Portuguese Way along the coast from Porto to A Guarda

Stages

• day 1

  Arrival at Oporto

  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 arriving in the city in the morning, leaving your things at your accommodation and hitting the streets. You can start your visit at Avenida dos Aliados, the heart of the city, a flagship for the locals and a meeting place and venue for many 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 Clérigos Tower. The town of Porto is, in short, a magnificent start to the Portuguese Way. For a snack we recommend you try the famous francesiñas and for dessert, a pastel de natas (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 lose yourself in the streets of its monumental area… cobblestones, tiles, colours, wine, culture and tradition all come together in its narrow streets.
• day 2

  Stage 1. Oporto - Póvoa de Varzim (37 km)

  The route starts at the cathedral of Oporto, to go down to the banks of the Douro and continue along the river promenade to its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean, in the place of A Foz. And from this locality to the exit of Oporto, you will follow the route through wooden walks that alternate with well paved cycle paths, crossing the localities of Matosinhos, Leça de Palmeira, Lavra, Angeiras and Labruge.
  On your way, you will find several forts (such as the Forte de São Francisco Xavier or Castelo do Queijo), chapels and churches of great beauty, as well as countless beaches and several parks. You will pass by the Castro de Sampaio, the ruins of a small Iron Age settlement, and continue along the beach passing by the Ornithological Reserve of Mindelo, leaving behind churches, aqueducts and convents, until you reach Póvoa de Varzim.
  

  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 Rua 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 picanha.
  

  To consider

  Since leaving Porto can be excessively long and tedious, an option widely used by pilgrims is to leave Porto by public transport to Matosinhos and start walking from there, just 13 kilometres from Labruge. In this way, 30 kilometres will separate you from Póvoa de Varzim.
  

  Places of interest

  • Foz do Douro seafront promenade
  • Jardim do Passeio Alegre
  • Lighthouse of San Miguel O Anjo
  • Forte Sao Joao Baptista da Foz
  • Felgueiras Lighthouse
  • Forte de São Francisco Xavier "Castelo do Queijo" (Castle of Queijo)
  • Beaches: Molhe, of the English, Senhora de Luz, of Ourigo, Gondarém,
  • Man of Leme...
  • Castro Sampaio - Labruge
  • Mindelo Ornithological Reserve
  • Fisherman's Neighborhood - Póvoa de Varzim
  • Fortress of Our Lady of the Conception - Póvoa de Varzim
  • Aqueduct - Póvoa de Varzim

  Typical dishes

  • Francesinhas
  • Tripas a moda do Porto
  • Cream cake
  • Fish
  • Picanha
  • Caldeirada de peixe
• day 3

  Stage 2. Póvoa de Varzim - Esposende (21 km)

  We will say goodbye to Póvoa de Varzim leaving by its promenade, heading north to Esposende. We will continue with the beach walks as the main route, passing by beaches such as Fragosinho, until we reach Aguçadoura.
  From Aguçadoura, the path takes us away from the coastal stretches to go along an asphalted stretch. Our next reference to return to the coastal environment will be a campsite, where we will have to turn left.
  After walking a little further, the next point of reference is the town of Apúlia, from where we will leave alternating cobblestone roads with beautiful trails until we reach Fão. From here, we will take as a reference a football field to continue the path on the right until we reach the church of Bom Jesús.
  

  Once we meet the river Cádavo, after crossing it over an iron bridge, we will have reached the end of the stage.

  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.
  

  To consider

  Slips and falls are common for pilgrims, especially in winter or in rainy seasons, so we recommend being careful and equip ourselves with good footwear before leaving on a pilgrimage. Póvoa de Varzim if we want to arrive without injuries at the end of the stage in the village of Esposende. It is important to watch where you put your foot.
  

  Places of interest

  • Esposende North Littoral Nature Reserve
  • Windmills of Esposende
  • Bom Jesus de Fão Church
  • Metal bridge of Fão
  • Maritime Museum and Municipal Museum - Esposende
  • Castro of São Lourenço
  • São João Baptista Fort
  • Mercy Church

  Typical dishes

  • Polvo à Esposende: the star dish of the area
  • Fish at Poveira
  • Rabanada à poveira
  • Sardines and bacalhau
  • Baked sea bass or with rice
  • Vinhos Verdes de Quinta
• day 4

  Stage 3. Esposende - Viana do Castelo (24 km)

  We leave Esposende heading to Marinhas and going into an interior stretch of the route and after walking through a few streets and running into the Civic Center of Mar we arrive at the church of Belinho, which gives us the starting signal on our way to Viana do Castelo. Our next destination and reference point is the parish of Antas, from where the most beautiful part of the stage begins: the descent to the river Neiva.
  Once we have crossed the river, the paths will be predominantly uphill. We will pass by the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the church of São Tiago. From here, we still have one more church to pass, the church of São Romão de Neiva, before arriving at the village of Chafé. Here we will have to take the detour to Vilanova de Anha.
  

