Porto - Santiago de Compostela, 14. october - 21. october 2023 (8 days), distance: 262.5km (1078.4km).
In 2018 I walked the Camino Portugués all the way from Lisbon, then deciding to do the coastal route (Portugués de la Costa) from Porto and the spiritual variant after Pontevedra. Curious about its inland counterpart, I decided to go that way after I finished my combination of several Camino de Santiago routes.
Porto, a wonderful starting point for a Camino de Santiago, making it hard to actually start walking.
The bus ride from Santiago de Compostela carried all the promises of the weather that was to come, with dark clouds racing in competition with the bus on both sides. Starting from Porto is a little paradox in its own. As the city is wonderful and worth spending a couple of nights in, but on the other hand the urge to start walking is a big one.
Ponte Dom Zaeiro.
In São Pedro de Rates.
In the afternoon and evening, Porto is hit by both sunlight and heavy rain. After having looked at the cathedral in the evening, there is a heavy deluge and I seek shelter underneath a minor outcrop on the way down through the narrow streets. The rain is horizontal due to the wind and the cobblestones soon turned into a river of water. A lady living in one of the apartments is loudly cursing the weather as she tries to get in without getting all of the rain into her entryway at the same time.
View from Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Franqueira.
Castro do Monte da Franqueira.
Much has already been written about the walk out of Porto, and even more has been written about the walk out of Lisbon, but of the two I have to say that I prefer the latter walk. That is, if you do not choose to take the Senda Litoral to Vila do Conde instead, I would recommend doing that even if you want to do the central route. From Vila do Conde you can go back to the central route by an alternative route.
Igreja do Senhor da Cruz in Barcelos.
It is a little bit ironic that I had the worst weather on the Camino Primitivo on its best stage, but have the best weather on the Camino Portugués on its worst stage. Given the wonderful weather, and the upcoming inclement weather, I walk further than intended. To São Miguel de Arcos providing me with a nice view of the two old bridges one crosses over on the way, Ponte de Zameiro and Ponte de São Miguel dos Arcos.
Ponte das Tabuas.
Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Aparecida.
On the second day, the sky is a monotonous grey with rain on and off, as promised. São Pedro de Rates is all quiet, but underneath this sky it contains a serene mood that catches my eye. I might have walked here yesterday, if it had not been for my wish to walk to Barcelos on this day, which would have left me with an all too short day. The highlight of the walk is the alternative route after Pedra Furada going up to the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Franqueira. It is a shame that this is not the official route. Even in this weather, the views from the small chapel at the top is great, with even the sea visible. If going this way, do not miss out on the old remains of the Castro do Monte da Franqueira on the way down again too.
Ponte de Lima.
Ponte Nosse Senhora da Guia, Ponte de Lima.
On this Camino, it was mostly the places I was going to visit that I had the most expectations of. Such as Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Valença do Minho and Tui if I exclude the places I had seen before. I arrive in Barcelos just in time to visit the old castle and archeological museum before they close. The round church of Templo do Senhor Bom Jesus da Cruz is also definitely worth a visit, given the rainy day the façade is reflected in the water on the square outside.
View through the rain from just below Alto Portela Grande de Labruja.
Fortaleza de Valença do Minho.
Ponte de Lima, however, sails up as my favourite town on the Portuguese Way, Pontevedra set aside. Walking into the town underneath the alley of chestnut trees after another mostly rainy day is just marvellous. As in Barcelos, I spend some time before locating my accommodation. Statues of Roman soldiers reflected in water pools next to the river, the old Roman bridge, and the otherwise beautiful old town. In the evening, when darkness has fallen, it is wonderful walking around the town with the lights on the bridge being lit.
View of Tui from Valença do Minho.
Catedral de Santa Maria de Tui.
The highest point on the central route is the Alto da Portela Grande de Labruja at about 400m. On the way up, I walk together with a Portuguese girl, and we feel the same way, if we would get to the top or over before it starts raining again, we would be happy. It hits us just before the top. Climbing up to a small crest off the route provides some dramatic views of the landscape, before being hit by a bucket full of rain when emerging out of the trees. The rest of the walk to Valença do Minho is a long and wet walk, with the café at Rubiães a welcoming stop.
A scenic tiny bridge in the woods after Tui.
