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The third to last stage of the Camino Portugués takes you from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis. Even though it’s a relatively short stage, this is when the excitement of finally reaching Santiago de Compostela starts to build!
After today’s walk, reaching the hot springs at Caldas de Reis is a joy. After a day’s walk, the feeling of dipping your feet in the thermal waters of the public fountain (fuente termal) is one of the smaller highlights of the Camino Portuguese.
It’s also a great story to tell back home!
With Santiago de Compostela coming ever closer, it’s really time to think about your final days on the Camino and, more importantly, your final day. Do you want to have a full walk day into Santiago or extend today’s stage in order to gain a shorter walk on your last day?
There are many options available to you, so let’s look at today’s stage!
Save it for later! ↓
Quick links:
- Central Route Overview
- Yesterday’s stage: coming soon
- Tomorrow’s stage: Caldas De Reis to Padrón
Have a question? Leave a comment at the bottom and I’ll reply right away 🙂
Stage Overview
Experience Today’s Walk
☑ See Saint James on the facade of the Church of the Pilgrim Virgin in Pontevedra’s historic center
☑ Taste scallops for dinner at Meson Bermaña in Caldas de Reis
☑ Hear the thunder of the waterfalls at the Parque Natural Ria Barosa
☑ Touch the hot water of the fuente termal in Caldas de Reis
☑ Smell fresh baked goods being served in the center square of Caldas de Reis
The walk from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis takes you through all the familiar sights of the countryside in Spain: small villages, green fields and forests and beautiful churches and chapels.
On your way, you set foot on the Roman road Via Romana XIX as well as dirt tracks and occasional paved roads. Your feet will be glad to hear that there are no cobblestones to speak of on this stretch.
More than any other day on the Camino Portugués, today is a day of decisions. Will you do the Spiritual Variant or continue walking the Central Route? What about those waterfalls that are slightly off the Camino?
Statistics
Distance: 20.8 kilometers / 12.9 miles
Elevation gained: 527 meters / 1,729 feet
Elevation lost: 514 meters / 1,690 feet
Map
Our map starts at the Pontevedra sign, near the entrance of town and goes stops at the hot springs in the heart of Caldas de Reis.
Shortly after leaving Pontevedra, the Camino reaches the point where you can go on the Variante Espiritual. If you decide to follow the Central Route, the route continues past the beautiful church of Santa María de Alba at San Caetano and eventually to Caldas de Reis.
On our map, we didn’t mark this point but there are so many signs that it’s hard to miss.
Amenities
For the first part of the path, amenities are plenty. With a big supermarket and loads of little bakeries and cafes, Pontevedra has everything you need to prepare yourself for today’s stage.
Keep in mind though that the coffee culture of Portugal is thing of the past and there’s no guarantee that any of them will be open early in the morning.
For the rest of the day, amenities become less frequent. One of the only open cafes that I saw is café Meson Don Pulpo at Barro. Don’t skip this one!
Although Google Maps suggests that there are other amenities, all of them were closed. While you might also find places for lunch or coffee, today is all about stopping at cafes when they’re available. Who knows, it could be a while before you see the next!
What’s in Store?
For the first part of the day, you find yourself walking on paths through forest stretches between the Río de Gándara on one side and railroad tracks on the other. Eventually, you cross the tracks and start the only climb for today.
While the ascent looks intimidating in the altitude profile, it’s nothing you haven’t done already in past stages. After a short climb, the Camino reaches the small town of San Amaro, which marks the end of the ascent. From here, it’s mainly downhill on a nice combination of forest paths and country roads.
Although you’ll see the N550 occasionally, you won’t spend a lot of time on it. When you do have to walk on car roads, you often find a spacious shoulder or even a designated pedestrian lane.
Besides your time in Pontevedra, today’s stage feels surprisingly rural. Most of today is spent in forest-y stretches with the odd small town and patch of marshland providing a nice break.
Morning: Leaving Pontevedra
Today starts a dreamy walk out of Pontevedra on the Ponte de Burgo across the Lérez river. Although it’s a medieval bridge, its foundations go back to the time of the Roman Empire! Take a moment to appreciate the decorative scallop shells on the side of the bridge. You’re truly in Saint James country now!
Before you leave town, make sure you admire the large Convento de San Francisco and collect your stamp at the Iglesia de la Virgen Peregrina (Church of the Pilgrim Virgin). Pontevedra was a major stopping point for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, and there are signs everywhere that point to this rich history.
After crossing the bridge, you very quickly find yourself in the forests and fields of the Galician countryside. Soon you’ll also see traces of the ancient origins of this stage. Soon you’ll find yourself on the Via Romana again, and you’ll see old miliarios, distance markers that go back to the Roman Empire.
