On the first day of the Camino Portuguese along the ocean (Senda Litoral), I had to cover a distance of 22.9 km and reach Vila do Conde.
I started my Way of Saint James from Porto to Santiago de Compostela from the Mercado metro station (blue line A) in Matosinhos. It was about half past eight in the morning, the weather was wonderful.
I crossed the Ponte móvel de Leça bridge and headed towards the embankment. Yellow arrows started appearing along the way.
First yellow arrow
Near the embankment there was an information center for pilgrims, but it was closed.
A wide promenade runs along the Atlantic Ocean
Last look at Porto
Here is the first indicating column
On the way I came across a lighthouse – Farol da Boa Nova. The Boa Nova lighthouse is the second tallest in Portugal. The lighthouse is 46 meters high and has 225 steps and began operating on December 15, 1926.
Monument dedicated to Antonio Nobre – Portuguese poet
Met a little church – Capela da Boa Nova
View from the cliff near the church Capela da Boa Nova
The path went along such a nice wooden path. In Portugal, pilgrims say to each other Bom Caminho
These wooden paths are the most pleasant part of the route and they never ceased to amaze me. Someone took care and built many of these paths so that people could comfortably walk along the ocean. In addition to pilgrims, there are many people on the paths who walk, run, and walk their dogs.
From time to time along the way you will come across such niches with benches and indicating the number of kilometers to Santiago. I don’t know how accurate these distances are, but when the number goes down, it’s nice. In the background are the pipes of the Leça da Palmeira oil refinery.
Pilgrims go ahead
Another marker – 255 km to Santiago. The obelisk is visible ahead O Obelisco da Memoria. Here, on July 8, 1832, King Pedro IV landed with 7,500 men to end the absolutist regime in Portugal.
Along the paths there are many information boards that tell about the historical events that took place in these places, and also describe the local flora and fauna. For example, this board tells about a submarine that sank here.
The road continued to take me past beaches and the ocean, where I enjoyed the beauty of nature and tranquility.
252 km left to Santiago
There are many wooden sun loungers along the path. In general, everything on the embankment is so well thought out and conveniently arranged that you want to stay here forever and walk along these paths every morning and evening.
The stone house is a traditional sea house used by fishermen.
The road led me to a souvenir shop Siga bem peregrino for pilgrims, where I got my first stamp and bought myself a bracelet, a bandana and a bottle opener, for a total of 18 euros. They don’t accept cards here, only cash. Shop address: Av. da Praia de Angeiras N° 770, 4455-189 Lavra, Portugal
My stamp and Pilgrim’s Bracelet
After a short rest I continued on across the bridge over the Onda River (Travessia sobre o Rio Onda)
Onda River
In the town of Labruge I saw the Novo Rumo bar, where other pilgrims were already resting, and I decided to have a bite to eat there too. I ordered beer and sandwiches.
Beer and sandwiches cost 5.6 euros
I came across this sign, 247 km to Santiago
Beautiful ocean
Sometimes the road went through such thickets
The road led to a fishing village
Sign on the beach in the area of the town of Vila Chã
Funny bar Taskuinha
In the Vila Chã area the road moved away from the ocean a little – it remained to the left of the hill
An interesting installation in the square in the town of Mindelo, on the left is the figure of King Pedro IV
And again the ocean and the sandy beach
And then the road went through sandy hills and was partially covered with sand. It was not very comfortable to walk on such a road. I took off my shoes and walked barefoot. Besides, it was already very hot, the clock said it was already half past one.
The river
The road came out to the ocean again. The city on the horizon – Vila do Conde
Fort at Vila do Conde – I’m almost there but I still have to cross the bridge over the Avi River
The road turned towards the city to the bridge over the Avi River. On the way there was a church Capela de São Sebastião de Azurara, there I put the second stamp.
The last two hours of the journey were very difficult. My leg muscles ached a lot and it was very hot.
I crossed the bridge and went to my guesthouse Residencial Princesa do Ave, which I arrived at about 14:30. On the way I met pilgrims who were sitting under the albergo Santa Clara and waiting to check in.
All hotels and hostels in Vila do Conde
Statistics for today
My route from Porto to Vila do Conde along the Atlantic coast looked like this
In the evening I went for a walk along the city embankment, reached the lighthouse and the fort. I wanted to have dinner in one of the restaurants on the embankment, but those that I came across were either closed on Monday or opened after eight in the evening. As a result, I bought myself some food at Lidl. Then I found on the map that there is a McDonald’s and Burger King here, but it takes about twenty minutes to walk to them, and I was very tired. And in the area where my guesthouse was, everything was closed.
Portugal
Porto
Hotels
- Residencial Princesa do Ave, Vila do Conde
- Baixinho Guest House, Vila Praia de Âncora
- Hotel Terra Linda, Viana do Castelo
- River Zen House, Esposende
