Porto to Matosinhos

[Kingston]

Hello All
I am walking this September from Porto to Santiago and need some info in regard to where to start in Porto and I have read the road is not safe and I should take public transportation out of Porto to avoid suburbs.
I would like to hear from people who have walked this area and can give advice of best routes doing the coastal option.
Thanks Kingston

 

[AdaR]

I have not yet walked this, but I plan to starting on 7/25. My plan is to head toward the Douro river and walk along the river over to Matosinhos.
I also read others suggesting to take the metro out of Porto, but walking along the riverfront has greater appeal to me. I snooped on Google Street view and didn't see anything dangerous or scary about that route.
It also makes for an easy first day walk on this camino, at about 8 miles.

 

[t2andreo]

Porto is very safe. However, if you are leaving Porto via Matosinhos, the first 6-8 Km are on old, narrow and congested city streets. The sidewalks are nil in most places. IMHO, it is not exactly my sort of Camino. I eschew urban walking, through run down neighborhoods or industrial estates when and where possible.

Many folks, myself included, take the Porto Metro, Blue Line towards the destination of Senor de Matosinhos. Get off at the NEXT TO LAST stop, Mercado. Walk up the stairs to the bridge you see above you at the this Metro stop.

Here is a link to a map (in .pdf format) of the Porto Metro:

http://en.metrodoporto.pt/uploads/document/file/263/System_Map.pdf

Walk across the bridge, and then to the left, West. Follow the river through the small container port and around to the right - North. Within 10 minutes of leaving the bridge, you are walking along the ocean.

Here, you have the option of following the sidewalk, walking the boardwalk along the dunes and beach, or actually walking the sand, as far as the protruding rocks will permit.

I hope this helps.

 

[Playful Dread]

Perfect!

Porto is very safe. However, if you are leaving Porto via Matosinhos, the first 6-8 Km are on old, narrow and congested city streets. The sidewalks are nil in most places. IMHO, it is not exactly my sort of Camino. I eschew urban walking, through run down neighborhoods or industrial estates when and where possible.

Many folks, myself included, take the Porto Metro, Blue Line towards the destination of Senor de Matosinhos. Get off at the NEXT TO LAST stop, Mercado. Walk up the stairs to the bridge you see above you at the this Metro stop.

Here is a link to a map (in .pdf format) of the Porto Metro:

http://en.metrodoporto.pt/uploads/document/file/263/System_Map.pdf

Walk across the bridge, and then to the left, West. Follow the river through the small container port and around to the right - North. Within 10 minutes of leaving the bridge, you are walking along the ocean.

Here, you have the option of following the sidewalk, walking the boardwalk along the dunes and beach, or actually walking the sand, as far as the protruding rocks will permit.

I hope this helps.

I did exactly the same for no other reason than our flights arrived into Porto late and we wanted to get to the beach quickly so we could bed down for the night under the boardwalks! I've done this both times I've walked this route and it's been the simplest of solutions (for me). t2andreo's instructions, as I said are PERFECT and very simple to follow once you're there.

 

[Theatregal]

Hi Kingston,
The route is very easy and safe from Porto. Start at the Cathedral and walk down to the Douro River. You reach the river quite quickly. Follow the river, always keeping it and eventually the ocean, to your left. I really enjoyed that first day walk out of Porto, stopping at Perafita (about 7 km past Matosinhos).

You could look at this thread as well for another walking route out of Porto from @Anemone del Camino

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/routes-from-porto.47664/#post-510289

Bom Caminho!

 

[toadoftoadhall]

I start my walk on the 14th Sept. Doing the coastal, sort of, up to Vigo, then might veer off track to Moana.

 

[LTfit]

It is a lovely 'stroll' from Porto to Matasinhos following the river and then the coast - and sooooo simple! I did it about 10 days ago when I started the Caminho Portugês da Costa. I had arrived by bus from Santiago and got in at 15.00 Portuguese time. It was the Sunday after São João and there were festivities everywhere. I quite enjoyed the 15 km walk.

 

[Kingston]

Hi Kingston,
The route is very easy and safe from Porto. Start at the Cathedral and walk down to the Douro River. You reach the river quite quickly. Follow the river, always keeping it and eventually the ocean, to your left. I really enjoyed that first day walk out of Porto, stopping at Perafita (about 7 km past Matosinhos).

You could look at this thread as well for another walking route out of Porto from @Anemone del Camino

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/routes-from-porto.47664/#post-510289

Bom Caminho!

Thanks for the info, I had planned to start at the Cathedral therefore your response about how easy the river path is to access makes this route most attractive. I appreciate the info on this blog since it's my 1st time in Portugal.
Kingston

 

[MichaelSG]

Porto is very safe. However, if you are leaving Porto via Matosinhos, the first 6-8 Km are on old, narrow and congested city streets. The sidewalks are nil in most places. IMHO, it is not exactly my sort of Camino.

