The charm of Galician villages on the Portuguese Way

The rural Galicia that captivates pilgrims

The Tui – Santiago de Compostela section of the Portuguese Way invites you to discover a Galicia that preserves its rural essence intact. Small villages hidden among forests, stone houses covered in ivy and paths bordered by hórreos and stone crosses accompany the pilgrim throughout the journey. It is an authentic Galicia, where simplicity and hospitality are part of the landscape.

Walking through these villages is stepping back in time. The friendly greetings of the inhabitants, the grazing animals, the slate roofs and the smell of freshly baked bread or burning firewood turn every step into a sensory experience that connects the traveller with the roots of the land.

➤ Villages that preserve Galician tradition

Between Tui and Santiago, the Way crosses villages that preserve their medieval structure and rural way of life. In them, the pilgrim finds a genuine environment, where stone houses blend with farmland and cobbled paths tell centuries of history.

• Rebordáns (Tui): with its Romanesque church and views of the Miño, it is the first contact with the most traditional Galicia.
• Mos: a village surrounded by hills and valleys where time seems to stand still, with hórreos and ancient mills.
• Valga: a natural corner of rivers, centuries-old trees and silent trails that invite reflection.
• Pontecesures: a seafaring village with a rural soul, marked by the presence of the Ulla River and the passage of the Jacobean train.

In all of them, the slow rhythm and warmth of the people reflect the soul of Galicia. Here, pilgrims are more than visitors: they are walkers who share stories, greetings and moments with those who live along the Way.

➤ Galician rural architecture: stone, wood and hórreos

Traditional Galician architecture gives personality to the villages of the Portuguese Way. Stone houses with wooden balconies, smoking chimneys and hórreos —granaries raised on pillars— are part of the everyday landscape of the pilgrim. Each element tells the story of a way of life that has endured for centuries, adapted to the Galician climate and terrain.

The cruceiros, stone crosses marking crossroads, are another of the omnipresent symbols in the villages of the Way. They represent Galician spirituality, where the religious and the natural coexist in harmony. Many pilgrims stop before them to leave a stone or simply give thanks for the journey.

• Traditional hórreos, symbol of Galician culture.
• Centuries-old stone crosses in squares and paths.
• Stone and wooden houses, heritage of rural Galicia.

➤ The hospitable soul of Galician villages

If anything distinguishes the Portuguese Way, it is the hospitality of its villages. In every town, locals greet pilgrims with a “¡bo camiño!” and offer water, shade or a smile. Rural taverns and small family-run hostels are refuges where food and conversation are shared, keeping alive the tradition of hospitality that has defined the Camino de Santiago since the Middle Ages.

This Galician hospitality, simple and sincere, leaves a mark on travellers. Many fondly recall homemade meals in a country house, laughter with locals or the kind gesture of someone pointing out the right direction.

• Family-run taverns with traditional Galician dishes.
• Locals who help and guide walkers.
• Small hostels where human warmth is part of the rest.

➤ Paths through forests, meadows and vineyards

The journey between the Galician villages of the Portuguese Way is a succession of rural landscapes: paths flanked by stone walls, trails between oaks and eucalyptus, albariño vineyards and meadows where cows and horses graze. The air is fresh, the silence deep and the light ever-changing. Galicia reveals itself here in its greenest and most vibrant version.

Misty sunrises, golden sunsets and the sound of rivers accompany the pilgrim, creating an atmosphere of peace and connection with nature that is hard to forget.

• Rural paths between Mos and Redondela.
• Vineyards of the Ulla valley near Padrón.
• Humid forests and mountain meadows between Tui and Caldas.

➤ A journey through authentic Galicia

Walking through the Galician villages of the Portuguese Way is travelling through the most intimate Galicia. Far from mass tourism, each day reveals the strength of tradition, the wisdom of simplicity and the beauty of everyday life. Here, the pilgrim reconnects with time, the land and themselves.

In an accelerated world, these villages offer what many seek without knowing it: a place where the soul pauses, the heart opens and hospitality becomes a way of life.

Discover the Galician villages of the Portuguese Way and experience the most authentic Galicia, where every step is a return to the essential.