Valenca do Minho or Tui or both?

Kiwi-family · Apr 13, 2015

Both Valenca do Minho and Tui look (according to GoogleImages) like a nice place to spend the good part of a day. However they are only a couple of km apart.
If we walked a short day (16.3) to Valenca do Minho, would we find enough to do to hang around for the afternoon/evening or would it be better to just spend a couple of hours and then walk on to Tui? Of course we could make the decision when we arrive, but we are trying to work out how many days we need so we can book flights.

Gerry & Heather O'Neill · Apr 13, 2015

Kiwi-family said:
Both Valenca do Minho and Tui look (according to GoogleImages) like a nice place to spend the good part of a day. However they are only a couple of km apart.
If we walked a short day (16.3) to Valenca do Minho, would we find enough to do to hang around for the afternoon/evening or would it be better to just spend a couple of hours and then walk on to Tui? Of course we could make the decision when we arrive, but we are trying to work out how many days we need so we can book flights.

Gerry & Heather O'Neill · Apr 13, 2015

We can recommend the old city in Valenca, great to spend time just walking round.

peregrina2000 · Apr 13, 2015

I personally prefer Tui. Valenca do Minho has that great old star shaped fortress, Vauban style, but inside the walls there is not much more than a million stores selling textiles, linens, towels, table cloths, curtains, anything made with cloth. Tour buses filled with Spanish shoppers come over on a daily basis. But it's a friendly place, and the pousada has a cafe with a nice view over the river. The bridge across to Tui is right next to the pousada, and then in a few minutes you are in Tui.

amorfati1 · Apr 13, 2015

Kiwi-family said:
Both Valenca do Minho and Tui look (according to GoogleImages) like a nice place to spend the good part of a day. However they are only a couple of km apart.
If we walked a short day (16.3) to Valenca do Minho, would we find enough to do to hang around for the afternoon/evening or would it be better to just spend a couple of hours and then walk on to Tui? Of course we could make the decision when we arrive, but we are trying to work out how many days we need so we can book flights.

Both - if you can.
i overnighted in the albergue in valenca - and explored the fort (just across from albergue) - and ignored the towels in all sizes and colours (indeed, they are plentiful) ---
and the next day i walked over to Tui and stayed the night in a pensao (they wouldn't allow me in the albergue in Tui because i did not walk more than 8 km between albergues. apparently that is a rule - but one i did not know about. And as i am not a mindreader, nor do i inhale information just out of the ether ... that was quite a predicament. and since the Tui albergue is hosted by THE most antipatico staff person (this charming topic has been covered in other threads) - it wasn't a pretty picture.
but i stayed then in a nice, very central pensao ... and learned the next day that the pilgrims in the albergue barely slept a wink because of that loud noise of the disco below (if you are in Tui on a weekend aka friday or saturday night) you might want to consider anywhere to stay elsewhere. because of that very noise establishment nearby.)
i liked Tui too ...
enjoy those fine sights and experiences ... wonder what you think/feel of the differences between the countries once you cross that bridge...
bom caminho.

Thornley · Apr 13, 2015

Kiwi-family said:
Both Valenca do Minho and Tui look (according to GoogleImages) like a nice place to spend the good part of a day. However they are only a couple of km apart.
If we walked a short day (16.3) to Valenca do Minho, would we find enough to do to hang around for the afternoon/evening or would it be better to just spend a couple of hours and then walk on to Tui? Of course we could make the decision when we arrive, but we are trying to work out how many days we need so we can book flights.

Both

mspath · Apr 13, 2015

Do try to stop at least for a drink in the Pousada Sao Teotonio in Valenca do Minho. The Pousada is within the 17thc fortress walls high on the hill overlooking the river and Eiffel's International Bridge. When the lights are lit at dusk the view across to Tui is splendid! It would be a perfect setting to toast your happiness!

edumad · Apr 13, 2015

I would say there is more to see and do in Tui, but definitely spend some time in the fortress. It is usually stock full of tourists and wall to wall shops, but still worth it.

fraluchi · Apr 13, 2015

amorfati1 said:
[...] since the Tui albergue is hosted by THE most antipatico staff person (this charming topic has been covered in other threads) - it wasn't a pretty picture [...].. and learned the next day that the pilgrims in the albergue barely slept a wink because of that loud noise of the disco below[...]

Thank you Amorfati: we'll skip this place!

Thornley · Apr 14, 2015

fraluchi said:
Thank you Amorfati: we'll skip this place!

Wise move Fraluchi , i wrote in 2009 about the disco , our interesting stay was on a weekend.
The fight between the 2 girls @ 5am was what really got the pilgrims an early start to the day.
Walk from town to town across the bridge and the city of Pontevedra is one of our all time favourites. We stayed there 3 nights.

mikevasey · Apr 14, 2015

The Valencia albergue does not seem to attract many pilgrims, its big with a garden around it and a good kitchen, i would stay there again, the town at night has a relaxed atmosphere. Your option the next day would be the albergue in O Porrino which is out of step with most pilgrims again, I think the dorm rooms are made into several smaller ones, possibly 8 camas in mine and I was the only person in it, the statue in the park next to it is interesting.

Francois Hugo · Apr 27, 2015

Both if you can. We arrived at 1400 last month, but thought 2 hours were more then enough ti explore. Tui feels more like a "proper town" to me. Valenca to me had a touristy feel to it although very beautiful. Worth going through it even if you are tired at the time.

Camembert · Apr 29, 2015

Francois Hugo said:
Both if you can. We arrived at 1400 last month, but thought 2 hours were more then enough ti explore. Tui feels more like a "proper town" to me. Valenca to me had a touristy feel to it although very beautiful. Worth going through it even if you are tired at the time.

And you get an extra hour. Portugese time is Greenwich mean time and Tui GMT + 1. The advantage is next morning starting in Tui at f.ex.is that you are one hour ahead to those who start at the same time in Portugal

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