Cycle – Central Way (Porto – Santiago)

Leave the “Sé” Square, and through the old city roads you’ll see some of the hallmarks of this “invicta” town. You will walk several kilometers through urban areas of the cities of Porto and Maia and their suburbs. You will go through Vilarinho and cross the medieval bridge over the Ave before reaching the village of Arcos. Continue towards to the old village of “Rates”.

Increasing woodlands, you pass the villages of Courel and “Pedra Furada”, then on rural roads you will reach the town of Barcelos where you will have time to visit the main monuments of this old market town.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

You will depart from Barcelos, following minor roads and continue until the river Neiva, which is crossed by a medieval bridge just before the village of Balugães. This is a day of rural roads, and a magnificent journey through the hamlets of Facha, Seara and Correlhã, finally reaching Ponte de Lima along the Avenue of Plátanos, beside the river, where you will be dazzled by the stunning landscape.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

You leave the medieval town of Ponte de Lima crossing the impressive Romanesque-Gothic bridge over the river Lima, with its 22 arches. After arriving at the far side of the bridge, we turn to the right plunging into the rural world represented by the farming parish of Arcozelo, but then, after Labruja, agriculture is scarce and the landscape until Portela Pequena is tree covered upland. These 2 uphill kilometres from Labruja are the most demanding of the whole Way.

Halfway up we find the Cruz dos Franceses and then climb to the Forester’s house. From the top of the climbat, it is an easy ride to the fortified town of Valença where the stage ends.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

You will cross Rio Minho and on the far side you walk through the streets of the medieval village of Tui until reach its famous Cathedral. From here we pass the tunnel of the Convent of Clarissas and the Veiga bridge. Continue to the Valley of the River Louro entering the city of Porriño.

Continue head north and pass close to the Pazo de Mós, Santiaguiño de Antas and Chan das Pipas where starts a steep descent that leads us towards the centre of Redondela. You leave Redondela ind direction to Arcade, and continue to Pontesampayo and then climb up the slope of Canicouva until Cacheiro. After crossing the mountains, you easely reach Pontevedra.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Start this stage at the historical centre of Pontevedra cyclig from the old city to the millennial bridge, O Burgo. Continue along the beautiful Valley of the Gandra River until San Mauro and from here continue until enter in Caldas de Reis to the bridge of the Umia River.

Leave this town along some enchanting stretches of the Way, pass near the church of Santa Marina de Carracedo and then you will cross a particularly luxuriant landscape along the side of the Valga River, where you head to Pontecesures. After crossing the Ulla River you arrive at Padron, the place where, according to legend, the ship with the body of the Apostle Santiago was moored.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

You start this last stage by leaving Padron and heading north until reaching the church of Santa Maria de Iria Flávia.

It was here that two great Galician writers lived, the poet Rosália de Castro and the Nobel award winning Camilo José Cela, who was born next door to the church. We continue through Galician villages until the magnificent sanctuary of Nossa Señora da Escravitute. From here you will reach Rua de Francos following broad streets and narrower shortcuts.

You finally start to see Santiago de Compostela and a bit further, at Agro dos Monteiros, you can see the towers of the Cathedral for the first time. After crossing the Sar River, continue through the suburbs of the city that lead you to the Faxeira gate, the entrance of the Portuguese Way in this old city. Through a labyrinth of streets continue to Obradoiro square and to the Cathedral itself were the Apostle waits for you.

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

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