Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch

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Porto, Portugal

Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch

Santiago de Compostela and Viana do Castelo Day Trip from Porto

From $130.34 / person

Lowest Price Guarantee

Free cancellation

Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more

Safety measures

11 hours (Approx.)

Hotel pickup offered

Mobile ticket

Offered in: English and 3 more

Overview

Venture from Porto to Spain on this day trip to Santiago de Compostela and the sacred pilgrimage route, St James Way. For centuries pilgrims have made their way along this historic path and on this tour you can glean a part of their experience with a knowledgeable guide. Visit the sacred sites of Santiago de Compostela, like the city’s famous cathedral, as well as the UNESCO World-Heritage-listed Old Town. On your way back to Porto, stop at the charming Valença do Minho, dominated with a fortress of two towers and a double great wall projected in the Vouban style, in Portugal.

Day trip from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and Valença do Minho Day, Portugal
Visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the pilgrim route St James Way ends
See Compostela’s historic Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Enjoy free time in Santiago de Compostela to have lunch and explore more at your own leisure
Visit Valença do Minho city center and see its fortress

Additional Details

Pickup included

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From $130.34

Lowest Price Guarantee

What's Included

Professional guide

Air-conditioned vehicle

Lunch

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Porto city center

Food and drinks, unless specified

Gratuities

Departure & Return

Departure Point

R. de Mouzinho da Silveira 352, 4000-069 Porto, Portugal

Our Tourism office is located on the top of Rua Mouzinho da Silveira door number 352-354, near São Bento Train Station.

Departure Time

7:30 AM

Return Details

Returns to original departure point

What To Expect

Your journey to Santiago de Compostela begins with by meeting your expert guide and driver in central Porto. From there, enjoy a leisurely and scenic drive by air-conditioned coach through northern Portugal’s bucolic countryside, then cross the border to northwest Spain.

Follow in the footsteps of thousands of pilgrims on St James Way, one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in the world. Holy seekers have been traversing this path since the early Middle Ages, and the tradition continues on today.

At the end of your walk along the trail, your reward is confronting the Gothic, housing the remains of the apostle St James. Listen to your guide illuminate this holy site with its history. Then, explore the cathedral, admiring its majestic interior, stately bell towers, golden altar and Romanesque sculptures. Next, refuel with an authentic local lunch consisting of octopus or seafood in Santiago (own expense), then head to Santiago's UNESCO World-Heritage-listed old town district.

When you’ve seen enough, hop back in your air-conditioned coach and begin your journey back to Porto. But first, stop at Valença do Minho, an historical village in the north of Portugal, located on the border between Portugal and Spain. Also known by its "Caminhos de Santiago" Valença do Minho is dominated with a fortress of two towers and a double great wall projected in the Vouban Style. An Engineer and an military architect from the XVII e XVIII centuries.

Take time to explore this great city with its historical essence before returning to Porto, where your day trip concludes.

Itinerary

Pass By:

Porto

Cross the border between Portugal and Spain to reach the city of Santiago de Compostela.

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Stop At:

Santiago de Compostela. Casco Historico

Discover one of the routes that take pilgrims for centuries to the city of Santiago de Compostela, the famous Camino de Santiago. Seen as a kind of affirmation of the Catholic faith and devotion of those who walk it, this road connects various points of Europe to this Spanish city. An incredible network that serves as a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the apostle Santiago in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia.

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Duration: 45 minutes

Admission Ticket Free

Show 4 More Stops

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Not wheelchair accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Infant seats available
There is no bathroom on board the bus
Dress code is smart casual
The tours may be changed without prior notice
A moderate amount of walking is involved
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Minimum passenger required to run - 4 persons
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 150 travelers
OPERATED BY Cityrama

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch?

A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas

See all safety measures taken by Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch.

What is the policy on sanitization during Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch?

A:The policies on sanitization are:

Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized

See all safety measures taken by Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch.

What is the social distancing policy during Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch?

