Central route start from Porto

[ladnergal]

In 2015 I did the Camino Frances and loved it. I'll be doing the Porto to Santiago Central route in April this year. From many things I've read, it seems like the first few (10kms?) out of Porto are quite industrial. A few have mentioned taking a bus or ??? to avoid this. Any suggestions as to which village I could make my starting point and if you get a bus from the Porto bus station. Any other options or suggestions welcomed.

 

[CarolamS]

The underground train system is excellent. I asked in the Tourist Office in front of Porto Cathedral and they suggested which line to take (nearest my accommodation) and where to get off. They spoke english. I just missed 10km of city walking and came out directly on the Caminho. It really was very easy indeed.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

My wife and I walked the central route in April 2017 from Porto. The first day out of Porto is not so much industrial, it is more a case of a lot of road walking on the busy N-306 for the last third of the day. This road has narrow shoulders and you feel the need to pull your shoulders in each time a car meets you!
If you plan to walk the central route, (which by the way is very interesting except day one) I would recommend walking the coastal route to Vila do Conde and then crossing back to the central route and rejoining it just before Arcos. Easy to do and no back tracking involved.
Portugal is a lovely country and this Camino remains one of our favorites.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

If you plan to walk the central route, (which by the way is very interesting except day one) I would recommend walking the coastal route to Vila do Conde and then crossing back to the central route and rejoining it just before Arcos. Easy to do and no back tracking involved.

I was going to suggest this exact same alternative. I took two shorter days and stayed overnight in Matosinhos.

 

[ladnergal]

The underground train system is excellent. I asked in the Tourist Office in front of Porto Cathedral and they suggested which line to take (nearest my accommodation) and where to get off. They spoke english. I just missed 10km of city walking and came out directly on the Caminho. It really was very easy indeed.

Thank you for this info -- that plan is now on the agenda!!

 

[Deleted member 67185]

If you plan to walk the central route, (which by the way is very interesting except day one) I would recommend walking the coastal route to Vila do Conde and then crossing back to the central route and rejoining it just before Arcos. Easy to do and no back tracking involved.

That is exactly what Jill and I will be doing come October 4.

We'll spend a couple of days touring around Porto, then head off to a day on the Litoral before crossing over to the Central route.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

Thank you for this info -- that plan is now on the agenda!!

This doesn't however avoid the extended period of walking on the shoulder of the very busy N 306 highway for the last third of day one on the central route which would be he main reason for considering walking the coastl route on day one out of Porto.

 

[DenWhite]

That is exactly what Jill and I will be doing come October 4.

We'll spend a couple of days touring around Porto, then head off to a day on the Litoral before crossing over to the Central route.

Sounds good to me. Now planning central Porto August 2021. Have checked out 3 sites for planning stages all with different distances to SdC up to 30 kms difference?

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Sounds good to me. Now planning central Porto August 2021. Have checked out 3 sites for planning stages all with different distances to SdC up to 30 kms difference?

My suggestion. . accept that the CP route is the longest of the 3 you've explored. Just adopt that figure as the 'real' one. That way, if it turns out to be 30 km shorter, you have an extra day to explore Santiago

Seriously, focus on the stage mileage that you will do on a single day's basis, the Km's will take care of themselves That will let you adequately plan your day-to-day stopping points. Me. . I tend to decide where I will end the next day's leg, based on how I feel the night before. Yes, I do know what date I want to reach the final end point, like Santiago de Compostela, but everything in between is up for grabs

 

[DenWhite]

My suggestion. . accept that the CP route is the longest of the 3 you've explored. Just adopt that figure as the 'real' one. That way, if it turns out to be 30 km shorter, you have an extra day to explore Santiago

Also means I may have a day with no where to go?

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Also means I may have a day with no where to go?

Well, if that day is in Santiago, you could always do a one-day bus excursion to Muxia (?)

 

[DenWhite]

Well, if that day is in Santiago, you could always do a one-day bus excursion to Muxia (?)

extra day in SdC would fit well. Did the Finisterre/Muxia bus trip last stay and would walk if time allowed.

