Distance: 33.3km (428.0km), time spent: 10:09.
Weather: Sunny and windy.
From Porto, the coastal route actually goes through a large part of the city before it really gets to the coast. There is however an alternative to the official coastal stage, by following what is the Senda Litoral (which translates to coast path). The moment I read about this route, it became written in stone that I would go that way if I were to go the coastal.
Sé de Porto with the pillory in the morning.
It is strangely serene when I am back up at the cathedral. Being the Senda Litoral and not the Camino, there are no yellow arrows or scallops that shows the way. At first, I have to follow the directions in my guidebook. If you do not care about following the route proper, it is no problem, just make your way down to the waterfront and follow it (as long as you can). From the cathedral, the path goes down quiet and narrow streets.
Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side of the river Douro in the morning.
Sunset behind the Ponte da Arrábida.
In the morning, the waterfront is quiet and peaceful, the tourists has not woken to life yet. The water, be it river or ocean, will be my yellow arrows from now on, almost. Yesterday I declared that I found Lisboa more to my liking, due to the more peaceful atmosphere, but in one thing Porto excels over Lisboa. The walk out of the city. On the Senda Litoral of course, the official route does sound more like the walk out of Lisboa.
Farol das Felgueiras.
Except for a few detours, I have the Douro river at my left hand all the time, passing by old buildings and the occasional few people out in the morning. Having had a zero day in Porto, I have a slight feeling that I am starting on a new Camino, but most of all it feels great to be out walking again. I spot Joan and Paige further ahead, and we randomly keep company further, all of us in search for a place to have breakfast.
The zebra shadowed Pergola de Foz.
Porto is also known as the city of bridges. In the spreading light of dawn we approach another huge bridge, the Ponte da Arrábida. The sun rises up behind the buildings of Porto behind us as we walk underneath the high arch of the bridge. Here the Douro opens up its arms to the ocean and that is noticeable. There is a strong wind coming in from the sea and waves rides the water. After walking inland, I enjoy the feel of the wind from the sea on my face, with the smell of salt and brine.
Forte de São Francisco Xavier.
When visiting the two lighthouses at Foz do Douro, the Farolins da Barra do Douro and the Farol das Felgueiras, the wind is so strong that we can almost lean into it and stand still in an unusual angle. Waves are crashing into the piers. This is also the place where I feel that I have to say goodbye to Paige and Joan. They will not walk as far today as I will, and I believe I have to keep a faster pace to get to my destination. We walk a little bit further together, past the Forte de São João Baptista, but at the Pergola de Foz (with its zebra shadows) we say a final goodbye. Hopefully we will meet again later.
Capela da Boa Nova with the refinery reflected in its mirrorwall.
In Matosinhos the route leaves the sea for some time, as the route winds itself through the city and port. So far, the Senda Litoral has been pure pleasure. The walk out of Porto next to the Douro was wonderful, and the following seaside promenade was great. Which makes me wonder why the coastal Camino is not following the Senda Litoral too, and instead goes on an inland route until Vila do Conde.
Praia da Memória obelisk in memory of Dom Pedro and his liberal army.
Senda Litoral boardwalk next to the ocean.
After Matosinhos, the Senda Litoral finally frees itself from a city, with the exception of a large and ugly refinery. The Capela da Boa Nova offers a viewpoint and an interesting wall, which is clad entirely in mirrors. After the small chapel, which is all that remains of a 13th century monastery, the Senda Litoral continues on a boardwalk alongside the beach. If you want to, you can walk on the beach, but I know from experience that it is hard work. I am happy for the wooden planks to walk on and not sink down into the sand. It is a lovely walk next to the sandy beaches and dunes. In 1832 Dom Pedro and his liberal army landed on this beach, Praia da Memória, marked with a tall obelisk.
Angeiras with its colored fishing huts and other fishing paraphernalia.
In Angeiras the terns, the buoys, the traditional colorful hand-painted fishing boats of wood on land and the multi-colored fishing huts are standing out. They are like props for a reminder of old customs. Walking on the boardwalk into the village, you also pass by some old Roman salt tanks.
A little drawing of a girl on the small bridge crossing the Rio Onda.
All the boardwalks forms a network, following the Senda Litoral on them is kind of like following a marked path through a half-finished maze, meaning it is easy to get out of them. On the way, both on the boardwalks and roads, I pass by lovely tiled chapels, lovely sandy and rocky beaches, more villages with small fishing huts in various colors and small wetland areas. It is a path that it feels great to be out walking on, accentuated by the wonderful weather.
Tiles from the front of the Capela de São Paio.
A house with a lot of tiles and ornaments.
Eventually the boardwalk ends and I turn inland joining the Camino and stands on the south side of the bridge leading over to Vila do Conde, Ponte do Ave. I am pretty much sure that everyone that arrives in Vila do Conde from this direction will stop and stand looking up at the impressive Mosteiro de Santa Clara. It sort of dwarfs the other buildings of the small city. In Vila do Conde I go to the Albergue de Peregrinos 'Santa Clara'. The numbers of pilgrims has definitely added up, I get one of the last beds available.
Mosteiro de Santa Clara in Vila do Conde.
It is so fun arriving at the albergue. Here I finally meet the woman who I have been following stamping her way on the Camino all the way from Lisboa. In several places I have visited, I have seen two stamps depicting an henro, the Japanese word for pilgrim. Although Sang Hee is not Japanese, she is from South Korea. She has also done the Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage and is now walking on the Camino wearing the henro attire, really cool. Of course I have to get her stamps in my pilgrims passport too, she has made the stamps herself. Then she dresses me up in the white vest and sedgehat, I feel back in Japan (only in Portugal). The hospitalero at the albergue also takes a picture of us posing. I really like the albergue.
Dressed as an ohenro outside the Albergue de Peregrinos 'Santa Clara'.
I was surprised to see how nice Vila do Conde was, as I had expected nothing of the sort. Needless to say, the Mosteiro de Santa Clara is where I go to first. The old monastery built in 1318 (later reconstruction began in the 18th century, but never finished) is not the only attraction there, from the monastery there is also a 5km long aqueduct from the 18th century that has 999 arches. It is surprisingly tall too. After a beer at a local bar, I figure out there will be a sunset soon, so I return to the Mosteiro de Santa Clara.
Sunset over Vila do Conde from the Mosteiro de Santa Clara.
The aqueduct de Mosteiro de Santa Clara.
The Praça da Republica features a lot of interesting poles with garlands, pennants, even pictures. During the Age of Discoveries, the city was an important shipbuilding port, now there is a replica of an old 16th century Portuguese round vessel called Nau Quinhentista docked in the port as a museum. When you are kind of absorved into the atmosphere of a place, you forget a little about time. The Capela do Socorro is another interesting small chapel, with its round orb-like features. I wander through the streets, lit up by the street lights. Then I encounter a group of German girls I met earlier after Capela da Boa Nova and we go out to have dinner, for me it is high time.
Praça da Republica.
Vila do Conde.
Today was one of the best walks I have had so far on the Camino Portugués, and to think that it was not the actual Camino. After the landscape on the Camino from Lisboa to Porto became a little bit repetitive, this was a welcome change of scenery. Then again, I am pretty sure I would have felt the same way had it been the other way around.
From a square in Vila do Conde in the evening.
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