Camino Portugués #4: the final stretch to Santiago | Travel journal

In week 4 of my Camino Portugués I walk from Ponte de Lima to Santiago. A week with changing weather, tough climbs, quiet moments and new energy.

In the fall of 2025 I walk the Camino Portugués, starting in Lisbon. Along the way I keep a daily journal. These are the trip reports of the fourth week, from Ponte de Lima to Tui and Santiago. Missed the previous week? Read: Camino Portugués #3: Great encounters as I walk toward Porto.

Camino Portugués day 21: a sudden climb into the mountains

I cannot believe I have already been on the road for three weeks. On one hand it feels like I only just started, but at the same time I am so used to the pilgrim rhythm and being constantly on the move.

The day starts very wet. During breakfast I keep an eye on the rain radar. I am not walking straight into a waterfall if I can avoid it. At eight it finally clears up and I head out in good spirits. It takes a while to leave Ponte de Lima, because it is truly beautiful and I keep stopping to take pictures.

Once I cross the bridge the first challenge appears. The path is mostly flooded. I walk about a kilometer and a half barefoot, which keeps my socks and shoes dry.

After an early coffee break I start the long ascent and quickly realise I should have checked the elevation profile. There are two huge climbs today. I pass about ten pilgrims along the way. It is busy, but still comfortable. I walk for a while with a woman from Madrid and manage to have a conversation in Spanish. All those years of Duolingo have paid off, I am doing pretty well.

The last few kilometers of the first climb are extremely steep and full of rocks. Of course that is exactly when the rain starts pouring down. By the time I reach the top I cannot tell whether I am soaked from the rain or the sweat. The rain stops quickly, but the mountain is wrapped in a cloud so there is no view to enjoy.

During the descent it stays dry. I walk with a Czech pilgrim for a few kilometers, but soon feel like continuing alone. The landscape around me keeps getting more beautiful and I enjoy every minute.

After a second café stop the next climb begins. Luckily this one is much easier. Once at the top I suddenly see high-rise buildings in the distance. Valença and Tui. Tomorrow I will cross the border into Spain.

I stay in a hostel in the village of Fontoura, run by a German woman. I like her immediately and we talk endlessly about pilgrim life, her cats and Portugal. A Mexican pilgrim, Rodrigo, arrives later and the three of us have dinner together. It is not only very cozy, but also one of the best meals I have had in weeks. Completely happy, I crawl into bed. Only five more days until Santiago.

• From – to: Ponte de Lima – Fontoura
• Number of kilometers today: 27
• Total kilometers: 509
• Accommodation: PilgerPause Albergue (booked via WhatsApp)

Camino Portugués day 22: time for a stop at the pharmacy

When I woke up yesterday in Ponte de Lima I suddenly had a few strange bumps on my head. Bedbugs were easy to rule out, they look different and usually appear in other places. I assumed it would disappear on its own, but to my horror a few more showed up this morning. It does not itch or hurt, but it really does not look great.

So my first stop after about seven kilometers is the pharmacy in Valença. The pharmacist takes a good look and immediately says it is an allergic reaction. To what, no idea. After three weeks of walking my immune system is not at its strongest. At least my bag is heavier again with some pills and a cream. Hopefully it works.

I already decided not to walk too far today, which gives me time to look around Valença. The town sits along the Miño River, the border between Portugal and Spain. The old fortress makes it an especially fun place to wander around.

As I walk through the narrow streets I notice the effect of the allergy pill right away. I rarely take medication and it hits me hard. I wander around slightly high, sit down often and laugh at myself. Good thing I did not plan a long day. From now on I will take the pills in the evening, definitely not during a walk.

Then it is time for something I have been looking forward to for weeks, but also dreaded a little. I cross the river via an old railway bridge and a few seconds later, I am in Spain. The clock jumps an hour ahead.

It feels like a big milestone. I am officially in Galicia, with Santiago as its capital. After a short supermarket lunch on a bench I notice the effect of the pill is wearing off and I can walk normally again. Lucky, because it took me nearly three hours to cover less than four kilometers.

