Santiago de Compostela & Valença Day Trip
From€79
10 hours
Porto, Portugal
About this activity
Experience the rich history and culture of Santiago de Compostela and Valença do Minho on this full-day guided tour from Porto, including lunch and round-trip transportation.
Highlights
- Explore Santiago de Compostela's historic center
- Visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
- Discover Valença do Minho's fortress
- Enjoy a scenic drive through northern Portugal
- Savor traditional Portuguese cuisine for lunch
Full description
Join us on an unforgettable journey from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its stunning cathedral and vibrant pilgrim history. Wander through the charming streets, visit the iconic Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and immerse yourself in the city's unique atmosphere. Afterward, we'll head to Valença do Minho, a picturesque town known for its impressive fortress and panoramic views of the Minho River. Enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, savoring traditional Portuguese flavors. This day trip offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and culinary delights, all within a comfortable and informative setting. Don't miss this opportunity to explore two of Portugal's most captivating destinations in one day!
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip transportation from Porto
- Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Personal expenses and gratuities
Itinerary
1
Pass by: Your expert guide will collect you from your hotel/accommodation or meeting point and will drive you to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. On your way to Santiago, the guide will give you insights regarding the Portuguese history, development and cultural facts of portuguese heritage. Crossing the border and entering in Spain, insights regarding the pilgrimage and the story and facts of Santiago will be given.
Admission: NOT_APPLICABLE
2
Once in Spain, you will arrive to our main destination. Santiago de Compostela, is one of the most magical cities in Galicia, Spain. Santiago concentrates in itself, culture, religion, people, academic life and tourism. And, because of its beauty, the city won the title of World Heritage. Its famous pilgrimage way, known as the “Caminho de Santiago” (St. James way) won also the title of World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Visit this amazing City, exploring the one of the most important pilgrim sites in Europe. You will have free time to explore on your own the historical city center of Santiago and its famous Cathedral.
Duration: 1 hourAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
3
Once in Santiago, you guide will give you free time to explore this incredible site. You will be able to visit and explore the Cathedral!
Duration: 1 hourAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
4
You'll have some free time for lunch, you can taste and drink some of the traditional food from Galicia!
Duration: 1 hourAdmission: NO
5
After lunch it's time to return to Portugal, to your next stop: Valença do Minho! Standing on the border with Spain and overlooking the River Minho, Valença is surrounded by walls and displays all the characteristic features of a town that was fortified in the seventeenth century in the style of the French military architect, Vauban. Its first name was "Contrasta", which referred to a village standing opposite another one and was clearly a reference to its position directly across the River Minho from the Galician town of Tui. Today, it is a city with a flourishing trade, in which some of the most popularly sought after items are the pieces produced by the local craftsmen.
Duration: 45 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Confirm your booking at least 24 hours in advance to secure your spot.
- Be aware that the tour involves walking; ensure you're comfortable with this level of activity.
- Note that the tour operates in English; proficiency in the language is recommended.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for exploring historic sites.
- Bring a camera to capture the scenic landscapes and architecture.
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly for the day.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 1 days before the activity starts
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- Usually our tours run in one language but there are cases of one extra language.
- Tours run in small groups up to 27 passengers.
- We support our communities. By taking a tour with us you are contributing to our cause: we offer a meal for the homeless and people in need.
- Please kindly be aware that the overall duration of the activity could be influenced by traffic conditions. We highly advise against scheduling any additional activities or making other plans within the hour following the anticipated completion time.
- Vegetarian and Gluten-free meal options are available if requested before the day of the booking. Make sure you inform us before the tour starts.
- Discover Porto in a unique way with a Free Walking Tour with Living Tours, available to all customers who book this activity. Our Free Walking Tour is available on a daily basis, in English and Spanish, at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. departing from Living Tours Agency located in Rua Mouzinho da Silveira 352, 4050-418 Porto
Traveler reviews
4.8969 reviews
5
842
4
67
3
34
2
20
1
6
Book this tour!
Excellent tour! Our guide was fabulous! Felipe Teles was friendly, full of knowledge and easy to travel with. Highly recommend! The tour was amazing- the history, sites was a once in a lifetime experience!
639tarusMay 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Highly recommend this tour! Filipe was amazing.
We had an incredible time on this tour, all thanks to Filipe! He was professional, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely attentive throughout the trip. He truly is a "Tour Expert." If you're planning this tour, I highly recommend looking for Filipe!
F2061QR_kMay 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Great day trip out of Porto
Filpe G was a fantastic guide for our day trip from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. He narrated lots of history and high points along the way. We were thrilled we had a good amount of time to explore before the return trip back to Porto with a stop in Valanca to wander around. We highly recommend Living Tours if exploring as they were very organized and enjoyed having Felipe G. as our guide.
work2travelNCMay 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
A Day in Santiago de Compostela
We had a wonderful day trip to Santiago de Compostela. The tour was very well organized, and the city itself was beautiful and full of history. Our guide, Diego Ferro, was knowledgeable and friendly. He explained everything clearly and made the experience both interesting and enjoyable. I especially appreciated his recommendations and the way he kept the group engaged throughout the day. Highly recommended tour, especially with Diego as your guide!
danielalH383GZMay 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
A great day
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Our guide/driver Emanuelle was fantastic. He was knowledgeable and drove us safely there and back. We had enough free time that we could do our own thing also. Overall a really good trip,.
Stella_ZMay 24, 2026VIATOR
Additional information
Usually our tours run in one language but there are cases of one extra language.
Tours run in small groups up to 27 passengers.
We support our communities. By taking a tour with us you are contributing to our cause: we offer a meal for the homeless and people in need.
Please kindly be aware that the overall duration of the activity could be influenced by traffic conditions. We highly advise against scheduling any additional activities or making other plans within the hour following the anticipated completion time.
Vegetarian and Gluten-free meal options are available if requested before the day of the booking. Make sure you inform us before the tour starts.
Discover Porto in a unique way with a Free Walking Tour with Living Tours, available to all customers who book this activity. Our Free Walking Tour is available on a daily basis, in English and Spanish, at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. departing from Living Tours Agency located in Rua Mouzinho da Silveira 352, 4050-418 Porto