Central Portuguese starting March 7, 2022, in Porto, 1st time

[Noel Dublin]

Hi, I am starting from Porto (maybe getting Metro to end of line) on Monday 7th April. First time and nervously excited, walking it on my own. Don't want to do a crazy amount first day so any advice where to stop first day & second day appreciated. Thinking about 15km-20km to start. Preference is for private room. All advice welcome. Thank you

 

[Grousedoctor]

Hi Noel. Your first Camino! How exciting! My wife and I walked the Central Route in 2017 and thoroughly enjoyed it. We head back to Porto this April to walk the Coastal Route and the Variante Espiritual. Let me suggest getting to Porto at least a day before you start walking. Get rested up a bit and enjoy a thoroughly wonderful city. If you don’t already have your Credencial, you can pick one up at the Cathedral along with your first stamp. To start off as you indicated, I’d suggest taking either the bus or the metro up to Matosinhos where you can begin your walk. It’s a flat and easy walk up the coast to Vila do Conde (about 20 km) a good stopping point for your first night before cutting inland toward Rates and Barcelos. If you don’t want to go as far as Barcelos your second day, stop short and stay at Antonio’s place in Pedra Furada (although Gronze.com says it is currently temporarily closed). We spent our next night at Casa de Fernanda. It was the highlight of our Camino. She is located halfway between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. You won’t be sorry use stopped for an overnight there. To reserve, she can be reached by phone not email. Gronze.com will give you a lot of information about the route and accommodations. We’ve very successfully used Booking.com for reservations. Directly emailing a place usually works well too. In any case, just a few ideas for you. I know you’ll enjoy your pilgrimage.

 

[Noel Dublin]

Hi Noel. Your first Camino! How exciting! My wife and I walked the Central Route in 2017 and thoroughly enjoyed it. We head back to Porto this April to walk the Coastal Route and the Variante Espiritual. Let me suggest getting to Porto at least a day before you start walking. Get rested up a bit and enjoy a thoroughly wonderful city. If you don’t already have your Credencial, you can pick one up at the Cathedral along with your first stamp. To start off as you indicated, I’d suggest taking either the bus or the metro up to Matosinhos where you can begin your walk. It’s a flat and easy walk up the coast to Vila do Conde (about 20 km) a good stopping point for your first night before cutting inland toward Rates and Barcelos. If you don’t want to go as far as Barcelos your second day, stop short and stay at Antonio’s place in Pedra Furada (although Gronze.com says it is currently temporarily closed). We spent our next night at Casa de Fernanda. It was the highlight of our Camino. She is located halfway between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. You won’t be sorry use stopped for an overnight there. To reserve, she can be reached by phone not email. Gronze.com will give you a lot of information about the route and accommodations. We’ve very successfully used Booking.com for reservations. Directly emailing a place usually works well too. In any case, just a few ideas for you. I know you’ll enjoy your pilgrimage.

Thanks Grousedoctor for the advice. I'll have an Irish Credencial with me but thinking of going to the Catherdral and going from there. I really appreciate the accommodation recommendations and am being swayed by them. It's only a 2 hour flight from Dublin and on same time zone so I should be fresh enough. Thanks again.

 

[Former member 49149]

Hope all goes to plan, Noel. I did it some years ago, and loved it all. Some on the forum say a lot is missed by taking the metro - I don't know, we took the metro! As Grousedoctor said, Porto is really worth exploring. I can't recommend accommodation, we stayed in albergues.

 

[trecile]

The walk from the Cathedral along the river to the sea is lovely. You can see the distances to the different towns on this map. Walking to Matosinhos would make a nice easy first day, and there are lots of places to stay there.

You can cut over to the Central route when you reach Vila do Conde.

 

[Noel Dublin]

Hope all goes to plan, Noel. I did it some years ago, and loved it all. Some on the forum say a lot is missed by taking the metro - I don't know, we took the metro! As Grousedoctor said, Porto is really worth exploring. I can't recommend accommodation, we stayed in albergues.

Thanks Kirkie

 

[Noel Dublin]

The walk from the Cathedral along the river to the sea is lovely. You can see the distances to the different towns on this map. Walking to Matosinhos would make a nice easy first day, and there are lots of places to stay there.

You can cut over to the Central route when you reach Vila do Conde.

View attachment 118674

Thanks trecile, I may indeed cross over

 

[AndreaCT]

If you are going to get another credencial from the Cathedral, I recommend that you take note of the time that it closes. I was lucky enough to get lost on my way to the Cathedral to get a new credential and a much desired stamp (wandered through many lovely streets) and the Cathedral had closed 15 minutes earlier. Thankfully, I had my Canadian credencial.

 

[RolfMagener]

I would walk the coastal out from Porto and up to Vila do Conde. Hosteling International in Vila do Conde is fantastic! It a newly renovated Mansion with fantastic dorms and also private rooms, but I would recommend the dorms as they are only 4 people and you will probably have it to yourself anyway.

