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FRENCH WAY Classic by Bike FROM Porto

Cycle the traditional inland Portuguese Way from Porto to Santiago de Compostela staying in luxury guesthouses and 2 to 4* hotels and get your Compostela, the Certificate of Achievement of the Camino de Santiago.

Although the Portuguese Way is growing in popularity, 70% of pilgrims still choose the French Way. So, if you are looking for a bit more peace and quiet, wonderful accommodation, delicious seafood, stunning views, easier cycling stages with an average of 35 km per day, the proximity of the beach and the possibility to enjoy a thermal bath after a walking day this is the tour for you.

Only €1.800 per person sharing!

  • PORTUGUESE WAY Classic BY BIKE from Porto INCLUDES

    ⇰ En-suite accommodation in charming luxurious guest-houses & 2 to 4* hotels
    ⇰ An Ultreya Pilgrim Kit per person sent to your first hotel including an official Pilgrim Passport (Credential), luggage tags, a scallop shell, an extra light poncho, a bright bandana and other items to share between your room a vaseline / Aloe Vera / Camphor cream, a notebook and some Camino pins
    ⇰ A detailed John Brierley guidebook per room
    ⇰ Generous breakfast served at the hotel every day
    ⇰ Emergency support from our local team
    ⇰ All taxes and gratuities for the accommodation
    ⇰ Luggage Transfers from hotel to hotel (1 piece of luggage per person of up to 20 kg)
    ⇰ A training session with a local bike shop to learn how to use your bikes and make sure they are properly set up
    ⇰ Access to a network of certified repair garages and 24/7 road-side assistance
    ⇰ High quality MTB e-bike rental per person with a 500W battery with 80 km autonomy. Delivered with all the necessary equipment: rear pannier packs, rental helmet, gel saddle cover pad, tool kit, safety retro-reflectors and a bicycle lock
    ⇰ Only hotels easily accessible with your bike from the Camino and who offer a secured place to keep the bike overnight

    price & dates

    Can be organized on request for any number of participants on the dates of your choice - subject to availability and price fluctuations.

    €1.800 per person

    • Single Supplement: + €400 per room
    • Add dinner: + €30 per night per person
    • Extra piece of luggage: +€30 per day per item, €70 to send to Santiago
    • Extra night in Santiago: + €160 per room (dinner not included)
    • Extra night in the 5* Parador of Santiago: from + €300 per room (dinner not included - upgrade from + €160)

    It is also possible to shorten the distances, skip or add a section or only cycle the small section of your choice, ask us for a personalized quote including extra activities, travel insurance, stop-overs and day tours.

    •   fact file

      Accommodation  Luxurious Manors & 2 to 4* Hotels
      Singularity  Cycling trip
      Total Cycling Distance  251 km
      Duration  9 days / 8 nights
      Starts  Porto
      Stops  Vila do Conde, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Tui, Soutoxuste, Caldas de Rei
      Ends  Santiago de Compostela

    • highlights

      Cycle the minimum 200 km to get your Compostela
      Cycle the Camino in two countries and escape the crowds by choosing a secondary route
      Travel on high quality e-bikes with 1 GPS per group
      Enjoy incredible views, beaches and Medieval towns like Valença do Minho

Looking for something different? You can also cycle the Full French Way in 19 days starting from Pamplona or walk this same itinerary from Porto or Tui self-guided staying in 2 to 4* hotels.

what to expect on this tour?

Expect to have a wonderful time and to experience the best of the Portuguese Way from Porto on a high quality electric bike! We designed this tour around personal experiences of the Camino, client feedback and recommendations so your group can have the best experience possible along the Way.

Note: The stops, activities and distances detailed in the tour itinerary are subject to accommodation availability. Ask us for a final itinerary based on your dates and requirements! We will happily customize this itinerary by adapting the number of days and the distances to your specific interests and needs! Learn more about our Services here.

A real Cycling Adventure self-guided

Cycling is a relatively new way to undertake the Camino de Santiago and is an excellent choice for those who want to experience as much of the Way as they can in a shorter time frame. By cycling the last 251 km of the Portuguese Way into Santiago de Compostela, you will be eligible to receive your Compostela, the Certificate of Achievement of the Camino de Santiago.

