The Camino Portugués

Between Porto and the border with Spain, the camino splits into three distinct routes. They are known as the Central Way, the Coastal & Litoral Ways, and the Braga Way. Additionally, there are several paths that connect each of these options, creating a network of trails that can sometimes seem confusing. The best plan is to pick one of the options and simply follow it to its natural end.

Leaving a large city is often a challenging combination of searching for arrows, heavy traffic, and durable city pavements. As an alternative, it is possible to take the Porto Metro to the city limits or beyond.

THE CENTRAL WAY

The Central Way is currently the most popular and well-developed option. As the name implies, the route continues due north from Porto up the center of Portugal. It crosses into Spain at Valença/Túi and continues from there through Redondela to Santiago. 

THE COASTAL and LITORAL WAYS

The Coastal Way is gaining in popularity as the infrastructure and signage improve. It is sometimes referred to as the Senda Litoral, although this name is technically reserved for the sections of the route that strictly follow the coast. As the primary motivation for choosing the route is the proximity to seaside views, the route set out in this book is a combination of these two routes and the blue line indicated on the map should be interpreted as such. It leaves Porto along the Litoral Route, rather than sharing the first day of walking with the Central Way before turning westward. Where options exist they are indicated on the inset maps. The route passes through Vigo and rejoins the Central Way in Redondela.

THE BRAGA WAY

Some would consider this the original way, as it passes through the city of Braga where many of the Church's earliest decisions regarding Santiago were made, and where the first Bishop ordained by Santiago (Saint Peter of Braga/Rates) officiated. It was once the capital of Galicia and remains an influential city and massive tourist attraction.  These days the infrastructure along the route has not kept pace with the needs of pilgrims and it is seldom traveled.  Tours to Braga can be arranged in Barcelos (on the Central Way) if you wish to visit the city. This route is not included in this guide.

THE VARIANTE ESPIRITUAL

The Variante Espiritual is a popular alternative route north of Pontevedra. It is a two day walk which ends in a 29km boat ride to the town of Pontecesures. 

The camino enters town along the beach-front, and turns inland when it reaches the harbor, making a zig zag path to the bridge over the Río Leça. At the end of the bridge you will turn left at the large roundabout, to follow the Rua Hintze Ribeiro back towards the waterfront.

Passing the lighthouse, keep your gaze to the left, where you can enjoy a sea view far superior to the oil refinery to your right. Between here and the Obelisk you will follow off and on a walkway, passing several food options.

From the Obelisk, keep on the beach-side walkways straight ahead. You will pass several bar/restaurants along the way to the Angeiras Sea Houses. The camino follows a pedestrian promenade alongside the sea.

At the end of town, leave the road and rejoin the familiar wooden boardwalk, it will soon cross the Río Onda to rejoin the road into Labruge.

At the end of town is the Avenida Da Libertade, turn right here to get to the albergue or continue straight along the beach walk. Arrows are sparse, but a few point the way to the Castro of Sampaio.

The camino leaves the familiar beach setting but follows close to the shore while it climbs to reach the chapel and castro of San Paio. From here follow the walkway along the dunes to reach Facho - Vila Chã.

At the start of town the camino turns away from the shore and passes through the village, gone is the wooden boardwalk. It will stay some distance from the shore until Povoa de Varzim. 

There are two ways from Gafa to Ávore, one along the waterfront and one inland. 

From Ávore the walking is entirely along paved roads. 

Between Azurara and Vila do Conde flows the Rio Ave. Once over the bridge, turn left and walk along the park and Plaza de la Republica. At the end of the park follow straight (along the waterfront) until the next side street (the Rua do Lidador) where you turn right and uphill. At the top of hill there is an intersection of the old-town style, which is to say many directions all difficult to describe. Keep straight here, if somewhat to the right, and head towards the Igreja Matriz.

From the Igreja Matriz you have two options, the one indicated by the signs takes you through the center of this large town and carries on straight past the church. It is well marked.

