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The Spiritual Variant is an alternative to the traditional itinerary of the Portuguese Way. An adventure in which you will recreate the boat trip of the remains of the Apostle Santiago from Palestine to Galicia. Yes By boat! And the novelty of this route is that you can make a stage by sea. A beautiful route that crosses the waters of the Arousa estuary and ascends the Ulla river, contemplating the only fluvial maritime Way of the Cross in the world.

And as if that were not enough, on the walking route of the Spiritual Variant some of the most beautiful scenery in this part of Galicia awaits you: the monastery of A Armenteira and the so-called ‘Ruta da Pedra e da Auga’, a beautiful nature trail along the Armenteira river where you will discover countless water mills.

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Travel Itinerary

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.

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.

From the Monastery of A Armenteira begins the beautiful Ruta da Pedra e da Auga, which runs parallel to the stream of Armenteira. Walking through this place of great natural beauty, you will cross the municipalities of Meis and Ribadumia until you reach Pontearnelas. The path stands out for its lush riparian vegetation, bridges, small waterfalls and a succession of old mills resting on the river bank. Later, after a succession of rural landscapes and vineyards, you will approach the Arousa estuary, arriving at the end of the stage in Vilanova de Arousa.

Vilanova de Arousa is the birthplace of Valle-Inclán. If the weather is good, you can enjoy this small fishing village bathing in one of its many beaches. As remarkable monuments include the ancestral home of Valle-Inclán, the church of Santa María de Caleiro, the pazo of Rúa Nova or the towers of Cálogo.

You will start directing your steps to Vilagarcía de Arousa alternating roads and coastal paths. From there begins the route of the famous and mythical Ruta de la Traslatio for which you have two options: to do it by boat or on foot.

Those who decide to do the route by sea will emulate Theodore and Anastasius, the disciples of the Apostle St. James who transferred his body from Palestine to Galicia. After taking a boat in the port of Vilanova, for an hour you will cross the Ría de Arousa and ascend the Ulla River, contemplating the only maritime-river Way of the Cross in the world formed by 17 centenary cruisers that mark this Way of St. James. The boat will leave you in Pontecesures, where the Spiritual Variant rejoins the Portuguese Way to Padrón, your last stop before Santiago de Compostela.

But if you decide to go on foot, you will walk parallel to the Ulla River, upstream. Undoubtedly, the most impressive point along the route will be Catoira with its imposing towers. Once you have reached Pontecesures, after crossing the bridge to Padrón, the spiritual variant of the Camino will be over. From here, you can continue to Santiago de Compostela by the conventional route of the Portuguese Way.

Padrón is famous, among other things, for its peppers and for having been the place where the Apostle Santiago’s boat landed when he made landfall. For this last reason, it will be mandatory to visit the famous Pedrón in the church of Santiago, which according to legend was used to moor the boat of the Apostle, to fully complete the spiritual variant. We also recommend visiting the Rosalía de Castro Museum and the collegiate church of Iria Flavia, at the exit of the village towards Santiago de Compostela.

In Padrón you can obtain the certificate of “la Pedronía”, which certifies that you have reached the end of the Spiritual Route.

Last day of the pilgrimage experience! As we always say, the ideal is to get up early to make the most of the day in Santiago de Compostela. Today’s stage will pass super fast between nerves and excitement of the imminent arrival. The jewel of this stage is the beautiful collegiate church of Iria Flavia, which was the first cathedral of Galicia and in whose cemetery, under an olive tree, you will find the humble tomb of the famous writer Camilo José Cela. The route continues through the municipalities of Teo and Ames until you reach the Plaza del Obradoiro. Undoubtedly the most emotional moment of the entire Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Way.

You are in Santiago! Feel happy and proud to have completed your pilgrimage. Now you just need to pick up your Compostela certificate and enjoy an incredible day getting to know the Galician capital.

This last day you are in charge, you can go back home or enjoy one more day in Santiago. And how beautiful is Compostela.

Did you know that all roads end in Finisterre? If you feel like walking and you have 5 more days, we encourage you to complete the 5 stages that separate Santiago to Finisterre. The most magical and spiritual route that hides real treasures such as Ponte Maceira, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain or the sunset from the lighthouse of Finisterre, one of the most beautiful in the world.

Map of the Way

Portuguese Way: spiritual variant map

Type of accommodation

Habitación del Hotel Alda Estación Pontevedra
Habitación del Hostal México PR
Habitación del Hotel Spa La Casa Mudejar
Habitación del Hotel Leal La Sirena

In hotels, guesthouses and cottages in spiritual variant

Due to the fact that some towns along this route have little variety of accommodation, we have selected the best establishments available for you to have an incredible experience on your Camino de Santiago. You will combine the rest in small and cosy pensions with rural houses and lodgings of superior category, always looking for the best quality and location.

