Camino Portuguese — Day Nine — Vigo — Redondela 15.7 km • Secret land

The most popular 100-kilometer route of the Way of St. James starts in the city of Vigo. The classic route from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela takes five days and passes through the towns of Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis, and Padrón.

Honestly, I’d say that the part of the Camino from Vigo to Santiago is the easiest and not super exciting. I mean, there were even two ladies doing this stretch with a little kid in a stroller — that pretty much says it all! There are loads of pilgrims on this section. Before Vigo, I’d only see a few pilgrims now and then, but after Vigo, I was often walking in a long line of people. For the first few hours, I felt like I was constantly overtaking someone!

Once you hit the stretch from Vigo, the pilgrim infrastructure is in full swing — tons of cafés and bars everywhere, plus plenty of little stalls selling souvenirs, fruit, coffee, and stamping pilgrim passports. Honestly, if before Vigo you were still checking out churches, after Vigo it’s pretty much a pilgrimage through a series of pilgrim bars!

If you’re starting from Vigo, you can buy a pilgrim passport at the Cathedral — Concatedral – Basílica de Santa María de Vigo.

In Vigo, the Camino de Santiago is marked with arrows painted on the sidewalks. I used mapy.cz for navigation — these maps clearly mark the Way of St. James.

Honestly, the one thing I couldn’t wait for in Vigo was to get out of that big, noisy city where everyone’s rushing around to work and doing their own thing.

The arrow points the way.

At the corner, I spotted a really cool mural.

At the crossroads, I came across a lovely mural.

Finally, I left the busy city behind and started walking through tiny houses and winding narrow streets.

At last, I left the city behind and entered an area with small houses and narrow streets.

A group of pilgrims walking with light backpacks, their luggage being carried by a transport company.

The path climbed upward, leaving the city down below.

The trail passed through a forested park, but it wasn’t the most pleasant walk since cars and cyclists also used the path.

The path went through a forest park, but it wasn’t very comfortable to walk because cars and cyclists used it.

The tower atop Monte da Guía belongs to a church Capela da Guía

A view overlooking the bay and the port. This photo shows a panoramic view over a coastal town and its busy port. Red-roofed houses and lush green trees fill the foreground, while the harbor stretches out with cranes and ships visible. Beyond the port, a wide body of water extends to the misty hills across the bay, partly covered by low-hanging clouds. The blue sky above adds a fresh, calm atmosphere to the bustling scene below.

The trail was painted with a wave design — this route is known as Senda da Auga, meaning the Water Path. It follows the Camino Portuguese Coastal almost up to the town of Cedeira before branching off.

This photo shows a sweeping view of a highway interchange curving gracefully above a green valley, with houses nestled below. Beyond the roads, a wide river or bay stretches out, dotted with boats, and misty hills rise in the distance under a partly cloudy blue sky. The scene blends nature and modern infrastructure beautifully, capturing a quiet yet dynamic landscape.

This photo shows a classic Camino de Santiago waymarker — a stone post with the yellow scallop shell symbol and an arrow pointing the direction. It stands at the edge of a quiet village street that slopes downward. The view beyond reveals charming houses with red roofs nestled among green trees, and in the distance, misty hills rise above a shimmering body of water under a clear blue sky. It’s a peaceful and picturesque scene, perfectly capturing the spirit of the pilgrimage route.

96.440 km left to Santiago de Compostela.

Only 96.440 km to go until Santiago de Compostela!

The trail led back into a forest park. In that park, I found a market stall where women were handing out juice and pilgrim stamps to anyone who wanted them. That’s where I got my very first stamp.

On the path, I frequently came across blooming bushes and trees, which was rather unusual for September.

I came across a small waterfall.

Here’s a view of the Ponte de Rande bridge. I took a bus over this bridge on my way back.

92 km left to go.

This peaceful scene shows a calm body of water surrounded by distant hills and a few small islands covered in trees. Pine trees frame the foreground, adding a natural touch. The sky is bright with scattered fluffy clouds, reflecting gently on the water’s surface. It’s a serene and beautiful landscape that invites quiet reflection and appreciation of nature’s tranquility.

The Igrexa de Santo André de Cedeira church — where I collected my stamp.

Inside the Igrexa de Santo André de Cedeira church.

Shortly after, I reached the town of Redondela. At the town’s entrance was a big building named Convento de Vilavella, also known as the Vilavella Monastery.

Near the monastery, I found a café where a few pilgrims were already taking a break, so I decided to eat there as well. The café’s name was Don Vinarius. They also offered pilgrim passport stamps.

Inside the Don Vinarius café.