The rest of the day goes smoothly, partly because I meet the American Robert again and walk with him for a bit. He also started in Lisbon and I have run into him several times now. The trail is mostly through forest, soft underfoot.

Tonight I stay in another special hostel, Casa Alternativo, run by the Belgian Dries and his incredibly sweet dog Otto. It is a lovely place. I talk a lot with Dries and the other pilgrims. Besides me there is another Dutch pilgrim and two Italians. Exactly the right group for the evening.

• From – to: Fontoura – Orbenlle
• Number of kilometers today: 23
• Total kilometers: 532
• Accommodation: Albergue Casa Alternativo (booked in the morning via WhatsApp)

Camino Portugués day 23: Did you fall into a river?

It rains all night, but when I wake up my weather app shows a dry day ahead. Perfect, because I have my eye on an albergue about 32 kilometers away. After a cozy breakfast by candlelight, I step outside around eight with good spirits. The bumps on my head look much better and I feel ready for a long day of walking.

After fifteen minutes it starts to drizzle. No big deal, I have walked in worse. But it keeps getting heavier until it turns into a full on waterfall. Soaked to the skin, I take shelter under an overpass after three kilometers. I check the radar and it looks like I’m on the edge of the worst part, so it should pass soon. When the rain softens a little, I start walking again. A pilgrim heading south passes me with a grin and says, “It’s raining cats and dogs, and I love cats and dogs!” I burst out laughing. It really helps to lighten the mood.

The next few hours I walk from bus stop to bus stop, waiting out the worst bursts of rain. In between I cover small stretches, but at one point I reach an industrial area and the sky completely opens again. The street and the sidewalks are flooded. I grab onto a fence for a moment to avoid stepping straight into ankle deep water, Indiana Jones style, but it is pointless. A few minutes later I am wading through fast moving water and there is nowhere to hide. Cars pass through giant puddles and throw even more water over me. I do not have a single dry thread left.

After eight kilometers I reach O Porriño and the rain finally fades. I am not cold, but I feel awful and duck into the first café I see. With a hot cup of coffee I warm up a little, although I leave a puddle around my chair and feel embarrassed. As soon as I finish my drink I slip out again.

The worst rain is gone and I finally start making progress. Temperatures are around sixteen to eighteen degrees and thanks to my body heat my pants dry surprisingly fast. It is far from ideal, but at least I am moving again.

I doubt for a long time how far I want to go today. The original plan of 32 kilometers is completely unrealistic at this point. A little after two I call it a day. I want warmth, dry clothes and a big blanket. After a quick scroll through Booking, I treat myself to a perfect studio just after Redondela with warm air from the AC, a king size bed, a huge TV and even a washer and dryer. It feels like heaven. What a day.

• From – to: Orbenlle – Redondela
• Number of kilometers today: 28
• Total kilometers: 560
• Overnight: Camiño da Praia (booked one hour in advance through Booking)

Camino Portugués day 24: back in business

I put my raincoat at the bottom of my bag. The weather forecast is so good that I will not need it today. I leave early, because after a few shorter days with some setbacks I want to cover some distance again. Completely lost in thought, I walk through the quiet streets when I bump into another pilgrim. I can hardly believe my eyes. It is Rob. We have not seen each other for a week and it feels so nice to run into each other again.

We sit down in a café and catch up. One pilgrim after another walks in. I have not seen this many people on the Camino Portugués before. We are really close to Santiago now. The trail is beautiful today, with a few climbs and gorgeous views. Rob climbs much faster than I do and flies up the hills. I let him go. We will see each other later.

In Pontevedra, a beautiful town, I want to pick up a salad from the supermarket and eat it on a bench. Apparently it is a holiday though, All Saints Day, so the supermarkets are closed. I treat myself to a proper café lunch instead. The burrito is exactly what I need.

After Pontevedra, the trail becomes quiet again. Most people stop here because it is the official end of a stage. I like being on my own for a bit. I get the same feeling I had at the start of this Camino, on the stretch between Lisbon and Porto.

