document here) or the Coastal route, right beside the Atlantic.
The Central route passes through Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Tui —where it crosses into Galicia— before reaching Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padrón, a town deeply tied to the Jacobean tradition.
A tip: leaving Oporto is a long, fairly urban and industrial slog; many pilgrims skip it by taking the metro to Vairão or choose the Senda Litoral (along the coast) for the first days. Our breakdown into 10 stages sets days averaging 26-28 km; you can split the longest ones (Barcelos–Ponte de Lima or Tui–Redondela) over two days if you prefer a gentler pace.
Who it's for
A comfortable, hugely popular route, ideal for first-timers; on foot or by bike.