A:The policy on social distancing is:

Social distancing enforced throughout experience

See all safety measures taken by Porto: Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho Day Trip with Lunch.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

"This renowned pilgrimage site is worth a visit even for those not up to the rigors of a pilgrimage on foot." See review
"This is an option but inform your tour guide that you are foregoing the meal to hear mass instead." See review

Reviews

4.5

117 Reviews

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Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 117 reviews

Finding on my own

Irene_S

, Mar 2020

Enjoyed despite the renovations going on inside cathedral. On route got good explanations, however never told how to get around cathedral and see tomb of saint. I found it by accident. Also was not advised museum would be helpful to understanding. Had I known what to expect , I would have seen second part of museum. Also given wrong information about time of Mass. I wasted time and, as posted in cathedral, Mass had taken place earlier in another church.

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Santiago de Compostela day trip

Oro

, Mar 2020

I gave 2x for this trip due to the driver/guide. He was very good, had lots of knowledge and made the trip enjoyable. This trip could have been easily 5x if the cathedral was not under complete renovation, meaning we could see nothing inside. Totally covered in scaffolding and solid panels. Travel agency should have made this clear to us. Trip was disappointing due to this.

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Santiago de Compostela - a remote gem in northwest Spain

Alan C

, Nov 2019

This renowned pilgrimage site is worth a visit even for those not up to the rigors of a pilgrimage on foot. Viator offers a day trip by bus from Porto, Portugal. The stop in Valenca, a fortress town on the border with Spain, is basically a long restroom stop. Santiago is full of historic and awe-inspiring architecture, first and foremost the Cathedral. The cathedral is currently under renovation. The scaffolding and rebars substantially diminish the majesty and grandeur of the place. Other sites of interest include the Monasteries of Saint Martin and Saint Francis and the University of Santiago de Compostela. The Viator trip is not a guided tour. Once inside the city, you are free to explore on your own. But the guide provides a map and directions. The historic center is relatively compact and you can easily see the major sights on your own. A tapas lunch is included.

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1 traveler found this review helpful

Relaxing trip

Dannilo V

, Oct 2019

We move to Santiago de compostela riding in a very fast car with Ricardo as our driver and tour guide. He was good in driving while narrating the history of Porto and the places we have to visit. He speaks fluent english. We will look for him the next time we visit again Portugal.

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Good day trip

Fay S

, Oct 2019

Picked up on time,very informative guide with excellent English,a nice drive in the countryside,a short stop for coffee,arrived in Santiago with 1 hour free time to visit the cathedral before a very nice lunch,another hour to walk around the town before leaving for our trip back to Porto,another short stop before dropping off at our hotel. Very disappointed as cathedral inside is covered in scaffolding,unable to see much of the interior.Why wasn’t this done in stages.? A very enjoyable day,a good lunch with wine,the only disappointment was the interior of the cathedral in Santiago. Certainly not the drivers fault. .

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Great Trip

Janice R

, Sep 2019

Our driver Ricardo was very knowledgeable and friendly. Our lunch was fantastic. This trip was well worth the price.

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Santiago

Cviale49

, Sep 2019

My guide Paula was good on the history,explained everything very well, but will like interactive on her part.

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Superior Experience. Try It You'll like it

Dave S

, Sep 2019

Paola was our guide/driver and she made the experience exceptional due to her deep knowledge and apparent love for the history of this area. Plus, her driving skills were admirable. The cafe we stopped for "lunch" was a real treat and the food was both delicious and plentiful. I cannot imagine a better way to visit this area and shrine than through our Viator day trip. P.S. It included a stop at the fortress on the Minho River and that was a delightful respite, too.

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Visit

RalieghH

, May 2019

What a great trip, our guide was very helpful and the lunch was fantastic. Well worth the trip. I would recommend this.

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Highly recommend

Belgium442

, May 2019

It was a tour in a small group (7 people + our guide) and I really enjoyed it! Ricardo was very knowledgeable in regard to everything in Portugal and very passionate about his country. I learned a lot and just had a great time!

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