Getting to Vairao or other monasteries from the coastal route?

[ElisabetTravel]

Hi everyone!

I'm walking the Camino Portuguese from Porto in September and want to take the coastal route (probably mixed with the litoral route) to stay near the coast and beaches. I would really like to experience a night in a (former) monastery or church but struggling to find any on my route.

The Monastery in Vairao seems to be exactly what I am looking for, but it is on the central route. Any ideas how I could combine a visit to this Monastery while mainly sticking to the coastal/litoral route? Could I turn East from somewhere near Labruge, and then co back west the next day? Especially on the way out of Porto it would be nice to walk along the beaches.

I also know there is Herbón monastery close to Padrón, but I am already planning to stay my last night before reaching Santiago de Compostela in O Lagar de Jesus just north of Padrón to make the last day of walking a bit shorter...

Do you know of any other former churches, monasteries or similiar along the coastal/litoral route from Porto to Santiago de Compostela?

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[Skippy@2022]

We walked from Porto to Vairão on the central route last year, the Monastry is beautiful, the next day we got a taxi to the Coastal route and carried on from there, we'll worth the detour, enjoy

 

[jungleboy]

What about the monastery at Armenteira on the Variante Espiritual (if you're planning to take this recommended variant)?

 

[Yoyo]

While the albergue is a good place to stay for the night, Mosteiro de Vairão is not in use as a monastery any more. So if you are looking for a religious / spiritual experience, you will be disappointed.
Photos taken in September 2022.

 

[Ellann]

Hi everyone!

I'm walking the Camino Portuguese from Porto in September and want to take the coastal route (probably mixed with the litoral route) to stay near the coast and beaches. I would really like to experience a night in a (former) monastery or church but struggling to find any on my route.

The Monastery in Vairao seems to be exactly what I am looking for, but it is on the central route. Any ideas how I could combine a visit to this Monastery while mainly sticking to the coastal/litoral route? Could I turn East from somewhere near Labruge, and then co back west the next day? Especially on the way out of Porto it would be nice to walk along the beaches.

I also know there is Herbón monastery close to Padrón, but I am already planning to stay my last night before reaching Santiago de Compostela in O Lagar de Jesus just north of Padrón to make the last day of walking a bit shorter...

Do you know of any other former churches, monasteries or similiar along the coastal/litoral route from Porto to Santiago de Compostela?

​

Hey there cut across from Labruge, just use Google Maps, and then cut back after Vairao (great experience) to get to Povoa de Varzim. Both are nice walks. Neither are long walks but they are nice. The monastery in Herbon is also a must, the hospitalaros are just wonderful.

 

[Keikochan]

Utterly agree about Herbon. Really nice place to stay with a monastery tour by a monk, a mass and a communal dinner (at least in 2017). Starting at Sept.1 from Nazare via Fatima to Port, then via Costal and Variente Espiritual to SDC, I'm trying to stay at Herbon again and buy small bottles of their pepper jam for friends. If you think it's too far to walk to SDC in a day, there is a Xunta albergue at Teo which is only 3~4 hours walk from SDC Catedral.

 

[ElisabetTravel]

Thanks everyone!

I'm starting to think that my best option might be to walk the central route from Porto to the Monastery of Vairao on day 1, despite it being not-so-beautiful as the litoral route out of Porto would be. And on day 2 I would cross west from Vairao to get to the coastal route, walking towards Vila do Conde and picking up the litoral/coastal way from there. Has anybody done this and has any advice on crossing like this? Is it safe (thinking of traffic)?

Also, I will probably arrive to the monastery of Vairao pretty late-ish on day 1, since I am starting my walk after picking up my credential from Se Catedral when they open at 9. Do you know if the monastery of Vairao tends to fill up quickly or do I have a realistiv chance to get a bed even if I arrive at 16 or later in the afternoon? I intend to walk the entire stage and not start with metro/taxi to the outskirts ot Porto as some people suggest.