From Rubiães to Tui - The Portuguese Way - Viajes Camino de Santiago

Information

Today we again have a short stage from Rubiães, which is fantastic, as it gives us the opportunity to spend some time getting to know Tui. It is one of the most classic and iconic stages of the Portuguese route, as this stage is where you finally enter Galicia. It is for this reason that the most iconic part of the route is the international bridge, a marvel of iron architecture. Throughout the day, you will enjoy the beautiful surroundings and landscapes of the Fortress of Valença do Minho the river Minho and the historical centre of Tui.

Today we leave behind the tranquility of Rubiães to finish the stage in one of the liveliest points of the route, Tui. The first stretch of the stage is along the N-201 road, until we reach a signpost that shows us the way to the right on a cobbled street. Following this road we reach the village of Pecene, where we can visit the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Alivio and a few houses of typical Portuguese architecture from the 17th century.

After walking a little further, the path takes us to another religious monument: the impressive Sanctuary of São Bento da Porta Aberta, dating from the 19th century. One of the most used constructive resources in Portugal are the tiles, and as it could not be otherwise, this Sanctuary presents some beautiful tile historical panels that are well worth knowing. From here the path continues along a beautiful tree-lined promenade until we reach Fontoura, where we can visit the church of São Miguel.

Nature will continue to be our travel companion until we reach the outskirts of Valença, where we will begin to notice how the landscape is changing and acquiring urban tones.

From Valença do Minho you can’t leave without visiting its Fortress, we assure you that it is spectacular. You can walk along its bastion and contemplate the international bridge over the river Miño and Tui in the background, a picture postcard view. Once you’ve wandered around the Fortress, all you have to do is walk down to the international bridge. Crossing this bridge is one of the most significant experiences on the road, there are two pedestrian crossings located on both sides of the road. We enter Tui through the Avenida de Portugal and our path continues straight on until we come across a sign on the right hand side that guides us through the historic centre of the town to the imposing Cathedral of Santa Maria de Tui.

Tui preserves one of the most extensive historical centres in Galicia, as well as an endless number of heritage elements to visit. It is also a meeting point for many pilgrims who start their journey from here and those who come walking from Portugal.

To consider

Tui is home to the natural area of Monte Aloia. This space was the first to be declared a Natural Park in Galicia. In addition to beautiful natural spots, the park preserves archaeological remains of forts and cyclopean walls that testify to the ancient occupation of Tui. As you can see, Tui has a lot of things worth knowing, so we recommend that you go for an early morning walk from Rubiães, or if you wish you can add an extra day here.