The other option is to follow along the Litoral route which is unmarked but easy enough to get to. Opposite the church (on your left as you approach the church) is a small plaza, cross it and follow to the right. Turn left on the second street, the Largo de Doutor Antonío José Almeida. This will take you down to the waterfront, where you turn right and follow the walk all the way to Povoa de Varzim. Just past the harbor the beach-front picks up, and it is here where the main route rejoins.

The entirety of the walk between Póvoa and A Ver-o-Mar can be done along the coast, following the shoreline. Shortly before arriving in A Ver-o-Mar the signs are unclear. If you get to a large soccer field (no grass) you want it to be on your right, but it will likely be on your left. If it is on your right, the way is across a small bridge. If it is on your left, simply turn left at the end of the field and keep on straight, across a different bridge but one which will likewise take you across a small sandy stretch into A Ver-o-Mar.

The camino splits once more at the start of Santo André. You can either follow the coast or turn right towards the chapel, and then left at the first roundabout onto the Rua Santo Andre de Cima. The latter course will take you through quiet residential areas interspersed with vegetable patches and a few services.

Follow the camino along the coast. Shortly before arriving to Apúlia the camino splits, and this time the preferred route (for being more direct) takes you away from the beach.

The most direct route from Apúlia to Fão is away from the beach and through a brief stretch of heavy woodlands.

Crossing the Rio Cávado from Fão to Esposende is done via bridge, take your time as the pedestrian section of the bridge is quite narrow. At the end of the bridge turn left, and at the next roundabout keep to your left into Esposende. 

There are multiple ways through town but the easiest is along the pedestrian path near the sea.  When it comes to an end follow the natural bend in the road to the right. From there the camino turns inland towards Marinhas. 

The camino from Marinhas keeps away from the sea, and climbs gradually to offer an elevated view.  The path is along paved back roads with little traffic.  Eventually, beyond Belinho, the camino crosses descends to cross over the main road and joins a narrow forest path down to the Ponte do Sebastião.

From Anha the camino makes its way to the very long dual carriage bridge that crosses the Río Limia.

Leave the centro historico of Viana do Castelo from the main square. Head north from the fountain (keep the length of the square to your left) and follow the pedestrianized and tree lined street (the Passeio das Mordomas da Romaria) to the first intersection. Turn left there to follow in the same direction as traffic along the Rua Candido Dos Reis/Luis do Rego. The road ends at the Park and Garden of Dom Fernando, turn right and at the next intersection keep as straight as possible to what looks like a dead end road. Arrows here will direct you down steps and underneath a busy avenida.

At the top of the stairs on the other end keep going straight (you will have turned right just before climbing the stairs). DO NOT follow this road all the way to the busy avenida. Instead, turn left uphill and against traffic along the first street. It is signed as a dead end road. Follow it to the underpass.

As you exit the underpass you will be in a more residential neighborhood. Turn left at the first street which is directly in front of you, the Rua Dom Moisés Alves de Pinho. From here you continue straight for several kilometers to leave town.

The way passes through several narrow streets and cobbled lanes but is well marked. The Quinta da Boa Viagem is the next obvious landmark in Areosa.

After passing the Quinta da Boa Viagem, take the first road on your right. The next arrow is low on the curb and has you turn left and you will soon find yourself on a country road flanked by forests on both sides. Were the forest ends the road you have been following takes a sharp bend to the left, but the camino turns to the right to follow a narrow track.

When the track emerges it will turn right along the Rua do Louvado and then keep to your left to walk along the cobbled path with stone walls on either side. When the road opens up again there are several roads to choose from, and the one you want is the second from the right. It will take you uphill slowly but steadily until it reaches a fork in the road, at which point the camino takes a turn to the left and downhill, again between two walls. 

A short distance on it take the first road on the right. The arrows in these parts are well defined and the camino will eventually emerge in Carreço. A bridge over the railway will appear on your left and it marks your arrival.

If you choose to keep on the camino through Carreço, turn away from the bridge and keep to the east of the tracks. It won't be long before the camino turns back to the tracks and crosses at a level crossing. It will arrive at the church and pass behind it. Arrows are scarce to non-existent here, just keep to this same road a short distance until it merges with a larger road and turn right towards the train station.

