Conde do Vila or Póvoa de Varzim?

[scruffy1]

Trying to finish this part of my planning for Porto to Santiago on the coastal route and cannot decide where to end a stage. Conde do Vila seems a bit dreary while Póvoa de Varzim appears to be tourist high rises along a beach. Please send along anything from experience, the internet presentation is a bit disheartening for both.

 

[TonyC]

Trying to finish this part of my planning for Porto to Santiago on the coastal route and cannot decide where to end a stage. Conde do Vila seems a bit dreary while Póvoa de Varzim appears to be tourist high rises along a beach. Please send along anything from experience, the internet presentation is a bit disheartening for both.

Hi. We stayed at the Bellamar Hostel in Villa do Conde in late April this year. It's just over the bridge that leads into the town, fronting onto a very nice open area next to the river. The hostel was good, but busy even in April. The town is small but old and interesting with several places to eat. We really enjoyed it. By contrast Povoã is a very much a big seaside resort with lots of high rise apartments and shops. The walk along the seafront was extremely busy and bustling when we passed through, but it was 25th April, Portugal's national day so it was only to be expected. Povoa was pleasant but we much preferred Vila.

If it's any use, you could look at my blog folksfrom62.blogspot.com at the entries for 24th and 26th April 2016. There are some photos there.

 

[SabsP]

Vila da Conde is wonderful IMHO!!

 

[Deleted member 34316]

I also stayed in Vila do Conde two weeks ago, and also in Bellamar Hostel, because it was just the first place past the river. Only after check-in, while walking around town I discovered there is a brand new, nice municipal albergue, more spacious and comfortable, just a few hundred meters away, which had been just opened (on 14 March 2016). I think it is a very nice place, even if located on the main street. 25 beds, price 7.50 euro, washing machine, small kitchen, Wi-fi, advanced booking is not available. A nice hospitalera, speaking good English, showed me around the building.

Albergue de Santa Clara
Rua 5 de Outubro 221
Vila do Conde

Google map - from the bridge to the albergue: https://goo.gl/maps/h8VcNd8F3ou

More picture below the press article (in Portugues) here

I can't say much about Povoa de Varzim, as I passed the town walking along the beach the next morning.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Vila do Conde is your typical Camino small town: not wonderful, but much better than the residential more recently built Povoa which has nothing to offer otjer than large and lomg streets, with Soviet looking buildings.

Vila do Conde has a wonderful monastery, a river, a brand new albergue, a restaurant 50 meters away who caters to them.

 

[Marc S.]

Very much enjoyed spending a rest day in Villa do Conde. There's an amazing, old aquaduct as well.