Highlights
Heranca Magna Traditional Dinner and Fado Show in Porto
Full day Duro Valley Tour including lunch and Duro River Cruise
City tour of Porto with loocal wine tasting and boat cruise
12 day - Portugese Costal Camino Walk from Baiona to Santiago (average daily walk is 20km) including one rest day
Exploring the amazing costal scenery and quaint villages along the trail
City tour of Lisbon
Full day excursion to Sintra and entry to the Pena Palace
Secret food tour of Lisbon
Cooking class in Lisbon
Friends for company!
Inclusions
- Fully escorted by an experienced Sisterhood Hostess who is on hand to assist with making your tour memorable
- Return economy airfares ex Melbourne to Portugal including taxes (other cities and classes of travel available upon request)
- Transportation as per detailed itinerary
- 3 night stay in Porto including breakfast daily
- 11 night Portugese Costal Camino Trail Walk - Starting in Baiona ending in Santiago (Private Ensuite Rooms)
- Pilgrims Passport
- Camino guidebook with maps
- Hotel luggage transfer from hotel to hotel whilst on Camino (1 x 15kg bag per person)
- 3 night stay in Lisbon including breakfast daily
- Meals as specified in itinerary - B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
- Sightseeing as per detailed itinerary
- Willing to share option
- Pre-tour Camino guidance and planning
- Meet and greet document distribution day (subject to minimum numbers attending)
Notice
***Please note this particular walk does not go through Portugal, even though it is called the Portuguese Coastal Way.***
IMPORTANT INFORMATION - Walking the Camino is on many a bucket list. A certain level of fitness will be required to particpate on this tour as well as completing and signing a Camino Trail - Fitness & Medical Declaration. This declaration is in addition to our usual Terms and Conditions which can be found on our website.
PREPARATION FOR THE CAMINO TRAIL WALK - You tour hostess will be offering 4 x training get-togethers (Melbourne Based) as well as a suggested daily walking training program. These sessions will encourage you to improve your fitness, get to know your fellow walkers, swap travel tips, share in the excitement of your upcoming adventure and ensure you enjoy the Camino to its fullest. Details will follow upon booking.
View Itinerary map - https://hayleymorris.travelmap.net/camino
Itinerary
Day 1 - Sunday 27 August 2023
Melbourne - Porto (meals inflight)
Welcome to Sisterhood Womens Travel. Meet your Hostess and fellow travellers at the Melbourne Airport for your onward flight to Porto. Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of your airlines as you head towards Portugal.
Day 2 - Monday 28 August 2023
Porto
Welcome to Portugal. Upon arrival in Porto we will be met and transfered to our hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this beautiful city. Porto is a vibrant city which boasts extensive history, from the narrow streets that make up the Riberia district to the Grand Plaza of the Trindade district. Porto is famous for its production of Port Wine and is the second largest city in Portugal.
This evening we will attend the Herança Magna Show & Traditional Dinner. During this evening we will enjoy a gastronomic show with its stage set in an old Port Wine cellar. We will experience the beauty of a live Portuguese Fado Performance and listen to haunting voices sing about love, loss and betrayal, as we enjoy the dexterous strumming of the accompanying guitars.
Overnight - HF Ipanema Porto (or similar)
Day 3 - Tuesday 29 August 2023
Porto (B,D)
Enjoy breakfast at our hotel before joining a panoramic sightseeing tour of Porto, considered as a World Heritage city. We will admire the Cathedral, Stock Exchange building, and Santa Clara church. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time to discover more of this amazing city at your own pace.
Overnight - HF Ipanema Porto (or similar)
Day 4 - Wednesday 30 August 2023
Porto (B,L)
This morning after breakfast we will go wine tasting amid the vineyard-clad hills of the Douro Valley, a World Heritage listed region famous for its port wine production. We will feast on regional specialties with a traditional lunch and visit some wine estates for an introduction to award-winning local varieties.
Later in the afternoon we will enjoy a relaxing sightseeing boat cruise along the Douro River.
