Starting point just north of Porto

[grdemedeiros]

Hello, my husband and I plan to walk the Camino português in late June 2024. I heard someone interviewed on the Camino Cafe podcast who had started in a town outside of Porto (San Miguel de [something] if I recall correctly). I can't find the episode. Does anyone know? We specifically want to avoid the road/highway parts bear Porto.

Side note: we're probably walking the Central to Variante Espiritual. If we have time and energy we may walk back on the Costal.

 

[klimmo]

If you're walking the coastal, I'd suggest to start at the cathedral, go down to the river and then follow it out to sea and then northward bound on the coast. Lovely walk. And can also be an alternative start to the central variant.

 

[kenwilltravel]

Hello, my husband and I plan to walk the Camino português in late June 2023. I heard someone interviewed on the Camino Cafe podcast who had started in a town outside of Porto (San Miguel de [something] if I recall correctly). I can't find the episode. Does anyone know? We specifically want to avoid the road/highway parts bear Porto.

Side note: we're probably walking the Central to Variante Espiritual. If we have time and energy we nay walk back onthe Costal.

They probably meant Matosinhos. You can look at our blog post about that: blog:https://twoclinestraveling.wordpres...t-begins-porto-to-matosinhos-12-8-kms-8-6-18/

 

[grdemedeiros]

If you're walking the coastal, I'd suggest to start at the cathedral, go down to the river and then follow it out to sea and then northward bound on the coast. Lovely walk. And can also be an alternative start to the central variant.

Thanks, we spent time in SW Portugal and walked a bit of the Fisherman's trail, so we're looking forward to experiencing the geographical difference.

 

[grdemedeiros]

They probably meant Matosinhos. You can look at our blog post about that: blog:https://twoclinestraveling.wordpres...t-begins-porto-to-matosinhos-12-8-kms-8-6-18/

Appreciate the hint.

 

[Corned Beef]

They probably meant Matosinhos. You can look at our blog post about that: blog:https://twoclinestraveling.wordpres...t-begins-porto-to-matosinhos-12-8-kms-8-6-18/

Matosinhos is on the Metro line. When you get off, head for the sea about 200m away and go to this building for your second sello - the first you can get at the Cathedral.

 

[grdemedeiros]

Thanks all - I'll look into Matosinhos. I did find the episode on Camino Cafe, the interview was with a gent named Steve Walther. He'd recommended starting in São Miguel de Arcos, which is about 30 KM due North of Porto.

 

[WEnotUSorTHEM]

Thanks all - I'll look into Matosinhos. I did find the episode on Camino Cafe, the interview was with a gent named Steve Walther. He'd recommended starting in São Miguel de Arcos, which is about 30 KM due North of Porto.

Unless you are pressed for time, I don't know why anyone would skip the walk from the Porto cathedral, down the river to the coast, up the coast through Matoshinos and then north of Porto take the cuutoff over to the Central. I found this walk down the river and up the coast out of Porto quite lovely and enjoyable. I say don't skip it....I guarantee you will not regret it.

 

[trecile]

Unless you are pressed for time, I don't know why anyone would skip the walk from the Porto cathedral, down the river to the coast, up the coast through Matoshinos and then north of Porto take the cuutoff over to the Central. I found this walk down the river and up the coast out of Porto quite lovely and enjoyable. I say don't skip it....I guarantee you will not regret it.

I totally agree!

 

[Letsgocamino]

Hello, my husband and I plan to walk the Camino português in late June 2023. I heard someone interviewed on the Camino Cafe podcast who had started in a town outside of Porto (San Miguel de [something] if I recall correctly). I can't find the episode. Does anyone know? We specifically want to avoid the road/highway parts bear Porto.

Side note: we're probably walking the Central to Variante Espiritual. If we have time and energy we nay walk back onthe Costal.

My sister and i stayed in Arcos at Quinta São Miguel de Arcos. Highly recommend. Beautiful place with a lovely pool but it's inland. Hang a right at Vila do Conde : )

 

[JabbaPapa]

A frequent "just North of Porto" starting point is the airport zone. You can just land, get somewhere to sleep, then from there easily get to the Central or the Coastal, as preference may take you. Good places to eat and meet pilgrims around there too ...

The walk from central Porto to there is considered by some to be "boring", but in any case it is urban and suburban and much of it made of concrete.

It does have its qualities, though not everyone will appreciate them. There are good places along the way out of Porto to stop for munchies and refreshments. Plus the great Albergue out in the suburbs.

 

[grdemedeiros]

Unless you are pressed for time, I don't know why anyone would skip the walk from the Porto cathedral, down the river to the coast, up the coast through Matoshinos and then north of Porto take the cuutoff over to the Central. I found this walk down the river and up the coast out of Porto quite lovely and enjoyable. I say don't skip it....I guarantee you will not regret it.

The interviewee described this part of this route as being right on the road/highway: he feared being hit several times and experienced trucks' side mirrors swishing past his ear.

I'll look into the route, maybe he wasn't walking the path you've outlined.

 

[trecile]

The interviewee described this part of this route as being right on the road/highway: he feared being hit several times and experienced trucks' side mirrors swishing past his ear.

I'll look into the route, maybe he wasn't walking the path you've outlined.

I can guarantee you that he was not walking the way along the Duoro River, then up the coast.

 

[grdemedeiros]

Thank you, all good input. I read a post under "Live From The Camino" from a woman walking the Camino português (Central). She described the same thing in terms of dangerous roads. I know there will be times we have to be on roads, but having had a bad experience here at home, we're hoping to minimize that kind of danger as much as we can

 

[trecile]

Thank you, all good input. I read a post under "Live From The Camino" from a woman walking the Camino português (Central). She described the same thing in terms of dangerous roads. I know there will be times we have to be on roads, but having had a bad experience here at home, we're hoping to minimize that kind of danger as much as we can

Many of us walk on the Senda Litoral along the coast until Vila do Conde where you can cross over to the central route. It's a beautiful walk, and I recommend it.

