Camino from Viana do Castelo to Santiago

[felipevergaraam]

Hello to all of you

I am planning to do the Camino Litoral the second week in August. I have 7-8 days max. I am very used to doing a lot of sport, running etc but I also want to enjoy the Camino so I was thinking about the following route after reading very good comments about these places. Could you give me your advice and I'm open to accommodate the places as well as the distance but the days are complicated for me.

I have already visited Santiago several times but I have never done the Camino, would you recommend staying on Sunday night thinking that if I follow the above plan, I would arrive on a Sunday? Just to be sure, if most of the people stay, how difficult is to find a place to stay, etc.


Day 1 Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Ancora (24kms)
Day 2 Vila Praia de Ancora to OIA (30km) Vila da Guarda
Day 3 Oia to Baiona (14kms)
Day 4 Baiona to Vigo (28kms)
Day 5 Vigo to Pontevedra (30kms)
Day 6 Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (24kms)
Day 7 Caldas de Reis to Padron (18kms)
Day 8 Padron to SdC (24kms)

Your help is tremendously appreciate !

This is group is Amazing!

 

[Camembert]

Vigo to Pontevedra is almost 40 kms if you follow the waymarkers.
Arriving on a Sunday ?
There are lots of tourists Maybe they are gone after a long weekend so the Sunday can be quieter. But you are walking in August and that is the holiday month for anyway the Spanish people so you have to take that in mind

 

[felipevergaraam]

Vigo to Pontevedra is almost 40 kms if you follow the waymarkers.
Arriving on a Sunday ?
There are lots of tourists Maybe they are gone after a long weekend so the Sunday can be quieter. But you are walking in August and that is the holiday month for anyway the Spanish people so you have to take that in mind

Hi Camembert

Many thanks for the info.
Could you please share with me the waymakers so I can do a better calculation in that case ? Because the route that I was mentioning it was prepared with googlemaps.

Yes, I know that is summer so it should be hot but what about rain ? It is common to have ?
Thanks again !

 

[Anamya]

Hey Felipe
This website has the distances following waymarkers:

Camino Portugués de la Costa | Gronze.com

El Camino Portugués de la Costa sigue el litoral atlántico desde Porto, pasando por Viana do Castelo, A Guarda y Vigo, hasta unirse al Camino Portugués Central en Redondela. Utilizado desde el siglo XVI por los peregrinos, este camino está creciendo de forma imparable. Motivos no le faltan...

www.gronze.com

Except for Vigo-Pontevedra (around 38km), the others are not too far from the actual walking distance.

Pontevedra was one of my favourite places on the Portuguese.

If you are a strong walker, you should be fine with your plans. Or, maybe start a bit further ahead to feel less time pressure?

 

[Camembert]

I meant holidaytime in August. So many walkers on the way so you gave to share the lodging facilities with many others.
About the weather, my crystal ball says may rain, may shine.

 

[Magwood]

Vigo to Pontevedra is almost 40 kms if you follow the waymarkers.

I walked this stage in 2018. You can scan this QR code to see the track on Wikiloc. There are a couple of stretches on busy road but the vast majority is on beautiful tracks. My recording states 37 km

 

[Adelina]

FYI here's what we did in 2022 - leisurely pace and wonderful!
Porto to Santiago de Compostela, 280km Walking stages – Coastal Route-Stingy Nomads

*MA - municipal albergue, **PA - private albergue (Mac)*live in the moment. CAPS=our stops/lodging

