Is it easy to cross from coastal to central path?

[LynneR]

I would like to take the senda litoral, only because I have not heard many good things about walking out of Porto. However, I would like to take the central route. My concern is getting from one path to the next. I have reviewed a few different maps and I have a guide book. However, I can't see a clear path and am concerned how well it will be marked since it is a connector path.
If anyone has walked this route, I would appreciate any tips.
Thanks,
Lynne

 

[Former member 22438]

If you read a litlle bit more on this excellent forum with lot of expertise from experienced caminhistas you can read that there is nothing wrong with the stages out of Porto.
Don't know who tells you that. They probably never walked out of Porto.
There are two first stages out of Porto
The Central way Yes the beginning is not so nice through the urban area but once direction the airport you will get into a more rural area.
Many here including myself advise to take the metro from the towncenter till Fórum Maia or Vilar do Pinheiro and walk from there. Nothing wrong with .Santiago gives his permission to do so from above.

The other stage is the coastal caminho along the Douro river and the ocean.
A beautiful and pleasant walk .
Once in Matosinhos you follow the wooden boardwalk with the ocean at your left
Nothing wrong with
In Vila do Conde you can make up your mind by choosing either the connection to the Central route in Arcos -we are talking about 12 kms. you even can follow an antique aquaduct for a while .all for free. I wished I had one here Where I live.
You also can continue the coastal all away to Redondela where you will meet the central route to Santiago
Both paths are very well waymarked. All honour to the volontarios of Vialusitana who take care for the yellow waymarkers That may be said so we all can find our way to the shrine of the apostle.
So nothing to worry about . Just make your choice. The Porto metro is comfortable if you choose for plan A . Walking along the riverbank and the seaside -plan B is also great.
I did both during the years I walked the Portuguese and spent my holidays round Porto and the northern Douro and Minho region for many years .
This year -in one week from now by the way - I will take the metro to Vilar do Pinheiro and walk from there to Vairão where is the great albergue o Mosteiro do Vairão. Can't wait to be there.
Last year I walked the coastal to Caminha and followed the Minho river to Valença
Where our caminho ended . This year we first go to Casa da Fernanda to enjoy the best albergue from the entire caminho Português and continue to Valença to acomplish the caminho from there to Santiago.
Wish you strenght by making up your mind.

 

[LynneR]

Thank you for all of those details. Very helpful.
In fact, I read many posts on this forum that described the walk out of Porto as unappealing. I would like to walk to the whole way, so if I do (and accept that the first day will not be my favorite) is it safe at the very least? I don't want to walk on busy roads and risk my life!
I also have read about the Mosteiro do Vairão, as you mentioned, and it looks lovely. Would like to experience that if possible.
Like most things, we take in others' knowledge then decide what is best. Just trying to get the full picture. I thank your experienced opinion.

 

[Former member 22438]

Thank you for all of those details. Very helpful.
In fact, I read many posts on this forum that described the walk out of Porto as unappealing. I would like to walk to the whole way, so if I do (and accept that the first day will not be my favorite) is it safe at the very least? I don't want to walk on busy roads and risk my life!
I also have read about the Mosteiro do Vairão, as you mentioned, and it looks lovely. Would like to experience that if possible.
Like most things, we take in others' knowledge then decide what is best. Just trying to get the full picture. I thank your experienced opinion.

It is a choice. you walk partly on the hard shoulder of a busy road for a while so that is why many take the metro to Fórum Maia or Vilar do Pinheiro .

So the excellent alternative is to walk on the riverbank and the "beira-mar- along the coast to Vila do Conde and swith there to the Central route as I described then you will have the full walk .

 

[David Manzo]

Senta Litoral from Porto Cathedral to Vila do Conte and then to the central in Barcellos. Loved every minute of it!!!

 

[Gearóid]

You'll have no problem. Both are great in their own way ...... sanitising any Camino to eliminate unpleasant sections, in my view, diminishes the impact of the really spectacular sections......a metaphor for life..... the good times carry us through the difficult times.

 

[t2andreo]

I recommend you follow Albertinho's advice about Matosinhos or Vila do Conde.

I have done this and can recommend it for a good, mixed start. You start from Porto, walk along the ocean for a day or so, then turn inland at Vila do Conde, to join the interior route at Rates.

I have also used the train to leave Porto to the edge of the industrial belt, then walked about 8 km to my first night stay at Vilarinhos. I can also recommend this approach.

Hope this helps.