 

[WEnotUSorTHEM]

The interviewee described this part of this route as being right on the road/highway: he feared being hit several times and experienced trucks' side mirrors swishing past his ear.

I'll look into the route, maybe he wasn't walking the path you've outlined.

I agree with Trecile....I doubt he was on the River/Coastal out of Porto. See Link. I recommend you walk the Blue dotted line on the map...skip the green dotted line on the map. The Blue dotted line is 99% off of the street...some sidewalks but mostly urban walking paths, beach paths, etc. https://www.wisepilgrim.com/camino-portugues-porto-redondela-central-route It is a lovely way to see Porto and walk out of Porto. If your intention is to join up with the Central route...there are a couple of ways to do that north of Porto.

 

[trecile]

The app mapy.cz shows the route between Vila do Conde and the Central Route, so you can use it to keep from getting lost. Here's a screenshot from the app - the Camino routes are the dark blue lines, including the connector between the Litoral and the Central.



I walked that route in 2019, and I know that it was marked, but I don't remember how well

 

[grdemedeiros]

Thank you. We've visited Porto before, it would be cool to leave from there if we can make the timing work.

 

[Camino1943]

Hello, my husband and I plan to walk the Camino português in late June 2024. I heard someone interviewed on the Camino Cafe podcast who had started in a town outside of Porto (San Miguel de [something] if I recall correctly). I can't find the episode. Does anyone know? We specifically want to avoid the road/highway parts bear Porto.

Side note: we're probably walking the Central to Variante Espiritual. If we have time and energy we may walk back on the Costal.

The AirPorto Hostel is less than a 10 minute walk from Porto Airport. You can start the Coastal or Central routes from there and avoid Porto completely.

 

[Camino1943]

Hello, my husband and I plan to walk the Camino português in late June 2024. I heard someone interviewed on the Camino Cafe podcast who had started in a town outside of Porto (San Miguel de [something] if I recall correctly). I can't find the episode. Does anyone know? We specifically want to avoid the road/highway parts bear Porto.

Side note: we're probably walking the Central to Variante Espiritual. If we have time and energy we may walk back on the Costal.

Here is the link to the AirPorto hostel
on Booking.com! https://www.booking.com/Share-2t1KH0

 

[Camino1943]

Porto can be avoided by commencing the Central or Coastal routes from the AerPorto Hostel which is less than a ten minute walk from Porto Airport.

Check out AirPorto Hostel on Booking.com! https://www.booking.com/Share-2t1KH0

 

[trecile]

Why avoid Porto?

 

[TravellingMan22]

Unless you are pressed for time, I don't know why anyone would skip the walk from the Porto cathedral, down the river to the coast, up the coast through Matoshinos and then north of Porto take the cuutoff over to the Central. I found this walk down the river and up the coast out of Porto quite lovely and enjoyable. I say don't skip it....I guarantee you will not regret it.

Totally agree. Porto is a fantastic place and maybe one of Europes best kept secrets! Everyone I know who goes there gives it a fantastic review, and say how suprised they were. Plenty of things to do within a 50km radius too so it you can spare a few days…

Funnily enough my first Camino… I flew to Porto just to stay in Porto for a while (it was June 2020 during the Covid issue and Portugal was open to UK folks). Had a lovely few days there, realised there was a Camino going north so I did it on a whim. Ironically had to go slow as border with Spain didn’t open until 01 July!

It’s a great Camino whichever route you choose but I would be loathe to avoid Porto!

 

[JabbaPapa]

Why avoid Porto?

Not everyone enjoys walking through suburbs, let alone liking large cities. I certainly don't, though typically I walk through them anyway (sigh ... )

Ended up sleeping outside in the rain in Porto when I walked through last year, Albergues all completo and couldn't afford otherwise. Plus it was very late, and the likelihood is that all other alternatives were full too -- it was the height of the tourist + Caminho season !! Though my big regret was that the fish & chips place on the way out of town was closed because of Monday or something. Curses !! Don't live in the UK nor on the French Channel coast, so I can get them almost never ...

At least my money came in overnight, and there was an ATM 5 metres from my sleeping spot in the morning. Choose your rough sleepings wisely !!

 

[grdemedeiros]

We wouldn't skip Porto as a destination, we love it! Just wanting to avoid the dangerous exit route we'd heard about (and now understand is only if we were starting the Central route directly from Porto).

 

[klimmo]

Just to be clear, the central route out of Porto is the horrible one; do the coastal route instead. It has this lovely start at the cathedral and then down to the river. It feels such a natural way to leave the city too, just following the river out to the ocean and head north.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Just to be clear, the central route out of Porto is the horrible one

Nice & its suburbs and Marseilles are worse.

At least the central route out of Porto leads to a great Albergue !! (And there are many places to stop for refreshment if you get bored.)

 

[klimmo]

Nice & its suburbs and Marseilles are worse.

Lol! That's laying the bar very low.

True about the albergue, although it was closed in november during covid times (as a lot were).

I just loved walking out to the ocean, and having a lovely coffee watching the waves come in.

 

[David Tallan]

Just to be clear, the central route out of Porto is the horrible one; do the coastal route instead. It has this lovely start at the cathedral and then down to the river. It feels such a natural way to leave the city too, just following the river out to the ocean and head north.

Technically, it is the Senda Litoral route out of Porto that follows the river to the ocean and heads north. The Coastal route heads directly north (like the Central) and reaches the coast at Vila do Conde.

The names of the different routes north of Porto can be confusing. The Coastal isn't always on the coast. That's the Senda Litoral.