Many folks, myself included, take the Porto Metro, Blue Line towards the destination of Senor de Matosinhos. Get off at the NEXT TO LAST stop, Mercado. Walk up the stairs to the bridge you see above you at the this Metro stop.

I'm sorry that you missed taking one of the more beautiful walks to Matosinhos. There are lovely boulevards with wide sidewalks leading out to Matosinhos where one can observe everyday lives of Porto's residents. The walk along the Douro River, either on the north or south side is very lovely, safe and walkable as well. I found the only use for the metro as a way to spend two nights in Porto town centre. There are also recommended places to stay in Matosinhos too.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

There is nothing unsafe about road walking from Porto to Mastosinhos. What is it this morning with people? Just read in another thread that Lugo to Santiago is one of the most difficult caminos as well.

From Se cathedral, hop on top level of metal bridge along side the metro and cross the river. Upon arriving on the other side make your way to the water front tourist area to your right where the portwine warehouse and tastings are. Keep following, with the river to your right. You will have to cross parking lots bit will join a wooden boardwalk with small circles cut in it: those are to hold the fishing rods!

Lovely walk with the best views of Oporto. After ypu pass under an other bridge you will see a small dock where a motor boats picks and drops people off as ot shuttled them feom one sode of the river to the other.

Hen you get to the other side, keep the water to your left, the road will turn to the right, will go along a park, reataurants, etc. That is Matosinhos. Find the metro stop, spot the metal bridge, go over it. On the other side walk 100 m or so to an intersection where you will spot yellow arrows pointing to the left. That will have you on the beach boadwalk. Get on it and keep going for some 20km to Via do Conde.

How many times does that have you crossing a street? 5 to 7 perhaps?

Happy walking. Safe walking.

 

[KariC]

I spent the night at the very cool Casa de Godinho in Matosinhos, and began walking from there.

 

[jmcarp]

I have not yet walked this, but I plan to starting on 7/25. My plan is to head toward the Douro river and walk along the river over to Matosinhos.
I also read others suggesting to take the metro out of Porto, but walking along the riverfront has greater appeal to me. I snooped on Google Street view and didn't see anything dangerous or scary about that route.
It also makes for an easy first day walk on this camino, at about 8 miles.

My wife and I walked the river/oceanfront variation to Matosinhos in May. It's a very easy, half-day walk. We stayed a couple of nights beforehand in Porto, and since we were staying on Rua de Flores, just a 5-minute walk from the cathedral, we simply walked down that street to river, at probably the same spot you'd reach if you began from the cathedral. (We got our credentials stamped at the cathedral the day before.) The route along the river is not marked very well, but it's impossible to get lost since you're walking right along the river on concrete sidewalks away from traffic until you reach the ocean, then along a broad concrete sidewalk/bike path the rest of the way. We stayed at the Pensao Central in Matosinhos, which is right on the street the metro runs up if you were taking the metro from Porto. It was maybe a half kilometer up to the Market station and the drawbridge from the Pensao.

If you continue up the coast from Matasinhos to Vila do Conde, you'll be on the same type of sidewalk/bike path for the first few km, then on a boardwalk for most of the way after that. Take plenty of water and a broad-brimmed hat because there is no shade on the boardwalk and it can get very hot.

Bom Caminho!

 

[jmcarp]

My wife and I walked the river/oceanfront variation to Matosinhos in May. It's a very easy, half-day walk. We stayed a couple of nights beforehand in Porto, and since we were staying on Rua de Flores, just a 5-minute walk from the cathedral, we simply walked down that street to river, at probably the same spot you'd reach if you began from the cathedral. (We got our credentials stamped at the cathedral the day before.) The route along the river is not marked very well, but it's impossible to get lost since you're walking right along the river on concrete sidewalks away from traffic until you reach the ocean, then along a broad concrete sidewalk/bike path the rest of the way. We stayed at the Pensao Central in Matosinhos, which is right on the street the metro runs up if you were taking the metro from Porto. It was maybe a half kilometer up to the Market station and the drawbridge from the Pensao.

If you continue up the coast from Matasinhos to Vila do Conde, you'll be on the same type of sidewalk/bike path for the first few km, then on a boardwalk for most of the way after that. Take plenty of water and a broad-brimmed hat because there is no shade on the boardwalk and it can get very hot.

Bom Caminho!

Replying to my own comment, here's a public link to some photos of our recent Porto to Santiago Camino that I posted on my Facebook page. The first few show the walk along the Rio Duoro and the oceanfront to Matosinhos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...578.1073741831.1187979153&type=1&l=9426893d04 . You do not have to be a member of Facebook to view this link.