 

[John Sikora]

In general the walk out of Porto until you get to Matosinhos is ok. A bit urban but just a relatively long walk along the river. It's not that it's bad in any sense that I can think of. It's just urban and I think many of the opinions are based on expectations of what it should be in their own mind. The coastal route is very nice if you like to walk along beaches and the ocean fronts. That's pretty much all you see. I personally love the waves and ocean (although most of it was fogged in when I walked it last year). The central route is nice but mostly forest and hills. So it depends on whether or not you're are a seaside person or a forest person. There are multiple options to cross from the coastal to central and vice versa but you have to check the maps and make sure you're not going way out of your way to do so. Along most of the way it's NOT just a matter of a k or so to get from one to the other.

 

[stratophile]

Hi @moxy - From Vila do Conde to Rates is about 13.2 km / 8.2 mi (depending on where exactly you measure from).

 

[Stellaluna]

I would like to take the senda litoral, only because I have not heard many good things about walking out of Porto. However, I would like to take the central route. My concern is getting from one path to the next. I have reviewed a few different maps and I have a guide book. However, I can't see a clear path and am concerned how well it will be marked since it is a connector path.
If anyone has walked this route, I would appreciate any tips.
Thanks,
Lynne

I have the same plan.

 

[auburnfive]

The way is very well marked. There is a tourist information office in Vila do Conde which will give you a detailed map of the route to join the central route

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I walked from Vila do Condo to Rates and did not like that stretch. Too much road walking on a narrow shoulder and many fast speeding cars going by making lots of noise on the cobblestone setts. Then continuing on to Barcelos the path and scenery improved!

 

[David Tallan]

Did you stoped overnight in Rates or did you went all the way from Vila do Condo to Barcelos the same day and spent the night there?

For what it is worth, I stopped at Rates (home of the first albergue in Portugal). But I started that day in Vila Cha, about 7 km before Vila do Conde. So my first day from Porto was only about 25 km instead of 33. The second day ended up about 20 km. The third day I just walked to Barcelos, a short day. For me, the sweet spot is about 20-25 km per day. I've done over 30, but I prefer to avoid it unless necessary.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

David, my "sweet spot" walking is identical to yours... nearing 30 and I wilt.

 

[Stellaluna]

For what it is worth, I stopped at Rates (home of the first albergue in Portugal). But I started that day in Vila Cha, about 7 km before Vila do Conde. So my first day from Porto was only about 25 km instead of 33. The second day ended up about 20 km. The third day I just walked to Barcelos, a short day. For me, the sweet spot is about 20-25 km per day. I've done over 30, but I prefer to avoid it unless necessary.

This sounds like a perfect plan for me. I did consider taking a taxi to Matasinhos and then waking to Vila do Conde for my first night. Any thoughts on that?

 

[auburnfive]

You can easily take the metro ( Blue line) to Matosinhos and walk from there, 21 k to Vila do Conde. We walked the next day from there through Rates to Barcelos, but it was 30 K. We met people who took a cab to Rates and walked from there to Barcelos, which would shorten the road walking portion and leave about 17 k to walk

 

[David Tallan]

This sounds like a perfect plan for me. I did consider taking a taxi to Matasinhos and then waking to Vila do Conde for my first night. Any thoughts on that?

I guess for me, I got my first stamp in my credencial at the cathedral in Porto and wanted to walk from there. Taxis or streetcars or metro were all well and good enough before the Camino started but I would rather walk once on Camino. And the walk by the river and along the ocean to Matosinhos wasn't so bad that I felt the need to avoid it.

I'm not saying that I am such a purist that I have never gotten a ride while on Camino. But I wasn't short for time and the distances were working out and Vila Chã isn't such a bad place to spend the night. They have a nice museum devoted to the local fishing industry that is right in the albergue. And that way, the walk to Rates the next day was also in my sweet spot. From Rates to Barcelos was a little short but it gives you extra time in Barcelos, which has lots to offer.

 

[Stellaluna]

I guess for me, I got my first stamp in my credencial at the cathedral in Porto and wanted to walk from there. Taxis or streetcars or metro were all well and good enough before the Camino started but I would rather walk once on Camino. And the walk by the river and along the ocean to Matosinhos wasn't so bad that I felt the need to avoid it.

I'm not saying that I am such a purist that I have never gotten a ride while on Camino. But I wasn't short for time and the distances were working out and Vila Chã isn't such a bad place to spend the night. They have a nice museum devoted to the local fishing industry that is right in the albergue. And that way, the walk to Rates the next day was also in my sweet spot. From Rates to Barcelos was a little short but it gives you extra time in Barcelos, which has lots to offer.

Sounds quite doable! Thanks

 

[Stellaluna]

I've got 3 1/2 weeks so no big hurry. I hope to do the Variante Espiratuel and maybe Finisterre... we'll see.