Camino de Santiago from Tui: the Portuguese Camino in 6 stages
From Tui it is 115.8 km (72 mi) to Santiago Cathedral, split into 6 stages: 6 days of walking, or 7 with a rest day. That is more than 100 km on foot, so it qualifies for the Compostela.
Starting the Portuguese Camino in Tui is the choice of anyone who has a week and wants to reach Santiago with the Compostela. Tui is the first Galician town on the Portuguese Camino Central Route, on the bank of the Minho opposite Valença, and from its cathedral about 116 km (72.0 miles) remain to the Obradoiro square, adding up the usual stages (the Xunta, the Galician government, gives 118.8 km). That is more than the 100 km minimum required by the Pilgrim’s Office.
The route is done in six comfortable stages, of between 16 and 24 km, through the province of Pontevedra and the south of A Coruña. You need a pilgrim credential, which you must have stamped at least twice a day. If you have energy to spare on the first day, you can combine the first two stages and reach Redondela (31.9 km), as some guides do.
The 6 stages of the Portuguese Camino from Tui, from Tui to Santiago de Compostela
Stage 1: Tui – O Porriño (16.1 km (10 mi))
Stage 1: Tui – O Porriño (16.1 km (10 mi))
The first Galician stage: you leave Tui beside the cathedral, follow the Louro valley and, at As Gándaras, choose between the industrial estate and the alternative beside the river to O Porriño.
Stage 2: O Porriño – Redondela (15.8 km (9.8 mi))
Stage 2: O Porriño – Redondela (15.8 km (9.8 mi))
Through Mos and its pazo you climb to the chapel of Santiaguiño, with a Roman milestone of Via XIX, and descend to Redondela, the town of the viaducts.
Stage 3: Redondela – Pontevedra (19.8 km (12.3 mi))
Stage 3: Redondela – Pontevedra (19.8 km (12.3 mi))
From Redondela you climb to the Alto da Lomba, with views of the Vigo estuary, and descend to Arcade, oyster country. The Camino crosses the Verdugo by the medieval bridge of Ponte Sampaio and follows the Canicouva Roman road to Pontevedra and its Peregrina sanctuary.
Stage 4: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis (21.1 km (13.1 mi))
Stage 4: Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis (21.1 km (13.1 mi))
You leave Pontevedra over the Ponte do Burgo across the Lérez, and the Camino gains stretches of forest and hamlets: the waterfalls of the Barosa river are 400 m from the route and the cruceiro of Tivo announces the arrival at Caldas de Reis, the spa town of the Romans.
Stage 5: Caldas de Reis – Padrón (18.6 km (11.6 mi))
Stage 5: Caldas de Reis – Padrón (18.6 km (11.6 mi))
One of the most pleasant sections of the Camino, through forests and hamlets after Caldas de Reis. You cross the Ulla at Pontecesures and enter Padrón, where tradition says the boat carrying the Apostle’s remains landed.
Stage 6: Padrón – Santiago de Compostela (24.4 km (15.2 mi))
Stage 6: Padrón – Santiago de Compostela (24.4 km (15.2 mi))
The last day: the collegiate church of Iria Flavia, the sanctuary of A Escravitude, O Milladoiro and the entry into Santiago de Compostela over the Ponte Vella of the Sar to the Obradoiro square.
Summary of the stages from Tui
| Stage | Section | Distance | Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tui – O Porriño | 16.1 km | 4 h 30 min | Easy |
| 2 | O Porriño – Redondela | 15.8 km | 4 h 30 min | Moderate |
| 3 | Redondela – Pontevedra | 19.8 km | 5 h | Easy to moderate |
| 4 | Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis | 21.1 km | 5 h | Easy to moderate |
| 5 | Caldas de Reis – Padrón | 18.6 km | 4 h 30 min | Easy to moderate |
| 6 | Padrón – Santiago de Compostela | 24.4 km | 6 h | Easy to moderate |
Approximate distances, times and difficulty for an easy pace.