 

[Letsgocamino]

Porto is very safe. However, if you are leaving Porto via Matosinhos, the first 6-8 Km are on old, narrow and congested city streets. The sidewalks are nil in most places. IMHO, it is not exactly my sort of Camino. I eschew urban walking, through run down neighborhoods or industrial estates when and where possible.

Many folks, myself included, take the Porto Metro, Blue Line towards the destination of Senor de Matosinhos. Get off at the NEXT TO LAST stop, Mercado. Walk up the stairs to the bridge you see above you at the this Metro stop.

Here is a link to a map (in .pdf format) of the Porto Metro:

http://en.metrodoporto.pt/uploads/document/file/263/System_Map.pdf

Walk across the bridge, and then to the left, West. Follow the river through the small container port and around to the right - North. Within 10 minutes of leaving the bridge, you are walking along the ocean.

Here, you have the option of following the sidewalk, walking the boardwalk along the dunes and beach, or actually walking the sand, as far as the protruding rocks will permit.

I hope this helps.

My sister and I took this route May 31st. It was so refreshing walking with the Atlantic to our left. Cool ocean breezes. We stayed the night in Labruge at S.tiago schoolhouse, converted to a very nice hostel. Bety was a very pleasant host. Very helpful. Next day walked to Vila do Conde, took a bus from there to Arcos and began walking the regular path.

 

[t2andreo]

It is a lovely 'stroll' from Porto to Matasinhos following the river and then the coast - and sooooo simple! I did it about 10 days ago when I started the Caminho Portugês da Costa. I had arrived by bus from Santiago and got in at 15.00 Portuguese time. It was the Sunday after São João and there were festivities everywhere. I quite enjoyed the 15 km walk.

This is very true. In my post, I forgot that there is another way that runs along the ocean ALL the way from downtown Porto up thorough Matosinhos and beyond. Check the referenced links above for a good description of this alternative route.

So, if walking a coastal route, you can leave Porto along the coast all the way, or through the city to Matosinhos. The two "coastal" route exits from Porto routes join there and continue North.

I hope this helps.

 

[jsalt]

I would like to hear from people who have walked this area and can give advice of best routes doing the coastal option.

One of my best days on the Caminho Portugués was the slow walk from Porto cathedral down to the river, following it to the mouth of the river as it joins the sea, watching the people on the beaches, stopping for ice creams and, later in the day, savouring the sardines from the street sellers on the edge of Matosinhos. Fabulous. There are no dangerous road crossings. Those who get the bus / metro / train from Porto to Matosinhos don’t know what they are missing.
Jill

 

[peregrino_tom]

However, if you are leaving Porto via Matosinhos, the first 6-8 Km are on old, narrow and congested city streets.

This is not my experience. There are other options through Porto! A quick look at an online map like openstreetmap will show you that the Rua and Avenida de Boavista runs wide and completely straight from the edge of the old district right down to the sea, about a km before Matosinhos. It's not as scenic as walking round the riverfront and coast, but if you're going all the way to Vilar do Conde in the first day it'll bring the distance down to about 28km rather than being more than 30km round the river. From the cathedral you follow the yellow arrows of the central route and then peel left when you reach Rua de Boavista and just go straight to the sea. When I did it Rua de Boavista wasn't signed, but it was easy to spot when using one of those tourist office mapsheets of the city (that they typically provide in hostels/hotels as well).

 

[t2andreo]

I think, this was covered. JMCarp, who walked the coastal path from downtown corrected me, and I acceded to that observation above.

As for my preference to no walk through narrow, old city streets or industrial estates as a general matter, it is just MY preference. I avoid this sort of walking on any Camino route. For example, I eschew the entry to Burgos and Leon in a similar manner.

Vivé la difference!

 

[gersevink]

Hello All
I am walking this September from Porto to Santiago and need some info in regard to where to start in Porto and I have read the road is not safe and I should take public transportation out of Porto to avoid suburbs.
I would like to hear from people who have walked this area and can give advice of best routes doing the coastal option.
Thanks Kingston

Flauwe kul gewoon lopen!

 

[Curious Georgette]

I am staying in Matosinhos and plan to bike the inland route to Santiago. Ant help on where o pick up that trail in Matosinhos?
Thanks so much

 

[peregrino_tom]

CG - just to clarify your question:
are you talking about the inland route via Braga or the central route via Barcelos?
If Barcelos, I'd struggle to find an argument for picking a road route out of Matosinhos when you could just stick to the coast and join the central route at Rates (~30km), which is about 15km before Barcelos.