Portuguese Way – Spiritual Variant

Discover the Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Way

The Portuguese Spiritual Variant is an alternative route to the Portuguese Camino. The route follows the same way as the Apostle’s body when it was brought to the peninsula. And it has a very special feature: the Traslatio, a route by boat from Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón, the land where the Apostle’s remains first arrived almost 2000 years ago.

This Camino follows the same route as any of the usual Portuguese Caminos (the Portuguese Way Inland or the Portuguese Coastal Way) up to Pontevedra.

In Pontevedra, the Spiritual Variant takes a detour towards the Salnés area. Pontevedra marks the start of this variant, that combines walking with sailing along the Ría de Arousa and river Ulla. From Padrón to Santiago, pilgrims will rejoin the traditional Portuguese Way.

The route’s most remarkable characteristic is the Traslatio: A boat ride from Vilanova de Arousa to Pontecesures and Padrón, following the way taken by the Apostle’s remains before arriving in Padrón. On this ride you will be able to see the traditional mussel farms and the routes characteristic crosses, which form the world’s only fluvial Way of the Cross.