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DAY 1: FRI., JUL 23
SANTIAGO AIRPORT - LUGO - VILAFRANCA DEL BIERZO
- Welcome to GALICIA!
- This afternoon your Specialist English-Speaking Guide will pick you up from Santiago airport, train station or from a city centre hotel if you have opted to stay overnight in Santiago (NOTE: Pick up time will be from 03:30PM - 04:00PM. You must advise your flight times if you will be arriving today to Santiago Airport. If you will be staying at a hotel other than what we have offered for a pre-tour stay you must advise hotel name)
- We will drive by highway (approx. 02h00 - 02h30) to the neighboring region of El Bierzo where we will be staying in VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO and where tomorrow we will start following along the Pilgrimage way to Santiago.
- En-route we will make a stop in LUGO city to visit the Roman Walls, Pilgrimage Cathedral & Old Quarter
- Upon arrival to Villafranca we will check-in to the parador and some free time before dinner
- Tonight we will meet in the lobby and then take a short drive to a very unique restaurant within a resorted Palace.
- Before sitting down at the table we have an exclusive visit to there Mencia winery located in the Palace. This wine region is called the DENOMINATION OF ORIGIN BIERZO
- For our Welcome Dinner we will enjoy traditional cuisine and wines of the area.
- Return back to the parador
- Overnight in Villafranca del Bierzo
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DAY 2: SAT., JUL 24
VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO - O CEBREIRO - SAMOS - SARRIA
- Breakfast
- For the next days we will be walking parts of THE FRENCH WAY TO SANTIAGO IN GALICIA and stopping many pilgrimage villages along the way visiting various churches, monasteries and cathedrals.
- In the morning we will be dropped off at the start of trail which follows up a mountain range arriving at the Celtic mountain village of O CEBREIRO
- Then we will continue on to Samos where we will visit the Monastery and have lunch in a local tavern alongside a riverbank.
- After making or way on to Sarria where we will spend the night
- Free time to explore this medieval village
- Dinner in the Hotel´s restaurant famed for it´s excellent Galician cuisine
- Overnight in Sarria (Day Walking Distance: 8-10 Km / 5-6.2 Mi Approx.)
B, L, D


DAY 3: SUN., JUL 25 (ST. JAMES DAY!)
SARRIA - portomarin - PALAS DE REI - meixide -ARZUA
- Breakfast
- Leaving Sarria we will walk a portion of the trail to the village Portomarin with picturesque views of the Galician countryside.
- When we arrive in Portomarin we will visit the village and the medieval church which was moved stone by stone (1956-1962) to its present location before the valley in which it lay was flooded to make a reservoir.
- Free time for lunch on your own (along the pilgrimage way in many of the villages there are bars and small restaurant)
- Then we continue on passing through other Pilgrimage village like Palas de Rei.
- Dinner will be in the dinning room of the charming Manor house
- Overnight in Arzua (Day Walking Distance: 12-14 Km / 7.5-8.7 Mi Approx.)
B, D


DAY 4: MON., JUL 26
ARZUA - lavacolla - monte do gozo - santiago de compostela
- Breakfast
- This morning we will make a stop to view the towers of the Cathedral of Santiago from the Monte do Gozo (The Hill to Admire from)
-Then we will walk into SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA the final stretch.
- Upon arrival to the historic quarter will me a local guide and visit the Cathedral and Old Quarter
- Aftet this we will check-in the fabulous Parador
- Lunch on your own and you will have the rest of the day to explore Santiago´s old quarter
- We will enjoy dinner in the Restaurant of the Parador tonight
- Overnight in Santiago (Day Walking Distance: 5-7 Km / 3.1-4.3 Mi Approx.)
B, D


DAY 5: TUE., JUL 27
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
- Breakfast
- Morning visit of the Ethnographic museum of the Galician people and the plaza de Abastos market
- Rest of the day to explore the city as you please
- Lunch and Dinner on your own.
- Overnight in Santiago
B


DAY 6: WED., JUL 28
SANTIAGO - NOIA - BAROÑA - CORRUBEDO - CATOIRA - CAMBADOS - PONTEVEDRA
- Breakfast
- In the morning we follow down the UPPER RIAS BAIXAS coastline passing by many small fishing
- Making our first stop to walk through a forest trail to visit the CELTIC HILL-FORT OF BAROÑA
- Then we visit the ancient DOLMEN OF AXEITOS
- Lunch in a restaurant in the village of CORRUBEDO with excellent views of the coast and delicious fresh seafood & Albariño white wines
- After lunch we will take a short walk to visit the DUNES OF CORRUBEDO, a nature beach park with large sand dunes, wild flora & fauna
- Entering into the RIAS BAIXAS OF O SALNES, visit the remains of the 17th century defense towers in CATORIA
- Visit BODEGA PAZO DE SEÑORANS, an Albariño winery located in the O SALNES sub-zone of the DENOMINATION OF ORIGIN RIAS BAIXAS
- Then we visit CAMBADOS village, the heart of Albariño wine country
- Walk around the Plaza de Fefiñanes and quaint streets of this noble village
- After this we drive by highway to Pontevedra
- Check in pardor and some free time
- Dinner in the Parador´s dinning room offer local cuisine and wines
- Overnight in Pontevedra
B, L, D


