Porto to Matosinhos to Vila do Conde – days 1 and 2 of my Camino Portuguese Coastal and Littoral routes (280 kms in total) * September 19th and 20th 2019 were the Littoral, that is, they followed the coast with all its ins and outs.
I did a practice walk in the opposite direction a week before starting which is why the sea, is on my right
This is a walk from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. There are 3 routes – the quickest is inland, and the other 2 travel along the coast, some more literally than others. It is the second most popular Way – the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago being the most famous.
Leaving Porto (also known as Oporto)
I stayed at the Albergue Peregrinos do Porto which was great. There was a friendly welcome from the group at the desk and I was able to buy my Credential (the first of the new version, I was told) which is the folded paper which I carried with me everywhere thereafter, and which had to be stamped twice a day (by hostels, cathedrals or cafes etc) if I was to be able to get a Compostella, which is the certificate you can buy in Santiago de Compostella to prove that you have completed the camino.
There is a beautiful garden which was ideal for me to do peaceful tai chi in and for sitting with a drink in the evenings. The only drawback was that the showers were also outside. Ordinarily this would not bother me at all, but mosquitos adore standing water and I was bitten to within an inch of my life. Not everyone is as delicious as me, and I had taken steps to put them off, but the bites lasted for well over a week and left scars. The bunk bed was 12€ per night/person. (10€ for the Albergue and 2€ for the touristic municipal taxes).
Forte do Sao Joao Baptista
There’s lots to see on your way out of Porto: first along the Douro River, under the bridges, past beaches, restaurants and cafes (especially the Foz district which is smart), the lighthouse (Capel Farol Sao Miguel-do-Anjo), two forts, a helicopter pad, gardens and statues.
O Mensageiro (The Messenger), ie the angel Gabriel by Irene Vilar (from Matosinhos with a studio in Foz do Douro), Douro River, Porto, Portugal
If you wanted to get to Labruge, the end of stage one (24.5kms from Porto), but take a shorter walk, you can take the Line 1 tram from Ribeira, with your rucksack, as far as Foz do Douro (remember to sit on the left so you can see the view!). Then you could have a coffee by Jardim do Passeio Alegre (Cheerful Walk Garden, according to Google Translate!) with its fountain and cool shade, before starting to walk. This will save you 6kms (1 hour and 10 minutes at the average walking speed).
A beach not far from Porto where people have made small piles of stones perched on the rocks, similar to the cairns we find on Scottish trailsLong boardwalks make for flat and easy walking. The Atlantic Ocean is right beside themA scenic lake nearby where the path winds and where I momentarily lost the waySand as well as rocks with the Fort of St Francis (Francisco) Xavier aka Castelo do Queijo (of the Cheese) in the distance
The Fort of St Francis (Francisco) Xavier was designed by Miguel l’Ecole (1661). Occupied by Absolutists in 1832, it was badly damaged in a battle with the Liberals and abandoned. Later it was used as the headquarters of the Oporto Naval Brigade’s 1st Company, and is now the Northern Commandos Association
The coast is a wonderful place for birdlife and they collect in the evenings like this, at the water’s edgeHere you can get a stamp on your credential, Matosinhos, Portugal
I had a lovely swim. All along here the waves tend to be strong and I noticed that most locals do not take the plunge.
‘She Changes’ by Janet Echelman, a giant net which hangs over the road at Matosinhos, outside PortoMoving sculpture by José Juao Brito (2005) inspired by a painting by Augusto Gomes (also from Matosinhos). It remembers the 1947 fishing disaster when 152 men died leaving 72 widows and 152 children behind
In Matosinhos I stayed at the Hostel Matosinhos Suites, a funny modern block in the heart of this area, a suburb of Porto. The room was small with 6 bunks packed into it. It had a table and 2 chairs (for 6 people), a kettle and mini fridge (but not enough sockets) and it got very hot with us all in. There was a small balcony where we managed to negotiate hanging up the washing by stringing a small rope and sharing pegs – just! It was clean and there were curtains across each bunk. Cost: 22 euros through booking.com.
There are loads of places to eat, including underneath the Suites. Matosinhos is best known as the place where Porto inhabitants leave the city and come to sit in the seaside restaurants to eat the famous shellfish.
