Attention: Route not available for walking between November 1 and January 15, 2025

Not all routes can boast of offering a swim at the beach after the end of each stage. The Portuguese Way along the coast from Porto to A Guarda is the perfect route for all those who love the sea. During the little more than a hundred kilometres that separate the bohemian city of Porto from the seaside town of A Guarda, you will find beautiful panoramic views of endless sandy beaches and estuaries where you can observe hundreds of species of birds.

You will have the opportunity to get to know the life and culture of the northern region of Portugal and taste the best dishes of the Portuguese gastronomy. A smooth and flat route with few slopes, ideal and accessible for everyone. What more could you ask for?

Precio
From
610€

Map of the Camino

Map of the Portuguese Coastal Route

Stages of the Portuguese Way along the coast from Porto to A Guarda

You will start your adventure in the bohemian and beautiful city of Porto, which is home to a large number of heritage sites and cultural legacies of Portuguese history. We recommend you to arrive in the city in the morning, leave your things in your accommodation and go out. You can start your visit at the Avenida de los Aliados, the heart of the city, a flagship for the locals and a meeting place for a multitude of cultural events. Drop by Praza da Liberdade and stroll to the famous and beautiful Lello e Irmão bookshop. Afterwards, and immediately next door, you must visit the Torre de los Clérigos. The town of Oporto is, in short, a magnificent start for the Portuguese Way.

For a snack we recommend you to try the famous francesiñas and for dessert, a cream cake. After lunch you can walk down to the Ribeira, passing by the São Bento station and the Cathedral. Porto is a wonderful city to get lost in the streets of its monumental area… cobblestones, tiles, colours, wine, culture and tradition come together in its narrow streets.

With this stage you start your Portuguese Way, having ahead of you a distance of 30 km totally along the coast from Oporto. If you want to avoid the tedious and cumbersome exit from Porto, you should take the metro to Matosinhos, a very common practice among pilgrims who do the Portuguese Way along the coast.

Póvoa de Varzim is a perfect stop to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach on its large sandy beaches. One of the iconic places of this town is its aqueduct, declared a National Monument. Of great cultural interest are also the Fortress of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the Church of La Misericordia and the Chapel of Santiago. But you can’t miss a walk through the traditional fishermen’s quarter, along Paseo Alegre and Rúa da Junqueira, appreciating the beautiful tiles of the Manueline architecture and enjoying the rich local gastronomy: fresh fish and, for the more carnivorous, the famous picaña.

Today the natural ecosystems will be the main protagonists. You will cross the Parque Natural del Litoral Norte, a protected natural area consisting of various habitats: majestic beaches of fine white sand with imposing dunes, vegetated back dunes, interesting tree formations, wetlands and estuaries, an important fauna and traditional crops located very close to the coastline because they are fertilized with the “sargassum” seaweed. After crossing the iron bridge over the river Cávado you will arrive at the end of the stage: Esposende.

Located at the mouth of the Cádavo River, the most representative of Esposende is its privileged natural coastal environment. On the cultural level, this city has two important museums: the Maritime Museum and the Municipal Museum. As for its heritage, you can visit several religious sanctuaries, the Castro de São Lourenço, the church of Misericórdia, or the Fort of São João Baptista, among others. Finally, gastronomically we recommend you to try the star dish of the area, “polvo de Esposende”, an octopus, potato and cabbage stew.

From Esposende, the route continues through the Parque Natural do Litoral Norte, crossing ridges, beaches and dunes. After visiting the church of São Bartolomé do Mar, you will arrive at the mouth of the Neiva River, entering the municipality of Viana do Castelo. During the last stretch you will go a few kilometers away from the coast to return to it at Rodanho Beach, entering a forest path. Finally, you will cross the river over the Eiffel Bridge and enter the beautiful city of Viana do Castelo, which has one of the most beautiful and best preserved historical centres in Portugal.

A place with seafaring roots, Viana do Castelo will be the perfect place to enjoy a good cod, a food that is closely associated with Portuguese gastronomy. If you wander around its historic centre, you will come to Praça da República, where you can see the Misericórdia building and the chafariz (fountain), built in the 16th century; also in this square, you can visit the Casa Consistorial (Town Hall). As for religious buildings, you should at least know the cathedral, in Romanesque style, and the Church of the Agony.

Known as the city of gold filigree, Viana do Castelo also offers various cultural plans such as visits to the Museum of Costume, the Chocolate Museum, the Museum of Art and Archaeology, or the Gil Eanes Ship.

During this stage the level of difficulty will decrease, as it is a shorter stretch and flatter terrain. Starting from the Cathedral of Viana do Castelo, you can choose whether to continue the route along the coast or go a little further inland. We recommend continuing your route along the coastal section, where you will pass numerous beaches, promenades and coastal paths. This route is a quiet walk, in which you can enjoy the views and get to know heritage elements such as the windmills of Montedor. As you complete the route, you will leave behind towns such as Areosa, Carreço and Afife, until you reach Vila Praia de ncora.

Being very close to Galicia, Vila Praia de ncora is a place of fishing tradition, belonging to Caminha. The most remarkable thing is its huge and wild beach, where you can walk until you reach the Fort of Lagarteira, an old military fortress with a star-shaped floor plan. Another of the icons of the town can be found in the centre: the dolmen of Barrosa, a good example of the megalithic of the northwest of the peninsula.

On this day you will start the last stage of this Camino. The walk starts from the beach of Vila Praia de ncora, passing by the beach of Moledo, until it reaches the village of Caminha. From Caminha you will have to take a ferry to cross the river Minho, and arrive at Camposancos (A Guarda), crossing the natural border between Portugal and Galicia. From this point, you will have to climb the Monte de Santa Tecla (or Trega), and then continue along the path that runs parallel to the coast. A short distance away you will have reached your destination and the end of the stage, A Guarda.

