Portuguese Way: spiritual variant

Stages

• day 1

  Arrival at Pontevedra

  Welcome to Pontevedra, emblematic and historic city. For many, it is one of the most beautiful cities in Galicia, and no wonder. A stroll through its cobbled streets and squares will be enough to realize the special charm it hides. After Santiago de Compostela, Pontevedra is the place on this route with the largest number of heritage elements. You can visit, among other things, the Ruins of Santo Domingo in the Provincial Museum of Pontevedra, the Royal Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, and the symbol of the city: the church of the Pilgrim. It is for all this that it becomes a perfect start to do the Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Way.
• day 2

  Stage 1. Pontevedra - A Armenteira (23.2 km)

  You will start your trip walking from the city center to Combarro along a beautiful route along the coast. You will leave Pontevedra by the bridge that connects the city with Poio and from there, you will walk towards the coast until you reach the cove of Lourido. From here, the path runs along Avenida Praia until you reach Campelo beach, where you can continue the itinerary along a path that runs along the coast until you reach A Seara. From A Seara you reach the center of Combarro by an asphalted track where the views of the sea will continue to be the protagonists. Already in Combarro, you will ascend by the Camino Vilar to the Mirador do Loureiro, which continues up to the Monastery of Santa María de Armenteira, the end of the stage. Combarro is a small fishing village belonging to the municipality of Poio. This village has one of the most emblematic historical centers of Galicia, full of cruceiros and hórreos. Undoubtedly, you will enjoy getting lost among its streets from the Plaza de Chousa, visiting the more than 60 hórreos that this place has and tasting dishes of the wonderful local gastronomy.
• day 3

  Stage 2. A Armenteira - Vilanova de Arousa (22.7 km)

  Today the stage begins with one of the most beautiful routes in the area, the stone and water route. Along the route, you will walk parallel to the river of A Armenteira and with every step you take, you will discover places of great natural beauty, crossing through the municipalities of Meis and Ribadumia, until you reach Pontearnelas, just 8 kilometers from Vilanova de Arousa.

  The stone and water sendero stands out for its lush riverside vegetation, its bridges, its small waterfalls, and a succession of ancient mills resting on the riverbank.

  Once the section of the route is completed, the path takes us through a progression of rural landscapes. The vineyards will indicate that we are approaching the estuary of Arousa, finishing the final stretch of the stage in Vilanova de Arousa.

  Vilanova de Arousa is the birthplace of Valle-Inclán. Its beaches will be waiting for you to give you a well-deserved rest. Enjoy!

  Things to consider

  In this stage, we depart from A Armenteira and come into contact with the sea again, this time in the estuary of Arousa, until we reach Vilanova. From here, the maritime crossing of “La Traslatio” begins, recreating the path followed by the boat that transported the remains of the Apostle Santiago. There are shipping companies that offer pilgrims the opportunity to make this journey by sea to Pontecesures-Padrón.

  Places of interest

  • Stone and water route
  • Manor house of Valle-Inclán
  • Church of Santa María de Caleiro
  • Pazo de Rúa Nova
  • Towers of Cálogo

  Typical dishes

  • Mussel: the quintessential mollusk
  • Razors
  • Fish and seafood
  • Octopus à feira
  • Albariño wine from the Rías Baixas
• day 4

  Stage 3. Vilanova de Arousa - Padrón (35.5 km)

  The first milestone of today's journey will be Vilagarcía de Arousa, 9 kilometers from Vilanova, which we will reach by alternating coastal paths and trails, and once in Vilagarcía, we will begin the land route of the famous and mythical Traslatio to Padrón. The path runs alongside the Ulla River, upstream. We leave the center of Vilagarcía heading towards Carril, crossing along our way the places of Bamio, Catoira, Vilarello, and Pontecesures.

  Without a doubt, the most impressive point along the route will be Catoira with its imposing towers. Once we arrive at Pontecesures, after crossing the bridge to Padrón, the spiritual variant of the Camino will have ended. From here, one can continue to Santiago de Compostela via the conventional route of the Portuguese Way.

  Padrón is famous, among other things, for its peppers and for being the site where the boat of the Apostle Santiago landed. For this last reason, it is mandatory to fully complete the spiritual variant by visiting the famous Pedrón in the church of Santiago, which according to legend was used to tie the Apostle's boat.

