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With about 33km of walking, the stage from Tui to Redondela is a long one. However, the pleasant sections of walking along rivers and streams can make for a nice and varied day.
Now that you’re in Spain, the landscape changes quite dramatically. You’ll notice that the path becomes much hillier and the whole stage feels more remote than those in Portugal.
Despite walking in Spain, today is still part of the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino. At the town of Redondela, the Central Route merges with the Coastal Route, and you’ll share the final stages with all the other pilgrims.
Since you’re starting the last 100 km to Santiago de Compostela, remember to collect two stamps a day from here on! Let’s see what’s in store for this stage of the Central Route.
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Quick links:
- Central Route Overview
- Yesterday’s stage: Rubiães To Tui
- Tomorrow’s stage: Redondela to Pontevedra
Stage Overview
Experience Today’s Walk
☑ See historic stone crosses hiding between trees in the forest
☑ Taste empanadas from a bakery in O Porriño
☑ Hear the rush of the Louro River
☑ Feel the centuries-old bridges beneath your feet
☑ Smell eucalyptus leaves that fill the Galician forests
The day starts with a lovely stretch of walking through some wooded areas. Throughout the day, you follow the River Louro on a combination of paved roads and dirt paths.
After you walk past Mos, there’s a bit of a climb before the final descent into Redondela. If you started in Tui, this stage is a great introduction to the Camino de Santiago.
On your way, you’ll come across several conflicting arrows that indicate alternative routes. They will either go around boring sections or avoid difficult stretches on the trail. I highly recommend you take them whenever they show up.
Bert-Jan walking in the dark in the early morning on the Portuguese Camino leaving Tui 
Sunrise and fog over the trees on the Camino Portugués leaving Tui 
Bert-Jan looking up at the pastel sunrise leaving Tui on the Camino Portugués 
Historic cross along the Camino Portugués outside of Tui next to the Ponte das Febres 
Sunrise over a frost-covered field on the Camino Portugués 
100 kilometer marker in O Porriño on the Camino Portugués 
100 kilometer marker in O Porriño on the Camino Portugués 
Pilgrim lane on the road in O Porriño 
Camino marker and pilgrim mural in Mos 
Saint James cross and scallop shell 
Frost-covered field over vineyards outside of Tui 
Frost-covered field over vineyards outside of Tui 
Conflicting Camino markers and map on the edge of Orbenlle 
The Old Pilgrim Mural on the Camino Portugués in Orbenlle 
Bert-Jan walking across the historic Ponte da Magdalena across the Arga River 
Bert-Jan walking across the historic Ponte da Magdalena across the Arga River 
Bert-Jan walking on the Camino Portuguese looking at the sunrise over the forest 
The historic Ponte da Magdalena across the Arga River 
Bert-Jan walking on the road in Tui towards the sunrise 
Kayla walking in the dark wearing a headlamp 
Pilgrim statue in front of the medieval Ponte da Veiga 
The Igrexa de San Bartolomeu de Rebordáns in Tui
Distance and Elevation*
Distance: 31.8 kilometers / 19.8 miles
Elevation gained: 520 meters / 1,706 feet
Elevation lost: 565 meters / 1,854 feet
*Distances are estimates. Learn why on our methodology page.
Map
The distance between Tui and Pontevedra can be broken up into two days. There are several ways to break up the long stretch. Most new pilgrims start with an easy day and just walk until the village Mos. However, that leaves you with a long and challenging next day.
The day after Mos, there are three hills to climb between Tui and Pontevedra. Rather than climbing them all in one day, I recommend including one of them in today’s stage, which breaks them up nicely.
Why is our stage so long? While walking each of the routes, we asked pilgrims: Why did you choose this route? Pilgrims often told us that they chose the Central Route because they were limited on time.
Our map reflects this with longer stages. We also feel that this stage’s walk has enough variation to help you forget the kilometers.
The map starts at the tourism office in Tui and ends at the famous train viaduct in the center of Redondela.
Amenities on the Stage
There are plenty of amenities in the first half of the day. Tui (population 17,000) has loads of bakeries, cafes, and supermarkets where you can get any supplies you may need for the day.
For the second half of the day, places become a little more scarce, especially if you decide to follow the path along the river after the small town of Orbenlle.
Around the halfway point, you walk into O Porriño (population 20,000). Here you’ll find a large supermarket directly on the Camino. Across the street, you can find the Urban Café, which is a great spot for lunch and some well-deserved rest.
Amenities will feel a little different if you started your journey in Portugal. Not only are things a little more expensive, you’ll also find that Spain has its own version of “café culture.” Many cups of coffee come with complimentary snacks!
What’s in Store
After crossing the border into Spain, you’ll find that there’s a difference between walking in the Portuguese and Spanish countryside.
Apart from feeling more remote, the last few stages in Spain also feel much more connected to the pilgrimage. All of a sudden, you’ll see images of Saint James’ imagery on the outside of more churches, chapels, homes, and buildings.
