Portuguese Way by bike from Oporto – Coast

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many kilometres are cycled per day on the Camino de Santiago?

  Doing the Camino by bike allows the ‘bicigrino’ to cover more kilometres per day than a pilgrim on foot, easily double. The number of kilometres cycled per day depends on several factors:

  • physical capabilities of each person;
  • time available;
  • route and section chosen (technical difficulty of the terrain);
  • availability of accommodation.

  A priori, a pilgrim can cycle between 50 km and 100 km per stage. In flat stages, such as those of the Meseta, you can easily cover up to 100 km per day, although in stages with slopes, such as the arrival at Roncesvalles or O Cebreiro, it is perhaps more convenient to establish shorter stages.

• What services are included in the Camino de Santiago by bike?

  The Camino de Santiago by bike includes the following services:

  • Accommodation
  • 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:

  • Luggage transport between stages
  • Breakfast or half board
  • Extra night at the beginning or end of the stage
  • Bicycle rental

  Unlike the group trips, no guide or support vehicle is included between stages. However, you will have a 24-hour hotline where you can contact us in case of any problem or unforeseen event, which we will solve quickly.

• Can I bring my own bicycle for a trip on the Camino de Santiago?

  Yes, you can do the Camino with your own bike. The important thing is that it is in good condition before starting to avoid problems. Remember that you can also rent a bicycle with us (MTB, e-Bike, etc., with equipment included) which you will find directly at your first shelter, and we will indicate where to return it at the end of your journey.

• Where will I leave the bicycle each night at the accommodations?

  Do not worry, most accommodations on the Camino have secure spaces for bicycles. They are usually garages or enclosed areas with security measures. When we organize your trip, we ensure that each accommodation guarantees this service. Additionally, if it is an e-Bike and you need to charge it overnight, the accommodations will provide you with a power outlet and electricity.

• Does the Portuguese Coastal Way from Porto by bike qualify you for the Compostela?

  Yes. It is about 243 km from Porto to Santiago along the coast, above the minimum of 200 km by bike that the Pilgrim's Office requires to obtain the Compostela (by bike the minimum is higher than on foot).

• How do you cross the river Minho from Caminha to A Guarda by bike?

  By boat. On the stage from Vila Praia de Âncora you follow the seafront north to Caminha, a good place to refuel, and there you cross the Minho into Galicia at A Guarda. The old ferry has not run for years, so today the crossing is made in the water-taxi boats that carry pilgrims and take bicycles; the trip takes about 10 minutes and depends on the weather.

  On the other side you skirt Monte de Santa Tecla to the harbour of A Guarda, a good place for fish or seafood.

• How do you avoid getting lost on the Portuguese Coastal Camino by bike?

  The rule is simple: ride as close to the Atlantic as you can and, when in doubt, look for the sea. The most confusing point comes early on: about 10 km from Porto, in Matosinhos, you have to cross the port area on a bridge with quite a lot of traffic, roundabouts and turns.

  Then you pass the Leça da Palmeira lighthouse and a not very pleasant industrial area, and at Labruge you move a couple of kilometres away from the sea before returning to the coast.

• Do you have to get off the bike on any section of the Portuguese Coastal Camino?

  Yes, on a few. Leaving A Guarda, the route follows a rocky path by the sea where you will have to get off the bike in places, although the scenery is worth it. Earlier, in Portugal, there is a fairly tough climb up to Castelo de Neiva, and on the descent towards Viana do Castelo the signs can be confusing: don't leave the road.

  The rest of the route is comfortable riding, with many kilometres of boardwalks and cycle lanes.

• Is it worth the detour to the Barosa waterfalls?

  Yes. On the last stage, from Pontevedra to Santiago, when you reach Briallos you only need a half-kilometre detour to see the Barosa waterfalls: a 60-metre drop with fourteen watermills along the river.

  Shortly afterwards you reach Caldas de Reis, a spa town and a good place to stop. That day there are many junctions and level crossings, so ride carefully.

• What shouldn't I miss between Vigo and Pontevedra by bike?

  After Vigo, the houses give way to trees and fine views over the ría, dotted with mussel rafts, with the Cíes Islands in the background. You ride down to Redondela and, 6 km later, reach Arcade, a seafaring town famous for its oysters: your lunch stop.

  Soon after you cross Ponte Sampaio, a great stone bridge over the river Verdugo where a battle of the Peninsular War was fought that led to the French troops withdrawing from Galicia.

• Is the Portuguese Coastal Camino by bike good for beginners?

  Yes, it is one of the most accessible routes for a first time by bike. It follows the coastline over mostly flat, comfortable terrain, with wooden boardwalks, beaches and cycle lanes from Porto. The longest stage is Póvoa de Varzim to Vila Praia de Âncora (60 km), with a tough climb up to Castelo de Neiva, and in Galicia the profile gets a little harder.

  It is 243 km in 5 stages, enough to earn the Compostela by bike.