Best way out of Porto for the central route

[LynneR]

Hello-
I am looking for tips from anyone who has left Porto for the central route. I do not want to walk for miles through the city, but I want to stay on the central path from the beginning. So what is the best (and nearest) place to begin my actual walk that is past the busy urban setting of Porto? Also, if you know convenient transportation to said location, I would love to learn about that too. I am flying in to Porto airport....I even considered just walking from there, but not sure if this is a nice way to begin this journey.
It seems like there are many choices to begin from Porto, and I'm a bit overwhelmed!
Thanks in advance for your help!

Lynne

 

[Joe.Iozzi]

I took the metro to one stop past the airport and then walled northeast and then east along the Antonio Costa e Neiva road about a km to the Camino. I can't remember if the road changes names before you come to the camino. If I remember correctly the stop was called Villar do Pinheiro. Worked well.

 

[Corned Beef]

I am flying in to Porto airport....I even considered just walking from there, but not sure if this is a nice way to begin this journey.

Do you intend to come back to Porto because its not a city to miss?

Otherwise the advice of @joe.lozzi above is spot on.

 

[LynneR]

Do you intend to come back to Porto because its not a city to miss?

Otherwise the advice of @joe.lozzi above is spot on.

Yes, I’ll return and have a couple days in Porto before I fly home. I think I’ll be able to relax and enjoy the city a bit more at the end instead of the beginning. Thanks!!

 

[LynneR]

I took the metro to one stop past the airport and then walled northeast and then east along the Antonio Costa e Neiva road about a km to the Camino. I can't remember if the road changes names before you come to the camino. If I remember correctly the stop was called Villar do Pinheiro. Worked well.

Thank you!

 

[LilleTyksak]

I arrived late in the evening March 2022, so stayed in a hotel near the airport and walked 400 m to the central route

PS. I walked coastal/literal in May 2019

 

[John Briscoe]

My wife and I walked out of Porto up the river to Matosinhos and then up the coast to Vila do Conde. We then headed onto the inland track from there to Arcos.
Saw a bit of the coast and then the country.

 

[Steve900Hiker]

I took the Metro from Porto to Mosteiro to pick up the Central Route to Sao Pedro de Rates.

 

[Vacajoe]

Despite being a “completist,” I truly wouldn’t walk the first stage out of Porto again on the central route - truly awful with little walking space and plenty of large trucks and buses. We eventually veered off the path to secondary roads which were better and seemed to be part of an older route since they went small church to small church rather than following the major Highway. If I walked it again, I’d start my walk from the airport - the section of the Camino you’ll intercept very near to there is the start of the less-urban walk.

 

[Airfix]

We are in Caminha tonight after walking the coastal Senda Litoral - great walk, come back and do it another time.
Last September 2021 we walked the central route all way to S de C after a couple of days in Porto (Duro valley wine tour is a must). We started with a taxi to Vilar de Pinheiro walked to Arcos first day and stayed at Quinta Sao Miguel De Arcos, excellent first stop.
Pre-book taxi with Booking.com for a competitive price to get to start, well out of urban sprawl.
I assume your having one night in Porto so get the Metro from airport to centre of Porto for a few Euro's. If your arriving late at night then I'd use a taxi service, again booked via Booking.com.

Have a great Caminho, weather has been very hot and sunny this week.

 

[Ctshagr]

Hello-
I am looking for tips from anyone who has left Porto for the central route. I do not want to walk for miles through the city, but I want to stay on the central path from the beginning. So what is the best (and nearest) place to begin my actual walk that is past the busy urban setting of Porto? Also, if you know convenient transportation to said location, I would love to learn about that too. I am flying in to Porto airport....I even considered just walking from there, but not sure if this is a nice way to begin this journey.
It seems like there are many choices to begin from Porto, and I'm a bit overwhelmed!
Thanks in advance for your help!

Lynne

Lynne,
Take the 500 bus from the stop next to the Catheral in Porto to Masintos To avoid traffic. Then start your walk along the coast to Vila do Condo. After that head to Barcellos and follow that route all the way to the border at Tui. Bierly has a good guide that lays it out along with the coastal and another one. I did the central in 2018 and it was great. Buen Camino.