At mile marker 52, I turn toward Lor de Pazo, the guesthouse where I have booked a room. It is a lovely small place with a kitchenette, even some food you can buy, and a large terrace overlooking green hills. Rob is staying here too. We chat for a while and then I fall into a deep sleep. After a few challenging days on the Camino, this one felt really good again.

• From – to: Redondela – O Pazo
• Number of kilometers today: 36
• Total kilometers: 596
• Accommodation: Lar Do Pazo (booked in the morning through Booking).

Camino Portugués day 25: navigating among the pilgrims

The second to last day on this Camino Portugués starts with soft pink skies and a bit of fog. Since I am between official stages, I walk the first hour completely alone between the vineyards, which is lovely.

From Caldas de Reis, where I demolish a full tortilla, it suddenly gets much busier. Sometimes I chat with people for a moment, but most of the time I go my own way. I either pass them or let them go. I have walked alone for so much of this Camino that I do not really feel the need to suddenly blend into groups.

The scenery is beautiful today. Small villages, mossy forests and vineyards keep alternating. I try to soak in as many details as I can. Tiny waterfalls formed by all the rain this week, mushrooms, purple flowers. And of course the kilometer markers that slowly count down to Santiago.

In Padrón I struggle for a bit. There is a market in town and it is incredibly busy. My system cannot handle the crowds, so I leave the town immediately and head back into the quiet. I do not even stop for lunch, but luckily the tortilla is still keeping me full.

Since most pilgrims stay overnight in Padrón, I walk the last seven kilometers completely alone again, which is wonderful. It stays dry almost all day, until the last ten minutes when I suddenly have to put on my raincoat. At least I am using it again.

I spend the night in a brand new hostel and share the dorm with only one other pilgrim, the Englishman Allan. Together with him and the American Robert and Celeste, I end up having a really fun evening with snacks and drinks in the common room. Totally unexpected, but the perfect final evening on this Camino.

• From – to: O Pazo – A Escravitude
• Number of kilometers today: 33
• Total kilometers: 629
• Accommodation: Albergue “Villa Vieira” (booked in the morning through Booking)

Camino Portugués day 26: Santiago is only a stop along the way

I leave a little before 7.30 am and it is still completely dark. After only a few meters I pass a church with its doors wide open. A man stands there and asks if I want a stamp. Why not? Inside it is beautiful, a very special place to stand this early in the morning.

I continue in the dark for another fifteen minutes, but the light comes quickly. The streets are quiet. I see a rabbit jumping away and mostly cats slipping through the shadows. After 3 kilometers Rob is waiting for me. We agreed to walk into Santiago together, it just feels nicer than arriving alone. When we stop for coffee, Allan, who slept in the same hostel as I did yesterday, suddenly appears as well. The three of us continue. After weeks of mostly walking alone, it is very fun to have a little trail family on the final day.

Soon the kilometer markers drop faster and faster. Even just before Santiago we are still walking through tiny villages with lots of greenery, something I did not expect. Around noon we stand in front of the cathedral and the bells begin to ring. We made it.

This is my second time in Santiago this year, but it still feels special. This journey has been so different from my Camino Francés. From Lisbon I walked about 650 kilometers. I started this hike in a relaxed way, thinking I knew exactly what to expect, but I definitely ran into myself a few times. And that is fine, it is part of the experience.

I had not planned on getting a Compostela this time, but I do it anyway as it’s part of the Camino expierence. Now I hope it survives the rain in the next few days. I have lunch and dinner with Rob and Allan, a perfect ending to a very meaningful walk.

In the evening I sit for a while on the square in front of the majestic cathedral. It remains a special place, even though it was never my final goal. Tomorrow I put my hiking shoes back on and continue walking. On to the end of the world.

• From – to: A Escravitude – Santiago de Compostela
• Number of kilometers today: 19
• Total kilometers: 648
• Accommodation: Atalaia B&B (nicely decorated, comfortable and a good location in the historic center)

This week has not been an easy one, but in its own way a beautiful one full of highlights. More than ever I believe in my own abilities and in the idea that things will be okay, even on the days when the tears come faster than the laughs. Arriving in front of that huge cathedral felt amazing and I am very glad the adventure is not over yet.

Read more: Camino #5: the route to Finisterre and Muxia