Detalles

Services included

6 days / 5 nights accommodation6 days / 5 nights accommodation
Luggage transfer during the stagesLuggage transfer during the stages
Complete documentationComplete documentation
Pilgrim’s CredentialPilgrim’s Credential
On-the-road emergency telephone assistanceOn-the-road emergency telephone assistance
Travel insuranceTravel insurance

Optional Services

ServicioIn hotels, guesthouses and cottages in spiritual variant
BreakfastBreakfast42€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner)MP (Breakfast and dinner)120€ per person
Supplement for single roomSupplement for single room135€ per single room
Extra nightExtra night95€ (sing. room) / 145€ (doub. room)
Breakfast Breakfast
In hotels, guesthouses and cottages in spiritual variant 42€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner) MP (Breakfast and dinner)
In hotels, guesthouses and cottages in spiritual variant 120€ per person
Supplement for single room Supplement for single room
In hotels, guesthouses and cottages in spiritual variant 135€ per single room
Extra night Extra night
In hotels, guesthouses and cottages in spiritual variant 95€ (sing. room) / 145€ (doub. room)

Photos

horreo stage armenteira vilanova de arousa portuguese way spiritual variant
walk stage armenteira vilanova de arousa portuguese way spiritual variant
ria stage armenteira vilanova de arousa portuguese way spiritual variant
route stage armenteira vilanova de arousa portuguese route spiritual variant
route stage route pontevedra armenteira portuguese way spiritual variant
iglesia etapa pontevedra armenteira camino portugues variante espiritual

Frequently Asked Questions

In this modality you will do the Camino de Santiago at your own pace and you will only have to worry about choosing the route you like the most, the type of accommodation and your departure date. If you choose this option you will travel alone or with the people that appear in your reservation, and you will have all the services included so that you only have to worry about walking and enjoying the experience.

The Camino de Santiago on your own includes the following services

  • Accommodation
  • Luggage transport
  • Dossier with information about the stages
  • Pilgrim's credential
  • On-the-road helpline
  • Travel insurance

In addition, you can customize your trip by adding the following optional services

  • Breakfast or half board
  • Private transfers to the start of the stage from Santiago de Compostela or from the airport.
  • Extra night at the beginning or end of the stage

Unlike the group trips, no bus service, guide or support vehicle is included between stages. But you will have a 24-hour hotline where you can contact us in case of any problem or unforeseen event, which we will solve quickly.

Yes, you will have total freedom to choose your departure date. However, if you want to do your Camino de Santiago in the months of December, January and February, we recommend that you check availability before making your reservation. At this time of year most accommodation is closed and many services may not be available.

In your travel documents, you will find the names of the accommodations assigned to you, as well as their contact telephone number and location.   As a general rule, all accommodation are located in the centre of the different towns along the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago de Compostela, without the need to deviate too far from the route. But sometimes, due to lack of availability, it is possible that some accommodation may be a little far from the village or even in neighbouring towns.   For all the accommodations that are at a considerable distance from the route of the Camino, we will provide you with a free taxi service that you can use to get to your accommodation and return to the Camino the next morning.   In any case, these are exceptions that we will inform you at the time of booking.

Luggage transport service by default is included in all our trips and it is not necessary to request it. You can enjoy the Camino de Santiago without the burden of carrying your luggage on your back, knowing that your suitcase will be waiting for you at your next accommodation upon your arrival.   Along with your credential, you'll also receive stickers. Cover these stickers with the requested information and stick them in a visible place on your suitcase.   Upon arrival at your accommodation, we suggest asking at the reception where you can leave your luggage. You'll need to leave your luggage at the designated spot early in the morning for our carrier to pick it up. This ensures that when you arrive at your next accommodation, your luggage will already be waiting for you.

We have a taxi service that you can hire whenever you need it. You can hire it, for example, to go from the airport to the start of your Camino, or to go from Santiago to your starting point to pick up your car once you finish the stage.   The price of the transfers will depend on the distance from your point of origin to the destination. If you have any questions about this service do not hesitate to contact us.

We provide mandatory insurance coverage with every trip to safeguard you against any potential inconveniences during the Camino de Santiago. You'll receive the insurance policy along with your travel documents.

The basic travel insurance included in our packages offers extensive coverage against unforeseen events, ensuring you'll receive guaranteed medical assistance and numerous benefits. You can review the specifics in the General Conditions of Travel Insurance.

In your travel documents, you'll find an emergency telephone number where we're accessible while you're on the road. This ensures you'll journey with peace of mind, knowin our team members will assist you with any problems, incidents, or questions you encounter along your Camino de Santiago.

To make a reservation, you can follow these steps:

  1. Through our website: Select the route you want and follow the steps indicated in the form. Provide your personal information and that of your companions, choose the type of accommodation, room distribution, meals, transfers, bike rental, etc.
  2. By email: If you prefer to make the reservation by email or need a personalized trip, you can send us an email to [email protected]. We will provide you with the necessary information to complete the reservation via email.

It is important to note that if the routes or services available on the website do not meet your specific needs, you can request a personalized quote by sending an email to [email protected].

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