 

[RJM]

If you have no intention of visiting Porto at that time, I recommend to just start from the airport. Hook to the northeast and join the central route at Mosteiro. If you have a guidebook it is pretty clearly shown.

 

[Tarisz]

Hello-
I am looking for tips from anyone who has left Porto for the central route. I do not want to walk for miles through the city, but I want to stay on the central path from the beginning. So what is the best (and nearest) place to begin my actual walk that is past the busy urban setting of Porto? Also, if you know convenient transportation to said location, I would love to learn about that too. I am flying in to Porto airport....I even considered just walking from there, but not sure if this is a nice way to begin this journey.
It seems like there are many choices to begin from Porto, and I'm a bit overwhelmed!
Thanks in advance for your help!

Lynne

I took the metro to Vilar do Pinheiro, from there the first Camino marking is a mere few hundred meters and I walked through semi-rural regions to Rates on the first day.

 

[Former member 49149]

This thread has reminded me of the presence of beggars, they were beggars with sob stories, as we made our way from the airport to the hotel. Just put a grille around your heart. Not comfortable. Or else have a few euros ready to give. I am afraid I had no heart for a grille
We chose to have one day to visit the city, a delightful day. The next day we took the metro to Matashinos. It was a camino that I loved, every step of the way.

 

[LouisW]

My wife and I walked out of Porto up the river to Matosinhos and then up the coast to Vila do Conde. We then headed onto the inland track from there to Arcos.
Saw a bit of the coast and then the country.

We took this route last year as well and it was a nice walk out of Porto. Seems like the best of both worlds of the coastal and central routes.

 

[Former member 22438]

Starting to from the airport as mentioned here in this posts, start walking directly on the central and stay overnight in o Mosteiro do Vairão which is 14 kms away. Then through a nice landscape to São Pedro de Rates.

 

[LynneR]

Thank you all so much for your input.
I see the common opinion is that walking out Porto is a challenge and it's a good idea to avoid it if I can. I plan to return to Porto for a couple days before I fly home, so I can take in all the city has to offer at that time.
Thanks to all of your advice, I know for sure I will begin walking from the airport. Never having been there, it is hard to imagine what this will like, but I've learned to listen to experienced pilgrims and trust the Camino!!
Thanks again and wishing you all well.
Lynne

 

[LynneR]

We are in Caminha tonight after walking the coastal Senda Litoral - great walk, come back and do it another time.
Last September 2021 we walked the central route all way to S de C after a couple of days in Porto (Duro valley wine tour is a must). We started with a taxi to Vilar de Pinheiro walked to Arcos first day and stayed at Quinta Sao Miguel De Arcos, excellent first stop.
Pre-book taxi with Booking.com for a competitive price to get to start, well out of urban sprawl.
I assume your having one night in Porto so get the Metro from airport to centre of Porto for a few Euro's. If your arriving late at night then I'd use a taxi service, again booked via Booking.com.

Have a great Caminho, weather has been very hot and sunny this week.

Thanks for sharing your experience.
Enjoy the rest of your Camino!

 

[Airfix]

Thank you all so much for your input.
I see the common opinion is that walking out Porto is a challenge and it's a good idea to avoid it if I can. I plan to return to Porto for a couple days before I fly home, so I can take in all the city has to offer at that time.
Thanks to all of your advice, I know for sure I will begin walking from the airport. Never having been there, it is hard to imagine what this will like, but I've learned to listen to experienced pilgrims and trust the Camino!!
Thanks again and wishing you all well.
Lynne

If this is your plan, make sure your flight arrives early so you have plenty of time to get your bearings, do some walking and find accommodation.
One other piece of advice......chat to other Pellegrino's you meet in the airport and on the plane and in the queue at immigration. Ask their advice, you may be able to share a taxi, or walk with them out of the airport. Or just get pointed in tight direction.

Don't worry about recognising a Pellegrino, you'll soon be able to spot one from 100 metres.

Have a good journey.