This tour includes 7 cycling days along the Portuguese Way and only moderate levels of fitness are required as a electronic bike is included (which you will find very useful as this Camino is always slightly uphill).

Click here read the full specs of the bicycles we use and for more about our cycling partners.

SLEEP IN CHARMING LUXURIOUS GUEST-HOUSES & 2 TO 4* HISTORICAL HOTELS

We take particular pride in the quality of our accommodation. We regularly visit and rate all our providers to ensure your group only stays in the best accommodation along the Way according to your budget and needs.

On this tour, you will sleep in charming luxurious guest-houses near the Camino (you should be able to access the houses yourself directly on the bike) & 2 to 4* historical hotels in town centers. But please note, that, due to the increasing popularity of the French Way, our favorite hotels might already be fully booked on your dates so we will be reliant on availability. In this case, we will try our best to find the best accommodation available which provide a welcoming, safe and authentic experience.

Everyday, as you change accommodation, you will find your suitcase, left with your hotel receptionist in the morning, will travel with you to the next accommodation and you will have different facilities to enjoy including swimming pools, spas, huge gardens...

Eat fresh, delicious & traditional meals

This tour does not usually include dinners as you will be staying in larger cities each night, but if included in your itinerary, every night you will be dining either in your hotel or in a restaurant nearby, whichever offer the best quality meals according to your specifications.

Expect mouth-watering dinners made out with fresh, local ingredients in each one of the regions you will visit. Northern Portugal gastronomy and wines are starting to gain International recognition and their unique culinary style and produce has been attracting appraisal from some of the best culinary critics. Galicia is also proud to have a few Michelin star restaurants and is known all over Spain for the quality of our products and our cooks' skills.

Lunch is usually not included in any of our tours to allow you to stop whenever you feel you need a break and to enjoy quality time with the new friends you will make along the Way.

We cater for vegetarians, vegans and any special dietary requirements or allergies. Just let us know beforehand so we can advise the chefs.

Add extra days or activities for an unforgettable adventure

Why not take advantage of the fact you are in the Iberian peninsula to do some tourism and visit Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona or any Spanish city on your bucket list? The closest International airport to the start of your Camino is Oporto and your departure airport should be Santiago de Compostela. So, why not book a couple nights extra in Porto or a few nights in Lisbon, Faro, Lagos?

We can help you choose and book those extra nights before or after your tour and organize day tours around Galicia (Cies Islands, Finisterre, Oporto... ), extra activities during the tour (wine-tasting, guided tours of the rooftop of the Cathedral of Santiago... ). Check out our selection of Day Tours in Galicia and European Stop-Overs or let your imagination run wild and let us know let us know how you would like to make this tour unique.

PORTUGUESE WAY CLASSIC BY BIKE FROM PORTO TO SANTIAGO DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

This 8 nights route follows the last 251 km of the Camino Portugués - Portuguese Way from Porto to Santiago de Compostela.

Map of the 251 km of the Portuguese Way from Porto to Santiago

DAY 1 - MAKING your WAY TO Porto

Make your way to the historic center of Oporto where you will spend the night in a historic hotels just by the harbor. Try to make your way to Porto early or add an extra night as you will need to attend a short meeting in a local bike shop who will show you how the e-bikes work, how to charge them, clean the chains and ensure the bikes are at your size.

After picking up your ebikes, spend a couple hours discovering the city center: the iconic train station, Galerias Paris, the Lello library and the Old Market and maybe visit a bodega in Gaia on the other side of the river, before watching sunset on the bridge from the harbor and enjoying dinner in Rua das Flores.

DAY 2 - 34 km - CYCLE FROM PORTO TO VILA DO CONDE

Finally today, you will be starting your journey on the Camino de Santiago, check your bikes and make sure they are properly adjusted to your size before cycling out of Porto. As the exit of Porto through the traditional inland route is not so pleasant you will be following the Portuguese Coastline North to the town of Vila do Conde before cycling 7 km tomorrow on country roads to get back to Arcos.

Leave directly from your hotel by the harbor and cycle by the river Douro following the old tramway tracks towards a beautiful lighthouse on the Ocean. You will then cycle on boardwalks all the way to a large obelisk where a great battle for the throne took place 190 years ago. Continue your journey along beautiful beaches and seaside towns for another 15km to your destination for the night a hotel in the center of the City of Vila do Conde, one of the oldest settlements in northern Portugal dating back to the Bronze Age and Neolithic periods.