Overnight - HF Ipanema Porto (or similar)
Day 5 - Thursday 31 August 2023
Porto - Vigo - Baiona (B, D)
After an early breakfast we will transfer to the Porto railway station for our 2.30 hour journey to Vigo, we will then transfer to our Parador in Baiona. The afternoon is free to explore
Baiona is a lovely seaside town with a medieval centre situated on the Vigo Bay on the west of Spain near the Portugese border, explore the old town that sits just behind the main seafront area, one of the many small beaches along the coastline or just sit and watch the world go by in one of the many cafes.
This evening we will re-group for dinner at our Parador.
Overnight - Baiona
Day 6 - Friday 1 September 2023
Baiona (B)
A free day to further explore Baiona, relax, enjoy our beautiful paradore and prepare for our Portugese Costal Camino walk.
Overnight - Baiona
Day 7 - Saturday 2 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk - Baiona - Vigo (B) 24km
Today is the day we have all been waiting for, the beginning of our Porgugese Coastal Camino!
This section of the Camino takes us along the most beautiful tracks of northern Spain, exploring places where time has stood still. Walking this route will allow us to receive the Compostela – the official certificate of completion for this epic journey.
Our itinerary follows the Galician coastline using the Portuguese Camino da Costa (Coastal Way) to Redondela, and from here the Coastal route converges with the Portuguese Camino Central (Central Way) and continues through to Santiago de Compostela. It takes in the beautiful towns and villages of Baiona, Pontevedra, Redondela (famous for the best oysters in Galicia) and Caldas de Rei (a spa town with thermal hot springs).
Overnight - Vigo
Day 8 - Sunday 3 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk Vigo - Redondela (B) 16km
The Camino to Redondela is a pleasant walk with great views of the Vigo estuary as the walk continues through a string of hillside villages and patches of woodland.
Our stop for the night is the town of Redondela, known as the ‘Village of Viaducts’, where the Coastal and Senda Litoral Camino’s join with the inland Central Portuguese Camino to Santiago de Compostela.
Overnight - Redondela
Day 9 - Monday 4 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk - Redonela - Pontevedra (B) 20km
Today is a beautiful day of walking. Several kilometers out of Redondela the path leads up to the Alto de Lomba through the forest, to the village of Arcade famous for the best oysters in Galicia. Cross the long medieval bridge of Ponte Sampaio over the River Verdugo where Napoleon’s army was defeated by the Spanish in 1809 during the War of Independence. Then we'll walk up through the forest and enjoy one of the most beautiful stretches of the Camino following the ancient narrow stone paths as they climb up the slope.
The path widens among fields and vineyards, arriving at Pontevedra with its pretty historic centre, 13th-century church of Santa Maria, and the famous Pilgrim Virgin’s Church (Santuario da Peregrina), which although appears round, is actually in the shape of a scallop shell.
Pontevedra has a wonderful atmosphere to soak up and enjoy with its pedestrianised streets and plazas.
Overnight - Pontevedra
Day 10 - Tuesday 5 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk - Ponteverda - Calas De Reis (B,D) 22km
Today the Camino Portuguese will take us over the Rio Lerez via the pretty stone Ponte do Burgo bridge decorated with scallop shells and through chestnut groves, pine and eucalyptus trees to the village of San Amaro. Emerging from the woods near Valbon, at the Cruceiro de Amonisa, a statue of Saint James with his walking stick points the way to Santiago. We will pass the pretty village of Tivo with its lovely fountain and public washing area. Continue on through rural fields and vineyards to the Roman-influenced town of Caldas de Reis, known otherwise as ‘the hot waters of the Kings’, where we will find the thermal springs after crossing the river Umia. We will enjoy soaking our feet in the hot thermal water upon arrival into the town.
Overnight - Calas De Reis
Day 11 - Wednesday 6 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk- Rest Day Calas de Reis (B)
Today is a rest day to further explore the town of Calas de Reis and its thermal springs, also a great opportunity to catch up on our laundry and rest our weary legs.
Overnight - Calas De Reis
Day 12 - Thursday 7 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk - Calas De Reis - Padron (B) 19km
Today’s walk is one of the most beautiful of the whole route. The path once again takes us through pine forests and rural areas through the Bermana and Verga valleys to today’s destination across the Ulla River, the town of Padrón.
Padrón, the starting point for Saint James ministry in the Iberian peninsular, was also said to be where his body first reached land when it returned by boat after being martyred in Jerusalem.