Day 1. PORTO- Labruge, 23km (BUS FROM CATHEDRAL TO MATOSINHOS)
6km	Foz do Douro	Hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
12km	MATOSINHOS - BEGIN	Hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
17km	Perafita	Hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
21km	Lavra	PA**, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
24km	Labruge (Novo Rumo-chocolate)*	MA*, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 2. Labruge - Praia Estrela, 25km CASA da PRAIA
2,5km	VILA CHA – CASA SANDRA**±	MA, hotel, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurantPRAIA MAR**, bar
3,5km	Mindelo (lots of hotels)	Hotel, supermarket, restaurant, bar
6,5km	Praia de Arvore	Hotel, ATM, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
10km	Vila do Conde (N&M)*Eiffel bridge	MA, PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
14km	Póvoa de Varzim (M1)**Hotel Torre del Mar Agucadoura Guest house	MA*, PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
16km	O Ver-O-Mar	Hotel, shop, restaurant
21km	Aguçadoura *	ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
25km	Praia da Estela (Orbitur)	Camping-cabins, hotel, shop, restaurant
Day 3. Praia Estrela - Castelo do Neiva, 24km
4km	APULIA	PA-SANTIAGO PRAIA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
8km	Fão	PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
10,5km	Esposende (M 2)**	PA*Laranjeira, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
14,5km	Marinhas **	MA, hotel, ATM, shop, pharmacy, restaurant, bar

16,8km	Mar	Shop, restaurant, cafe
18km	Belinho	Restaurant, cafe
20km	Antas	Hotel, restaurant, cafe
24km	Castelo do Neiva	MA, hotel, shop, restaurant, bar
Day 4. Castelo do Neiva - Carreço, 19km
4,5km	Chafé	Hotel, ATM, shop, restaurant, cafe
7km	ANHA	PA-CASA de CAROLINA**±, hotel, supermarket, restaurant, cafe
9km	Darque	Hotel, supermarket, restaurant, cafe
11km	Viana do Castelo (M3)****	PA*, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar RESIDENCIAL LARANJEIRA
16km	Areosa	Hotel, shop, restaurant, bar
19km	Carreço	PA, hotel, shop, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 5. Carreço, Portugal - A Guarda, Spain, 22km
3km	Armada	Hotel, cafe
10km	VILA PRAIA d ANCORA	PA QUINTA da QUINHAS**±, everything-BEAUTIFUL TOWN!!
15 km	Moledo	PA, hotel, shop, restaurant, cafe
18km	Caminha, Portugal (ferry)**	MA, PA, hotel*, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Caminha - A Pasaxe by ferry, 700 m, 5min.
22km	A Guarda, Spain (M-5)**	MA, PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar HOTEL BRUSELAS
Day 6. A Guarda - Baiona, 29km Restaurant PURERO GUARDES in A GUARDA
6,5km	Portecelo	Bar
12km	OIA	PA- CALA INN**± Hotel*, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
15,5km	Villadesuso	PA, hotel, restaurant, cafe
18,5km	Porto Mougás *	PA
20km	Pedra Rubia	Hotel, cafe

29km	Baiona (M-7)* Hotel Pinzon SABARIS – HOTEL AVENIDA**	PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar Parador de Baiona hotel
Day 7. Baiona - Vigo, 25km (alternative route along the coast)
4km	A Ramallosa (the split the right route goes inland, the left route follows the coast) *	PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
7,5km	A Bouza Vella	Shop, restaurant, bar
11,5km	Saiáns	PA, restaurant, bar
14km	Oia HOTEL A RAINA	Shop, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
25km	VIGO(M-8)**. HOTEL EXE** Hotel R. Ogalia	Hostel, hotel*, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 8. Vigo - Redondela, 16,3km
7km	Chapela	ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
16,3km	REDONDELA – PENSION RUA DE MEDIO**± Santiago de Villavela Hostel	MA, PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 9. Redondela - Pontevedra, 20km
2,5km	Cesantes * (Refuxio de la Jérezana a private albergue)	PA, hotel, ATM, shop, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
5 km	Soutoxuste	PA, restaurant
7,5km	Arcade (M-9)	PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
8,5km	Pontesanpaio	PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
20km	PONTEVEDRA- BOOKING STUDIO (M-8)* *Slow City Hostel/	MA, PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 10. Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis, 23km***
10,5km	Barro/Portela	MA, restaurant
16km	Briallos	MA
21km	Tívo	PA, supermarket
23km	CALDAS DE REIS – BOOKING PENSION AUGAS QUENTES spa town*	MA, PA, hotel O’Cruceiro, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 11. Caldas de Reis - Padrón, 20km Restaurant CHEF RIVERA in Padron
5,5 km	O Cruceiro (Carracedo)	Cafe, restaurant
10km	Valga	MA, hotel, restaurant, bar