 

[Noel Dublin]

If you are going to get another credencial from the Cathedral, I recommend that you take note of the time that it closes. I was lucky enough to get lost on my way to the Cathedral to get a new credential and a much desired stamp (wandered through many lovely streets) and the Cathedral had closed 15 minutes earlier. Thankfully, I had my Canadian credencial.

Thanks Andrea, I have my Irish stamp as I got an Irish credencial.

 

[Noel Dublin]

I would walk the coastal out from Porto and up to Vila do Conde. Hosteling International in Vila do Conde is fantastic! It a newly renovated Mansion with fantastic dorms and also private rooms, but I would recommend the dorms as they are only 4 people and you will probably have it to yourself anyway.View attachment 118729

That looks stunning Rolf. I am more and more leaning towards doing the coastal out and then crossing to the Central

 

[Noel Dublin]

I would walk the coastal out from Porto and up to Vila do Conde. Hosteling International in Vila do Conde is fantastic! It a newly renovated Mansion with fantastic dorms and also private rooms, but I would recommend the dorms as they are only 4 people and you will probably have it to yourself anyway.View attachment 118729

booked it

 

[Bromo25]

Hi, I am starting from Porto (maybe getting Metro to end of line) on Monday 7th April. First time and nervously excited, walking it on my own. Don't want to do a crazy amount first day so any advice where to stop first day & second day appreciated. Thinking about 15km-20km to start. Preference is for private room. All advice welcome. Thank you

Hiya Noel,
i’m currently on Lisbon to Porto, and will stop in Porto for a few days around the same time before continuing my journey onwards on the coastal route so if you wanna meet for a coffee and i can fill ya in on what i’ve learned so far let me know, i’m more than happy to!

 

[BobY333]

Hi Noel - my wife and I walked from Porto in Sept/Oct 2021. Porto-Matosinhos for a short first day, then on to Vila do Conde where we stayed at the Venceslau Boutique Wine Hotel. The dinner at the attached Venceslau restaurant was the best meal we had on the entire trip - amazing, and very reasonably priced! We made sure to stay at Casa Fernanda, and were very glad we did. As said before, it was a highlight! She does have a private room that you can request. O Ninho in Rubiães was another good place to stay that had both shared and private rooms. I'd highly recommend walking the Variente Espiritual if you have the time. The Ruta de las Piedras y del Agua was the prettiest part of any Camino we've walked - and it was rainy!

 

[Noel Dublin]

Hi Noel - my wife and I walked from Porto in Sept/Oct 2021. Porto-Matosinhos for a short first day, then on to Vila do Conde where we stayed at the Venceslau Boutique Wine Hotel. The dinner at the attached Venceslau restaurant was the best meal we had on the entire trip - amazing, and very reasonably priced! We made sure to stay at Casa Fernanda, and were very glad we did. As said before, it was a highlight! She does have a private room that you can request. O Ninho in Rubiães was another good place to stay that had both shared and private rooms. I'd highly recommend walking the Variente Espiritual if you have the time. The Ruta de las Piedras y del Agua was the prettiest part of any Camino we've walked - and it was rainy!

Thanks Bob. Venceslau it is then ! Really appreciate your reply thank you to you and your wife

Hiya Noel,
i’m currently on Lisbon to Porto, and will stop in Porto for a few days around the same time before continuing my journey onwards on the coastal route so if you wanna meet for a coffee and i can fill ya in on what i’ve learned so far let me know, i’m more than happy to!

sounds like a plan. Whenever suits, we ll arrange it . Message me nearer the 7th

 

[BobY333]

The view from our room at Venceslau!

 

[C clearly]

I am starting from Porto (maybe getting Metro to end of line) on Monday 7th April.

Do you mean 7th March as in the thread title and on the Starting in March page?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Porto-Matosinhos for a short first day, then on to Vila do Conde where we stayed at the Venceslau Boutique Wine Hotel. The dinner at the attached Venceslau restaurant was the best meal we had on the entire trip - amazing, and very reasonably priced!

We stayed here, too, on our first day out of Porto in early May 2017. A lovely hotel and intimate restaurant with very good food.

 

[JNast]

Hi, I am starting from Porto (maybe getting Metro to end of line) on Monday 7th April. First time and nervously excited, walking it on my own. Don't want to do a crazy amount first day so any advice where to stop first day & second day appreciated. Thinking about 15km-20km to start. Preference is for private room. All advice welcome. Thank you

Noel, here is a GREAT video on why to start walking from Porto with a tour... I am looking forward to start my walk with my Beautiful Lady starting the 2nd week of April as well. We'll start from the Cathedral now after watching this Video

https://youtu.be/jYsB3qEmxvI