Madrid, Porto and Santiago

Fourteen nights, self-guided, from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela by way of northern Portugal. Caminos arranges the hotels and an economy hire car, and describes it as two countries in one trip, taking the charms of northern Portugal and combining them with some of Spain’s grandest cities.

The route starts with the elegant capital, heads west to Salamanca, the country’s oldest and grandest university city, then follows the Douro valley, the world’s oldest wine region, to Porto on the Atlantic coast. It ends in the pilgrim city of Santiago, the finish of the Camino Portugues. Caminos suggests returning to Madrid by fast train or internal flight, or dropping the car and flying home from Santiago.

Two nights in Madrid cover the Retiro park, the Prado, the Plaza Mayor and the capital’s food and wine. Two nights in Salamanca follow, with Toro and Rueda wines, Guijuelo ham, Tordesillas, Zamora and a cruise in the Arribes del Duero Nature Park. The Douro valley and Amarante take two nights, with a boat trip and the baroque stairway at Lamego. Porto takes three nights, and two in Viana do Castelo and the Minho coast lead to the final three in Santiago, which include a guided walking tour of the cathedral city.

The price covers hotels on a bed and breakfast basis for two sharing a double room, an economy four-door hire car for those flying, a regional guide book and a personal travel app with restaurant suggestions and weather forecasts, and instructions for finding every hotel. Flights, one-way and cross-border car hire charges, extras such as a second driver, garage parking and local tourist taxes are not included. Caminos quotes about £1,800 per person as an indicative mid-season figure for 14 nights, and adapts the route, hotels and airports to each traveller.