Foz do Douro or Matosinhos?

[AJGuillaume]

Merry Christmas!
We're taking a nice break in Porto (6 to 14 July 2020), and experiencing the Douro on a river cruise.
When we disembark, we'll start walking along the Coastal Route. We'll probably disembark mid morning, and as we normally do, we'll be walking a short stage.
The choice we have is to walk to Foz do Douro (a short 7.5km from where we disembark), or to Matosinhos (12.7km).
Our question: which one of the two is a better place to stop for the night, and which of the two has better sightseeing for when we stop walking.
Obrigado!
Bom caminho!

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Merry Christmas! There's not much difference in terms of distance. It's all level waking too. People go to Foz de Douro to see the lighthouse,the Park near the last tram stop, to enjoy the views and take the tram ride there or back if you walk there. There's not much else.

Matosinhos is better as it's got lots of hostels/hotels and shops etc. I stayed here
Pensão Central
Rua de Brito Capelo 599, 4450-075 Matosinhos, Portugal
+351 22 938 0664

Pensão Central · Rua de Brito Capelo 599, 4450-075 Matosinhos, Portugal

★★★★☆ · Hotel

maps.app.goo.gl

You can visit the fish market and at its entrance there's a shop selling all of the great variety of canned shellfish. I ate at a fantastic seafish restaurant which is really popular with locals see
Salta O Muro
R. Heróis de França 386, 4450-155 Matosinhos, Portugal
+351 22 938 0879

Salta O Muro · R. Heróis de França 386, 4450-155 Matosinhos, Portugal

★★★★★ · Restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[John Sikora]

Matosinhos is a better place to stop. Just a bit more to do.

 

[trecile]

I stayed in a beautiful room in Casa Rietsch in Matosinhos.

CASA RIETSCH, Matosinhos, Portugal

Located in Matosinhos and with Matosinhos Beach reachable within a 3-minute walk, CASA RIETSCH provides express check-in and check-out, allergy-free rooms,...

www.booking.com

 

[Henry B]

Siggestion: Stay in Porto overnight then take the Metro to Matosinhos and walk from there.

 

[trecile]

Siggestion: Stay in Porto overnight then take the Metro to Matosinhos and walk from there.

The walk along the river and coast from Porto is very nice.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Merry Christmas! There's not much difference in terms of distance. It's all level waking too. People go to Foz de Douro to see the lighthouse,the Park near the last tram stop, to enjoy the views and take the tram ride there or back if you walk there. There's not much else.

Matosinhos is better as it's got lots of hostels/hotels and shops etc. I stayed here
Pensão Central
Rua de Brito Capelo 599, 4450-075 Matosinhos, Portugal
+351 22 938 0664

Pensão Central · Rua de Brito Capelo 599, 4450-075 Matosinhos, Portugal

★★★★☆ · Hotel

maps.app.goo.gl

You can visit the fish market and at its entrance there's a shop selling all of the great variety of canned shellfish. I ate at a fantastic seafish restaurant which is really popular with locals see
Salta O Muro
R. Heróis de França 386, 4450-155 Matosinhos, Portugal
+351 22 938 0879

Salta O Muro · R. Heróis de França 386, 4450-155 Matosinhos, Portugal

★★★★★ · Restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

Thank you @MyDestinationGalicia , great suggestions!

 

[AJGuillaume]

Matosinhos is a better place to stop. Just a bit more to do.

Thank you @John Sikora .

 

[AJGuillaume]

I stayed in a beautiful room in Casa Rietsch in Matosinhos.

CASA RIETSCH, Matosinhos, Portugal

Located in Matosinhos and with Matosinhos Beach reachable within a 3-minute walk, CASA RIETSCH provides express check-in and check-out, allergy-free rooms,...

www.booking.com

Thank you @trecile .
That looks great.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Siggestion: Stay in Porto overnight then take the Metro to Matosinhos and walk from there.

The walk along the river and coast from Porto is very nice.

And after more than an overnight in Porto, I reckon we'll be rested and ready to experience that walk!

 

[trecile]

Thank you @trecile .
That looks great.

The host there is very nice, and a good breakfast with a variety of foods is included.

 

[Susan Peacock]

We stayed in Matosinhos at Fishtail Sea House and it was very nice. They have bunks and private rooms. Keep in mind that the walk from Porto will not take long and you might not be able to check-in until the afternoon. Porto is such a wonderful city, you might like spending 1/2 day there before heading to Matosinhos.

 

[AJGuillaume]

We stayed in Matosinhos at Fishtail Sea House and it was very nice. They have bunks and private rooms. Keep in mind that the walk from Porto will not take long and you might not be able to check-in until the afternoon. Porto is such a wonderful city, you might like spending 1/2 day there before heading to Matosinhos.

Thank you for the suggestion, @Susan Peacock .
As I mentioned in my original post, we're disembarking from a Douro river cruise on the day, so we're not likely to get to Matosinhos early. And we're staying 3 days in Porto before walking.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We stayed in Matosinhos at Fishtail Sea House and it was very nice. They have bunks and private rooms. Keep in mind that the walk from Porto will not take long and you might not be able to check-in until the afternoon. Porto is such a wonderful city, you might like spending 1/2 day there before heading to Matosinhos.

I agree. Walk to Matosinhos! I also stayed at the Fishtail Sea House. It was one of the best I experienced on the Portuguese and had a very nice breakfast included...a stand out memory!

 

[Roz.K]

Merry Christmas!
We're taking a nice break in Porto (6 to 14 July 2020), and experiencing the Douro on a river cruise.
When we disembark, we'll start walking along the Coastal Route. We'll probably disembark mid morning, and as we normally do, we'll be walking a short stage.
The choice we have is to walk to Foz do Douro (a short 7.5km from where we disembark), or to Matosinhos (12.7km).
Our question: which one of the two is a better place to stop for the night, and which of the two has better sightseeing for when we stop walking.
Obrigado!
Bom caminho!

The walk to Matosinhos is easy and scenic. My husband and I stayed at "Leao de Ouro". The market is great.