First stage from Porto on Coastal

[BarbC]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

 

[ElCee]

Walk

 

[trecile]

Can you take more days and walk?

 

[woody66]

Walk out along the river!

 

[Traveller44]

Walk

 

[Martin 888]

Walk…..absolutely delightful stretch…..no yellow arrows so just follow the water and keep it immediately on your left. Bom Caminho

 

[haikutaxi]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

walk out of Porto, it's interesting, scenic and there are lots of places to stop and explore along the way.

Walk…..absolutely delightful stretch…..no yellow arrows so just follow the water and keep it immediately on your left. Bom Caminho

I agree, I loved following the river out to the sea ... then turn right and follow the ocean north, it's a lovely walk.

 

[Derek Booth]

When I was 'walking down' after the Frances, (I was flying out of Porto) in 2019 I walked to the coast on the South side of the river out to the Ocean.
If the view from the North shore is anything like the view I got, then I agree that walking that way would be the way to go given you would have sufficient time.

 

[BarbC]

Can you take more days and walk?

Not sure yet. We just finished Vigo to SDC - last 100K - got the Compostela. We now want to do the first part and will end in Vigo and then take the bus to SDC. So for some parts we may not walk if the stretches are too long. Might do this the first day - walk out of Porto to Matosinhos - taxi or bus to Labruge - and then walk to Vila do Conde for our first day. Plan to stick to the actual coast as much as possible

 

[ElCee]

There are long stretches once you get to Spain on a “bike path” which is really a bike lane on a highway. I really struggled in those parts, had to put the ear buds in for the first time. But there are some of my favourite bits in there so wouldn’t have wanted to miss those. Oia is one. Stay there, don’t carry on like we did and end up at the soulless Hotel Glasgow (probably accounted for some of my depression.) Then do take the overland route before As Mariñas. It’s glorious after so long on the highway. From there the Way is good all the way into the lovely Baiona.

 

[BarbC]

There are long stretches once you get to Spain on a “bike path” which is really a bike lane on a highway. I really struggled in those parts, had to put the ear buds in for the first time. But there are some of my favourite bits in there so wouldn’t have wanted to miss those. Oia is one. Stay there, don’t carry on like we did and end up at the soulless Hotel Glasgow (probably accounted for some of my depression.) Then do take the overland route before As Mariñas. It’s glorious after so long on the highway. From there the Way is good all the way into the lovely Baiona.

Don't want to go inland but maybe we should go directly from Ancora to Oia and skip A Guarda. Don't have unlimited time for this - will be also pre booking our hotels so I kinda need to really plan the route - but that's how we roll. Just need to know the best parts to skip and limit our walking to max of 25K. If we have to grab a bus - can do that

 

[ElCee]

Don’t skip A Guarda! That’s where I wish we’d taken a rest day. Fantastic seafood in the port and the convent is a lovely hotel.

Saint Benedict Convent · 4.5★(501) · Hotel

Praza de San Bieito, 36780 A Guarda, Pontevedra, Spain

maps.google.com

 

[ElCee]

I would skip Vigo and end in Baiona.

 

[OZAnnieM]

Definitely walk out of Porto, it was lovely. Most importantly please don't skip A Guarda, a beautiful little town with fantastic seafood!!! We were there in 2019, can highly recommend a little restaurant called Rumbo, certainly hope it's still there.

 

[HumanistHiker]

If you can afford to take 2 days to get from Porto to Vila do Conde along the Littoral route, do so. I did Porto to Perafita (just north of the ugly oil refinery) one day and then Perafita to Vila do Conde the next, taking the route out of Porto along the Douro and then heading along the Littoral up the coast.

 

[MissChic]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

Hello, I will be doing this route as well with the same tempo (not more than 25 Km per day). The first day it will be to Matosinhos (which from the cathedral is about 12 kms or so). We are travelling from the last week of March. As this is our first camino and we are not experienced walkers we are starting slow but steady. In my opinion, on the 1st day after travelling from home I do not want to strain myself. I will let my body get used to the walking. No rush, just make sure you reach your destination.

 

[ElCee]

I would skip Vigo and end in Baiona.

Hello, I will be doing this route as well with the same tempo (not more than 25 Km per day). The first day it will be to Matosinhos (which from the cathedral is about 12 kms or so). We are travelling from the last week of March. As this is our first camino and we are not experienced walkers we are starting slow but steady. In my opinion, on the 1st day after travelling from home I do not want to strain myself. I will let my body get used to the walking. No rush, just make sure you reach your destination.

We ended up doing 20+ k the first day and it was the easiest 20+ k day of our entire Camino. It’s so flat and we stopped for a lovely seafood lunch in Matosinhos. Take a hard look at later stages with elevation gain and be sure to shorten those days.

 

[BarbC]

Thanks for all of the replies and good information. Here is my proposed plan - it's not written in stone and we are not going until spring so may change but generally we want to see the coastal towns and if some of the distances prove to be too much - we will cab or bus some portions. Already did the last 100 so this is an add-on but we still have some time limitations.

Day 1 - walk out of Porto to Matosinhoos (11K) - then bus or cab to Labruge - then walk to Vila do Conde (10K)
Day 2 - Vila do Conde to Esposende (24K)
Day 3 - Esposende to Viana do Castelo (24K)
Day 4 - Viana do Castelo to Ancora (19K) - then bus or cab to A Guarda
Day 5 - rest day in A Guarda
Day 6 - A Guarda to Oia (13K) - check out the town of Oia - then bus or cab to Baiona
Day 7 - Baiona to SDC by bus

after a day or 2 in SDC - we will likely take the train to Madrid to check it out and fly home from there

I welcome your feedback
thanks
Barb

 

[ElCee]

The water taxi across the Minho is fun. You could cab from Ancora to Foz do Minho then take the water taxi and walk into A Guarda. He just runs the boat up on the beach and you jump off the bow. From there it’s about 4K, all on the coast. There’s horses.

But your plan looks good!

 

[JDAcadie]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

Walk out of Porto, along the river. I just did it in September. It’s a delightful hike. We stayed the far side of Matosinhos. (after the bridge)

 

[Jude Rich]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

Definitely walk out of Porto. Some of the prettiest parts are where the river meets the ocean. I did this September last year on my first Camino going solo.

 

[David Tallan]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

I vote for walk. Then again, that's pretty much always how my vote goes. But I really liked the walk along the river to Matosinhos.

Just a note that this is technically on the Senda Litoral rather than the Coastal, which heads north out of Porto and joins the coast at Vila do Conde.

 

[DolfanCLT]

Hi all,

Planning to do the Coastal next spring from Porto. I know that many people cab or subway it to Matosinhoos - but we really like that stretch along the river and then the Atlantic so I kinda wanted to walk out from Porto and then maybe bus another section.

We probably don't want to do more than 25K per day usually.

We will also be doing some cabbing or bussing in between spots. Plan to end the first day in Povoa de Varzim.

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

Just did that, started a month ago today. First day to Labruge (great stay at Smiling Places) and second day to Povoa de Varzim. Not too heavy, and beautiful both days.

 

[BarbC]

I vote for walk. Then again, that's pretty much always how my vote goes. But I really liked the walk along the river to Matosinhos.

Just a note that this is technically on the Senda Litoral rather than the Coastal, which heads north out of Porto and joins the coast at Vila do Conde.

Yes I know that now - planning to stick with the Litoral

 

[Roland49]

So - get to Matosinhoos first - or walk out of Porto?

I walked from the Albergue to the cathedral and than down the Douro and up to Matosinhos. You will likely met other pilgrims. You can walk through the city, too. But I recommend walking by the river.