Stops

[marti71]

Greetings from Ireland

I am beginning my solo camino next week and nerves are starting

I'm starting from Porto along the coast first then will join the Central...I've booked a few places but think I've messed up dates

What would u recommend my 1st stop be..I'll have rested in Porto for 2 nights so will be refreshed....

And from there my 2nd stop shud be ? I don't mind walking say max 25km a day

TIA Martina

 

[Flog]

You won't be the only first timer, so dont worry! I love the walk out of Porto from the cathedral, and always follow the river out to the coast and up to Vila do Conde. It's a lovely town, with everything you need, but it might be a longish first day for you at around thirty kilometres.. some take the metro to the 'Mercado' stop at Matosinhos and walk from up the coast from there, cutting ten kilometres off.

I'm not sure what you mean by messed up dates, but hopefully you can resolve with a few emails or calls (Most Portuguese people have remarkably good english, so don't be afraid to call if necessary!) It shouldn't be necessary to book more than a day or two ahead.

After Vila do Conde, most stop at Rates or Barcelos..

 

[kenwilltravel]

Greetings from Ireland

I am beginning my solo camino next week and nerves are starting

I'm starting from Porto along the coast first then will join the Central...I've booked a few places but think I've messed up dates

What would u recommend my 1st stop be..I'll have rested in Porto for 2 nights so will be refreshed....

And from there my 2nd stop shud be ? I don't mind walking say max 25km a day

TIA Martina

One suggestion for keeping your dates straight is to use an app called Tripit. It enables you to look at your phone and view, in one place, all your reservations in the correct order. We use it for every trip we make.

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

To avoid the hard, confusing streets in Porto I took the metro purple line to Matosinhos (about 20 mins) and began my walk from there to Vila do Conde. So first stop Vila do Conde.

 

[Martin 888]

If I were you, I would not miss the walk out of Porto down the Douro River to the sea, it’s magic! Start at the cathedral in Porto, soaking up the atmosphere, head down the steep narrow streets to the river and turn right towards the mouth of the river. Take your time! I would suggest you stop for your first night at Matasinhos just 12 kms in and it helps you ease into your adventure. It’s a great place and has a really good, pilgrim friendly, tourist office as you come into town ( it’s really a suburb of Porto). Loads of places to stay and a great vibe (check out the bar ‘HopTrip’ if you like good beer). The next day is a nice length walk up the coast to Vila do Conde to give you a good taste of what the coastal route is all about. Stay there on night two and then head inland from there initially keeping the river on your right, about 12 kms, to join the central route at Arcos. I would not suggest walking all the way to Barcelos in one day as it’s a really long day, unless of course you’re comfortable with length days (I’ve done it but it was a tough day). Other thing to avoid is walking in one day from Barcelos to Ponte de Lima, I also did that and it was way too far in a day…...why rush !
Bom Caminho/Buen Camino…. You’re going to have a blast !

 

[marti71]

If I were you, I would not miss the walk out of Porto down the Douro River to the sea, it’s magic! Start at the cathedral in Porto, soaking up the atmosphere, head down the steep narrow streets to the river and turn right towards the mouth of the river. Take your time! I would suggest you stop for your first night at Matasinhos just 12 kms in and it helps you ease into your adventure. It’s a great place and has a really good, pilgrim friendly, tourist office as you come into town ( it’s really a suburb of Porto). Loads of places to stay and a great vibe (check out the bar ‘HopTrip’ if you like good beer). The next day is a nice length walk up the coast to Vila do Conde to give you a good taste of what the coastal route is all about. Stay there on night two and then head inland from there initially keeping the river on your right, about 12 kms, to join the central route at Arcos. I would not suggest walking all the way to Barcelos in one day as it’s a really long day, unless of course you’re comfortable with length days (I’ve done it but it was a tough day). Other thing to avoid is walking in one day from Barcelos to Ponte de Lima, I also did that and it was way too far in a day…...why rush !
Bom Caminho/Buen Camino…. You’re going to have a blast !

Thanks so much Martin

 

[Flog]

To avoid the hard, confusing streets in Porto I took the metro purple line to Matosinhos (about 20 mins) and began my walk from there to Vila do Conde. So first stop Vila do Conde.

I'm a bit confused.. which hard confusing streets?
There's ten kilometres of delightful waterfront between Porto and Matosihos.. ten kilometres of promenades, boats, piers, coves, fortifications, parks, cafes, bars etc. It's all but impossible to get lost.

 

[marti71]

You won't be the only first timer, so dont worry! I love the walk out of Porto from the cathedral, and always follow the river out to the coast and up to Vila do Conde. It's a lovely town, with everything you need, but it might be a longish first day for you at around thirty kilometres.. some take the metro to the 'Mercado' stop at Matosinhos and walk from up the coast from there, cutting ten kilometres off.

I'm not sure what you mean by messed up dates, but hopefully you can resolve with a few emails or calls (Most Portuguese people have remarkably good english, so don't be afraid to call if necessary!) It shouldn't be necessary to book more than a day or two ahead.

After Vila do Conde, most stop at Rates or Barcelos..

Cud I walk.from porto to matosinhos
Then matosinhos to povoa de varzim
Povoa de varzim to ponte de Lima

Or are I completely lost

 

[kenwilltravel]

Cud I walk.from porto to matosinhos
Then matosinhos to povoa de varzim
Povoa de varzim to ponte de Lima

Or are I completely lost

One other app I would suggest is Wise Pilgrim Camino Portuguese. That would answer all your questions about the routes, shows distances between towns, and identify potential lodging places along the way. But to answer your questions, yes to the first two, not sure if there's a proper trail linking Povoa and Ponte de Lima. Most people cross over to the Central at Vila do Conde.