Where this road ends turn right and back over the railway in the direction of "Paço - Carreço". A short distance on the camino turns left at the second street, there is an arrow and a marker for the PR8 hiking trail. Arrows will guide you through town, past the albergue, and at the last junction at the last house in town, keep left and into the forest. The way is anything but straight but is well indicated.

You will emerge from the forest at the edge of the town of Afife, and subsequently skirts around the town thereby avoiding all of the services available there. The way is marked and winding along cobbled roads. It will make its way over a small river and continue to climb up through the forest to a road and the stone cross cruzeiro.

The Cruzeiro marks a high point, and it is downhill from here to Vila Praia de Âncora. 

To find your way from Âncora, make your way to the waterfront. The camino follows the road adjacent to it, and where the yellow bike lanes begin you have the option of crossing to the right-hand side of the road, but keep an eye open for where the bike path turns left as you want to follow it to where it ends. From there continue along the dirt track, with the railway to your right for a short distance. 

You will pass the Capela de Santa Isodoro on your left. The path will turn to a road as it enters the first suburbs of Caminha, and where the road ends at another turn right. You are at the beach now and a short distance later turn right and pass under the railway. Once back to the main road turn left and continue towards Caminha.

Where the camino arrives at a large roundabout with the N13, take the third exit along the Rua de Pombal (NOT over the railway). The road will eventually twist to pass over the tracks and from there it proceeds directly to Caminha, arriving at the main square, the Praça Conselheiro Silva Torres.

From the ferry terminal in Camposancos you can choose to take an alternative route that circumnavigates the peninsula to the south, adding about 4km to the journey but adding some great views.

Otherwise turn left from the ferry terminal to follow the water a short distance to the first road, turning right and uphill on the Camino del Palomar. Note that this is not the road that is marked A Guarda 2km. That road, marked red on the map, is a possibility though not the camino.

The Camino del Palomar continues more or less straight uphill, turning only to pass around a large apartment block. At the top, it first crosses the road before turning left. A dozen meters on keep to the right along a smaller road, at which point you are heading south rather unnaturally. The camino turns itself around by turning right and then right again to follow a series of roads and trails around the Monte de Santa Trega.

It eventually returns to the Paseo de Portugal road mentioned above and turns left into town. Entering this way means that you will stay at the upper half of the town, and a few variations exist which allow you to descend and then ascend.

Leave A Guarda along the Rúa Puerto Rico, passing the municipal albergue. The arrows are poor here and the best way is to keep an eye out for a sign indicating the way to Playa Area Granda, a left turn off the Rúa Puerto Rico.

Follow this road all the way to the sea and turn right. Ahead is a small beach, followed by a curve in the road, and then a slightly larger beach. This is the Area Grande.

From the Area Grande beach keep to your left and through the car park. Where the car park ends the path narrows, and a smaller trail to your left presents itself. Follow it along the coast.

About 1.2km later the camino turns right at a large house, rising uphill to the main road but turning left just before reaching it. The idea here is to again keep off the busy road by means of a few side roads, twisting and turning a bit but eventually returning to the main road once more. 

When it does so you can follow along a dedicated bike/hike path. It will pass a car park/lookout point before turning left off the road and then right again to parallel the road all the way into Portocelos.

From Portocelos, continue along the same secondary road parallel to the main road. It will invariably return to the main road, once again following the dedicated bike/hike path adjacent to the road.

Where the curb barrier ends the camino veers left away from the road and into Oia.

The path through Oia takes you past all of the important stuff; first the Casa Puerta, then the restaurant, and then the Monastery of Oia.

300m beyond the Monastery the camino turns left to follow a coastal footpath and always keeping to the shoreline. You will eventually return to the road, and when you do the familiar bicycle path is there once more, follow it to the left and into Viladesuso.

The Hotel Glasgow is the first building in town, and just beyond it is a Repsol station. Just beyond that the camino crosses the main road and turns right uphill.

At then end of this short road it jogs right then left again to keep on the path that is marked for bicycles. Follow this path across a river, and then take the first right uphill and away from the main road.

