Trekking the historic Camino de Santiago has become increasingly popular in recent years, even among those who make the journey in search of Iberian landscapes and culture rather than a religious pilgrimage.
While the way across northern Spain remains the classic route, there are at least 10 other ways to hike to Santiago de Compostela including one that starts at the cathedral of Porto in northern Portugal.
Called the Caminho Português de Santiago, this alternative trail stretches for around 140 miles (227 km) in total, crossing into Spain’s Galicia region on a bridge across the Minho River in the town of Valença, Portugal.
The Portuguese Way takes around two weeks to complete as it passes through historic towns like Vairão, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Rubiães before transitioning into Spain.
Much like the classic Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain, the Portuguese version also offers alternatives including a route along the coast north of Porto and one that veers inland via Braga.