DAY 7: THU., JUL 29
PONTEVEDRA - DONON - NATURE WALK AROUND MAN´s CAPE - HIO - VIGO -PLAYA AMERICA - BAIONA
- Breakfast
- In the morning we leave to visit PONTEVEDRA city´s Archeology & Art Museum, also the old quarter
- Then we continue on following along the coastline arriving at the point of the Peninsula of O Morrazo.
- In the small village of DONON we will have a seafood lunch in a local restaurant.
- After lunch we will walk around what is know as Cabo Home (Man´s Cape) here we see a few lighthouses (including an Ancient Celtic Lighthouse at the top of Monte Facho) all with excellent view of the Cies Island in front.
- From here we walk in the direction of the Beach of Melide whereas we reach an other lighthouse of this Cape, which faces to the RIA OF VIGO offering spectacular view over the Ria.
- Then we stop in the small village of Hio to visit the Wayside Cross of Hio the most famous in Galicia and built from on solid block of granite. Beside the cross is the Romanesque Church of San Andres (St. Andrews) we take a peek inside before leaving.
- Make our way around the other side of the Peninsula we stop in the small fishing of CANGAS where we take a catamaran ferry ride over the bay to Vigo city
- On the other side of the bay in Vigo we will then board our Mini-bus again and continue along the coast road to Baiona
drive to BAIONA village stopping to visit the America beach where Europe first got word of the discover of America
In the harbor we will also see the replica of the Caraval Pinta which brought the word of the discover of America
- Then off to the Castle of Monterreal
- Free time before dinner
- Dinner in the Parador´s dinning room offer local cuisine and wines
- Overnight in Baiona (Day Walking Distance: 8-10 Km / 5-6.2 Mi Approx.)
B, L, D


DAY 8: FRI., JUL 30
BAIONA - OIA - O ROSAL - LA GUARDIA - BAIONA
- Breakfast
- Today continuing down the LOWER RIAS BAIXAS know as the Celtic coast
- We stop to see the façade of the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Oia
- Then we cut across over the hillside ranges of O Rosal Valley where we will start a waking tour to visit the Muiños do Folon (Water Mills of O Folon) there is a group of 19 small stone hut water mills built in the mid 18th century one after another down the hill that use the same stream one after the other.
- After our walking tour we will make a stop before lunch to visit BODEGAS TERRAS GAUDA, an Albariño winery located in the O ROSAL sub-zone of the D.O. Rias Baixas
-Then we continue on to La Guardia fishing village where we will enjoy a Seafood feast with Lobster, crab etc...and Albariño wines in a quaint restaurant right near the port
- After lunch we will drive to the up the MONTE SANTA TECLA CELTIC HILL-FORT with reconstructed huts and the museum with artifacts
- At the very top of the Hill there are excellent PANORAMIC VIEWS of the RIVER MIÑO meeting the Atlantic sea, and the mountains of Northern Portugal.
- Then we return back to Baiona back up the coast.
- Free time to relax
- Dinner in the Parador´s dinning room offer local cuisine and wines
- Overnight in Baiona (Day Walking Distance: 8 Km / 5 Mi Approx.)
B, L, D


DAY 9: SAT., JUL 31
BAIONA - TUI - VALENÇA DO MINHO - PORTO AIRPORT
- Breakfast
- We will check out this morning and leave for Porto, Portugal
- En-route we will make a stop to visit the old quarter and cathedral of Tui
- Then reaching the boarder whereas we cross over an ancient Iron Bridge into NORTHERN PORTUGAL´s MINHO VALLEY region to visit the Fort boarder village of VALENÇA DO MINHO
- Drop off at Porto airport, train station or at a city centre hotel if you opt. to extend your vacation with on of our post tour addons visiting the Porto/Douro wine region. (NOTE: Drop off time will be from 12:30AM - 01:00PM. You must advise your flight times if you will be departing today from Porto Airport. If you will be staying at a hotel other than what we have offered for a post-tour stay you must advise hotel name)
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END OF TOUR SERVICES