The second day of the Littoral route takes you briefly through the industrial heart of the port, over the Ponte (bridge) movel de Leca (the name of the river)The day began grey – the Farol (lighthouse) do Boa Nova at Leca da PalmeiraMonument dedicated to Antonio Nobre (poet 1867 – 1900) with his muses, by Alvaro Siza Vieira. Location: Leca da PalmeiraCapela (chapel) da Boa Nova (Good News), Leca da Palmeira. It was linked for many years (according to Wikipedia) to the hermits of the Franciscan Order prior to 1475Salt depositsColourful lichen and seaweed on the rocksBeautiful deserted beaches. Here is Praia das Salinas (salt pans) or perhaps it is Praia da MemoriaA caterpillar caught my eye1
There was a diverse range of flowers, mostly growing close to the ground on account of the wind, many of them also fleshy so they can survive without rain.
O Obelisko da Memoria (Memorial Obelisk) marking the disembarkment of King Pedro IV and his 7500 men who came to liberate Portugal from the Absolutist regime which had dominated itBy now the sun had come out and the waters were clear and still – perfect for a hike. Between Praia de Angeiras and Praia da LabrugeSeagulls shared lunch, fighting over the remainsWashing hung out to dry on the beachVila do Conde in the distance
That night’s rest was in Albergue Santa Clara Albergue de Peregrinos Municipal (which can be found on Facebook). It has a large dining area which was very busy, and a small kitchen. Beware of leaving food out – someone went off with my hard boiled eggs which were in a cup cooling for breakfast 😦
Vila do CondeIgreja Sao Joao Baptista
The hostel overlooks the Igreja Sao Joao Baptista (Church of St John the Baptist) and a lively marketplace. There is a cafe just around the corner where you can sit outside with your beer (very good value), and it is in the centre of town for all other amenities.
Vila do CondeConvento (convent) Santa Clara Vila do Conde
*There is a variation to the Portuguese Camino da Costa and Litoral (this word has 1 or 2 t’s depending on the language), which is reputedly very, very beautiful, called the Espiritual (Spiritual). It starts in Pontevedra (where the Inland and Coastal routes converge), and ends in Padron. More information here
The Via Algarviana (GR13) runs for 300kms and is mainly mountainous. It begins in the east and ends in the west travelling through the Algarve region of Portugal. Starting at Alcoutim on the border with Spain, it finishes at the spectacular Cabo San Vicente, said to be the western-most tip of Europe, with America across the Atlantic Ocean. From there you can walk the Ruta San Vicente going north towards Lison, or eastwards along the coast towards Faro and Albufeira, if you would like to keep going! November 2019
The beautiful Algarve of Portugal (inland)
Route: Alcoutim, Balurcos, Furnazinhas, Vaqueiros, Cachopo, Barranco do Velho, Salir, Alte, Messines, Silves, Monchique (with a monastery), Monalete, Bensafrim, Vila do Bispo, Cabo de Sao Vicente. There are 14 stages.
Below are a selection of views of the countryside at the start of the walk, the east of the Portuguese Algarve. Official website Please note that the fires referred to on this page were in 2018 and people were walking the route in 2019.
Mountains
Trees and shrubs – in flower even at the end of the year
2019 has been a very dry year
Taken from the bus
Near Silves on the Sao Bartolomeu de Messines road is the National Monument, the Cruz da Portugal.
The Cruz da Portugal, one of the paintings which cover the electrical boxes by Hélder José (known as ‘Bamby’), and Filipe Gusmão, of Style Spectrum (#stylespectrum_unlocked)
Mural, also by Hélder José (known as ‘Bamby’), and Filipe Gusmão, of Style Spectrum, which is positioned in front of the Municipal Library, Silves (#stylespectrum_unlocked)
The Roman Bridge at Silves
Silves, taken from the Roman Bridge
Silves at night – castle and cathedral all lit up
Deep brown, fertile land, the hostel and the village of Silves
River Ebro at Silves (which flows to Portimao, the port at the mouth of the riverwestwards)
The Horta Grande Hostel, Silves – highly recommended (use booking.com)
The fortress and sea views from Cabo San Vicente (end of the route) below
More information on Silves the castle, the museum, the fanous medieval festival etc (the parts I didn’t get to see because I had an ankle injury or was there at a different time of the year).
Lagoa (not to be confused with Lagos) in the west of the Algarve of Portugal. November 2019
Igreja Matriz de Lagoa, Portugal with Neoclassical influences on the facade
Igreja Matriz de Lagoa. Mid 16th century but affected by the 1755 earthquake (as so much of the region was) with a Baroque belltower
Detail from the side of the Church of Our Lady of the Light (see above)
Lagoa
Convento de Sao Jose (Saint Joseph) 18th century, Lagoa
The Convento de Sao Jose (Saint Joseph) was built to shelter women and children who were looked after by an order of mendicant nuns. After the extinction of the religious orders, it was taken over by Benedictine nuns. There is more to see inside including a cloiser, but it was shut because it was a Monday. It is usually open between 9-12.30 and 1400-17.30 Tuesday to Saturday.