Afternoon: San Amaro and Beyond
After you reach the top of the only climb of the day, you arrive in the town of San Amaro. Here you’ll find the first café after you leave Pontevedra with excellent food and coffee.
The landscape in this section is old, and people have been living here for a long time.
Historical fun fact: On this stretch, keep an eye out for tiny hills in the forest. These are mámoas and are collective tombs that go back thousands of years to the Bronze Age.
In these final stages, the Portuguese Way begins to feel more and more like a true pilgrimage. Along the road you’ll see many stone crosses that now have Jesus as well as Saint James on them and there are now churches and chapels dedicated to the saint. What was once a just walk, now feels like a lot more.
As you walk through the fields and vineyards, keep an eye out for traces of pilgrims of the past. You’ll walk past many plaques and signs that contain information about landmarks and they are worth reading. They often explain how pilgrims used to rest, eat, or even stay at these places, and you’ll find this information adds a real depth to your Camino.
Special option: Waterfalls
A few kilometers after you pass the church of San Mamede da Portela (in the town of the same name), you have the option of leaving the trail for a moment and visiting the Parque Natural Ria Barosa.
In this park which is only 500m from the N550, you can see a nice section of waterfalls (cascadas). Although several signs point to some of the hiking trails in the surrounding hills, you can visit and see the waterfall without adding a lot to your stage.
As an added bonus, the amazing café next to the waterfalls is a great stop for lunch. The food is good and they have some interesting local options. Given the scarcity of amenities on this section of the Camino Portugues, I highly recommend stopping here.
Arriving in Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis is known for its hot springs, and their healing properties were already known in the ancient world. In the days of the Roman Empire, Caldas de Reis appears in written sources, and it is even listed as being on the Via Romana XIX.
Walking into town, you get to see some of this ancient heritage. There is the old Roman bridge and a beautiful medieval church in the center of town. The cathedral is the only one in the whole country dedicated to Thomas Becket, the famous British martyr and saint.
On top of all of this, of course, are the famous hot springs. Their healing properties have been well-known for centuries, and to this day, pilgrims still find relief in the thermal waters of Caldas de Reis.
You have two options: either soak your feet in the public fountain of Burgas or go for a more historic experience by visiting the former public laundry area for a more communal experience. Finally, you can do what the Romans did and enjoy a full spa treatment at one of several balnearios (spas).
The Variante Espiritual
When you walk the stage from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis, you have to decide whether or not to walk the Spiritual Variant.
The Variante Espiritual follows the journey made by the remains of Saint James as they were transported to Santiago de Compostela. Walking this route is a popular alternate route for many pilgrims looking for a deeper connection with the legends surrounding Saint James.
At a length of just over 75 km, the Variant adds three stages to your Camino. Many pilgrims consider the stages of the Spiritual Route to be some of the most beautiful as well as the most challenging on the entire Portuguese Camino.
Start: 3 Kilometers After Pontevedra
The Variante Espiritual starts in Pontevedra, and for the first hour or so, you walk the normal Camino. However, the route splits off 3 km after leaving town.
While it doesn’t appear on our map, there’s a big sign pointing you in the right direction. It’s incredibly hard to miss, especially when it’s coming.
Since Kayla and I set out to do the Coastal Route, we didn’t mark it on our map.
End: Pontecesures 2.5 kilometers before Padrón
The last day on the Variante Espiritual once again presents you with a choice. You can either walk the whole stage or take a boat ride to Pontecesures and only walk the last two kilometers.
The boat ride is part of the legend of Saint James, as his remains are said to have been transported by boat to the town of Padrón.
No matter how you choose to handle this section, you’re in for some beautiful scenery!
Accommodations in Caldas de Reis
When you walk into town, there are several albergue and hotel options available to the weary pilgrim. Staying near the historic center means you have access to its many excellent restaurants.
For anyone looking for a communal experience, consider the amazing Albergue Albor. This albergue has a large kitchen and even invented its own shoe dryer! On top of all of this, you get an amazing stamp here for your credentials. Highly recommended!
The center of Caldas de Reis is also rich in accommodations that come with a bit more luxury. For pilgrims looking for a bit more comfort, consider the Hotel Roquiño. With excellent rooms available for very reasonable prices, this place is only a few meters off the Camino.
Extending the Stage
The closer you get to the city of Santiago de Compostela, the easier it is to find accommodation. You’ll find many albergues in the smaller towns, which gives you a bit more flexibility when planning your final days on the Camino Portugués.
Extension: Valga
About 9 km north of Caldas de Reis is the small town of Valga. Here you can find the Albergue de peregrinos de O Pino, a charming albergue that is a great option if you want to shorten your walk into Santiago.