  Things to consider

  There is a specific certificate that accredits the completion of the spiritual variant: the Pedronía. It is issued at the town hall of Padrón, so we must set out to walk early from Vilanova de Arousa if we want to collect it.

  Places of interest

  • Vilagarcía de Arousa
  • Towers of Catoira
  • Rosalía de Castro House-Museum
  • Collegiate Church of Iria Flavia
  • Church of Santiago

  Typical dishes

  • Padrón peppers
  • Fish and seafood
  • Zorza
  • Galician stew
• day 5

  Stage 4. Padrón - Santiago de Compostela (24.3 km)

  The first milestone of today's exciting journey towards Santiago de Compostela, we will find it in the monumental collegiate church of Iria Flavia, the first parish that we will set foot on after leaving the urban centre of Padrón. After stopping to contemplate this significant monument, our route continues through small villages and neighbourhoods that follow the course of the N-550 road and the railway line. On some occasions, you will have to cross the railway track, so you will have to be extremely careful.
  A Escravitude is the next landmark we will reach. Here, we can visit the Sanctuary built in the 16th century on the so-called "Fonte Santa". As in so many other places along the way, this place has a legend to tell. It is said that the waters of the "Fonte Santa" healed a pilgrim suffering from hypopresia, on his way to Compostela. After three days, the man was miraculously cured and exclaimed: "Grazas Virxe, por librarme da Escravitude do meu mal" (translated into Spanish as: thank you Virgin, for freeing me from the slavery of my evil); and this is where the toponym A Escravitude comes from. We continue our journey taking extreme precautions between the asphalt stretches and the crossings over the train tracks.
  

  The next enclave of reference is A Picaraña, where you can take the opportunity to make a technical stop for refreshments.

  After the short rest, the hardest part of the stage begins: the ascending slopes. We head towards Faramello and Teo along ascending paths. At this point we can make a small detour on the way to Castro Lupario, also known as Castro de Beca. It is believed that this castrexo settlement was the home of the mythical queen Lupa, who appears in the Codex Calixtinus.
  
  There is little left and the next point of our adventure brings us closer to the imminent end. We will pass through Osebe before entering O Milladoiro. Here we can already appreciate a strong change in the landscape that heralds the periphery of the urban space of Santiago de Compostela. Finally, we enter Santiago de Compostela by the hand of the mythical neighborhood of Conxo, a place that once constituted a municipal entity itself, until it was swallowed up and annexed by the growth of the Galician capital. At this point, you can stop to visit the church of Santa Maria, located in the alameda of the neighborhood.
  Dear friends, the end is already counted by the minute. We only have to walk along the streets of Sánchez Freire, García Prieto, Rosalía de Castro and Rúa do Franco to find ourselves in front of the imposing façade of the Cathedral of Santiago in the Plaza del Obradoiro.
  

  Congratulations pilgrim, you made it!

  You are in Santiago de Compostela, the city where rain is art. After having stamped the credential at each stage and having collected your Compostela, after all the effort it's time to enjoy the city, you've earned it. We hope you enjoy strolling through the old town, enjoying a fresh beer accompanied by a delicious tapa, dancing and singing in a foliada, or tasting some of its traditional liqueurs, among a thousand and one other things that this small but great city has to offer.
  

  To consider

  Don't forget to pick up your Compostela at the Pilgrim's Welcome Office in Santiago is located in Rúa Carretas, which is accessed from the Plaza del Obradoiro by Rúa Costa do Cristo, and although it is open from 12:00 to 16:00, we recommend going for a walk early from Padrón and go with time to avoid queues.
  The pilgrim's mass is celebrated every day at 12:00 and 18:00.
  

  Places of interest

  • Collegiate Church of Iria Flavia
  • The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
  • San Martín Pinario Monastery - Santiago de Compostela
  • Saint Dominic of Bonaval - Santiago de Compostela
  • Abastos Market - Santiago de Compostela
  • Faculty of Geography and History - Santiago de Compostela
  • Hostel of the Catholic Monarchs - Santiago de Compostela

  Typical dishes

  • Zorza
  • Raxo
  • Lacón with turnip tops
  • Fish and seafood
  • Galician veal meats
  • Denomination of Origin Wines
  • After-dinner liqueurs: coffee liqueur, herbs, white marc, cream...
• day 6

  End of the Camino

  After arriving... End of the Camino