Palacete Cor-de-Rosa (The Pink Palace). Originally the Palacio da Independencia. It has a neoclassical interior
All over this part of the Algarve you will find original artwork covering the municipal electrical boxes by ‘Bamby’ from Style Spectrum (#stylespectrum_unlocked)
Town Hall, originally Ermida de Nossa Senora do Pe da Cruz (the Hermitage of our Lady of the Foot of the Cross) from 14th century dating back to a time of pilgrimage. There are only a few parts remaining from those days. It was used as a prison at another time in its history
The Lady in Red (LiR) Modern Art Gallery is in a winery (reputedly it smells of the vine) and it was also closed when I was there, but it opens 10-12 and 14-18 Tuesday to Saturday and costs 2euros entrance. According to a Trip Advisor contributor it is better than the Tallin Modern Art Gallery. Address: Rua 25 Abril 55, Edificio Adega Cooperativa do Lagoa 8400-343 opposite the bus station which has buses to and from many places you will want to visit in the area. Pay on the bus – very cheap fares.
Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer, the first Count of Vidigueira. He was the first European to reach India by sea.
The south coast of Portugal is absolutely stunning and I highly recommend it. There are some very built up areas and busy beaches because it is so popular with tourists (especially British and German), but the sections inbetween are amazing and very unpopulated.
Albufeira
I arrived in Albufeira by bus (Terminal Rodovario de Albufeira, just off Estr. de Vale de Pedras) from the airport. This was actually no mean feat, as the Rede Expressos poster information at the bus stop is erroneous. Rede Expressos is the national bus company and is usually an extremely good service (on time, efficient online booking system) which I used many other times with no trouble. I recommend that you use their website rather than written information, as it is up to date. However, do not allow your phone to translate it into English as it translates the place names which are also real words such as Sal from Alcacer do Sal meaning salt and Pias (a small town in the south east) meaning sinks! This makes it very hard for non Portuguese speakers to find where they are going.
This is the correct information, as of November 2019
When I arrived, I walked into the town which took 30 minutes. The road takes you past Lidl and other stores. I went in briefly, but it was so similar to home, that I resolved to shop locally and left immediately.
Albufeira is not peaceful and quiet…
Although if you leave the main square and walk steeply unhill, there are some lovely spots
The Orange Terrace Hostel (Rue Padre semedo do Azevedo 24, 8200-167 through booking.com) provided everything I needed, including breakfast. There were some great people there and a delightful terrace! Cost 16 euros.
This is the town’s beach , Praia do Peneco (it has an elevator down to it) – a glorious stretch of sand which was not busy in November
I hung out in a little municipal park with a sort of modern pond and benches overlooking the main strand, and shopped at a little shop at the top of the hostel street for bread and other provisions – very cheap.
Past the marina and another whole holiday village area on the way out
A man was jumping from an enormous height into a big net when I went past the marina – the sort of things some people do for fun.
Pastel coloured accommodation
Views across the Atlantic Ocean
I walked some of the way the next day with this fellow from Germany
I did not follow a trail, but instead either ‘followed my nose’ or changed my google maps into the satellite setting where you can see all the tiny paths on the cliffs .
Looking down there are rocks of all shapes and sizes
The colour of the landscape is orange and red
One of two people on each of the smaller beaches
Isn’t it beautiful!
At one point I got rather lost in a maze of villas, trying to take a short cut as it was very hot and I knew there was a beach coming up where I could take my boots off and have a swim.
Coelho Beach (praia) named after the famous writer Paul Coelho. There is a film about the Camino de Santiago and him on this page
Then it poured with rained and I spent a good hour with a green tea in the restaurant. Most people seem to eat big meals at these places so they are not really suitable for a cake and a cuppa, although in this case it was after lunch and they were very friendly (as they all always were).
Then the sun came out again and I enjoyed the local flowers
Bougainvillea
The juxtaposition of colours always gives me joy
The oranges were not ready yet
When it rained again towards the end of the day, I took refuge in a disused shack. I could smell the sweetest aroma (perhaps released by the wet) and then saw it was this shrub
Giant cacti
And pink Prickly Pears
Patroves
I stayed at the Lost and Found hostel that night (more of a motel on a busy road, but it had a pretty courtyard where I could do my morning Tai Chi, an amazing kitchen and it was scrupulously clean. There were two supermarkets nearby, with ATMs for getting money out.
The Lost and Found hostel, Patroves, Portugal
The courtyard of the Lost and Found hostel, Patroves (a little inland), Portugal
I used booking.com again for this. Cost: 15 euros for a bunk in a dorm of four with a spacious shower room and toilet en suite. I shared with a Spanish man of few words, and had a good chat over supper in the kitchen with another who told me about the family restaurant near Granada where he works.