 

[trecile]

If I were you, I would not miss the walk out of Porto down the Douro River to the sea, it’s magic!

I completely agree! I love that walk.

To avoid the hard, confusing streets in Porto I took the metro purple line to Matosinhos (about 20 mins) and began my walk from there to Vila do Conde. So first stop Vila do Conde.

As mentioned above, there's nothing hard or confusing about walking down from the Cathedral to the river then turning right until you get to the sea where you make another right turn.

 

[Dilbin]

Greetings from Ireland

I am beginning my solo camino next week and nerves are starting

I'm starting from Porto along the coast first then will join the Central...I've booked a few places but think I've messed up dates

What would u recommend my 1st stop be..I'll have rested in Porto for 2 nights so will be refreshed....

And from there my 2nd stop shud be ? I don't mind walking say max 25km a day

TIA Martina

Hi Martina. Fellow Irish. I appreciate the nerves but like everything we worry about in life the worry usually is I'll founded. I would suggest you use Gronze. Type Camino portuguese gronze in Google chrome and you can translate it to English. It has all the routes/ distances and more importantly the accommodations. I'd suggest walking out by the river and then up the coast stopping in Labruge. Its a long enough day but the following day is short. You can then cross over to the central on day 3 from Vila de Conde. Its a very nice Camino and once on the central the magic will really begin. Prepare for detours etc on the second day as sections of boardwalk are missing along the coast but it only adds a couple of kms. I'm just back so any questions feel free. Daniel

 

[Dilbin]

Hello again Martina. If you download maps.me on to your phone the open the below link and clink on portugese camino compatible to maps.me you will have all the routes marked including crossing over from Vila do conde to the Central and you can never get lost. Daniel https://www.santiago.nl/downloads/#spanje

 

[marti71]

Hi Martina. Fellow Irish. I appreciate the nerves but like everything we worry about in life the worry usually is I'll founded. I would suggest you use Gronze. Type Camino portuguese gronze in Google chrome and you can translate it to English. It has all the routes/ distances and more importantly the accommodations. I'd suggest walking out by the river and then up the coast stopping in Labruge. Its a long enough day but the following day is short. You can then cross over to the central on day 3 from Vila de Conde. Its a very nice Camino and once on the central the magic will really begin. Prepare for detours etc on the second day as sections of boardwalk are missing along the coast but it only adds a couple of kms. I'm just back so any questions feel free. Daniel

Hey fellow Irish man... that's great ....thanks for all that info....
So walk from Porto to Labruge the first day
Labruge then to where Daniel .?

 

[ChristelMarcAntwerp22]

I completely agree! I love that walk.


As mentioned above, there's nothing hard or confusing about walking down from the Cathedral to the river then turning right until you get to the sea where you make another right turn.

Fully agree, it´s a really lovely start, you get a bit of Porto and then the coast really loved this, we stayed at Perafita which is about 17km if i recall correctly

 

[Dilbin]

Hey fellow Irish man... that's great ....thanks for all that info....
So walk from Porto to Labruge the first day
Labruge then to where Daniel .?

Then Labruge to Vila do conde. You can stay in Vila do Conde or Povor continue straight to the central route in one day. That's really the only option for crossing over to the central unless you keep on the coast until Caminha.

Hey fellow Irish man... that's great ....thanks for all that info....
So walk from Porto to Labruge the first day
Labruge then to where Daniel .?

Hiya That's usually the first stage then day 2 you can walk to Vila do Conde or Pòvao de Varzim. If you are crossing over to the Central then you do that at Vila do Conde otherwise you are waiting until you get to Caminha further up the coast at the border to Spain. Many Pilgrims cross over to the Central at Vila fo Conde. If you continue on the coast to Caminha you take a boat across or else walk Portugal side of the river to Valenca. You will find all this info on the Gronze site. We crossed over on day 2 just two weeks ago as personally I found the coastal monotonous. Then again we live on the west of Ireland so we see the sea all the time. Daniel

 

[trecile]

If you want an easy first day you can walk to Matosinhos then Vila do Conde the next day.

 

[marti71]

Hey fellow Irish man... that's great ....thanks for all that info....
So walk from Porto to Labruge the first day
Labruge then to where Daniel .?

Thanks Daniel.

 

[marti71]

Hello again Martina. If you download maps.me on to your phone the open the below link and clink on portugese camino compatible to maps.me you will have all the routes marked including crossing over from Vila do conde to the Central and you can never get lost. Daniel https://www.santiago.nl/downloads/#spanje

Thanks Daniel think I'm just confusing myself and panicking lol....

 

[Dilbin]

It

Thanks Daniel think I'm just confusing myself and panicking lol....

Is a wonderful Camino and enjoy thoroughly. Take each day as it comes and I hope you meet wonderful people on your journey.

 

[ArleneLaskey]

Cud I walk.from porto to matosinhos
Then matosinhos to povoa de varzim
Povoa de varzim to ponte de Lima

Or are I completely lost

That is basically what I did. I stayed 2 nights in Porto. Day 1 I walked along the Douro and the ocean to Matosinhos, then took the subway back to my hostel. Day 2 I took the subway to Matosinhos and walked to Povoa de Varzim.