Portuguese Way by bike from Oporto – Coast

Stages

• day 1

  Arrival at Oporto

  You will begin your adventure in the bohemian and beautiful city of Porto, which houses a large number of heritage sites and cultural legacies of Portuguese history. We recommend arriving in the city in the morning, dropping off your things at your accommodation, and heading out into the street. You can start your visit at Avenida dos Aliados, the heart of the city, a symbol for the locals and a meeting place for a multitude of cultural events. Make sure to stop by Praça da Liberdade and stroll to the famous and beautiful Livraria Lello e Irmão. Subsequently, right next door, it is mandatory to visit the Torre dos Clérigos. The town of Porto is, in short, a magnificent starting point for the Portuguese Way by bike. For a snack, we recommend trying the famous francesinhas and for dessert, a pastel de natas. After lunch, you can take a walk down to the Ribeira, passing by the São Bento station and the Cathedral. Porto is a wonderful city to get lost in among the streets of its monumental area… cobblestones, tiles, colors, wine, culture, and tradition come together in its narrow alleyways.
• 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 - Vila Praia de Ancora (60 km)

  You will say goodbye to Póvoa de Varzim pedaling happily along a bike lane that crosses the town. Upon reaching the end of the beach, you will continue your peculiar walk by the sea. The first kilometers of the day will take you along beaches, momentarily moving away from the sea to pass through some greenhouse areas and fields. After reaching the small town of Apulia, you will approach an area of forests and pine groves that lead to Bofins Beach. A few more kilometers and you will be in Esposende, a perfect place to take a break. You will continue the route climbing up to the cemetery of Castelo de Neiva on a fairly steep slope, but it will be rewarded with the pilgrim atmosphere that the area has due to the presence of hostels. Once on more bike-friendly terrain, you will arrive at Chafé and after a slight ascent of 2 kilometers, you will have unbeatable views of the first city of the day: Viana do Castelo. Be careful on the descent, as the signs can be confusing; you must not leave the road at any time. You will continue pedaling towards the higher part of the city, towards the beautiful basilica of Santa Luzía. Moving north, you will reach the sea again, riding parallel for a few kilometers. After passing through an area of labyrinthine streets, stone walls, and cobblestones, you will arrive at a small ravine, in an area of rivers, waterfalls, and watermills. The last 20 km of the stage run through forests of pines and eucalyptus and some hills. After crossing a bridge and a stream, we arrive at the first houses of Vila Praia de Ancora.
• day 4

  Stage 3. Vila Praia de Ancora - Baiona (30.7 km)

  Our tour today is very simple. We will set course for Oia following the coastline, with the Atlantic always open to our left. We will leave A Guarda from the promenade, following the route of the cetarias. Once we have arrived at the Cetaria Redonda, we will have to follow the indications to go out to the PO-552 road. The route now runs along the side of the road, sometimes signposted, crossing the counties of A Guarda and O Rosal, a land of excellent wines, towards the town of Baiona.
  The hermitage of San Sebastián will greet us on our arrival in the town of Oia. From here, the road becomes more interesting as you get closer to the ocean. At this point there are only a few metres left to reach the village of Portecelo in Oia. After a couple of kilometres along the Estrada Real, we will descend again on a track to a level of the road closer to the coast.
  

  We walk a few meters and reach the main town of Oia, perfect for a stop, rest and even eat.

  We take the track that goes down to the beach of Oia, at the height of Punta Ourelluda, we will come out again to the road. The Glasgow Hotel and a petrol station will serve as a reference to cross the road to the right after passing them. Now the path runs along a higher level of road, from where the views of the coast will be breathtaking. The path will take us back to the road at Porto Mougás.
  From Porto Mougas there is very little time left to reach our destination in Baiona. We will only have to cross the places of Pedra Rubia, A Ermida, As Mariñas and Baredo, and we will arrive to Baiona.
  
