Is this ok?

[Doug Delfeld]

Hi folks,
Has anyone ever walked out of Porto on the Avenida do Boa Vista? It seems to leave Porto from the center and go diagonally to the costal route and cut off the corner. Any thought other than why cut the corner, just walk the costal to Matosinhos!
Thx for your patience

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Hi folks,
Has anyone ever walked out of Porto on the Avenida do Boa Vista? It seems to leave Porto from the center and go diagonally to the costal route and cut off the corner. Any thought other than why cut the corner, just walk the costal to Matosinhos!
Thx for your patience

I walked the Caminho Portugues from Lisbon to SdC in 2015. At that time the inland route & actually getting to the coast as an alternative route from Porto, were considered dangerous to walk. This was due to heavy traffic, major highways, no designated footpaths or barriers to protect walkers etc. Circa 2015, even the guidebooks suggested catching a train/bus for a short hop to reach a safer place on your chosen route. I elected to take the coastal route so did as advised. With all that in mind (& admittedly I'm no longer up-to-date with the CP), my thoughts are that the road/traffic/safety issues may still apply hence the route now going diagonally (Avenida da Boa Vista) to reach the coast. Of course, you're not corralled by the path so could still go directly to the ocean. I don't recall any riverside options at the time but maybe I didn't look either! The coastal route is beautiful (even with the power station!) with excellent paths & boardwalks so you can really enjoy carefree walking. Bom Caminho

 

[Tassie Kaz]

PS. It may also be as simple as a minor distance saving. Personally, I'd rather walk extra to be by the ocean any day!

 

[Anamya]

Hi Doug!

Avenida Boa Vista leaves from the "geometric" centre of Porto, but not really from very close to the cathedral or the Old City. Also, it is a very large commercial avenue in its beginning, and does not have many attractive views. That may be the reason people do not take that route to get to the Coastal route - why endure a few kms of boring if you can go near the river, which is so pretty?

But people are free to walk whatever suits them most. Personally I spent 2 days in Porto exploring the old city and then took the train out to Maia to walk the Central route from there

 

[gerardcarey]

I just watched a utube video. It looks a cool walk. Parks, interesting buildings, wide footpaths.
Having wandered down from the Cathedral to the river bank then out to the coast, another fine walk, I'd sure give Avenida do Boa Vista a try next time.
Regards
Gerard

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I just watched a utube video. It looks a cool walk. Parks, interesting buildings, wide footpaths.
Having wandered down from the Cathedral to the river bank then out to the coast, another fine walk, I'd sure give Avenida do Boa Vista a try next time.
Regards
Gerard

Just checked my old guidebook with the current path...definitely been some re-routing which can only be a good thing in this case! Can you provide the YouTube link please Gerard?

 

[gerardcarey]

There appears to be quite a lot of videos on utube.
Some look better than others.
Just plug in Avenida de Boavista.
Whatever, this is the one I viewed first.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

There appears to be quite a lot of videos on utube.
Some look better than others.
Just plug in Avenida de Boavista.
Whatever, this is the one I viewed first.

Thanks for that. The R. do Ouro along the river looks like a lovely way to get to the coast from Porto city. Always nice knowing what you missed... Ah well, a good excuse to go back!

 

[jsalt]

Has anyone ever walked out of Porto on the Avenida do Boa Vista?

Hi, yes, I have. I lived in Porto for a month and walked it one day, getting the bus back. It’s fine. A wide main commercial avenue with some large hotels along it, and wide sidewalks on both sides of the road. But it’s dead straight, so you can see for miles ahead of you, which makes it very uninteresting. Rather stay by the river and the sea.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Greetings, Doug!
I'm walking that Camino in 3 weeks time. I plan to take the river/coastal path to Matoshinos. It's a few Kms longer, but prettier [I guess!] If the river and ocean winds are too cold, I'll move to the internal camino - even though I walked it in 2011!!
Bom caminho, amigo!

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Doug, I was thinking exactly the same as you in 2012 and chose it as my route out of town. It was absolutely fine. As you've probably worked out it runs across the camino so you just hang a left at the appropriate junction (which is easy to find, especially if you pick up a free city tourist map in Porto). Then it's just straight all the way to the sea. Worked for me.
If you are going all the way to Vilar do Conde that day you are looking at about 35km by taking the Douro path from the bridge in Porto. The avenida option shaves off at least 3km. For me it meant I had a little extra energy left at the end of the day at VdC for climbing up onto the hill above the town to admire the Roman aqueduct - and huge views back down the coast.

 

[Richard A Stead]

Hi folks,
Has anyone ever walked out of Porto on the Avenida do Boa Vista? It seems to leave Porto from the center and go diagonally to the costal route and cut off the corner. Any thought other than why cut the corner, just walk the costal to Matosinhos!
Thx for your patience

Done it. Roads cobbles traffic. Don’t do it.

 

[Keith Camino]

Why take shortcuts on the Camino?

 

[firstshirt]

We have a saying on the Appalachian Trail--HYOH--Hike your own hike. Trust me, you will be a much happier hiker.

 

[bobbogram]

I finished the second part of Portuguese last year, Porto to Santiago, after the previous year’s Lisbon to Porto. Aside from the Brierly book, I used MAPS.ME free program as guidance. Like Google Maps, once you download the maps, they are saved on your phone. Either provides mileages and elevations.
About halfway, I couldn’t find accommodations so I took a taxi laterally from the coastal route to the inland route which was warmer and less windy. Both routes were fine, the terrain and routes well marked. Here was a preliminary plan in the attached file from which I diverted a bit.
Going back this year, planning on Lucca to Rome, about 200 miles, exchanging the comforts of home for the adventure of the Francigena.