Camino Portugués Coastal – Day 9
Vigo → Redondela
April 23, 2026
Distance: ~10–11 miles
Only a pathetic 28,000 steps today 😂
A different kind of start today.
Stayed in Vigo last night and, for the first time on this trip, allowed for a genuinely relaxed morning. Not a lie-in exactly, but no rush, no pressure to get out the door early.
The hostel is excellent. Probably one of the best we’ve stayed in so far. Comfortable, well run, and exactly what was needed after the last couple of days.
Vigo
Vigo has left a mark.
Out of all the places so far, this is the one that stands out as somewhere I’d come back to properly. It’s got real energy.
Busy streets, cafés full, people out early. It feels like a proper working city rather than just somewhere passing through.
A proper pilgrim moment
Decided to hand wash clothes again this morning in the shower.
No chance they’ll dry in time, so they’re pinned to the back of the backpack today like a proper pilgrim.
So even if today isn’t a 20-mile day, it still feels like the Camino.
The coffee
One thing that stands out every time over here is the coffee.
Strong, rich, with that layer on top, the crema.
Completely different to back home. I’d love to replicate it in the States, but realistically that means a proper machine and that’s not happening.
So for now, just enjoying it while I’m here.
The plan
Simple plan today:
- Walk the city a bit
- Find breakfast
- Head out toward Redondela
No rush.
The climb out of Vigo
About 4½ miles in, and the walk out of Vigo was probably the steepest sustained climb we’ve had.
Just kept going up. No let-up. You feel it straight away.
Didn’t fully appreciate how tough it would be, but it was real.
The views back made it worth it though. Looking down over the port, the sea, the movement of the city. You see Vigo properly from up there.
People along the way
Met a lot of pilgrims this morning.
One couple stood out. He from Belgium, she from Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Met on the Camino, got married in 2017, and now this is part of their life. They’d been down to Porto and were now walking back toward Santiago.
They seemed genuinely content. Like they’d found something that works.
A small moment
Stopped at a small setup along the trail. A local lady selling drinks and fruit.
Very simple.
We had a couple of cold drinks, an orange, a banana.
Victor gave her five euros. I went to get more and she wouldn’t take it. Said it was enough.
That stays with you.
There’s a decency to people out here that stands out.
Went back and asked for a photo with her. Big smile. Happy to do it.
The theme
One of the main themes today has been kindness.
Simple, but powerful.
Just basic human decency:
- Being kind
- Wanting others to do well
- Giving without expecting
You see more of it out here.
And it stands out.
The shift
The Camino starts physical.
Then becomes mental.
Now it’s moving into something more reflective.
You find yourself thinking about things you normally wouldn’t.
The descent and arrival
The last part of the day was the opposite of the morning.
What went up came down, quickly.
Very steep descent into Redondela. Felt it in the knees straight away. Left knee started to play up a bit, something to keep an eye on.
Came into the town and, if I’m honest, it’s not much.
Feels like a place that exists because of the Camino rather than anything else.
The albergue
The albergue is very basic.
About as stripped back as it gets. More like a shelter than anything else.
People are good, no issues there.
But this is the more traditional side of the Camino. No frills.
The reality
Even though it was only around 10 miles, we both feel it.
Back-to-back big days take something out of you.
Doesn’t help arriving somewhere that doesn’t exactly lift the mood.
The food situation
Same lesson again.
Everything shuts mid-afternoon.
If you don’t eat before 3, you’re waiting until 7 or 8.
Walked around trying to find somewhere. Options are limited and average at best.
Need to plan that better, but part of the rhythm here.
The feeling
There’s a mix of emotions starting to come through.
Sadness and excitement.
You can feel the Camino coming to an end.
Caught myself today looking at trains from Santiago to A Coruña, planning the next step. That wasn’t even a thought at the start.
Part of me doesn’t want this to end.
But there’s also a sense of looking forward, taking what’s been learned and applying it.
For Victor, being his first Camino, this will stay with him.
These experiences don’t leave you.
Where we are
Tired.
A bit flat on arrival.
But steady.
Not every day is a highlight.
Some are just part of the journey.
And this was one of those.
