Ah, the Espiritual is lovely, have fun!
I really enjoyed the town of Arcade, between Redondela and Pontevedra. It's charming, and there was a pretty strong Camino spirit, I felt.
In Pontevedra, it's worth it to visit the Capela de Virxa Peregrina. There's an ice cream shop near it which has a stamp with a parrot. :p
When you arrive in Padrón, after the boat ride, be sure to eat some Padrón peppers. Nom.
In Teo, I stayed at [this hostel/hotel](https://www.paradadefrancos.com/) and it was one of the highlights - such good food!
curious how your camino was! am also looking at taking the spiritual variant (not sure whether to start in tui or vigo to hit 100km for the compostela), but also wondering if there will be less people taking the same route that I'll get to know at the alburgues versus taking the central route.
would like to know as well. :) this is the kind of route i wanted to take and a cousin told me to start in tui so i can actually start in portugal. i have very limited days as well so i wonder if starting in vigo was the right decision to get to santiago in 6 days instead of 7.. ? or is tui to santiago doable in 6?
In Armentiera, stay at the monastery if possible! It was comfortable and the garden was very pleasant. We also enjoyed going to the pilgrim blessing there in the evening. Not much in the way of breakfast there though (cookies and tea, basically).
ETA: in Tui, go to the convent near the cathedral. The sisters are entirely cloistered but sell pastries and cookies (including fish-shaped ones!) through a turnstile
Thanks! I may opt to stay at the hostel and save €40, but the monastery is tempting! Think I'm changing my plan to begin in Vigo, which means I won't now be visiting Tui.
Make sure to book ahead. I thought the albergue was a public one (buen camino said public), but apparently they changed to private so when I got there everything was already reserved before they even opened the doors. Had to walk all the way to Villanova because of that, which ended up being a 47km day.
Have done so via WhatsApp - thank you! I'm in Pontevedra now and will be making the journey tomorrow! So far, Porrino to Redondela and Redondela to Pontevedra have been fine (and lovely) but I know this stretch will prove more arduous. Thanks again!
You will be climbing a bit tomorrow, but it's not too bad. Remember to take breaks and enjoy the views, because it really is beautiful. So is the descent the day after leading to Vilanova. Enjoy 🙂
So happy to see this post. This was (almost) the exact route I took a year ago, so it brings back great memories. Light rains and some steep climbs. Splurged at an amazing restaurant in Pontevedra (I think it was called Loaira). Played foosball at a cafe near Arminteira. Enjoyed the river as our companion on the way down from the monastery. Worshipped in awe and wonder all the way. I wish you the absolute best time. Everything felt wonderful, just enjoy every step, the sights, the feelings, the people. Buen camino
Porriño isn't the loveliest place in the world. It's mainly known for its huge industrial estate on the south side of town. So if you have the option of staying a few kilometres away, that might be an option to take. Both Redondela and Pontevedra, on the other hand, are attractive night-stops.
The Seminario Menor is a very good place at which to conclude your pilgrimage, and they even have bare-bones private rooms (essentially, an upmarket monk's cell) at modest cost.
Thanks very much. I think I'm changing the plan, and beginning in Vigo instead. My schedule had no slack, and this route gains a day and allows me to spend two nights and a full day in Santiago.
Very good. Much of day 1 will be spent plodding through the unlovely industrial suburbs of Vigo, but once you get to the top of the hills on the northeast side of town, there's an attractive view over the bay.
For anyone starting in Tui and going towards Porriño, highly recommend going the longer, “scenic” route over the shorter one at the first fork, as the shorter route is a very long stretch of road/industrial and factory zones…
Also, Restaurante Paso A Nivel in Porriño is delicious! Recommend the squid and octopus.
Also from Redondela to Pontevedra, at the fork there’s also a longer “scenic” route-take that one.
If you stay in Armenteria, message the host on WhatsApp to reserve (I believe the number is on the website that reviews the albergues), otherwise you won’t get a spot as they only take reservations!
Pontevedra to Armeteira is beautiful but it’s also a lot of uphill after Poio, be aware of that! The Buen Camino app is a great resource to make sure everything’s on the right track.