  The next point is to get to Darque, from where we will be very close to the famous Eiffel Bridge, which we will have to cross to get to Viana do Castelo.

  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 through 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. As for religious buildings, the cathedral, in Romanesque style, and the Church of the Agony stand out.
  

  To consider

  The crossing of the Neiva River, which is generally quite fast-flowing, is done through a pontella or platform of granite slabs, without a handrail, so we must take extreme precautions.
  

  Places of interest

  • Church of San Bartolomé do Mar
  • Castelo do Neiva
  • Boa Viagem Farm and Chapel
  • Cathedral of Viana do Castelo
  • Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Agonia - Viana
  • Gil Eanes Vessel
  • Museums: costume, chocolate, art and archaeology museums
  • The Chafariz

  Typical dishes

  • Bacalhau (in its many forms of preparation)
  • Grilled sardines
  • Various fish
  • Green wines
  • Roast Frango with potatoes and rice
• day 5

  Stage 4. Viana do Castelo - Vila Praia de Ancora (19 km)

  As we told you before, today we meet the coast again on the way. However, we have to admit that there is a bit of a catch in our words. Actually, the official route of this stage runs inland, but in recent years the variant that runs along the coast has become popular. You can choose the itinerary you like the most.
  The official itinerary departs from Viana do Castelo heading to the shopping centre located next to the train station that connects directly to Vila Praia de Ancora. From there, cross a passage under the train tracks and continue along Rua Don Moisés Alves Pinho, having as a reference the company of the Santa Luzia mountain. We will have to cross a roundabout and a bridge, perfectly signposted, until we reach Quinta da Boa Viagem.
  

  After this, we will only have to cross the towns of Areosa and Carreço, until we reach our destination at the end of the stage.

  If, on the other hand, you prefer to follow the route along the coast, you should know that it is not signposted but it is very easy to follow without getting lost. You will only have to leave Viana do Castelo in the direction of Avenida do Atlántico, and keeping this course you will cross the North beach and the Areosa fortress and then continue in the direction of Carreço following the coastline along the GR-1 and you will have arrived at Vila Praia de Ancora.
  Vila Praia de Ancora is a place with a 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 is in the centre: the dolmen of Barrosa, a good example of megalithism in the northwest of the peninsula.
  

  To consider

  The beach of Vila Praia has a very strong swell, like many of the beaches that make up the straight coasts of Portugal. Avoid swimming in the area of the river mouth, especially at low tide, as the currents are stronger in that area.
  

  Places of interest

  • Forte de Lagarteira
  • Caldeirão Dune Beach
  • Dolmen da Barrosa
  • Praias de Moledo and Foz do Minho - Caminha
  • Centre and main church of Caminha
  • Forte de Ínsua

  Typical dishes

  • Caldeirada à pescador
  • Various fish
  • Roast kid
  • Naco de buey
  • For dessert: The caminhenses and the mokas
• day 6

  Stage 5. Vila Praia de Ancora - A Guarda (19 km)

  As we have already told you in the information, our journey today starts leaving Vila Praia de Ancora behind, heading towards Moledo and Caminha, from where we will take a ferry to cross to A Guarda. We will disembark in Galicia in the parish of Camposancos, and we will only have to follow the arrows to the left that will guide us along the Camposancos road. Once we cross the district of Saa, we only need to follow the PO-355 to get to the main village of A Guarda.
  A Guarda is a small seaside village, situated in a privileged natural environment: the majestic estuary formed by the Miño river at its mouth. If you go up to Monte de Santa Tegra, you will be able to contemplate the marvellous panoramic view of the estuary, where the Minho and the Atlantic meet. In Monte de Santa Tegra you can also visit one of the best examples of a castreño settlement in Spain.
  

  To consider

  You should consult the ferry timetablesto plan the stage before leaving Vila Praia de Ancora if you want to be able to cross without waiting too long to A Guarda. The journey time is approximately 15 minutes and the ticket price is 1,50€ (there is an extra charge for bringing a bicycle). You can check the schedules in this link.
  

  Places of interest

  • Camposancos Beach
  • Mount of Santa Tegra
  • Promenade
  • Fishing district
  • Historical center
  • Festas do Monte

  Typical dishes

  • Seafood and fish
  • Lobster: there is a gastronomic lobster festival
  • Swordfish: also has its own gastronomic feast
• day 7

  End of the Camino

  After arriving... End of the Camino