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