Where this uphill climb ends, turn left. Follow this road, eyes to your left to enjoy the view and so that you can spot the turn off to the left, marked only by a yellow and a red arrow on the road itself. It merges with another path and then reaches an intersection, where a left turn takes you back down in the direction of the main road.

Just a few meters short of the main road turn right on a narrow lane parallel to it, saving you a few meters of the road and keeping you on the marked bike path which eventually returns to the road, crosses the road, and continues along it.

Cross the bridge into Mougas and turn left towards the sea on the first road.

The camino from Mougas to As Mariñas follows the now familiar pattern of following the bike/hike path as it parallels the road, occasionally departing from it.

Along the way you will pass the O Muino campsite on your left, the defunct OMAR3 restaurant, and the Mougas Campsite (and Albergue Solidario) on your left.

The camino takes a right turn off of the main road before arriving to As Mariñas and the Hotel Talaso. The arrows are not very generous here so keep an eye open for the turnoff; if you get to the hotel you've gone too far.

The climb ahead is both steep and beautiful but not terribly high in altitude. It is at times a bit of a scramble in parts, in part because of the rocky terrain as well as mucky from mountain streams. It will take you to the small village of Baredo.

Arrows will lead you through and out of Baredo, across a small river (the low point) and then back uphill for a short distance to the asphalt road and turn left, passing the Os da Ponte restaurant. Follow it to the first road on your right and veer uphill, you'll be sharing the camino with another hiking trail indicated by red and white bars.

This road will come to a small intersection, and here the camino turns sharply right and uphill. Where it meets the road again, turn left sharply back in the direction of Baiona.

The next big junction is with a larger road, and the camino turns left to cross a tall bridge over the AG57 highway. Once on the other side it leaves the larger road to the right (near a play park and picnic area and cruceiro), turn there and keep to the right.

Here the arrows improve and you wind your way, always downhill, to the first major roundabout in many kilometers. Turn right at the roundabout and then take the next left, passing counterclockwise around the football field which is on your left. At the far corner of the field, turn right and into the pedestrian zone. Ahead is the Plaza Santa Liberata, and two beautiful churches.

At the end of the second church, Santa Maria de Baiona (sello available), turn left down the steps and at the bottom turn right, and then immediately left again. You are in the Old Town, and are making your towards the waterfront but not quite to it, the camino proper keeps to the pedestrian area.

The camino leaves Baiona along the Rúa Ventura Misa, the old town road that is set inland from the main road which follows the coast. It is possible to follow the main road out of town and all the way to Ramallosa.

The arrows are abundant and will take you past and over a pair of small rivers, first the Río da Baíña and then the Río da Groba. It makes the crossing to Ramallosa along an ancient stone now-pedestrian bridge adjacent to the main road. Once over it turns right then left again.

The arrow through Ramallosa take you uphill in the direction of Nigrán, and at the top of the short hill is the Albergue Pazo de Pias. Turn right at the albergue.

The camino here is well indicated by arrows, and follows along a bramble of winding side streets as it makes its way uphill. At the end of a paved holloway it emerges to a small roundabout and turns left along a sidewalk and towards an elevated crossing of the highway. Avoid the urge to make a surface crossing, to your right is a highway tollbooth and drivers in the area are frequently distracted in their search for spare coins. 

Turn left after crossing (effectively you have done nothing more than cross straight over the intersection) and when you get to the second roundabout the camino continues straight; the road narrows here and the town of Nigrán (set off from the camino) is to your left.

Nigrán sits due west of the camino, to get there turn left on the first road after the camino path narrows near the roundabout mentioned above.

Entering Vigo: Please read carefully to understand the many options, pitfalls, tips, and why it is the way that it is.