  Baiona is a perfect place to make a stop on the way, as well as being one of the most beautiful coastal towns in the region. Galicia, has emblematic monuments such as the Monterreal Fortress, the replica of the Carabela Pinta or the Virgin of the Rock; not to mention its beaches, located just a stone's throw away from the route.
  

  To consider

  Those who wish to visit the Hillfort of Santa Tecla can go to the Archaeological Museum, from where the guided tours organised by the Municipal Board will depart on weekends and holidays in July, August and September. The visits begin at 12:30 and 17:00 hours and will last 90 minutes, with a tour starting at the Museum and continue the descent on foot to theSanta Trega Hillfort. Because of this and the length of the stage, it is very important that you plan well the stage before leaving A Guarda, if you want to visit these places and not arrive too late to Baiona.
  

  Places of interest

  • Round Cetaria
  • Hermitage of San Sebastian
  • Monastery of Santa Maria de Oia
  • The Gamboa
  • Castro of Chavella
  • Cabo Silleiro Lighthouse
  • Fortress of Monterreal
  • Virgin of the Rock
  • Caravel La Pinta

  Typical dishes

  • We continue with fish and seafood
  • Seafood rice
  • Fish stew
  • White wine from Rías Baixas
• day 5

  Stage 4. Baiona - Pontevedra (57 km)

  You will say goodbye to Baiona cycling through a residential area that will gradually lead you to a more rural environment with scattered villages, interspersed with some wooded sections. After riding a stretch on the road, you will arrive at a series of villages before reaching the first stop of the day, the city of Vigo. After the mandatory stop, you will leave Vigo following a long road through quiet villages; after several kilometers, the houses will be replaced by trees and stunning views of the city of Vigo and the estuary, full of bateas; in the distance, you will also be able to see the Cíes Islands. You will descend with this wonderful view to the city of Redondela, where you can make another technical stop. From this point, only 6 km separate you from Arcade, a small fishing village famous for its oysters. So you know, a good place to eat. Shortly after saying goodbye to Arcade, you will enjoy one of the most iconic scenes of the entire Portuguese Way, Ponte Sampaio. It is a colossal stone bridge that spans the Verdugo River and where, during the War of Independence, a battle took place that resulted in the withdrawal of French troops in Galicia. After crossing the bridge, you will cycle past pazos, hórreos, cruceiros, and small villages until you reach Pontevedra.
• day 6

  Stage 5. Pontevedra - Santiago de Compostela (58 km)

  Last stage of your Portuguese Way along the coast by bike from Porto! Today we recommend leaving early to make the most of the day in the Galician capital. After crossing the Lérez River, the path leaves Pontevedra and leads you to the Alba Marshes Observatory, a large wetland of 80 hectares that is home to hundreds of plant species and 123 bird species. The route runs along roads where many crossroads and level crossings converge, so you should exercise extreme caution. Once you reach Briallos, we recommend detouring half a kilometer to visit the Barosa Waterfalls, a natural setting of extraordinary beauty, with a beautiful sixty-meter drop and fourteen mills along the waterfalls. Shortly after, you will arrive at Caldas de Reis, one of the most renowned spa towns in Galicia and a good place to stop and regain strength. The next stop will be Padrón, from where you cannot leave without trying its famous peppers and discovering if they are as spicy as they say... or not. In Padrón, you will also find the famous "Pedrón," the stone with which they tied the boat that carried the remains of the Apostle Santiago. The last stretch goes through forests, crossroads, bridges, and ancient churches until you reach the parishes of Teo and Ames, the gateway to Santiago de Compostela. You just have to savor the last kilometers and stroll through the old town of Compostela until you make your triumphant entrance into the Plaza del Obradoiro. You are in Santiago! Feel happy and proud to have completed your Portuguese Way from Porto along the coast by bike. Now all that’s left is to collect your Compostela certificate and enjoy an incredible day getting to know the Galician capital.
• day 7

  End of the Camino

  After arriving... End of the Camino