Portuguese Way along the coast from A Guarda

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I have to carry my luggage during each stage?

  Not if your trip has luggage transport: it is included in group trips, trips with a dog and VIP trips, and on all other trips you can add it as an optional service when booking. We take care of transporting your luggage from stage to stage. You only need to carry what's necessary for walking during each stage, making your journey much more enjoyable.

• When can I know which accommodations I will be staying in?

  We work subject to availability, so we cannot guarantee specific accommodations until the reservation is made. The final list of accommodations will be sent to you once your reservation is completed and managed, as it depends on availability and the number of people. If you would like us to provide some examples, you can email us at: info@viajescaminodesantiago.com.

• I need to cancel my reservation.

  You can cancel your trip free of charge up to 15 days before the start date, with no need to give any explanation.

  • 15 days or more in advance → refund of 100 % of the amount paid, with no penalty. The refund is processed within a maximum of 7 days.
  • Less than 15 days → Between 15 and 8 days before: 50 % of the total amount. 7 days or less → 100 % of the total amount.
  • No-show → no right to a refund.

  If you have taken out the Cancellation Insurance, you must inform us regardless of how many days' notice you give, but you have to handle the refund process with the insurer yourself.

  Transfer of the booking: if you cannot travel, you can transfer it to another person at no cost; we only need you to let us know far enough in advance for us to arrange it. In that case, payments are settled directly between clients.

  The client is responsible for any additional cost arising from the cancellation.

  ⚠️ IMPORTANT: every cancellation must be notified by email: info@viajescaminodesantiago.com (cancellations are not processed by phone).

  👉 More info: Booking conditions.

• How do you get to A Guarda to start the Camino?

  A Guarda is in the south of the province of Pontevedra, next to the Portuguese border. You can get there by bus from Vigo (about 50 km) —the nearest city with an airport and train station— or from Porto airport, a little over an hour away.

• Does the Camino from A Guarda qualify you for the Compostela?

  Yes. From A Guarda to Santiago along the coast it is about 151 km, above the minimum of 100 km on foot that the Pilgrim's Office requires to obtain the Compostela.

• What shouldn't I miss in A Guarda before starting the Camino?

  Three things: climb Monte de Santa Tecla, stroll around the harbour and eat fish or seafood. Santa Tecla has one of the best-preserved Iron Age hillforts in Spain, and from the top you look down on the mouth of the Miño with Portugal right opposite. A Guarda is a fishing town famous for its lobster, so it's the perfect plan for your arrival afternoon, before your first stage.

• What to see in Oia at the end of the first stage?

  Oia is a small fishing village with a very well-preserved old town, houses bearing coats of arms and the imposing monastery of Santa María right by the sea. If you arrive at low tide, look out for the gamboa: an old stone structure the monastery's monks used for fishing.

• Is the stage from A Guarda to Oia difficult?

  No: it's 15 flat, easy km following the coast, with the Atlantic always on your left. There are, however, a few rocky, uneven stretches where you should take care, especially if the ground is wet. In return you get a sea breeze all day and a spectacular rocky coastline: an ideal first stage to find your rhythm.

• Where does the stage from Oia to Baiona go?

  It's 14 km right by the sea. You leave Oia walking at the foot of the cliffs around the Cabo Silleiro lighthouse, then climb the old royal path (vereda real) to Baiona, the first port in Europe to receive news of the discovery of America, when La Pinta arrived. As it's a short stage, you'll have the afternoon to visit the Monterreal fortress or go for a swim.

• Is the Portuguese Coastal Way from A Guarda crowded?

  Less than the central Portuguese Way. Between A Guarda and Vigo it's a quiet Camino, good for switching off, and you'll still find bars, restaurants and services in the fishing towns along the way. Things change in Redondela, on the fourth stage, where the coastal route joins the central Portuguese Way and you start sharing the path with pilgrims coming from Tui.