Xacobean Maritime Sailing Route Across Arousa Estuary

This new Camino follows the sailing steps of the Apostle St. James did centuries ago!. The Xacobea Nautical Crossing is an officially recognized route to earn La Compostela certificate by sailing and visiting the most emblematic sea corners of the Rías Baixas.

The official requires are to make the crossing by sailing a minimum of 90 nautical miles, stopping in all the official ports that points the route to stamp your Credential. The last part of the Camino is by foot, walking the last 7 km of the Portuguese Way from the town of Milladoiro (Santa María chapel) to the Pilgrim’s office in Santiago of Compostela.

The Maritime Camino makes for a stand-alone journey for those that are looking for a short Camino experience or seeking a quieter and more contemplative route. The itinerary crosses the authentic landscape of the Galician coast, going through its beautiful fjords, national park, amazing Atlantic sunsets and indulging in some lovely local food and wine.

Camino Tours:  We offer the Southern Maritime Pilgrimage route with two optional sailing journeys;

Xacobea Maritime Route Crossing Ría de Arousa in 3 days:  3 nights aboard a sailboat + Ascent of the Ulla river by motorboat (1 hour and 30 minutes) and 1 day walking (7km from Milladoiro to Santiago):  The departure port is Vigo and the arrival port is Boiro. It is a 3-day sailing cruise (90 nautical miles) where we’ll be crossing the Rías of Vigo, Pontevedra and Arousa. The last day of our journey we make the ascent of the Ulla river by a small motor boat and we end up walking the last  7 km from Milladoiro to reach Santiago de Compostela.

• Day 0- We wellcome pilgrims in the port of Vigo – Real Club Náutico de Vigo Our team will explain all the details regarding the boat and the voyage and you will be shown to your cabins where you can leave your luggage. Depending on your arrival time, you will be able to visit the beautiful old town of  Vigo and  enjoy a delicious dinner (tapas) and wine tasting at one of the area’s best wineries. The Marina is very close to the city center of Vigo so you can even take a guided route.

We spend the night moored in the port of Vigo aboard the sailboat

• Day 1- (20 nautical miles +/- 25 nautical miles) – The sailing journey begins: We depart from Vigo towards Baiona (official Camino departure port- Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona) – On the way we will stop in Cangas to stamp our Credential and visit the fishing village (1 hour and a half stop) – We embark again to take the course to the Cíes Islands (Terrestrial Maritime National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia), the Ría of Vigo’s greatest treasure and one of the most breathtaking places in the country. We will enjoy a picnic and a visit here in what was called “The islands of the Gods” by the ancient Romans surrounded by turquoise sea water and white sand beaches – In the afternoon following sunset steps, we take off to Baiona where we will have the chance to visit its medieval fortress, now converted into a Parador, and walk through the streets of its old town, which has been declared a protected Historic-Artistic site. Free dinner

We spend the night aboard the sailboat moored at the port of Baiona 

• Day 2- (26 nautical miles +/- 30 nautical miles) We departure from Baiona towards the Ons Islands (Maritime Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia) A small piece of paradise located right in front of the magical estuary of Pontevedra. Here we will delight in the best octopus in the region! – In the afternoon we´ll stop by Sanxenxo (stop for 1 hour and a half) to stamp our Credential and to walk around one of the most famous summer ports in Spain, beautiful beaches, good shopping and plenty nightclubs during summertime – On sunset we´ll enjoy a peaceful sailing to Portonovo where we´ll spend the night. Free dinner

We spend the night aboard the sailboat moored at the port of Portonovo 

• Day 3 – (30 nautical miles +/- 35 nautical miles) We leave Portonovo to San Vicente do Mar (O Grove) to make a shortstop to stamp our Credential and to have a relaxed walk through this cousy village and the wooden path that goes along the coast line (1 hour and a half stop) You can´t miss it!! –  We keep on sailing the estuary of the capital of Albariño wine, seafood, and the largest of the Rías of Galicia, Arousa, an incredible estuary where we gaze the islet of Rúa, the Xidoiro Areoso and the Illa de Arousa while we enjoy a picnic lunch on board – In the afternoon we do an hour stop at the port of Vilanova de Arousa to stamp our Credential (1 hour) – On sunset we pull sails to the port of Cabo de Cruz (Boiro) which marks the end of the sailing portion of our trip. Free dinner.

