The city began as Castellum Tude<\/em>, a stop on Roman road XIX beside the Minho (Mi\u00f1o). It was an episcopal see from the 5th century, and in 1170 King Ferdinand II moved the settlement to the present hilltop, surrounded it with walls and granted it a charter. This frontier position shaped its history for centuries: until 1833 it was the capital of the province of Tui, one of the seven of the old Kingdom of Galicia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Begun in 1120 in the Romanesque style, it was consecrated in 1225, when its Gothic main fa\u00e7ade was already finished. Its battlements and towers give it the look of a fortress, which makes sense in a city that guarded the border with Portugal for centuries. It is the seat of the Diocese of Tui-Vigo and the usual starting point for pilgrims who begin here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It covers about 10 hectares and is considered the second largest in Galicia after the one in Santiago. It is worth walking round it unhurriedly before you start walking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Founded in 1524, its church began to be built in 1688 under the direction of Domingo de Andrade. The nuns still live in enclosure, hence the popular name ‘as Encerradas’ (the shut-in ones). It holds a 17th-century Baroque altarpiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the oldest churches in Galicia, of pre-Romanesque origin, on the way out of the city. The Camino passes right beside it in the first kilometres of the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The convent of Santo Domingo is Gothic. At the foot of the old town, the International Bridge, designed by the engineer Pelayo Mancebo, links Tui with Valen\u00e7a, with which it has formed a Euro-city since 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tui has 17,468 inhabitants (INE, 2025) and a municipal area of 68.3 km\u00b2. It is the capital of the Baixo Mi\u00f1o district and lies on the right bank of the river, which here forms the border with Portugal. The highest point in the municipality is Monte Aloia, at 632 metres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main festivals are those of San Telmo, the patron saint: they begin on Holy Saturday and end on the Monday after Easter Sunday, ‘Lunes de San Telmo’. During those days the angula (baby eel) festival is also held; angula is one of the products of the Minho, along with salmon, lamprey and shad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tui is the first Galician city on the Portuguese Camino Central Route and the most popular starting point for anyone who wants to walk the Camino in a week: from here it is about 115.8 km (71.9 miles) to Santiago, in six stages. The first is Tui \u2013 O Porri\u00f1o<\/a>. Full planning details are in the guide Camino de Santiago from Tui<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About 115.8 km (71.9 miles) along the Portuguese Camino Central Route, in six stages: Tui \u2013 O Porri\u00f1o, O Porri\u00f1o \u2013 Redondela, Redondela \u2013 Pontevedra, Pontevedra \u2013 Caldas de Reis, Caldas de Reis \u2013 Padr\u00f3n and Padr\u00f3n \u2013 Santiago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. The Pilgrim’s Office awards it to anyone who walks at least the last 100 km, and from Tui it is a little over 115.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat to see in Tui<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cathedral of Santa Mar\u00eda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Old town<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Convent of the Poor Clares (the Encerradas)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
San Bartolom\u00e9 de Rebord\u00e1ns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Convent of Santo Domingo and the International Bridge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Population and location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Festivals and food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Portuguese Camino from Tui<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How many kilometres is it from Tui to Santiago?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can you get the Compostela if you start in Tui?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How many albergues are there in Tui?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n