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Today’s stage sees the end of the Portuguese section of the Camino Portugués and arriving in Tui (population 17,000) marks the halfway point for the Central Route towards Santiago de Compostela.

After yesterday’s challenge, you’ll be pleased to hear that Rubiães (population 500) to Tui is an easy stage. Although the Rubiães to Tui stage is a little longer than yesterday, it’s a pleasant walk through forests and woodlands, and it’s mostly downhill!

For many pilgrims, reaching Spain feels like a bit of a personal triumph. For me personally, this stage is one of my favorite days on the Central Camino.

With plenty of nature, culture, and history to enjoy, let’s look at what this exciting day has in store.

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Quick links:

• Central Route Overview
• Yesterday’s stage: coming soon
• Tomorrow’s stage: Tui to Redondela

Stage Overview

Experience Today’s Walk
☑ See your final Portuguese buildings in the architecturally rich Valença do Minho
☑ Taste your final Portuguese pastel de nata in Valença do Minho
☑ Hear your first Spanish words as you step onto Spanish soil
☑ Touch the cool stone walls of the Fortaleza de Valença do Minho
☑ Smell the fresh air of the River Minho beneath the International Bridge connecting Portugal and Spain

On Day 5 of the Central Route, the way takes you from the tiny town of Rubiães in Portugal to the medieval Spanish city of Tui.

For the first half of the day, you walk through the familiar scenery of the Portuguese countryside. When I walked this section, I got many a Bom Caminho! from farmers working in the fields or even walking their sheep.

Pretty soon, however, the path changes from paved roads into forest paths. You find yourself walking through an ocean of green until you reach the River Minho. On your way, you’ll see plenty of vineyards, pastures and orchards as well as several of the historic highlights such as bridges and churches that are so characteristic of the Central Route.

Although there is a small climb at the beginning of the day, it isn’t nearly as strenuous as the one to Alto da Portela Grande.

Finally, as you approach the mighty fortress walls of the Portuguese city of Valença do Minho (population 14,000), you can see the medieval Tui cathedral on the other side of the river valley.

Distance and Elevation*

Distance: 20.2 kilometers / 12.6 miles
Elevation gained: 389 meters / 1,276 feet
Elevation lost: 569 meters / 1,867 feet

*Distances are estimates. Learn why on our methodology page.

Map

Since the village of Rubiães doesn’t have a tourist office, today’s map starts at one of the better albergues in town. From the Ninho Albergue (also known as Pilgrim Nest), our starting point for the day, the map takes you through beautiful sections of forest to the medieval city of Tui in Spain.

After a short stage of only 19.5 km, you’ll end your day just meters away from the imposing cathedral of Santa Maria in the historic centre of the city.

Amenities

For a largely forested stage, amenities are more abundant than you’d expect. Most small towns have cafés and the many squares you’ll find make for great spots for a break with good weather.

On your way out of Rubiães, make sure you stop at Jaime António de Sousa. While it looks like a café from the outside, there’s actually a supermarket in the back. They have a pilgrim stamp as well as good coffee and the little supermarket is a great place to stock up!

If you want to wait for the next one, I recommend stopping at Café Castro across from the São Bento da Porta Aberta church. The coffee is average, but with decent food and a nice seating area, this is a great stop for a break.

What’s In Store

With less than 20 km of walking, today is one of the more relaxing days on the Camino Portugues.

The day is all about enjoying the last stretch in Portugal. So, take time to enjoy the coffee culture, the delicious Portuguese pastries, and all the other things that this half of the Camino has to offer. They will soon be a thing of the past!

Fortunately, this stage has more elevation loss than gain and most of the day will be spent walking downhill towards the valley of the River Minho. The gradual disappearance of those dreaded cobblestones will further add to the relaxed feel of the day.

Besides beautiful woodland areas, there are plenty of historic gems to enjoy on this section. From Roman roads and remains to the massive fortress walls of Valença do Minho, pilgrims who are also history buffs can look forward to an exciting day.

Morning: Leaving Rubiães

The trail out of Rubiães becomes charming almost immediately, and the ancient history of this area becomes apparent as you cross the Rio Coura on a Roman bridge, the Ponte Romana da Pedreira (also known as the Ponte Romana de Rubiães).

Soon after that, you’ll find yourself on the now familiar Via Romana XIX, the old Roman road dating back to the 1st century AD. You might even spot some of the remaining Roman Milestones that served as ancient distance markers.