Hi I am planning to do the Tui to Santiago trail. In early October this year.I am a Hindu but want to take this time to understand the Christian faith. Do you have any recommendations for good guide or group to join. I’m alone on this trail
Ah, the Espiritual is lovely, have fun! I really enjoyed the town of Arcade, between Redondela and Pontevedra. It's charming, and there was a pretty strong Camino spirit, I felt. In Pontevedra, it's worth it to visit the Capela de Virxa Peregrina. There's an ice cream shop near it which has a stamp with a parrot. :p When you arrive in Padrón, after the boat ride, be sure to eat some Padrón peppers. Nom. In Teo, I stayed at [this hostel/hotel](https://www.paradadefrancos.com/) and it was one of the highlights - such good food!
Great advice - thank you!
curious how your camino was! am also looking at taking the spiritual variant (not sure whether to start in tui or vigo to hit 100km for the compostela), but also wondering if there will be less people taking the same route that I'll get to know at the alburgues versus taking the central route.
would like to know as well. :) this is the kind of route i wanted to take and a cousin told me to start in tui so i can actually start in portugal. i have very limited days as well so i wonder if starting in vigo was the right decision to get to santiago in 6 days instead of 7.. ? or is tui to santiago doable in 6?
Been camino! Let me know how it goes. I’ll be doing the same route as you as a first-timer.
In Armentiera, stay at the monastery if possible! It was comfortable and the garden was very pleasant. We also enjoyed going to the pilgrim blessing there in the evening. Not much in the way of breakfast there though (cookies and tea, basically). ETA: in Tui, go to the convent near the cathedral. The sisters are entirely cloistered but sell pastries and cookies (including fish-shaped ones!) through a turnstile
Thanks! I may opt to stay at the hostel and save €40, but the monastery is tempting! Think I'm changing my plan to begin in Vigo, which means I won't now be visiting Tui.
Make sure to book ahead. I thought the albergue was a public one (buen camino said public), but apparently they changed to private so when I got there everything was already reserved before they even opened the doors. Had to walk all the way to Villanova because of that, which ended up being a 47km day.
Have done so via WhatsApp - thank you! I'm in Pontevedra now and will be making the journey tomorrow! So far, Porrino to Redondela and Redondela to Pontevedra have been fine (and lovely) but I know this stretch will prove more arduous. Thanks again!
You will be climbing a bit tomorrow, but it's not too bad. Remember to take breaks and enjoy the views, because it really is beautiful. So is the descent the day after leading to Vilanova. Enjoy 🙂
So happy to see this post. This was (almost) the exact route I took a year ago, so it brings back great memories. Light rains and some steep climbs. Splurged at an amazing restaurant in Pontevedra (I think it was called Loaira). Played foosball at a cafe near Arminteira. Enjoyed the river as our companion on the way down from the monastery. Worshipped in awe and wonder all the way. I wish you the absolute best time. Everything felt wonderful, just enjoy every step, the sights, the feelings, the people. Buen camino
Thank you!
Porriño isn't the loveliest place in the world. It's mainly known for its huge industrial estate on the south side of town. So if you have the option of staying a few kilometres away, that might be an option to take. Both Redondela and Pontevedra, on the other hand, are attractive night-stops. The Seminario Menor is a very good place at which to conclude your pilgrimage, and they even have bare-bones private rooms (essentially, an upmarket monk's cell) at modest cost.
Thanks very much. I think I'm changing the plan, and beginning in Vigo instead. My schedule had no slack, and this route gains a day and allows me to spend two nights and a full day in Santiago.
Very good. Much of day 1 will be spent plodding through the unlovely industrial suburbs of Vigo, but once you get to the top of the hills on the northeast side of town, there's an attractive view over the bay.
For anyone starting in Tui and going towards Porriño, highly recommend going the longer, “scenic” route over the shorter one at the first fork, as the shorter route is a very long stretch of road/industrial and factory zones… Also, Restaurante Paso A Nivel in Porriño is delicious! Recommend the squid and octopus. Also from Redondela to Pontevedra, at the fork there’s also a longer “scenic” route-take that one. If you stay in Armenteria, message the host on WhatsApp to reserve (I believe the number is on the website that reviews the albergues), otherwise you won’t get a spot as they only take reservations! Pontevedra to Armeteira is beautiful but it’s also a lot of uphill after Poio, be aware of that! The Buen Camino app is a great resource to make sure everything’s on the right track.
Thanks for all this advice!
Hi I am planning to do the Tui to Santiago trail. In early October this year.I am a Hindu but want to take this time to understand the Christian faith. Do you have any recommendations for good guide or group to join. I’m alone on this trail