We spend the night aboard the sailboat moored in the port of Cabo de Cruz  

• Day 4 – (Ascent of the river Ulla 12 nautic miles + 7 km walk) We will have breakfast on board before we disembark to take a power boat to make the ascent of the Ulla River “La Traslatio”. A navigation route that takes one hour voyage passing through 17 cruceiros of the Vía Crucis until we reach Puentecesures, 3km away from the famous town of Padrón. At this point, pilgrims can choose to walk the last 25 km of the Camino of Santiago from Pontecesures or take a transfer to Milladoiro (St. María Chapel) and walk the last 7 mandatory kilometres to Santiago of Compostela. 

Optional: To walk 25km from Padrón to Santiago de Compostela (last walk path of the Portuguese Way)

What’s included?: 

• Sailing yacht with captain (captain will be your guide aboard while sailing)
• Accommodation on board sharing cabins (2 persons per cabin).
• Includes accommodation on board the night before the departure date if you need it.
• Bed linen with bottom sheet and 2 pillows per cabin. Don’t forget to bring your sleeping bag!
• Boat insurance
• Fuel
• Moorings in ports
• Permission to anchor and visit the Cíes and Ons islands – Maritime Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia)
• All breakfast aboard
• Picnic lunches aboard.
• Snacks and water on board
• Boat trip along the Ulla river
• Pilgrim’s Credential (passport)

What’s NOT included in the price? 

• Dinners. You will be able to choose either a cosy restaurant in the fishing village where we are mooring or to stay aboard relaxing with a book. The boat has got all kitchen utensils so you can always cook dinner aboard if you want, just remember to leave everything tidy and clean afterwards!!.
• Tour guide (the captain is your sailing guide during your stay on board)
• Hotels accommodation
• Shuttle service from arrival airport or train station to departure port
• Taxi service from Boiro port to Milladoiro village 7km before Santiago of Compostela. Taxi transfer 50€
• Suitcases’s transfers
• Anything else not specify in what’s included

Extras available:

• Taxi service and/or suitcases from Boiro to Santiago: 80€ for a maximum of 6passengers and/or 4 suitcases.
• Shuttle service from Vigo – Santiago (each way): 10€ for each 6 passengers
• Shuttle service from Oporto – Vigo (each way): 255€ for each 6 passengers
• Available accommodation halfway “the camino” in hostels or hotels under request

Rules:

The rules approved by the Cabildo of the Cathedral of Santiago are:

1 This Pilgrim’s Credential is only for pilgrims who make the Camino de Santiago on the Xacobea Nautical Sailing route, with a Christian meaning, even if only in a search attitude. The credential has the objective of identifying the pilgrim.

2 The Compostela is granted only to those who make the pilgrimage with a Christian meaning: devotionis affectu, voti vel pietatis causa, and only those who reach the Tomb of the Apostle, sailing 90 nautical miles and walking the Portugese way from 7km away to Santiago of Compostela.

Conditions: 

• Sailing the Nautic Pilgrimage Way during the months of July and August has a plus of 80€ per person
• Accomadation aboard is under sharing cabins (2 pilgrim per cabin). Sleeping alone in a cabin costs extra 300€
• Sailing yachts maximum capacity are 6 or 8 passengers depending on sailing model and extra guides, captain on board
• Minimum groups of 6 passengers
• You can also charter a sailboat exclusively to do your own sailing journey. Just check up with us your best availability dates and charter prices!
• To confirm and guarantee booking you have to pay 30% of the total. The 70% total left to pay a month before (30 days) departure day. In case of failure to pay, Sailway reserves the right to cancel the charter service.
• Cancellation charges apply if a reservation is cancelled after the deadline identified in the following situations;

1. Cancellations occurred 30 days before booking departure date, we charge 30% of total charter rate offered.
2. Cancellations occurred with less than 30 days before charter departure date, we charge 100% of the total rate offered.

• Sailway reserves the right to change sailing programme due to adverse weather conditions
• Sailway reserves the right to cancel the Xacobeo Maritime Pilgrimage due to adverse weather conditions
• In case of rainstorm forecast we will offer you a refund of total or the chance to change dates, you choose!

Prices:

€ 1.120 per person. VAT included during July and August | Price without meals or drinks on board: €870 per person, VAT included.
€935 per person. VAT included during the rest of the year | Price without meals or drinks on board: €700 per person, VAT included.

Important; The Xacobeo Maritime Pilgrimage is available all year. You can organize your journey with a minimum group of 4 people under request and subject to fleet availability. So remember you can book your private tour  at anytime!!!