Historical fun fact: The Romans used the passus or “double step” as a measuring unit, which is the distance between lifting your foot and when it touches the ground again. Although they’re called Roman Milestones, they’re actually slightly less than a modern mile apart.

The village of Rubiães is surrounded by agricultural lands and you’ll likely see livestock and people working in the fields. On our way out, we received many a Bom Caminho from friendly locals.

The first half of the day is spent walking on different paths that all more or less follow the busy EN201. As you make your way north, you walk on dirt paths, Roman as well as paved roads (and sadly for your knees), plenty of cobblestones.

Afternoon: Crossing the Minho River

Most of the day, however, you’ll find yourself walking on calm sections in the forest. Besides being beautiful, the oak and eucalyptus trees also provide some much-needed shade in summer.

As an added bonus, the Camino goes past lovely little surprises such as historic bridges or waterfalls, which make for an altogether very interesting day. The little signs indicating that you’re walking on roads that go back almost two thousand years add to the special character of the day.

On your way, notice the special kind of granaries called hórreos (raised granaries) that are only found in this part of Spain and Portugal.

When you get close to the fortress town of Valença do Minho, the trail quickly becomes very urban. After an unattractive but short section, you find yourself in the walled Portuguese city. It’s famous for its incredibly well-preserved fort, the Fortaleza de Valença do Minho. Notice the fort’s strategic star shape.

This town also has several Romanesque churches that go back to the 12th century. It’s one of the absolute highlights of the Central Route.

The way out of the walled city can be confusing but simply follow the yellow arrows through the fort to the Ponte Internacional (international bridge) and you’ll walk right into Tui.

Before you enter Spain, make sure you grab one final pastel de nata at Café Portugal!

Arriving in the Medieval Spanish City of Tui

Leaving Portugal is as simple as that, simply walk across the beautiful International Bridge. You won’t have to worry about all the cars as there’s a clear pedestrian walkway along the side.

After you walk across the bridge, you immediately have a choice. You can either follow the yellow arrows or go down to the water and follow the more scenic path next to the river until it merges with the Camino.

We didn’t hear about it in time to include it in our map but it is an easy alternative if you prefer the riverside over the busy town roads.

Take time to appreciate the entwined history of these two towns. Here’s a drawing of the Valença do Minho-Tui area from 1510:

Walking into Tui, it’s hard to overlook the magnificent Cathedral of Santa Maria (Catedral de Santa María de Tui). While the earliest parts of the building go back to the 12th century, there are Gothic elements that were added later. Regardless, taking the time to visit this awesome complex is a great way to start of your Spanish adventure!

Accommodation in Tui

Tui has a long history as a stopover for pilgrims coming from Porto or Lisbon and many pilgrims choose to start their Caminos here. It’s not surprising that there are plenty of pilgrim accommodations.

Personally, I consider the amazing albergue Ideas Peregrinas to be one of the best albergues on the entire Central Route. This place comes with a well-equipped kitchen, comfortable beds as well as several nice lounge areas and even a washing machine. The excellent coffee served in the café downstairs gives you a great start of your (first) day!

If you’re looking for a more historic stay then consider a night in the Albergue Convento de Camino. This accommodation in housed in an old monastery and it’s a cool introduction to pilgrim life. This place also comes with all the amenities that pilgrims need such as a kitchen, common rooms and a laundry service.

The Road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain

When you cross the border into Spain, you’ll quickly notice that the camino changes in a few important ways.

The most obvious one is the different timezones. If you’re like me and love seeing the sunrise on the trail, keep in mind that Portugal is one hour behind Spain.

One point that requires more adjustment on the side of pilgrims is the different habits surrounding dinner. In Spain, restaurants generally open their kitchens one hour later than they do in Portugal. When you arrive all hungry after a long day of walking, be prepared to exercise patience!

Finally, you’ll quickly feel that you’re getting closer to Santiago de Compostela. Soon you’ll start seeing Saint James everywhere on crosses, chapels and churches.

Extending or Shortening the Stage

It seems that most pilgrims end this walking day in Tui, and I think they’re right to do so. With such a beautiful city as your stop for the day, why extend it?

I have met people that started earlier and walked from Ponte de Lima to Tui in one day. Since this makes for a whopping 38km day, I don’t recommend this. There’s simply too much to enjoy on the way.

Short Stage: Valença do Minho

If you want to stay in Portugal for this night, the city of Valença do Minho is an excellent choice. Like Tui, it has plenty of places to stay and more than enough things to see. Consider staying in the excellent Albergue Bulwark.