DAY 3 - 30 KM - CYCLE FROM Vila do Conde TO BARCELOS

Today, you need to get back to the interior route. For this follow the GPS we provided and within 30min you will be in Arcos. The next 11km section will be through delightful woodlands paths and quiet country lanes screened by eucalyptus and pine woods until Pedra Furada. Here, you will have two choices: following the traditional route or making a detour through woodland around the slopes of Monte Franquiera (+140m) with an opportunity to visit the 18th century Chapel of Santa da Franqueira, Roman Castrum and a prehistoric settlement. The second option is tougher but you have time and we believe it is worth the extra kilometers.

Your destination for the night is a lovely guest-house just before the bridge entering Barcelos, a small town known for its pottery and the most widely-recognized symbol of Portugal - the Barcelos Cockerel. Barcelos is also famous for its weekly artisan and food market (one of the largest in Europe). It takes place on Thursday mornings so if you are interested, try planning to arrive in Barcelos early on a Thursday or leaving for Balugães on a Thursday after visiting the market.

DAY 4 - 34 KM - CYCLE FROM BARCELOS TO PONTE DE LIMA

Today, you will be walking what is considered to be the most beautiful stage of the Portuguese Way and you will need the help of your motors. You will start, again, directly from your hotel in Barcelos and cycle above the small hill (+170 m) separating the river valleys of Cavado and Neiva through vineyards and woodlands. There will be another small climb to Portela (+160 m) then downhill all the way into Ponte de Lima, where you will be staying in a beautiful guest-house in the Historic Center. Ponte de Lima is known for being the oldest village in Portugal and which served as a Roman settlement 2500 years ago on the road from Braga to Santiago de Compostela and Lugo.

The region is famous for its unique Vinho Verde, a very refreshing and slightly sparkling young wine typical from Northern Portugal. The two most successful white wine varieties are Alvarinho and Loureiro. Alvarinho tends to produce low yields and can reach much higher alcohol levels. Loureiro produces higher yields but very aromatic wines. It seems the Roman in 870 AD were already fund of this unique wine, so make sure you try at least one glass before leaving Portugal tomorrow.

DAY 5 - 37 KM - CYCLE FROM PONTE DE LIMA TO TUI

Today, you will be cycling a glorious section far away from any type of civilization. It will also be the biggest climb of your journey, as you will be going uphill for about 5 km on mountain paths, so be well prepared and enjoy some of the most beautiful views there is on any Camino.

Follow the Roman Military Road by the Labruja River to Codeçal through eucalyptus forests by two waterfalls and up to Alto da Portela Grande de Labruja at 400 m of altitude where you will enjoy breathtaking views. Facilities along the way will be limited but there will be shelter and a number of drinking fountains available along the way.

Once you arrived in Rubiaes, where you should visit the 12th-century Romanesque Church of São Pedro de Rubiães. From Cossourado, the Camino bring go downhill towards the Minho Valley and into the must-see 13th century fortress of Valença do Minho. The walls and ramparts of this fortress dominating the riverside and speak volumes about erstwhile neighborly disagreements between Portugal and Spain. After a short visit, take the bridge and cross the border into Spain. You will be walking into the City of Tui where you will be staying in a 3* hotel in the town center.

DAY 6 - 35 KM - CYCLE FROM Tui TO Soutoxuste

The Camino today is mostly downhill all the way to O Porriño. This area has been occupied since the Lower Paleolithic and has been a strategic defense point since the 6th century. So, before you leave, take your time to marvel at the old town architecture and visit the Cathedral to get your first Camino stamp. The first kilometers will be exiting Tui through an old village. Half way to O Porriño, make sure you follow the new “Camino Natural” signs which will bring you through forests and joins a pretty riverbank, instead of the old alternative route that goes through an industrial area (even if recommended by locals).

As you continue your adventure slightly uphill through peaceful forest paths, you will pass by some of the most interesting examples of Galician architecture: the church of Santa Eulalia del Monte and the Pazo de los Marquess in the parish of Mos (which you will remember for its huge incline - use your motor). Enjoy on your left, beautiful views onto the City of Vigo, its bay, the Rías Baias and the Cies Islands (known for having some of the best beaches in the world).