 

[Terry Callery]

I walked out of Porto in the pouring rain and it was miserable - and yes fairly industrial.
If I did it again I would spend an extra day in Porto (you must visit the Se Cathedral and the
Soares dos Reis National Art Museum in Porto.) Take a Taxi (18 km) out of Porto to Vilar do Pinheiro
and stay at the Santa Marinha Residential in small private room (35 Euros). One of the best meals I had in Portugal was at the little pink stucco wood-grill restaurant just a block away from the Hotel called Restaurante Delores. They have a traditional wood fire next to the vat of water used to reconstitute the salt cod just out the side door of the small intimate restaurant. Grilled Salt Cod was served with kale and potatoes - excellent olives!
Ancient Portuguese recipe for cod - very good meal. Chef Manuel was very friendly. Just an example for me as to why the Portuguese Route was flatter, the people friendlier, the food way better than my experience on the French Route the previous year. In Porto I stayed at the Poet's Inn which is directly on the Camino.

 

[DenWhite]

I walked out of Porto in the pouring rain and it was miserable - and yes fairly industrial.
If I did it again I would spend an extra day in Porto (you must visit the Se Cathedral and the
Soares dos Reis National Art Museum in Porto.) Take a Taxi (18 km) out of Porto to Vilar do Pinheiro
and stay at the Santa Marinha Residential in small private room (35 Euros). One of the best meals I had in Portugal was at the little pink stucco wood-grill restaurant just a block away from the Hotel called Restaurante Delores. They have a traditional wood fire next to the vat of water used to reconstitute the salt cod just out the side door of the small intimate restaurant. Grilled Salt Cod was served with kale and potatoes - excellent olives!
Ancient Portuguese recipe for cod - very good meal. Chef Manuel was very friendly. Just an example for me as to why the Portuguese Route was flatter, the people friendlier, the food way better than my experience on the French Route the previous year. In Porto I stayed at the Poet's Inn which is directly on the Camino.

Thanks for the info will check it out.

 

[Ctshagr]

In 2015 I did the Camino Frances and loved it. I'll be doing the Porto to Santiago Central route in April this year. From many things I've read, it seems like the first few (10kms?) out of Porto are quite industrial. A few have mentioned taking a bus or ??? to avoid this. Any suggestions as to which village I could make my starting point and if you get a bus from the Porto bus station. Any other options or suggestions welcomed.

You can take the 500 bus from Porto to Matosinhos to bypass the traffic. The bus stop is close to the Cathedral. From there just follow the coast go over the bridge and back to the coast and follow to Vila do Conde. Now from that point chose the costa or central. I did the central had a wonderful time even though it rained everyday and expect rain in March. Points I’d recommend Casa Fernanda, Ponte de Lima (see Che’s Bar) the previous owner was a personal friend of Che, the muni albergue there is nice. The Nest albergue in Rubiaes, Valenca/Tui, the monastery in Hebron was an experience. All in all I would love to the Costa someday but I’ll never regret the central had a great time even with bad weather.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

I took the Metro from Trindade Station (close to Porto Lounge Hotel where I was staying) to Vila da Conde, which is about 30 kms north of Porto. This is a holiday resort and seafaring port, and there is a well preserved Roman aqueduct. The trip took about 45 minutes. I found the Atlantic coast very windy and unpleasant for walking at this point.

 

[Vacajoe]

Here’s a 30 second video of what the first day walking out of Porto is like (traffic, small sidewalks) . That being said, you COULD take a bus/taxi/train to avoid it….or revel in its awfulness and appreciate that you don’t have to walk it more than once!

 

[trecile]

For me, the best option was to walk the Senda Litoral from the Cathedral along the Duoro River, then along the coast to Vila do Conde.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

For me, the best option was to walk the Senda Litoral from the Cathedral along the Duoro River, then along the coast to Vila do Conde.

I did the same thing and it was very easy. I then turned inland to the central route as I wanted a more "Frances" feel with vineyards and rural villages after having just walked the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail along the ocean cliffs south of Lisbon for over a week.