I just finished the Camino Portugues. However, we stayed in private accommodation rather than albergues along the route (we earn to much and are too old to endure sleeping in a dorm if we don't have to). Even though we were 'peregrinos de lujo', we did meet up with other peregrinos. However, I am struggling to remember if any of them mentioned an albergue in Barcelos. I used the
John Brierley guide to the Camino Portugues, which is up to date and excellent. He doesn't mention an albergue. I also checked the cofraternity downloadable guide and didn't see an albergue mentioned. You might want to contact Nuno, who is the hospitalerao at Rates. He recently did the Camino Portuges with us and he is writing a guide book, so he would know if anyone did. His email, via the Rates website is:
geral@alberguederates.com (tell him that Nicole from Canada says 'hello' and that I hope that he is over his throat infection!).
By the way, the Rates albergue stamp is one of the best I have ever seen! Well worth a stop. Nuno, who should be back by now, is a cool dude.
A number of people do the coastal route starting in Matosinhos (Porto metro station: Mercado), then go up to Vila do Conde and join on with the main route at Rates. If you spent the night at Rates, you would then push through Barcelos and then stay at the Albergue at Portela. This would certainly shorten the Barcelos-Ponte de Lima section, which at over 30km was quite a long day.
See my 'Live from the Camino' posting for info on where you need to pay attention to waymarkings.
Nicole