Starting in Tui or in Valença
Valença, the Portuguese fortress on the other side of the Minho, is 2.8 km from Tui Cathedral: you cross on foot over the 1886 international bridge, which has a pedestrian walkway. From Valença to Santiago it comes to about 118.6 km (73.7 miles). The Pilgrim’s Office requires that, if you start outside Spain, at least 70 km are walked on Spanish territory, which is easily met.
Bear in mind that the Xunta albergue in Tui gives priority to those arriving on foot from Portugal, so if you start in Tui you may have to wait until the end of the day to find out whether there is a bed. If you want to be sure of a place in a public albergue, it is best to sleep the first night in Valença, which has more beds, or to book one of the private albergues in Tui.
What the Camino from Tui is like, stage by stage
The first stage is short and flat, through the Louro valley, with the only decision being the choice at As Gándaras between the O Porriño industrial estate and the alternative beside the river. The second brings the only climb of the week, from Mos to Santiaguiño, and descends to Redondela, where the Coastal Route joins and the number of pilgrims increases. The last four days, via Arcade and Ponte Sampaio, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padrón, alternate woodland, hamlets and some stretches beside the N-550.
At the end of each stage you will find the table of albergues in the arrival town. If you prefer to walk the Central Route from further away, the Portuguese Camino Central Route page has the 26 stages from Lisbon.
How many days does it take?
- In 6 days: the plan on this page, with stages of 15.8 to 24.4 km.
- In 5 days: combining Tui – O Porriño and O Porriño – Redondela into one 31.9 km day, from Tui to Redondela.
- In 7 days: with a rest day in Pontevedra, the stop with the most places to stay on the route.
How to get to Tui
- By train: Tui station has had no passenger trains since 2020. The nearest is Valença, on the other side of the Minho, on the Minho line, with regional trains from Porto and the Celta train between Porto and Vigo. From Valença you cross the international bridge, about 400 m, on foot. Until April 2027, because of engineering works, the Valença to Vigo section of the Celta train is run by bus, which does not take bicycles unless they are packed.
- By bus: from Vigo, the Xunta A Guarda – Tui – O Porriño – Vigo line and the Lugove buses that run through the interior reach Tui. From Porto airport, FlixBus goes to Valença in a little over an hour, according to the operator.
- By plane: the nearest airport is Vigo; from there, take a city bus to Vigo and a bus to Tui. Porto is a good option thanks to the direct bus to Valença.
Where to sleep on the first night
For the night before you start, this guide lists in Tui 9 albergues and 9 hotels, hostels and guesthouses, each with its price, season and booking link.
Getting to Tui and back
The nearest airports are Vigo (VGO, about 30 km / 19 miles away) and Porto (OPO, about 120 km / 75 miles), which has many more international flights. Buses link Porto and Vigo with Tui and with Valença, on the Portuguese side of the bridge.
From Santiago de Compostela you can fly home from Santiago airport (SCQ) or take a bus back to Porto and Porto airport (about 3.5 to 4 hours). Check current timetables before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometres is it from Tui to Santiago?
About 116 km, adding up the usual stages (115.8 km). The Xunta gives 118.8 km.
How many days does the Camino from Tui take?
Six days with the stages in this guide. By combining Tui – Redondela into a single 31.9 km day you can do it in five.
Do you get the Compostela from Tui?
Yes. Tui is more than 100 km from Santiago, the minimum required by the Pilgrim’s Office. Carry your credential and have it stamped at least twice a day.
Is it better to start in Tui or in Valença?
Both options count towards the Compostela. Valença adds 2.8 km and has an albergue with more beds; the public albergue in Tui gives priority to those arriving on foot from Portugal.
What is the hardest stage from Tui?
Padrón – Santiago, the longest (24.4 km). In terms of elevation, O Porriño – Redondela, with the climb from Mos to the Santiaguiño chapel.