A Guarda is a small maritime village, situated in a privileged natural environment, the majestic estuary formed by the Miño river at its mouth. The panoramic view of the estuary, where the river meets the sea, from the highest point of Monte de Santa Tecla is a must-see. Perhaps the Monte de Santa Tecla is the most recommendable place to visit, for its views and its well-preserved Celtic forts. Once in the centre of the town, you can stroll around the port and sample some of the local gastronomy, specialising mainly in fish and seafood. A perfect place to end your Portuguese Way along the coast from Oporto to A Guarda.

Congratulations! You have completed your Portuguese Way along the coast from Oporto to A Guarda. This last day you’re in charge. You can return home or add more days to your trip to continue the Portuguese Way along the coast to Santiago de Compostela. The Galician section is simply spectacular. You will walk parallel to a rugged and rugged coastline, finding beautiful fishing villages that, in addition to its landscapes, stand out for its exquisite seafood cuisine.

After leaving the lodge, end of our services.

Portuguese Way along the coast from Porto to A Guarda, Accommodation prices

Types of accommodations

Details of the Portuguese Way along the coast from Porto to A Guarda

Services included

7 days / 6 nights accommodation7 days / 6 nights accommodation
Luggage transfer during the stagesLuggage transfer during the stages
Complete documentationComplete documentation
Pilgrim’s CredentialPilgrim’s Credential
On-the-road emergency telephone assistanceOn-the-road emergency telephone assistance
Travel insuranceTravel insurance
Route not available from 1/11 to 1/15, 2025Route not available from 1/11 to 1/15, 2025

Optional Services

ServiceIn hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto to A Guarda
BreakfastBreakfast90€ per person
Supplement for single roomSupplement for single room250€ per single room
Extra nightExtra night95€ (sing. room) / 150€ (doub. room)
Breakfast Breakfast
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto to A Guarda 90€ per person
Supplement for single room Supplement for single room
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto to A Guarda 250€ per single room
Extra night Extra night
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto to A Guarda 95€ (sing. room) / 150€ (doub. room)

Photos

Frequently Asked Questions

In this modality you will do the Camino de Santiago at your own pace and you will only have to worry about choosing the route you like the most, the type of accommodation and your departure date. If you choose this option you will travel alone or with the people that appear in your reservation, and you will have all the services included so that you only have to worry about walking and enjoying the experience.

The Camino de Santiago on your own includes the following services

  • Accommodation
  • Luggage transport
  • Dossier with information about the stages
  • Pilgrim's credential
  • On-the-road helpline
  • Travel insurance

In addition, you can customize your trip by adding the following optional services

  • Breakfast or half board
  • Private transfers to the start of the stage from Santiago de Compostela or from the airport.
  • Extra night at the beginning or end of the stage
Yes, you will have total freedom to choose your departure date. However, if you want to do your Camino de Santiago in the months of December, January and February, we recommend that you check availability before making your reservation. At this time of year most accommodation is closed and many services may not be available.
In your travel documents, you will find the names of the accommodations assigned to you, as well as their contact telephone number and location.   As a general rule, all accommodation are located in the centre of the different towns along the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago de Compostela, without the need to deviate too far from the route. But sometimes, due to lack of availability, it is possible that some accommodation may be a little far from the village or even in neighbouring towns.   For all the accommodations that are at a considerable distance from the route of the Camino, we will provide you with a free taxi service that you can use to get to your accommodation and return to the Camino the next morning.   In any case, these are exceptions that we will inform you at the time of booking.
Luggage transport service by default is included in all our trips and it is not necessary to request it. You can enjoy the Camino de Santiago without the burden of carrying your luggage on your back, knowing that your suitcase will be waiting for you at your next accommodation upon your arrival. Along with your credential, you'll also receive stickers. Cover these stickers with the requested information and stick them in a visible place on your suitcase. Upon arrival at your accommodation, we suggest asking at the reception where you can leave your luggage. You'll need to leave your luggage at the designated spot early in the morning for our carrier to pick it up. This ensures that when you arrive at your next accommodation, your luggage will already be waiting for you.
We have a taxi service that you can hire whenever you need it. You can hire it, for example, to go from the airport to the start of your Camino, or to go from Santiago to your starting point to pick up your car once you finish the stage.
It is the guarantee that you can enjoy your Camino in a safe way. In our trips you already have an insurance included with your trip to be protected during the Camino de Santiago. We will send you the insurance policy along with all the documentation of your trip, so you will have everything you need to enjoy the Camino with peace of mind. Walk without worries!
The basic travel insurance included in our packages offers extensive coverage against unforeseen events, ensuring you'll receive guaranteed medical assistance and numerous benefits. You can review the specifics in the General Conditions of Travel Insurance.

In your travel documents, you'll find an emergency telephone number where we're accessible while you're on the road. This ensures you'll journey with peace of mind, knowin our team members will assist you with any problems, incidents, or questions you encounter along your Camino de Santiago.

To make a reservation, you can follow these steps:
  • Through our website: Select the route you want and follow the steps indicated in the form. Provide your personal information and that of your companions, choose the type of accommodation, room distribution, meals, transfers, bike rental, etc.
  • By email: If you prefer to make the reservation by email or need a personalized trip, you can send us an email to [email protected]. We will provide you with the necessary information to complete the reservation via email.

IMPORTANT: If the routes or services on the website do not meet your specific needs, you can request a personalized quote tailored to what you are looking for by sending an email to [email protected]. If you have any questions or issues when making your reservation, please contact us at (0034) 981 96 68 46, and we will be happy to assist you.
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