Caminha → A Guarda
A stage of the Portugués Coastal
At just 0.9 km, this stage on the Portugués Coastal route is really the ferry crossing of the Minho river between Caminha in Portugal and A Guarda in Spain — one of the most distinctive moments of the coastal pilgrimage. There is no bridge at the river mouth, so pilgrims cross the estuary by boat in about 10 minutes and step onto Galician soil for the first time, then walk a little over a kilometre into A Guarda on the Spanish bank.
- 0.9 kmDistance
- ↑0 m ↓0 mElevation
- EasyDifficulty
- 100 kmfrom route start
Highlights
- Minho river ferry crossing (~10 minutes on the water)
- Walking from Portugal into Galicia in a single boat ride
- Boats depart from Cais de Caminha, ~400 m north of Praça do Conselho
- Water taxis run daily every 30–60 min in season (Apr–Oct)
Tips
The old Santa Rita de Cássia ferry stopped in 2020; today licensed water taxis (Taxi Boat Peregrinos, Xacobeo Transfer, Taxi Mar Caminha) carry all crossing traffic — about €6 per person, €7–8 with a bike, ~10 minutes. In high season (Apr–Oct) book ahead or arrive 10–15 minutes early, as some boats seat only around six people. Crucially, boats run on Portuguese time while Spain is one hour ahead, so a 10:00 departure lands you around 11:10 Spanish time — factor the lost hour into albergue check-in or lunch plans. Bring small euro notes for dock payment. If no boat runs (winter or bad weather), the reliable backup is the train Caminha → Valença, then walk across the international bridge at Tui.
Towns on this stage
Find accommodation in A Guarda →Distances and elevation come from real OpenStreetMap footpath geometry. In the planner you can split or merge any stage to match your pace.