new trip Via Nova & the Camino Real

Discovering the 1st century AD Via Nova, its legacy … 8 DAY TRIP, including 250 Roman milestones lining its route across / mountains, hills and valleys into … its rich heritage u Arrival/Departure airports: from the 10th century as a busy pilgrimage route to Porto/Santiago Santiago de Compostela: the Camino Real (pr. ‘Ray-al’). u Fitness: Grade 2+ - 3+ u Days of walking: 5 ITINERARY u Shortest/longest walk: 2/4 hrs

Day 1 After meeting at Porto through Galicia, we find it joined airport, we travel by road (40 by other pilgrim routes, ACCOMMODATION minutes) to Braga, where we including the (650-mile) Via de NIGHT 1 NIGHTS 2 & 3 stay at a 4* hotel, a former la Plata from Seville… and come Braga Amares monastery in the old city. Late- to the magnificently situated afternoon opportunity to landmark to early travellers, ascend the monumental . Its monastery and Baroque staircase (116m/361ft – hospital for pilgrims is long- or take the funicular!) to the abandoned, but its castle – Vila Galé Pousada Mosteiro church of Bom Jesus, high where we stay – remains. Pre- Collection Braga de Amares above the city. dinner wine tasting. HHHH HHHH

Day 2 We drive (20 mins), then Day 5 We drive (15 mins) to NIGHT 4 NIGHT 5 walk to explore Citânia de visit the once-great, now partly Monterrei Briteiros, a Bronze/Iron Age site ruined, monastery of Bon Jesus with hill fortress, and evidence de Trandeiras, with its carved also of Roman and medieval Romanesque façade, royal occupation. After a picnic lunch tombs, cloisters and extensive we continue by road, then walk Gothic outbuildings. We then Parador Castillo Oca Vila de along the Via Nova on route to continue (20 mins) to the de Monterrei Allariz Hotel & HHHH Spa the 12th century Cistercian Monastery of San Salvador de HHHH monastery – now a 4* hotel, Celanova. Founded in 936, the where we spend two nights. later impressive Benedictine NIGHT 6 NIGHT 7 complex still preserves a small Ribas de Sil Santiago de Day 3 We walk to explore the Compostela Mozarabic chapel of San route of the Via Nova as it crosses Miguel, dating from 942. After a the Terras de Bouro and enters visit to nearby Celanova and the granite uplands. Optional walk to Castromao, a Celtic site afternoon walk through woods dating from the 6th century BC, to visit the nearby Baroque we drive (20 mins), then follow Parador de Santo Parador Hostal dos Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Estevo Reis Católicos the Camino to the delightful HHHH HHHHH Abadia. small town of Allariz, where we Day 4 We drive, following the stay at a 4* spa hotel. Via Nova and its Roman Day 6 A relaxing day to outstanding Romanesque Abbey milestones, across the Portela discover the spectacular of Oseira… then continue by do Homem (750m/2,456ft) into landscapes of the Sil Valley, road (40 mins) to Pico Sacro, Spain. After walking along a enjoying a boat trip passing from where we walk to Santiago valley with picturesque through steep-sided vineyards de Compostela. cascades, we continue to the of the Ribeira Sacra (DOC) 7th century Visigothic church of Day 8 Transfer (15 mins) to vineyards and the Sil Canyon. Santa Comba de Bande, from Santiago airport. We enjoy a tasting of Ribeira where we walk along the Via Sacra wines, and stay at the Nova to Aquis Querquennis – a superbly situated 12th century 2019 DATES & PRICES 1st century AD Roman staging monastery of Santo Estevo (4*). 12 Jun - 19 Jun £2,795 post, offering lodging for 19 Jun - 26 Jun Double-for-single travellers – with thermal baths! Day 7 We drive (45 mins) to 18 Sep - 25 Sep supplement 2 Oct - 9 Oct £357 As we drive (50 minutes), the Serra do Faro and walk to 9 Oct - 16 Oct following the Camino Real visit the architecturally xx Escorted ‘Discovering Europe’ tours: what’s included? Click here for info… walking through history

©

10C Benedictine monastery of San Salvador de Celanova.

FOOD & WINE Rustic, wholesome cuisine: sumptuous stews accompanied by potatoes or rice; hearty fish One of 250 remaining Roman milestones along the Via Nova and vegetable soups, often enhanced by aromatic herbs and always prepared with the best of ˚F ˚C Hours Santiago de 0 10 20 30 miles 104 40 400 olive oils. Fish and seafood are Compostela Average daily Hours of bright temperature sunshine basic to the Portuguese cuisine 95 35 max min Rain in mm 350 Ribas de Sil and ‘bacalhau’ (salted cod) is still Sil River valley & canyon 86 30 300 a firm favourite. The area is SPAIN 77 25 250 Celanova Allariz renowned for its interesting 68 20 200 Monterrei wines, including Ribeira Sacra 58 15 150 which is cultivated on steep PORTUGAL 50 10 100 Amares mm terraces along the Sil River valley, 150 Braga 41 5 100 and Crego e Monaguillo 50 32 0 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D from Monterrei. Porto TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL TERRAIN Roman road paths and tracks across granite landscapes. © Footnotes The Roman Via XVIII or Via Nova , constructed in the 1st century AD to connect Bracara Augusta (Braga in Portugal) with Asturica Augusta (Astorga in Spain), has remained in an exceptional state of preservation – with 250 of its original milestones still in position. This tour explores the legacy of the Roman Via Nova, and the rich heritage of the Camino Real, its fine monasteries, its convergence with other pilgrimage routes as it nears Santiago – and much more... The Ribeira Sacra (Sacred River), its escarpments home to 18 monasteries.

+ (44) 01865 315 678 – [email protected] – www.atg-oxford.com xx