• ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.
  • Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here.
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Foz do Douro or Matosinhos?

AJGuillaume

Pèlerin du monde
Time of past OR future Camino
Via Gebennensis (2018)
Via Podiensis (2018)
Voie Nive Bidassoa (2018)
Camino Del Norte (2018)
Merry Christmas!
We're taking a nice break in Porto (6 to 14 July 2020), and experiencing the Douro on a river cruise.
When we disembark, we'll start walking along the Coastal Route. We'll probably disembark mid morning, and as we normally do, we'll be walking a short stage.
The choice we have is to walk to Foz do Douro (a short 7.5km from where we disembark), or to Matosinhos (12.7km).
Our question: which one of the two is a better place to stop for the night, and which of the two has better sightseeing for when we stop walking.
Obrigado!
Bom caminho!
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Merry Christmas! There's not much difference in terms of distance. It's all level waking too. People go to Foz de Douro to see the lighthouse,the Park near the last tram stop, to enjoy the views and take the tram ride there or back if you walk there. There's not much else.

Matosinhos is better as it's got lots of hostels/hotels and shops etc. I stayed here
Pensão Central
Rua de Brito Capelo 599, 4450-075 Matosinhos, Portugal
+351 22 938 0664

You can visit the fish market and at its entrance there's a shop selling all of the great variety of canned shellfish. I ate at a fantastic seafish restaurant which is really popular with locals see
Salta O Muro
R. Heróis de França 386, 4450-155 Matosinhos, Portugal
+351 22 938 0879
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.

Thank you @MyDestinationGalicia , great suggestions!
 
Join Camino Cleanup: Logroño to Burgos May 2025 and Astorga to O'Cebreiro in June.
Siggestion: Stay in Porto overnight then take the Metro to Matosinhos and walk from there.
The walk along the river and coast from Porto is very nice.

And after more than an overnight in Porto, I reckon we'll be rested and ready to experience that walk!
 
We stayed in Matosinhos at Fishtail Sea House and it was very nice. They have bunks and private rooms. Keep in mind that the walk from Porto will not take long and you might not be able to check-in until the afternoon. Porto is such a wonderful city, you might like spending 1/2 day there before heading to Matosinhos.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

Thank you for the suggestion, @Susan Peacock .
As I mentioned in my original post, we're disembarking from a Douro river cruise on the day, so we're not likely to get to Matosinhos early. And we're staying 3 days in Porto before walking.
 
I agree. Walk to Matosinhos! I also stayed at the Fishtail Sea House. It was one of the best I experienced on the Portuguese and had a very nice breakfast included...a stand out memory!
 
The walk to Matosinhos is easy and scenic. My husband and I stayed at "Leao de Ouro". The market is great.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during and after your Camino. Each weighs just 40g (1.4 oz).

Most read last week in this forum