{"id":125233,"date":"2025-12-10T09:48:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T09:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mundiplus.com\/?p=125233"},"modified":"2025-12-10T10:11:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T10:11:01","slug":"how-many-days-does-it-take-to-complete-the-portuguese-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mundiplus.com\/en\/how-many-days-does-the-portuguese-way-take\/","title":{"rendered":"How many days does it take to complete the Portuguese Way?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Portuguese Way of Saint James<\/b> (central route) is currently the second most popular pilgrimage route. The duration of the journey can vary considerably depending on where you start and the pace of each pilgrim. Starting in Lisbon is not the same as starting in Porto or at the Galician border in Tui, as the distance covered changes significantly.<\/p>\n

Below, we analyse how many days are needed depending on the most common starting points and how the stages can be adjusted to your needs. We will also compare the duration of the Portuguese Way with other Camino de Santiago routes.<\/p>\n

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Duration of the Portuguese Way by starting point<\/b><\/h2>\n

The central route of the Portuguese Way offers multiple starting points, and the number of days it takes to reach Santiago de Compostela depends on where you choose to begin. The three most common options are Lisbon, Porto, or Tui<\/b>, listed from longest to shortest distance. Let\u2019s look at each section in detail:<\/p>\n

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From Lisbon (full route, ~600 km)<\/b><\/h3>\n

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If you choose to start from Lisbon<\/b>, you will face approximately 600 to 640 km<\/b> of walking to Santiago. This typically translates to around 25 to 30 stages<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Of course, the exact number of days can be adjusted according to individual plans. More experienced pilgrims might complete longer stages and reduce the total number of days, while others may prefer shorter stages and add extra days.<\/p>\n

Starting in Lisbon allows you to experience the Central Portuguese Way from start to finish, crossing all of Portugal. You will pass through historic cities such as Santar\u00e9m, Coimbra<\/b>, and of course Porto<\/b>, before reaching Galicia.<\/p>\n

It is a long journey (around a month of continuous walking) and less crowded in the early stages<\/b>, but rich in cultural and scenic experiences. Many pilgrims divide this route into two or three separate trips (Lisbon\u2013Porto and then Porto\u2013Santiago or Porto\u2013Tui) due to the number of days required to complete the full journey.<\/p>\n

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From Porto (~240 km)<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Possibly the most popular option nowadays is to do the Portuguese Way from Porto to Tui<\/b><\/a>. From here to Santiago, there are around 240 km<\/b>, typically covered in about 11\u201312 stages<\/b>. In fact, the standard itinerary of the central Portuguese Way starting from Porto consists of 12 walking days<\/b> to cover the distance to the finish.<\/p>\n

A common way to describe this route is to divide it into two segments: up to Tui<\/b> (Portuguese section) and from Tui<\/b> (Galician section). From Porto to the border, there are usually 6 walking stages<\/b>, passing through emblematic towns and cities such as Barcelos<\/b>, Ponte de Lima<\/b>, and Valen\u00e7a do Minho<\/b>.<\/p>\n

For example, one possible distribution of this first segment would be: Porto\u2013Arcos, Arcos\u2013Barcelos, Barcelos\u2013Balugaes, Balugaes\u2013Ponte de Lima, Ponte de Lima\u2013Rubiaes, Rubiaes\u2013Tui, with daily distances between 16 and 27 km. After crossing the Mi\u00f1o River via the International Bridge into Galicia, there are another 5 to 6 additional stages from Tui to Santiago.<\/p>\n

Starting in Porto offers a perfect balance<\/b> for many: a manageable distance of around 240 km, moderate difficulty (no very high mountains; the most challenging point is usually the climb to Alto da Portela Grande leaving Ponte de Lima, which is still an achievable challenge), and passing through regions with good infrastructure of hostels and services.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Porto is a city easily accessible<\/b> by transport (with an international airport) and provides a beautiful starting point with its cathedral (S\u00e9 do Porto) overlooking the Douro River.<\/p>\n

For all these reasons, this city has become one of the favourite places to start the Camino<\/i>: in 2024 alone, over 27,300 pilgrims<\/b> started here, consolidating it as the second most popular starting point<\/b> (only behind Sarria on the French Way).<\/p>\n

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From Tui (~115\u2013120 km)<\/b><\/h3>\n

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For those with less time or simply wishing to do the minimum required to obtain the Compostela<\/b>, an ideal option is to start in Tui<\/b>, already in the province of Pontevedra (Galicia). This town is right on the border with Portugal, separated from Valen\u00e7a do Minho by the Mi\u00f1o River, and marks approximately the last 115 km<\/b> to Santiago. This distance is usually covered in 5 or 6 days<\/b>, depending on the stage plan chosen.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, many pilgrims divide the Tui\u2013Santiago segment into 5 comfortable stages<\/b>, around 20 km per day<\/b>, except for the first day. A typical itinerary would be: Tui\u2013Redondela (~33 km), Redondela\u2013Pontevedra (~20 km), Pontevedra\u2013Caldas de Reis (~22 km), Caldas\u2013Padr\u00f3n (~19 km), and Padr\u00f3n\u2013Santiago (~25 km).<\/p>\n

Thus, in six days<\/i> you cover the final ~118 km of the central Portuguese Way. However, some pilgrims choose to combine the first two stages<\/b> and walk directly from Tui to Redondela in one day (about 32 km, a considerable but feasible challenge for those used to long distances).<\/p>\n

By doing so, it is possible to complete the segment in 5 stages<\/b>. In fact, it is common to plan 5 days of walking for 116 km<\/b>, skipping the stop at O Porri\u00f1o. In any case, whether in 5 or 6 stages, this final section offers a short experience (around a week), ideal for those with limited time but who want to experience the Camino.<\/p>\n

And what about the coastal route?<\/b> It is worth mentioning that, in addition to the central (inland) route we have described, there is a Portuguese spiritual variant<\/b><\/a> which also starts in Porto but follows the Atlantic coast via Vigo before joining the central route in Redondela. The duration of the coastal route from Porto to Santiago is similar: about 280 km covered in around 12\u201313 stages<\/b>.<\/p>\n

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Comparing the duration of the Portuguese Way with other routes<\/b><\/h2>\n

Each Camino de Santiago<\/b><\/a> route has a different length and difficulty, resulting in highly variable durations. Compared to other pilgrimage routes (especially starting from Porto), it offers a medium duration, neither the longest nor the shortest. Let\u2019s see how it compares to some of the best-known routes:<\/p>\n

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In terms of scenery, starting in Tui means that almost the entire route takes place in Galicia. You will pass through towns with a strong pilgrim atmosphere such as Pontevedra<\/b> or Padr\u00f3n<\/b>, and enjoy the well-known Galician hospitality. It is a short but very special journey, with the added attraction that with 100 km walked<\/b> you can request the Compostela upon arrival in Santiago<\/a>.<\/p>\n