Tui stands on a hill above the Miño, facing Portugal. For centuries it was a frontier bishopric, and its cathedral was built to double as a stronghold: battlements, towers and walls as thick as a castle’s. Around it, the old town tumbles downhill in a web of stepped lanes, convents and arcades.
On the opposite bank, Valença answers with a 17th- and 18th-century fortress of bastions and ravelins enclosing an entire small town. The two are linked by an iron bridge of 1886 that carries a road on one level and a railway on the other — and you can simply walk across.
Top things to do: Tui & Valença
Visit Tui cathedral
Begun in the 12th century, the cathedral of Santa María has a west portal that is among the earliest Gothic sculpture in Spain. The ticket usually includes the cloister, the tower and a garden terrace with a view straight down the river.
Lose yourself in Tui’s old town
Below the cathedral, look for the Convent of the Poor Clares — whose nuns sell almond biscuits through a revolving hatch — the Tunnel of the Nuns and the riverside promenade. Tui is also where many pilgrims start the last hundred or so kilometres of the Portuguese Way to Santiago.
Walk the bridge to Portugal
The International Bridge is about 300 metres long; walking across takes five minutes and there are no border checks. Remember that Portugal is one hour behind Spain.
Circle the ramparts of Valença
Inside the gates, Valença is two walled enclosures joined by a bridge, full of shops selling linen and towels to Spanish day-trippers. Climb onto the grassy ramparts for the walk around the edge and the view back to Tui.
How to get to Tui & Valença
- Tui is about 35 km from Baiona, around 35–40 minutes by car via Gondomar or the A-55 motorway. Valença is a further five minutes across the river.
- By public transport, go via Vigo: buses and a few trains run from Vigo to Tui and Valença.
Insider tips
- Park in Tui and walk across the bridge, or the other way round — the fortress car parks in Valença fill up on Saturdays.
- Most shops in Valença close earlier than in Spain; remember the time difference.
- The cathedral closes at lunchtime outside summer — check hours before you go.
- Wine lovers can add an O Rosal or Condado do Tea winery on the way back.
Best tours for Tui & Valença
These experiences are the easiest way to see Tui & Valença:
E-bike ride from US$34 Tui–Valença: E-Bike Ride along the Banks of the Miño
An e-bike ride along the river that separates Galicia from Portugal, linking the border towns. It is a new listing without reviews so far, so check the latest feedback before booking.
- Along the banks of the Miño
- Spain and Portugal in one ride
- Tui, Valença and the border towns
Winery visit from US$17 Visit to the Adegas Valmiñor Winery and Tasting
A one-hour visit to a modern winery in O Rosal, the Rías Baixas subzone beside the Miño about half an hour south of Baiona, finishing with a tasting. You need your own transport to get there.
- A Rías Baixas winery in the O Rosal valley
- Guided visit to the winery
- Tasting of the house wines