12,5km	San Miguel de Valga	Shop, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
17km	Pontecesures	MA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
20km	PADRON – HOTEL CHEF RIVERA (laundromat next door)	MA, PA Jardin, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
Day 12. Padrón - Santiago de Compostela, 25km
1km	Iria Flavia	Hotel, bar
6km	A Esclavitude	Hotel, restaurant, bar
6,5km	Cruces *	PA, hotel, restaurant, bar
7,5km	Angueira de Suso	Hotel, restaurant
8,3km	Picaraña	PA, hotel, restaurant
10km	O Faramello	MA, PA, hotel, restaurant, bar
18km	Milladoiro (Albergue Milladoiro*)	PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, restaurant, bar
25km	SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA AIRBNB	Residencia Fornos

***Variante Espiritual (Spiritual Way), optional route Pontevedra to Padrón, 73km

(FRIEND DID THIS AND THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT!)

Day 10. Pontevedra - Armenteira, 22km
6km	Campañó	Hotel, restaurant
10km	Poio	Hotel, restaurant
12km	Combarro	Hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
21,4km	Armenteira	MA, restaurant
Day 11. Armenteira - Vilanova de Arousa, 23km
6km	Barrantes	Shop, restaurant, bar
12km	Ponte Arnelas	Pharmacy, restaurant, bar
25km	Vilanova de Arousa	MA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar

Day 12. Vilanova de Arousa - Padrón, 28km by boat
28km	Pontecesures	MA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar
31km	Padrón (walking)	MA, PA, hotel, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, bar

Stingy Nomads

 

[Anthony Rocco]

Hello to all of you

I am planning to do the Camino Litoral the second week in August. I have 7-8 days max. I am very used to doing a lot of sport, running etc but I also want to enjoy the Camino so I was thinking about the following route after reading very good comments about these places. Could you give me your advice and I'm open to accommodate the places as well as the distance but the days are complicated for me.

I have already visited Santiago several times but I have never done the Camino, would you recommend staying on Sunday night thinking that if I follow the above plan, I would arrive on a Sunday? Just to be sure, if most of the people stay, how difficult is to find a place to stay, etc.


Day 1 Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Ancora (24kms)
Day 2 Vila Praia de Ancora to OIA (30km) Vila da Guarda
Day 3 Oia to Baiona (14kms)
Day 4 Baiona to Vigo (28kms)
Day 5 Vigo to Pontevedra (30kms)
Day 6 Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (24kms)
Day 7 Caldas de Reis to Padron (18kms)
Day 8 Padron to SdC (24kms)

Your help is tremendously appreciate !

This is group is Amazing!

We arrived in Vigo last Septmeber, had lunch and did a little touring along the waterfront, then took the nearby train to Pontevedra. We don't regret that decision one bit. Even though we have been to Santiago many times, we love staying an extra day (or two or three). We only stayed one extra day this time. It was on a Sunday. We reserved in advance at a hotel. Not a problem. The only time we stayed at an albergue in Santiago was at Seminario Menor, which is massive.

 

[felipevergaraam]

Hello everybody



I have been looking for a different place to stay between Carreco and A Guarda. I will be travelling by bus/train from Porto to Carreco or A Guarda on a Saturday (my flight arrives late on Friday to Porto so I'm forced to stay there), so my idea is to start the Camino on Sunday morning, hopefully from A Guarda but I'm open to start from Carreco if I can't find any options. Do you have any advice on where I can stay? I've looked at all the recommended places but they are all already taken! I will arrive at one of these places around midday and all the albergues/hotels are full, do you know if I can stay in a municipal albergue even if I haven't started the camino yet or is it enough to say I will start the next day? And also, where am I supposed to ask for the credential or proof that I have started the Camino? I'm not sure how it work