The official camino into, through, and out of Vigo does not really exist. Due in part to party politics, and in part to uninhibited urban sprawl, the way has been erased and rewritten on many occasions. Marking the way are yellow arrows, green arrows (if you find your way to the O Freixo albergue), stone markers, and most recently several hundred blue and yellow stickers put in place by well-intentioned shop owners. With regard to these stickers, be aware that they don't really follow any path; they are all over town and their only helpful characteristic is that they mostly point North. And with regard to the stone and arrows, they are on occasion in disagreement and the path you follow might come down to what side of the road you were walking into town on… and therefore which of the two caught your eye first.

Before you go any further, do yourself a favor and open the map to familiarize yourself with the solid line that goes through Vigo, and the two alternate lines (in Red) which go around it. One of those paths goes around town to the west and the waterfront. The other goes to the east and although it does enter Vigo it avoids all of the nicer parts. Take a note of where they split.

SPLIT 1: You will have been walking along the road for some distance when you get to a roundabout. Here is where you have to choose. To your left, in front of a small home, is the stone indicating the way through/around Vigo along the coast. Fifty meters beyond the roundabout are arrows pointing to the right, that is the way around Vigo to the east as well as the way to the O Freixo albergue.

The best advice I can give is to turn left as the two options from here are the only ones which take you through the heart of Vigo. Then pay close attention to where the path splits again.

SPLIT 2: The camino splits a second time when it gets to the Rio Lagares: to your right, the arrows take you through Vigo. To the left, there are no arrows but it is a short walk to the sea and from there you simply turn right and keep the water to your left. Both of these routes rejoin at the start of a new pedestrian path that has opened in the old port, and not far beyond that is the new Xunta albergue (completely unmarked, you'll need to refer to the map again). The path through Vigo is not the official path (remember that no such thing really exists) but rather follows the easiest route down to the port where the albergue is, as well as the Basílica de Santa María de Vigo and some of its more charming barrios. Vigo is full of these barrios, they are an anomaly in a city that is the poster child for unplanned expansion. They are like small villages shoehorned into the cityscape.

From the river split, the route along the coast is the most scenic of the three options and will only cost you 1 additional kilometer of walking for the benefit of fresh are and much quieter walking. This option also passes through Bouzas (restaurants), one of the oldest and largest of the villages that make up modern Vigo.

Departing Vigo is a simple affair. From the Xunta albergue (or the port) follow the Ruá Areal to just beyond the train station. The camino follows the road uphill to the right, but only for a short distance as it turns left almost immediately onto Rúa Garcia Barbón. 2.5km later the camino turns right and crosses the large autopista. A short distance later it turns left and follows along the highway which is high up on the hill on your right-hand side; to your left is the estuary and you are high enough up now to have a wide view of it. When you eventually turn away from the water, you pass over the highway which tunnels beneath you. From here the camino stays inland, winding its way through the suburban hillside until it joins with the Central Way just before entering Redondela.

When leaving town, the camino crosses the N550 at a bottleneck on the north side of town that is heavy with traffic at all hours. Cross the N550 as soon as you get to it, and almost immediately veer left gently onto a side road.

The arrows from here leave a bit to be desired. They are present, but have been spray painted with a not quite right yellow and at times, they don’t feel legit. Follow them all the same, and as you near Cesantes the stone markers return.

Getting past Cesantes means crossing the N550 once more, at probably the most dangerous point in a curve in the road. Head straight across and keep to your right.

You are climbing uphill now and will traverse around the O Viso peak. Along the way you pass an installation of pilgrim shells and if you have a marker on hand you can leave a message on a sun-bleached shell. From here it is downhill again to the N550.

At the entrance to Arcade, the camino turns left rather unnecessarily. It will cross back over the N550 in a few hundred meters, taking you past the albergues and shops of Arcade.

After crossing the bridge, take a left turn on the first street. This turn is followed by a series of zigs and zags that take you up and through town at the highest point.

The camino takes a welcome break from the road traffic between here and O Pobo.

Leave by crossing the Ponte do Burgo and heading straight-ish through the next roundabout, turning left immediately after. Before long you will be alongside the railway, which you will cross just before the church of Alba.

TWO WAYS TO PONTECESURES / PADRÓN

There are two routes to Pontecesures/Padrón from Pontevedra, and the split occurs about 3km after crossing the bridge in Pontevedra. 

