Portuguese Coastal Camino from Porto to A Guarda

Arrive in beautiful Porto! You will have time to get lost in the streets of the second most important city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It’s famous Port wine is known throughout the world. There are countless wineries where you can taste it, but in some you can even delight your ears by listening to Fado, a popular Portuguese song.

You can live the experience of drinking wine in the Ribeira Zone, observing the Douro River and the historic center of Porto.

Embark on the Portuguese Way with a captivating 30-kilometer journey along Porto's scenic coastline today. Streamline your travel by taking the metro to Matosinhos, a popular choice among pilgrims seeking to bypass urban congestion.

In Póvoa de Varzim, a coastal haven, unwind on sandy beaches and explore cultural treasures like the revered aqueduct, a National Monument. Indulge in local cuisine and wander through quaint streets adorned with Manueline architecture. Transitioning from Porto, discover enchanting locales like Leça da Palmeira and Labruge en route to Póvoa de Varzim, your day's endpoint. Delve into Póvoa's rich history, from ancient ruins to architectural marvels like Cividade de Terrosso fortress.

You will depart from the Church of San José de Ribamar in Póvoa de Varzim. You will continue along the Paseo Marítimo and a few kilometers later you will enter a path that will take you to the Chapel of San André. A few steps further you will enter a wooden walkway that will take you to Aguçadoura. A little later you will cross the Northern Litoral Natural Park, where you can see different habitats: pine forests, crop fields, wetlands and the estuaries of the Cávado and Neiva rivers, where you can observe various birds and more than 200 different species of flora. You will cross the Apúlia Parish and pass through the center of Fão. You will cross an iron bridge over the Cávado River and enter the city of Esposende.

You will leave behind the Esposende Fort towards Lighthouse this morning, in fact, once you have passed the lighthouse you will enter a large sandy area that you can cross along the beach and on the other side you will find the town of Marinhas.

You will continue along the coastal path crossing beaches and dunes and will leave the Church of S. Bartolomeu do Mar to continue along the Belinho and Caniço Beaches until you reach the mouth of the Neiva River. Go a couple of kilometers away from the coast and then go down to Amorosa Beach. and walk a wooden walkway and dune paths to Rodanho Beach. A forest path takes you to the small port of Cabedelo, already at the mouth of the Lima River. You will cross the Eiffel Bridge, thus entering the city that has one of the most beautiful and best-preserved historic centers in Portugal: Viana do Castelo.

Before leaving Viana do Castelo you will have the opportunity to take the funicular to Monte de Santa Luzia or visit the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, from where you will get fantastic panoramic views of Viana. Close to the coast, you will cross numerous beaches along wooden walkways over dunes, well-trodden dirt paths and boardwalks. As you pass you will be able to see the Montedor windmills. You will leave behind the towns of Areosa, Carreço and Afife and shortly after you will reach Vila Praia de Âncora, where you can take a swim on its beach: Praia Vila Praia de Âncora.

You will start from Vila Praia de Âncora, leaving Moledo Beach behind and a little further on you will find Caminha, the last Portuguese city of this Pilgrimage, located at the mouth of the Miño River. In Caminha you can take a ferry that crosses the Miño and leaves you in the town of Camposancos. Once in Spain you will cross the Monte de Santa Tegra to follow the Camino parallel to the Coastal Highway. Shortly after you will meet A Guarda. In this Marine Village you can visit its port, Praza do Reló and its Church of Santa María.

Following breakfast, check out and depart for onward travels.