Following the Footsteps of a Thousand Years of Pilgrims
Since the Middle Ages, millions of pilgrims have walked, ridden, and prayed their way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Today, we invite you to follow that ancient path in comfort - crossing the border at the medieval fortress of Valença, passing through the rolling hills of Galicia, and arriving at one of the most magnificent squares in Europe.
Begin your journey across the river border at Valença do Minho, one of Portugal's most remarkably preserved fortified towns. The Vauban-style ramparts rise dramatically from the banks of the Minho River, offering panoramic views of Spain just across the water. Wander the cobbled streets of the old town before crossing the iconic international bridge.
Cross the historic Eiffel-designed Ponte Internacional over the Minho River - the border between Portugal and Spain, between the familiar and the unknown. On the Spanish side, the town of Tui mirrors Valença across the river, its own cathedral and fortress walls completing a remarkable paired landscape that has marked the frontier for centuries.
Nothing prepares you for the first sight of the Santiago Cathedral from the Praza do Obradoiro. The soaring Baroque towers, added in the 18th century, seem to reach for the very heavens the pilgrims sought. This great square - flanked by the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos and the Pazo de Raxoi - has been the journey's end for pilgrims for over a thousand years.
Beneath the cathedral, Santiago's UNESCO-listed old town unfolds in a labyrinth of granite arcades, hidden plazas, and ancient market halls. Pause in the Praza das Praterías, discover the Romanesque Church of Santa María Salomé, or simply lose yourself in the streets where pilgrims, students, and locals have mingled since the 9th century.
The road to Santiago has been calling travellers for a thousand years - today, it calls you
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