After a few hours ride, you will reach Redondela. If you still have time and energy, cycle along the boardwalk to see the end of one of the Rías Baixas. Your hotel for the night is another 3 km along the Camino de Santiago and has stunning views onto the Ría de Vigo and the Island of San Simon.

DAY 7 - 35 KM - CYCLE FROM Soutoxuste to CALDAS DE REI

We start the day going uphill by the coast with stunning views over the Vigo Bay before cycling downhill through peaceful oak forests. Early today, you will pass the infamous bridge of Ponte Sampaio, where during the War of Independence, Napoleon’s army suffered one of its greatest defeats and cross several quaint medieval villages.

Half-way, you will pass one of the largest cities of your journey, the Roman built city of Pontevedra, which has been dedicated to the Virgen Peregrina (the Pilgrim Virgin). We recommend attaching your ebikes and having lunch here in the city center before discovering the well-preserved old quarter of Pontevedra, most of which has been pedestrianized, and visiting the Santa María la Mayor Basilica, a jewel of Gothic-Renaissance architecture, and La Virgen Peregrina Church, a chapel with a scallop-shaped floor plan and beautiful night lighting.

After visiting Pontevedra continue your journey through vineyards, small rural hermitage, chestnut groves and eucalyptus forests. About 8 km before Caldas de Reis, your destination for the day, make a 500m detour to see Muiñada De Barosa, a beautiful natural enclave with waterfalls and a lovely restaurant.

Your hotel tonight is right in the town center by the river and near the roman baths. To reward you for cycling so far, tonight, you will get a complimentary thermal bath in the hotel spa (don’t forget your swimsuit and cap).

DAY 8 - 38 km - CYCLE FROM Caldas de rei to santiago de compostela!

This is it! Only 38 kilometers separate you from your goal: the resting place of the Apostle Saint James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The Camino enters the beautiful Bermaña Valley and its centennial forests towards the emblematic town of Padrón, where according to legends, the stone boat containing the remains of the Apostle moored. Padrón is also famous for their mild green peppers that are sold all over Spain as Pimentos de Padrón and for it’s Sunday Market.

The Camino will then bring you through charming villages and hamlets as well as the Baroque sanctuary of A Esclavitude. You will get to cycle by the mysterious, abandoned ruins on the hill-fort of Castro Lupario, of the castle A Rocha Vella and the Chapel of San Martiño were one of the most ancient Cruceiros of Galicia stands. Then, finally, from the hills of Agro dos Monteiros, you will get our first glimpse of Santiago de Compostela and start walking into the city of the Apostle.

As you enter the town a couple routes are offered to you, we recommend following the River Sarela instead of entering through the new town. Soon enough you will reach the Plaza del Obradoiro, where the Cathedral will present itself to you, majestic and beautiful. Stop here for a while and breath in this moment, do whatever feels right.

You still have a few things to do today, after you check-in at your hotel just a couple minutes walk away - return the ebikes to our provider in the city center, get your pilgrim certificate, attend Pilgrim Mass & marvel at the architecture of our beloved City.

DAY 9 - START OF YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

A wise pilgrim once told us “the real Camino starts where the Camino de Santiago finishes but I will not be afraid because the Camino will always be there for me.”

We hope the Camino by bike has brought you whatever you were looking for and wish to see you again soon!

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Step 1   After you have filled in our inquiry form and clicked 'Submit', a Camino Planner will get back to you with a personalized quote within 24h or contact you over the phone for further details

Step 2   Once you are satisfied with the Terms & Conditions of your tour, we will invoice you for a non-refundable 50% deposit of the total price to process the booking - we currently offer two modes of payment: bank transfers & credit card payments via a secured page of our website (we will add an extra 1,50% if paying with American Express - VISA & MasterCard free).

Step 3   Ultreya Tours Reservations Team will start booking your accommodation, meals, activities, guides and other services immediately after receiving the initial deposit and send you your hotel vouchers as soon as they are ready

Step 4   30 days before the departure, we will request the 50% remaining deposit and we will send your pilgrim kits directly to your first hotel along with printed versions of your vouchers, your scallop shells and guidebook

To make sure we constantly meet your expectations, we will regularly follow up with you and keep you updated throughout the whole process and until you come back home.

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