The parish church has the legendary Pedron, the stone where St James’ boat was moored.
Overnight - Padron
Day 13 - Friday 8 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk - Padron- Miladoiro (B,D) 19km
Todays walk will provide some variety through woodlands and on increasingly busy roads. We will pass through a number of small villages After making our way to the historic sanctuary of A Escravitude, we continue to Faramello and the Chapel of San Martino where we will see one of the oldest wayside crosses (cruceiro) in Galicia.
Dinner tonight at a our hotel
Overnight - Miladoiro
Day 14 - Saturday 9 September 2023
Camino Trail Walk - Miladoiro - Santiago De Compostela (B,D) 7km
Our final walking day on the Camino Portuguese is a short one. We depart Miladoiro early and pass through the tiny town of Agro dos Monteiros, before passing under the motorway, we will have the first glimps of the majestic view of the spires of the Cathedral and our final destination of Santiago de Compostella. We will arrive in the late morning so as we can enjoy the afternoon exploring the city and obtain our pilgrim certificates.
Tonight we will enjoy a celebratory dinner in recognition of our acheivement
Overnight - Santiago De Compostela
Day 15 - Sunday 10 September 2023
Santiago De Compostela (B)
Today we have the whole day to relax, enjoy and explore historic Santiago with its many enticing tapas bars and restaurants. You can attend one of the pilgrims mass and look around the famous Cathedral of St James which forms the city’s heart and watch the steady stream of pilgrims arriving into the square as they finish their epic journey.
Optional afternoon tour - some say this is the true end of the Camino de Santiago, Finisterre (extra cost).
Overnight - Santiago de Compostela
Day 16 - Monday 11 September 2023
Santiago De Compostela - Lisbon (B)
Today we depart Santiago De Composela for our flight to Portugal's capitol Lisbon. Arriving in the afternoon we will be transferred to our hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure.
Lisbon is one of the most charismatic and vibrant cities of Europe. It is a city that effortlessly blends traditional heritage, with striking modernism and progressive thinking.
Overnight - Hotel Fenix Urban (or similar)
Day 17 - Tuesday 12 September 2023
Lisbon (B,D)
This morning after breakfast we will enjoy a half day panoramic sightseeing tour of Lisbon. We will vsit the city’s main attractions such as St. George’s Castle, the Lisbon Cathedral, Restauradores Square and the panoramic views of Lisbon from many viewpoints.
The remainder of the day is at leisure to furhter explore this beautiful city.
This evening we will pleasure our palates with Portugal’s finest food on a tapas and wine tour of Lisbon. Alongside a gastronome guide, we'll stop at carefully selected eateries to sample local specialties such as cured meat, sardines, ‘pastel de nata’ (Portuguese custard tart), and wine from Porto.
Overnight - Hotel Fenix Urban (or similar)
Day 18- Wednesday 13 September 2023
Lisbon (B,D)
Today we will take a full day tour to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. We will head to the royal village of Sintra. See why this historic and scenic place earned UNESCO World Heritage status, as we stroll its' opulent buildings and charming streets. We go deeper when we tour Pena Palace before enjoying a leisurely lunch (own expense). Afterwards we continue to the westernmost point of Europe (Cabo da Roca), and the rustic fisherman's village of Cascais. On our way back we'll drive past the coastal town of Estoril.
Tonight we Learn the secrets and spices of the Portuguese kitchen at a Lisbon cooking class, pairing hands-on cooking experience with Portuguese wines and delicious food. We will nibble on olives, chorizo, and fresh bread as we prepare a three course menu that uses seasonal ingredients. We will then sit down to enjoy the meal we've prepared.
Overnight - Hotel Fenix Urban (or similar)
Day 19 - Thursday 14 September 2023
Lisbon - Home (B, Meals in flight)
Today we'll transfer to the Lisbon airport to begin our journey home.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of your airline as you head towards home.
Day 20 - Friday 15 September 2023
In Transit (Meals in flight)
In transit
Day 21 - Satirday 16 September 2023
Welcome Home
Welcome Home! Thank you for joining us for such a special experience walking 130 km of the Portuguese Costal Camino, and earning your Compestela!
We look forward to welcoming you back for your next adventure.