I ate these little fruit, feijoa from Azerbaijan, which I had bought a few days previously. They were divine
A moody sky as the sun set with thunder and lightening, but no more rain
The next day I made my way through Sesmarias to Praia de Gale and thence Praia dos Salgados. There are many sections of boardwalks (like the Camino Portugal de la Costa in the north) and they often traverse through protected natural areas where there are birds (egrets, for example), plants and animals of interest.
Boardwalks to stop erosion and make walking easier
Water birds (coots) are protected here
A flock of goats being led to pasture through the car park
Towards Armacao de Pera
It is basically one beach along the length of this part of Portugal.
Even the dead leaves made quite a picture against a blue sky and in contrast to the flowers and grasses
Giant Aloe Vera overlooking the sea
Wide open sandy paths run amongst still-green undergrowth. Inlets and lagoons, sand banks with fishermen and high-rise, white-washed apartments in the distance: Armacao de Pera, where there is a fortress, and knowledgeable staff at the tourist information. Here I stopped to buy a pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart) for my elevenses.
More beautiful coves as I walked on
My way wound through spiky bushes, and always the sea was on my left, sometimes edged with swans. Brown and cream butterflies were warming their wings on hot stones which had been whitened by the sun, parched roots were exposed and soft pine needles lay everywhere, yellow-green at this late time of year. There were grand palm trees and lemons hung on branches of shiny leaves in Carvalho’s garden (I’m told he is a famous footballer). His property sits above a beach which is named after him.
At this point on the coastal path, I took a wrong turn and went down to the sea which meant that, of course, I had to go back up again – about 150 steps – hard work with the rucksack in the sun.
Praia das Escaleiras is aptly named – it means Beach of the Steps
There are high class resorts with grounds kept fresh from constant watering all along here, and the most spectacular beaches.
Here I found a Coqulle Saint Jaques shell, symbol of the Caminos which are walks which end at Santiago de Compostella in Spain
Ermida de Nossa Senora da Rocha (Our Lady of the Rock), Porches, Portugal
Porch of the Ermida (hermitage) de Nossa Senora da Rocha (Our Lady of the Rock), Porches, Portugal
A woman tending a clothes stall helpfullly pointed me towards the right bus stop, where I waited for a bus to take me to my lodgings. It had taken me longer than I had expected and I was reliably informed (by the surfing dude in the wooden cabin on the beach) that I would not make it by dark. He was right.
Typical, open countryside of this part of Portugal, November 2019
This took me to perhaps the most disappointing hostel of my whole trip – Hostel Carvoeiro (see below). It promised a garden, but was separated into various areas which all seemd private or had a vehicle of one sort or another in them. The kitchen and dorm was open-plan. The hospitalero was not around once I had booked in, and there was one other person who seemed to be a long-term lodger, a chef in a local cafe. It being cold at night at this time of year, even in the Algarve, I prepared my tea on a temporary stove in the one mug that I could find, and huddled until the morning.
Carvoieiro
This is the Hostel Carvoeiro sign. The owner obligingly gave me a lift into the village in the morning, but I would not recommend staying there
Once again I had been staying a little way inland, and so had a short walk to the start of the Caminho das Promontorios (Trail of the Headlands). The route was harder to find and I lost my way several times, once bringing me to tears of frustration as I wandered around in circles. In the end I simply waited until someone else came along – a man who continued to look back afterwards, to check that I was still following. It was quite a long way, but really lovely scenery, and there were lots of day-hikers going one way without rucksacks and getting a taxi back.
Carvoeiro beach. The small boats were leaving early to pick up tourists and take them to the famous Carvoeiro caves nearby
Leaving Carvoeiro
The striations of the fabulous rocks
Dusty paths lead to secluded beaches
Glittering water and winter trees
At Rei das Praias, I lay out my swimming costume and towel to dry and then forgot to collect them before leaving
I phoned the bar that night and asked if anyone lived in Portimao where I was staying, hoping to avoid losing them altogether, or having to walk back. I was lucky. A few calls and days later, I arranged to meet someone who gave me my costume back, though never the travel towel which D had kindly bought for me from Germany. I managed without one for the remainder of my trip (three and a half weeks), and was very grateful indeed for everyone’s kindness.
Aquamarine seas and the Farol (means lighthouse) da Ponta de Altar on the next headland. The rocks out at sea are important breeding sites for egrets
There are huge holes in the limestone cliffs around here.
