Saint James Way Small Group Walking Tour (The Camino)- Spain

Upon arrival in Bilbao we will come to the hotel individually. We will enjoy a welcome dinner in Bilbao.

We will spend the day discovering this lively city, which was a centre of the Spanish industrial revolution in the 19th century. It rose out of post industrial decay by repositioning itself as a cultural hub with the stunning Guggenheim Museum at its heart.

From the hustle and bustle of Bilbao we move on to the sleepy town of Yesa, a place forgotten by time. We will have the perfect introduction to a pilgrim's life overnight in a convent. In the evening we might witness the Monks rehearse in choir, before dinning at the hotel as a group.

Today we will visit the monuments of San Juan de la Pena, where, according to legend, the holy grail was once kept hidden. For today's walk we head out from the Old Monastery to the Balcon de Pirineos (roughly one hour) across an impressive landscape, with a picnic provided along the way. We continue to Pamplon and will have dinner at the hotel.

In the morning this small group walking tour enjoys a city tour in Pamplona, visiting the magnificent Cathedral and the world famous bull run. In the afternoon we walk a trail made famous by Ernest Hemingway. We will end the day's activities with a visit to the convent of Roncesvalles, and a potential walk to Burguete. We then return to the hotel for a meal and wine.

Today we will visit the octagonal Church of Eunate, built by the Templars, before crossing the ancient pilgrims' bridge Puente de la Reina. From here, we walk to Maneru (roughly 5kms, taking around an hour). We stop for a picnic lunch, and then transfer by coach to Laguardia. Pilgrims and wine go together, so later this afternoon, we enjoy a wine tasting at a local winery.

Today, we will have a guided tour of the Cathedral of Santiago de la Calzada. In the afternoon we will follow the beautiful forested walk to San Juan de Ortega, with time for a picnic lunch along the way. (roughly 6kms, taking around an hour).  We will end the day with a group dinner at the hotel.

Today, we will enjoy a self-guided visit of the Miraflores Convent, which shimmers with gold from the new world. We'll enjoy some free time to explore on our own before transferring to Burgos, where we will take a guided walk to the gate of the nearby cathedral. The rest of the afternoon is left free for you to further explore the local area, and we will meet back at the hotel for dinner.

Today, we we walk 6kms (roughly 1.2 hours) over the Castillian plains, from Boadilla del Camino to Fromista, with a picnic on the way. We will then continue on to Leon, where we will have dinner in a local restaurant.

In the morning we can enjoy a guided tour of Leon, capital of Asturias from the 10th century and the center of Christian Spain. The tour will included a visit to Leon Cathedral, known locally as the House of Light, which is one of the most emphatic examples of Spain's Gothic tradition, and is widely considered to have the most impressive collection of medieval stain glass windows in Europe. It is now a lively university town, and we will get the change to taste the local cuisine during a group dinner at a local restaurant in the evening.

This morning we will travel to the city of Astorga, where there is the option of a scenic walk to San Justa de la Vega. We will then visit the local cathedral, which reflects Spain's rich architectural history, as the original 15th century Gothic structure has since been complimented by Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Classical additions. Later in the day we will transfer to the iconic Iron Cross landmark in Cruz de Ferro, where there is another optional short walk to Manjarin . In the afternoon we will stop for a picnic lunch near the river Meruelo, which is the perfect place to cool down from the summer warmth with a gentle swim. We will then return back to the hotel in the evening in time for another group dinner.

Having driven over the Cebreiro pass, we start our journey into the greener side of Spain. We take a 45-minute walk (3kms) from O Cebreiro to Linares. After a bus ride to Pasanta, we then walk the 2kms to Traicastela (taking around half an hour). After stopping for a picnic lunch, there is an option to walk the 22kms (roughly four hours) to Sarria, or alternatively, to ride the bus. The option to walk is a great opportunity to cover some of the most important parts of the Camino pilgrimage.

Today we take a 1.5 hour walk (roughly 6kms) in Galicia to reach our ultimate destination: praza do obradoiro and the famous Santiago Cathedral. We experience the emotional scenes of pilgrims arriving at their long-awaited destination. At noon we attend the pilgrims mass at the Cathedral.

This morning we explore the local market, sample its produce and enjoy a guided tour of Santiago de Compostela. The afternoon is free to explore the city.

Today we drive to Cape Finisterre, a place that was once seen as the "end of the world", with expansive views across the Atlantic. Later we drive south and explore the beautiful coastal Rias Bajas area. We return to Santiago and the remainder of the day is at leisure. In the evening we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Today we start a short tour of Portugal. The group visits several destinations in Portugal that have contibuted to the history of Portugal. We start with a drive to Braga via Valenca do Minho, winding through woodlands, farmlands, villages, and towns. According to legend, St. James named the first bishop of Braga in the 4th century. Since then, Braga has been the capital of Catholic Portugal.

We start the morning exploring Braga, a traditional Portugese city. In the city center, medieval Braga Cathedral is home to a sacred art museum and the Gothic-style Kings' Chapel. At the Bom Jesus do Monte complex a neoclassical church sits atop an elaborate 17-flight stairway. The courageous amongst us can tackle the endless stairs to the top of Portugal's most spectacular sanctuary. Fortunately, for the others there is the funicular railway. We later depart for the city of Porto.

Today we spend the day in Porto, where a local guide will help you make the most of this fascinating city. The entire historic town centre is a Unesco World Heritage site. We will finish the day with a tour of the Port Cellar, followed by a tasting session. In the evening, we have our farewell dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast marks the end of our services. We suggest flights back to Madrid or Barcelona from Oporto's International Airport.