Picked by our team
Towns worth discovering along the Camino de Santiago, chosen by our team. Open one to see its history and sights, and where to stay.
43 towns on the Camino Portugués Central
View on the mapTui is the gateway to Galicia: crossing the bridge from Portugal, you enter a bishop's city whose cathedral of 1225 stands like a castle above the Miño. In 2025, 41,645 pilgrims began their last 118 kilometres to Santiago here. From now on you need two stamps a day, and the Way gets busier.
Caminho Português da CostaCamino Portugués CentralFor many, Vairão is the first night behind Porto, 25.4 kilometers after the cathedral: you sleep in a monastery whose oldest charter dates from 974 and where nuns lived until 1891. The albergue is big, cold and warm-hearted, and the village itself has little more than a shop. One evening is enough.
Camino Portugués CentralFátima: Caminho do NorteValença is your last evening in Portugal: a fortress town with twelve bastions high above the Minho, facing the cathedral of Tui. By day, linen shops and day-trippers fill the lanes; in the evening the walls belong to the pilgrims. Tomorrow you cross the bridge of 1886 into Spain and lose an hour.
Caminho Português da CostaCamino Portugués Central+1In Vila Franca de Xira the Ribatejo wears a red waistcoat: this is where the land of the campinos begins, the mounted bull herders, and in early July bulls run through the streets. After 41.3 kilometres from Lisbon, an afternoon is enough for the market, the pillory and the Tagus bank, and then it is 19.8 kilometres to Azambuja.
Camino Portugués CentralCaminho do TejoVila Nova da Barquinha is a port town without a port: in the 17th century it grew up around a landing place on the Tagus, and its name speaks of boats. The Camino only brushes past it. By boat you reach, upriver, the Templar castle of Almourol from 1171. For a break the town is enough; for the castle you need an afternoon.
Camino Portugués CentralCaminho do Médio Tejo – Rota de AbrantesVila Nova de Gaia is the other bank: the town opposite Porto was founded to take trade away from the bishop over there, and it still stores the port wine today. From here Wellington crossed the Douro in 1809, from here you walk over the Luís I bridge. It is still 2.4 kilometres to Porto.
Camino Portugués CentralFátima: Caminho do NorteVitorino dos Piães is the village where pilgrims split the 33 kilometres from Barcelos to Ponte de Lima, and it is famous for its table: at the Casa da Fernanda everyone eats together in the evening, with wine and guitar. There is little to see, but all the more to experience. Tomorrow morning it is still 11.7 kilometres to Ponte de Lima.
Camino Portugués CentralFátima: Caminho do NorteTop rated
The stays pilgrims rate highest right now, across every Camino.
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