---
title: "Pontevedra → Caldas de Reis"
description: "Fourth Camino Portugués stage: 21.1 km, the most manageable of the stretch, to a town with free thermal springs — and no public hostel."
url: https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/stages-tui-santiago/pontevedra-caldas-de-reis
locale: en
---

# Pontevedra → Caldas de Reis

Stage 4 of 6

21.1 kilometres with barely any climbing, the fork to the Spiritual Variant at kilometre 3, and free thermal water by the river at the end of the day.

[By Cesar Rodriguez · local guide](https://santiago.es/en/author)

**Pontevedra–Caldas de Reis stage card**

| Distance | Approx. time | Elevation | Difficulty |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 21.1 km | 5h15 | +218 m / −222 m | 1 of 5 |

Gronze.com gives 21.1 km for this stage, a little less than the Xunta's 22.9 km, but either way it is the most manageable of the whole stretch from Tui: barely any climbing and much of the route following the N-550 axis. It is also the stage where the fork to the Spiritual Variant opens up.

## The route, village by village

You leave Pontevedra and, around kilometre 3, beside Santa María de Alba, the turn-off for the [**Spiritual Variant**](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/spiritual-variant) opens — two alternative days through Poio, Combarro and the monastery of Armenteira, with the option of finishing by boat up the Arousa estuary. Anyone staying on the central route continues through **San Caetano** (4.5 km, bar), **San Amaro** (8.1 km, bars), **Barro** (10 km) and **Valbón** (11.3 km, bar and fountain). Then A Seca / Briallos (15-16.3 km, bar) and Tivo (19.2 km, bar, 250 metres off the route), before dropping into Caldas de Reis.

There is no Xunta hostel here

Unlike the other stages, Caldas de Reis has **no public Xunta hostel**: the old one was privatised years ago. It is worth knowing in advance, because it breaks the expectation of always finding the 10 € option at the end of the day — and in high season it pays not to be complacent if you want to avoid [ending up without a bed](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/beds).

## Caldas de Reis: thermal water at the end of the stage

Caldas de Reis was the Roman **Aquis Celenis**, a way station on the Via XIX built precisely for its thermal waters. Those same springs, at up to around 40 °C, still run free beside the river in the middle of town: a stage finish with a free thermal soak for sore feet. The town also has two historic spa houses, Casa Dávila (around 1780) and Casa Acuña (1906).

## Where to sleep in Caldas de Reis

With no public hostel, everything on offer is private: **Timonel** from 13 € (18 € for a single), **A Queimada** from 14 €, **Urraca** (15-20 €), **Albor** (22 €) and **As Pozas Termais**, about 25 €, with direct access to the thermal water.

Urraca shows best how the price moves with the calendar: they sent us their 2026 rate and it goes by season — 15 € in February, March and October; 18 € in April and May; 20 € from June to September. It works as a rule of thumb for the whole stage: if you can choose the month, the same mattress costs a third less [outside summer](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/season).

Stamp in Pontevedra on the way out and again on arrival in Caldas de Reis: that covers the minimum of two daily stamps the Compostela requires.

Sigue leyendo

**[Redondela → Pontevedra](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/stages-tui-santiago/redondela-pontevedra)** — Stage 3 — 19.8 km through Arcade and its oysters, with the medieval bridge of Pontesampaio. — Leer la guía

**[Caldas de Reis → Padrón](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/stages-tui-santiago/caldas-de-reis-padron)** — Stage 5 — 18.6 km to the town that gives the peppers their name, with the Herbón detour. — Leer la guía

**[The Spiritual Variant, step by step](https://santiago.es/en/camino-de-santiago/spiritual-variant)** — The fork at km 3 — Combarro, Armenteira and the boat to Pontecesures, with the bookings that sell out first. — Leer la guía