Difficulty analysis
El Camino is a long, picturesque and relatively smooth trail, without steeps ascends and descends. Also, it feels comfortable as one passes through villages and towns, where one can easily replenish in snacks and water, thus avoiding having to carry heavy loads during the day. However, hiking for an average of 5-6 hours per day for several consecutive days requires a certain level of physical fitness and stamina. Additionally, a large part of the hike is on tarmac, which may be uncomfortable to some hikers. To help you understand whether you are fit enough to participate in this hiking adventure, Rahhalah’s expert team will assess your fitness levels before your registration and, once you register, will help you prepare a training routine that will guarantee the success of your trip.
Itinerary Details
Note: One private group transfer will be arranged from Vigo International airport (VGO) to the hotel (exact timings will be announced closer to date). Alternatively, you can make your own arrangements, using a bus or a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Vigo is a Spanish town on the Atlantic Ocean. Its medieval origins were quite turbulent, as the settlement was frequently attacked and conquered by many forces. Today, it represents a populous municipality and the starting point of your hiking adventure.
Upon your arrival, you will first head to your hotel (either by bus, private transfer, or other arrangements), and then you may explore the old center of the city at your own pace, getting acquainted with the historical and spiritual value of El Camino. Accommodation: Silken Axis Vigo (4*) or similar.
The first day of your adventure will be comparatively short, as you get used to the terrain, the path, and the process. On the way, you will enjoy spectacular views of the Vigo estuary, including the Cíes Islands, the Morrazo peninsula, the Rande Bridge (upon its construction, the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world), and the cove of San Simón, with its beaches, wetlands and islands. You may choose to remain silent or interact with the other hikers who, either on their own or in groups, attempt to traverse a part of El Camino in search of answers to questions hidden within. In any case, remember that the trail has more to offer than merely the hiking process.
At the end of the day, you will finish this hard day, driving back with good rest in your hotel. Hiking details: Estimated distance: 16 km. Estimated hiking time: 4-5 hours. Accommodation: Silken Axis Vigo (4*) or similar.
This part of the trail is well signed, allowing you to enjoy the unfolding of the surrounding landscape. By mid-day, you should expect to arrive at Arcade: a charming town, ideal for a lunch break (don’t forget to try the famous local oysters). Late in the afternoon, you will arrive at Pontevedra where, after settling in the hotel, you can explore the well-preserved old town with its medieval buildings, a Gothic church, palace, and picturesque alleys. Hiking details: Estimated distance: 20 km. Estimated hiking time: 5-6 hours. Accommodation: Hotel Rias Bajas (3*) or Hotel room (2*) or similar.
Today is one of the longest but, also, one of the most beautiful days on the trail. Early in the morning, a string of lights will guide you through the historic center of Pontevedra, keeping you on the pilgrimage route, leading to the Sanctuary of the Pilgrim Virgin and the evocative ruins of the Convent of Santo Domingo: great examples of the old, monumental splendor of Galicia.
After Pontevedra, you will keep crossing small villages, surrounded by forest land, until you reach Caldas de Rei for a well-deserved evening at leisure. Hiking details: Estimated distance: 23 km. Estimated hiking time: 6 hours Accommodation: Hotel Roquiño (3*) or Villa Galicia (3*) or Torre Do Rio (2*) or similar.
The landscape keeps unfolding peacefully around you, as the various rural settlements of Galicia, surrounded by cornfields and green slopes, form the famous carballedas (autonomous communities), leading you gradually outside the province of Pontevedra and into Coruña. As you finish the day in Padrón, you begin to feel the energy of the path, traversed by thousands of pilgrims over the centuries, towards the burial site of Apostle Santiago (St James). Hikind details: Estimated distance: 18.6 km. Estimated hiking time: 4-5 hours. Accommodation: Hotel Os Lambrans (3*)or similar.
This is the last stage of the Camino de Santiago Portugués and the completion of the pilgrimage. You will cross the valley of the poetic River Sar and the sanctuary of A Escravitude, before reaching the top of O Milladoiro - the "humilladoiro", that is, where the pilgrims "humbled themselves", kneeling with respect upon setting eyes on the cathedral.
In Santiago, you will visit the Cathedral and hear the chiming of the famous bells, before checking-in in your hotel for a relaxing evening. Hikind details: Estimated distance: 23.7 km. Estimated hiking time: 6-7 hours Accommodation: Hotel Carris Casa de Troya (3*) or similar.
After breakfast, you will head to the airport for your flight back home. Note: One private group transfer will be arranged from the city to the Santiago de Compostela Airport (exact timings will be announced closer to date). Alternatively, you can make your own arrangement, using a bus or a taxi either to the Santiago airport or to the Vigo airport