On the recommended alternative route to O Porriño.
At Valença do Minho, Portugal lies behind you and Spain ahead of you. Given the rain, I opt to spend the evening at the hotel I am staying at, possibly regretting not visiting the old town inside the fortress above. Instead, I go for a walk on the top of the wall and between the old buildings the morning after before crossing over the river Miño into Spain. There was a slight drizzle at the beginning, but as I walked on the top of the ramparts sunlight broke through the clouds and now the cathedral of Tui is a light beacon on the other side. Once in Tui I visit the hallowed halls and roof of the cathedral before navigating the narrow streets out of the town.
In O Porriño.
From Tui the Camino is a serene and wonderful walk through surprisingly pleasant woods most of the way until O Porriño, but be sure to take the alternative route going left in the junction just before Orbenlle. After O Porriño the route is less interesting. Rain engulfs me again on the last kilometres into Redondela, with the red lights from Vigo Airport blinking ominously at the top of the hill behind me. One of the most interesting features of Redondela are the viaducts crossing over the buildings of the town.
Pavilion, Redondela.
If Ponte de Lima was my favourite town on the Portuguese side of this Camino, Pontevedra is its counterpart on the Spanish side. Is Ponte a common denominator here? In that term one must not forget one of the highlights of the Portuguese Way, Ponte Medieval de Pontesampaio, where the best way to see it is not to follow the Camino but go down to the river before. Narrow and scenic streets, iconic old buildings, Pontevedra has it all. In the evening, the weather is fascinatingly alternating between being clear and having heavy deluges prompting one to seek shelter underneath an old arch or in a cosy bar in the old town. Like the last time, I have a wonderful time in this splendid city.
Ponte Sampaio.
Previously having done the spiritual variant after Pontevedra, I now join the majority of the pilgrims, going in line on the central route. It should have been the other way around. There is no Ruta de la Piedra y del Agua on this route, but the nice waterfall at Fervenzas do Barosa is a small substitute. Caldas de Reis is where most pilgrims stop after Pontevedra, I am surprisingly alone afterwards on the way to Padrón.
Convento de San Francisco, Pontevedra.
Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina in Pontevedra.
The last day of the Camino Portugués lies ahead of me at Padrón. I start it by climbing up to the Santiaguiño del Monte in the morning, being rewarded by a wonderful sunrise through the morning mist and a chapel shrouded in mystic by the same mist.
The Camino Portugués Central offer some walking through enchanted woods on the way, here from after Pontevedra.
A short detour of the route leads one to the Fervenzas de Barosa.
Like most of the routes, the last stage is one of the least interesting. I opt for the alternative route at the entrance to Santiago de Compostela, the Camino complementario Conxo Santa Marta. This takes the pilgrims past the Parroquia de la Mercé de Conxo instead of the normal route through the outskirts of the city, joining at the Alameda Park, but there are few waymarks here and I am not altogether sure that I follow the route correctly.
Bosque de Bambu Negro in Caldas de Reis.
I find myself once again at the Praza do Obradoiro, still having that feel of amazement of arriving at the cathedral. When I finished my combination of Caminos about nine days ago, I was together with June, Terje, Margit and Petra, I am now alone. Of my own volition of course, I chose to do a more solitary Camino this time, but the echoes of the near past is still present. On the other hand, being embraced by pilgrims all around you it is difficult to feel alone. That is one of the things about Santiago de Compostela that I like the most. I have another great evening at the centre of hustle and bustle of pilgrim activity.
Sunrise above Padron.
Misty mysterious Santiaguiño del Monte in the morning.
Weather has been far from optimal in terms of giving the Camino a fair trial, I might have missed something that might give the route a better impression than it has. The places instead of the scenery has been what I remember best. Although, some of the sections going through the woods has been wonderful. In the end, despite not giving me the best impressions, and weather not being preferably, I still had a good time.
Another nice woodland section on the last stage of the Camino Portugués Central.
So, with a tally of having been on seven different Caminos (del Norte, Lebaniego, Vadiniense, Frances, San Salvador, Primitivo, Portugués) I should be satified, right? No, there is still a few days left in me (even more if not my work ethics would take hold of me). Back home, there has been some discussions in terms of recommending the Camino Inglés or not, I feel it is time to do a recap.
Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.
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