The original camino keeps on its inland trajectory and is currently the most popular choice among pilgrims. It is also the shortest.

The second option is known as the Variante Espiritual and it turns westward to cross over the Monte Redondo as it heads towards the sea at Vilanova de Arousa.  From here you have the option of a 3rd day of walking to Pontecesures or a trip by boat up the Ría to the same place. This variant was created and named by the local tourism sector and although the stories told about its origins are fantastic, they are also just that... stories. Don’t let this clever bit of marketing discourage you though, the route is recognized by the Pilgrim Office as an official variant and you will not have any difficulty obtaining your Compostela regardless of whether you take the boat or not.

This recognition, and lots of praise from pilgrims, means that this route is growing in popularity. 

VIA THE VARIANTE ESPIRITUAL - 44. km on foot + 28 km on foot or ferry

The Variante Espiritual is an alternative route which connects Pontevedra with Pontecesures. It adds 8.2km of walking (and a significant climb to the top of the Monte Redondo) and another 28km by boat (from Vilanova de Arousa to Pontecesures).

Getting started is as simple as turning left at the well signposted fork in the road. The way almost immediately begins climbing upwards, though gently at first. It is making its way back to the Ría de Pontevedra, going up and around a small monte before arriving in the waterfront town of Combarro. There is one small hamlet before arriving at Cabaleiro, and it has a bar/shop with a very limited selection, but as it has odd hours it is not included here as being reliable.

THE ORIGINAL CAMINO, INLAND VIA CALDAS DE REIS  - 36.3 km

This is the easiest to navigate and shortest of the options. From the split simply carry on straight.

Exercise caution passing through San Caetano as the road is quite narrow and the traffic is quite fierce. At the end of town turn right off the road. Soon you will be along the railway once more which you will follow along for several kilometers. 

Turn left at the fork in the road, past the park, and onto a country lane.

The turn off for the Portela/Barro albergue is along this stretch, and it takes you uphill to the right.

Before arriving at Briallos, the camino approaches the N550 once more. At this point, there are signs for the Natural Park of the Rio Barosa, and the waterfalls. The waterfalls are 500m down the road directly opposite this point and are a worthwhile detour. Picnic areas and a bar and bathroom are at the base of the falls.

On the way out of town, it is once more along the N550 (which frankly will be the case frequently between here and Santiago). Leave it to your right at the first bend in the road. 

The arrows go under the road and over the bridge and across the Río Sar to Aduana. Here it runs all the way into Padrón. 

To get there simply follow the red arrows marked Herbón. This detour if for anyone wishing to spend the night in the Albergue at the Monastery of Herbón (recommended). From Pontecesures it is 2.7km, with an additional 3km the following morning to bring you to Padrón. In all this detour adds 3.1km to the official route.

Take a look at the elevation profile for an idea of what these last 24km will be like, many pilgrims underestimate the elevation changes which increase as you near Santiago.

Pass through Pazos, Rueiro, Tarrio and Vilar (albergue); none with services. 

In town, turn right off the N550 at the church, passing around its park. A country road takes you steeply uphill. You will pass through the hamlet of Cruces, Angueira de Suso, and into Areal before returning to the main road at Picaraña.

NOTE:  BEFORE the gas station a set of faded arrows directs you left and away from the road. Going that way takes you through a new route marked out by the local friends of the camino and is a much-preferred option to the road. After turning left keep an eye open for arrows which will turn right onto a grass (sometimes tall) path. This arrow might be a bit faded but the way is obvious, and it turns into a well-worn trail with plenty of arrows. It will bring you right up to the road at the entrance to Faramello.

From Rúa, the camino passes through several small hamlets (Osebe and A Grela) as it makes its way into the large Santiago suburb of Milladoiro.

The growing network of highways around Santiago mean that you will make a few crossings and zig zags before you get to the city limits. There are even a few occasions where new camino stones stand adjacent to old camino stones, each pointing in their own direction. One offers a choice between ‘Santa Marta’ and ‘Conxo’ and here the best and most direct choice is ‘Santa Marta’, or left.