Overall, the past feels more alive on this stage. Churches are significantly older than they were in Portugal and the ancient stone crosses that often line the road become more prominent.
There are a few sections on sometimes busy car roads, but I found that there’s a generous shoulder every time. Sometimes there’s even a designated pilgrim/pedestrian lane. Most of the day is spent walking on forest trails that follow the Louro River, and there’s a bit of a climb near the end.
Morning: Leaving Tui
Following the yellow arrows out of Tui, it’s not hard to see why it’s considered a highlight on the Central Route of the Portuguese Way. Besides the imposing cathedral, you’ll walk past plenty of monasteries and churches that all date back to medieval times.
Normally, leaving a big city feels more stressful since you have to pay much more attention to finding the Camino signs than you would in the countryside. However, the Camino de Santiago is very well marked in Tui, so you won’t have any problems finding your way even when you leave before sunrise.
After leaving the city, you’ll quickly see the first of several medieval bridges at Ponte da Veiga. Instead of crossing here, the trail goes into the woods. Don’t worry, there are plenty of Roman and medieval bridges ahead!
Afternoon: Through Forests to the town of O Porriño
For most of the day, you walk through woodland areas and forests in a landscape that feels ancient. Trees are covered in moss, the Roman mile markers and the Via Romana XIX are clearly historic, and even the many little walls you walk past all have a weathered look.
Historical fun fact: Via Romana XIX (also called Via XIX) is a section of a Roman road built during the time of Emperor Augustus in the 1st century BCE. It stretches 299 Roman miles, which equates to roughly 443 kilometers and 275 miles.
At the small town of Orbenlle, shortly after the pilgrim mural, you’re faced with a choice. The two yellow arrows point in different directions, but fortunately, there’s a sign that explains the difference.
Taking the left turn lets you avoid the industrial part of O Porriño. This takes you on a nice path along a small river and only adds just over one kilometer to your walk.
Although amenities are fewer here, you will walk past the lovely Café San Campio about halfway through this section.
After about 23 km, you arrive at the small town of Mos. Although small, this little place is super charming and makes a great rest stop before you start the climb that marks the end of the day.
In this part, I found the waymarkers to be harder to spot, so keep your GPS tracks handy for this section!
Arriving in Redondela
Once you reach the top of the hill, it’s only a few more kilometers to the final destination for today, the town of Redondela (population 29,000).
First however, there’s the shockingly steep descent into Redondela. When I was walking there, I was truly shocked by how incredibly steep of an incline this was! If you can muster the courage to look up, you are rewarded with very nice views of Redondela as well as the Vigo estuary in the distance.
From here on, it’s just a few more kilometers until you reach town. Soon, the streets become paved, traffic picks up and you’re surrounded by the noise of the city. Just keep your head down and think of the shower and bed that’s waiting for you.
Walking through the outskirts of town isn’t super exciting but you can be encouraged knowing that this long day is soon coming to an end.
Accommodation in Redondela
As the point where the Camino Routes meet, Redondela is a major destination on the Portuguese Camino. There are several great options available to find a bed for the night.
Budget pilgrims will have a bit of a harder time in Redondela. I found that the super-cheap donativos are hard to find here. For a budget option, consider staying at a hostel or albergue such as the excellent A Dársena do Francés that has its own kitchen. Redondela has plenty of supermarkets and cooking your own dinner is a great way to save money.
After today’s long stage, you may feel like you deserve a little more than just a bunkbed. For those looking for a bit more luxury, consider the Amarisma Hotel. Here you’ll find quality rooms with comfy beds.
Extending or Shortening the Stage
Walking from Tui to Redondela is a big day. For most pilgrims who started in Tui, it’s too early in their trip to walk a stage this long.
If you want to shorten your stage, you’re in luck. The closer you get to Santiago de Compostela, the easier it is to find a place for the night!
Shorter Stage: O Porriño
If you prefer to break the stretch to Pontevedra up in three stages or save the hills for a later stage, then calling it a day at O Porriño is an okay option.
Besides Tui, O Porriño is a popular starting point for the Central Camino. Since it’s just over 100 km from Santiago, you still qualify for your Compostela if you start here.
It comes as no suprise then that there are plenty of municipal albergues or private albergues such as the Albergue de Peregrinos de O Porriño available for pilgrims. As an added benefit, O Porriño has some good supermarkets where you can resupply and find ingredients to cook your own meal.
Shorter Stage: Mos
If this is your first day, I highly recommend shortening this stage. The distance from Mos to Pontevedra is over 30 km and the stage includes three steep climbs.
Despite being such a small town, there are a few options for finding a bed. You can stay at Albergue de Peregrinos Santa Baia de Mos, the local albergue. If you’re looking to find a bit more comfort, consider the Pazo de Mos.
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