alternate route out of porto

[womps]

I will be setting off on June 1st. One concern that I keep hearing of are the busy roads with heavy car traffic. Can anyone describe the alternate routes from the cathedral? What is this "carvalho oak " alternate that I see pop up here and there? Is it easy to find? Any other routes to be wary of besides the N13?

 

[Miranet]

Hi Womps,

I can really recommend the route via Vila do Conde.

We took a bus out to Matosinhos last week. Nr 500 leaves from Praça Liberdade (at least every 10mins) and takes around 30-40min following the riverside. It was nice to see the surroundings and less of a turn down than a metro might be. I was quite happy with that choice.

Also a friend of mine walked an alternative route: he walked along the riverside out of town and loved it. It means an additional 10km for the day, but it is easy to follow the river all the way to the beach and then to walk to Matosinhos. From the bus it looked like a nice route .

Bom caminho,

Mira

 

[Thomas1962]

I did the portugues three years ago, started in Porto with the traditional route.
it is true that the first 10-15 km's are not the nicest one but I never in danger because of the traffic, not at all.
It depends how you like the camino. I like to do it all the way. I take the ugly parts, so I can enjoy more the beautiful parts. Especially to see the changing of the landscape can be magic for me.

And I can tell you... further down the route there is a real horrible 5 k's along an industrial area. But it's part of beautiful road

 

[ausmarko]

I am looking at going out along the river from the centre of Porto then up the coast to join at the Matosinhos bridge. Looks quite good on Google street view and a nice promenade. Any drawbacks to this route? I see people say to catch the train to the bridge rather than using this river to coast route.

 

[robventures]

I did this last week. It's a nice enough walk (assuming you like promenades!) with no downside I can remember other than having to choose between a very short first day or a rather long one (if you push on to Vila do Conde.)

If you're thinking of staying there, I don't recall the Matosinhos Youth Hostel being signed from the promenade, so check for accurate directions before you leave home.

 

[ausmarko]

Thanks Rob. The plan was to go to Vila do Conde, so will be a long day...depends on the weather though of course - Sunshine - this route, Rain - take the metro to Matosinhos or wait a day.
This is a short Camino anyway after doing the Frances, so don't mind walking the extra.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Here is what Ian Holdsworth wrote to me about leaving Oporto by the river route to Vila do Conde:

From the cathedral make your way down to the river:

"All the way along the first section it is old style resort type frontage like Blackpool.( there is also an old style tram) About 4 or 5miles along you come to the Youth Hostel on the ridge above. With the timing of the first Ryan air fight of the day this is a good place to make a first night stop. If one gets the tram into town from the airport and then walk to the Cathedral and then on it, makes a good easy day that is enough with the rigours of flying from home.
Plenty of places to stop for food along the way. Beware some of the beachside eateries are very expensive foodie seafood places. But there are other enough for all tastes. The boardwalk does not start till after Matosinhos . By the bridge on the Porto side is a great Bar/restaurant for breakfast. Also we found a pharmacist that would sell heart medicine to someone who had left his prescription behind in the UK at 8:45 in the morning without a script or doctors letter. Well way marked from Matsinhos, Cannot remember before, but there is no need the ocean is arrow enough."

 

[ausmarko]

Thanks JW. Very helpful and looks like a good option.

 

[Pieces]

I followed the arrows out of porto in 11 and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I think they don't get too many pilgrims this way and have never had so many good wishes and small tokens handed my way as on this stretch. Also, just start early and the traffic won't be so bad...

 

[DurhamParish]

I followed the arrows out of porto in 11 and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I think they don't get too many pilgrims this way and have never had so many good wishes and small tokens handed my way as on this stretch. Also, just start early and the traffic won't be so bad...

I did the same last September. My biggest problem was after leaving Porto and walking on the roads that had the walls on either side with very little room to get out of the way of traffic, particularly busses and trucks with their big mirrors. Otherwise, I loved it, and Villarinho was a blast.

 

[Camembert]

I followed the arrows out of porto in 11 and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I think they don't get too many pilgrims this way and have never had so many good wishes and small tokens handed my way as on this stretch. Also, just start early and the traffic won't be so bad...

I did the same last September. My biggest problem was after leaving Porto and walking on the roads that had the walls on either side with very little room to get out of the way of traffic, particularly busses and trucks with their big mirrors. Otherwise, I loved it, and Villarinho was a blast.

After finishing in Santiago last friday coming from Lisbon beginning of May we went back to Porto (Matosinhos) and walked back from the bridge to the Cathedral the oposite way.
It's a nice promenade walk. About 10 kms and well waymarked.
If Vila do Conde is too far away for you from the Cathedral there are lots of hostels in Matosinhos.
From there it's about 20 kms to Vila do Conde . We slept there in a summerhouse at a campingsite. Not cheap but comfortable .Hostal Central in Matosinhas is a good place to stay
Bom caminho

 

[womps]

I finished the Camino on June 10th and just wanted to update everyone on what I did. I left out of Porto Cathedral and just followed the arrows and went the traditional route. I am honestly not too sure if the arrows were rerouted because I did not run into any of the problems that I was initially concerned about. It could also be that I left on a Saturday and there may have been fewer cars out on the road that day. I will say that the industrial part on the first day was a bit hard to get through, mainly because of the boring scenery. If I could do it again, I would have walked the coastal route, which many people I have talked to seemed to enjoy a lot.