A fossil of a camino shell. I saw many similar ones along this coast
17th century Torre da Lapa, Ferragudo
In the past, smoke and fire signals were set by day and night, respectively, to warn the populace of danger.
From the Farol da Ponta do Altar, I made my way around the promontory towards Portimao and as there was still a long way to go, I took a water taxi. While I waited on the beach, I bought a cool and most welcome drink.
Praia da Angrinha, looking across to Portimao – another place that is extremely built-up and busy
Popular Portuguese beer cup (I had mineral water)
Castelo de Sao Joao do Arade
Portimao
When I read the small print for the Plaza Real by Atlantichotels which I had booked (again through booking.com), it said I had to leave a deposit of 200 euros which I have never had to do before. Despite my best efforts to contact both booking and the hotel, I could not get it waived and was rather nervous in the run up as I didn’t carry that sort of cash. However I needn’t have worried: the kind receptionist explained that they do not take it off the card nor need cash, just that they take details in case you make a mess in the room. It was a bit like hiring a car without paying for third party insurance – slightly nerve-wracking – but then again, I wasn’t planing on having a party.
It cost 24.67 euros and I had a whole apartment to myself – 4 rooms! (There was also the use of a pool, but I arrived too late to use it and it was in shadow and therefore cold). The big supermarket is a good walk away (back towards the city), although there are two smaller ones nearby.
The marina at Portimao, Portugal
From the canon in Portimao looking back towards the lighthouse I had walked past earlier that day
Bridge over the River Arade, Portimao
Moorish influenced architecture meets modern designs
Today was all about the birds. 13th November 2019. And it prompted me to look through some of my other recent, avian memories of Portugal as I speed into Spain.
You can’t really see them, but this gorgeous tree in Vila Nova de Milfontes was home to hundreds
I was up on the roof today in Vila Nova de Milfontes (western Portugal) at 5.30am (that’s my favourite place to go on waking, wherever I am, if possible) doing my tai chi and yoga and standing around like a tree, as you do, when a wee gaggle of sparrows joined me. Lightly they hopped, pecking with their tiny pointed beaks between the ground mosaic for tid bits.
Clear signs of webbed beachcombers
I sat down to meditate and a ringed dove came a-paddling. She dipped her head every now and then to drink from the previous night’s rainwater. Pale grey with a black choker, she was tinged with pink and very pretty. I didn’t spoil the time by reaching for the camera – just enjoyed it.
Today I listened to the dawn chorus drowning out the school kids. A week earlier it was the starlings who entertained me outside the hostel window, while I watched four, then six, then eight egrets foraging in a faraway field.
An egret photographed from a distance
While I waited for the second bus later in Lisbon, I visited the Zoological Gardens (a stone’s throw from the Seite Rios bus and train station. The entrance is guarded by these pair of handsome eagles.
Stone eagles guarding the front gates of the Zoological Gardens in Lisbon, Portugal
Sitting across the water from me, my green tea and pastel de nata was a heron, just like he was the first time I visited two months ago. Like a humfy old man in a great coat, he stood patiently.
Heron, Zoological Gardens in Lisbon, Portugal
Lodging my rucksack in the cafe-staff locker room, I took a walk under now Autumn trees and moving cages with happy boys in them, waving, to the seagull side of the lake. She too was bathing intermittently.
Overhead viewing cages which you could ride in and see the Zoological Gardens from above
Although not in this photo!
And then I heard this whistling! It was so loud and repetitive that I thought for a moment it was a machine or recording, but after some investigation I found the parrots.
I watched and listened for ages: some were completely scarlet right up under the roof and they skweeked; smaller green, yellow and pink ones squwarked while crowding next to each other on a branch, one helping himself to the green leaves hanging out of his brother’s beak (no hard feelings!); some cuddled up close and preened each other; while a fourth species were tilting their heads and whistling like there was no tomorrow.
And then this beauty came to eyeball me.
I had been interested in her talons before (four per claw) which were large, but able to delicately hold the thinnest of twigs (the thickness of a blade of grass) while she bit off sections one at a time with her hooked beak and crunched it.
Now here she was using both feet and mouth to manœuvre into place and cling to the fence not more that 6 inches in front of me, so that these photos are real size. Positioning herself so that her eye was in a gap, she silently observed me.
I was being shown her belly, the soft, downy grey with spectacular tail feathers underneath. While her sisters hooted over the other side, she kept me in her sights, but didn’t talk back.
A pair of mallards, Zoological Gardens, Lisbon
Free range ducks, Almograve
These ducks were white balls, sound asleep until a rowdy truck disturbed one.
A deserted beach, just me and a pair of waders
Information board along the Rota Vicentina, western Portugal
I was mesmerised by a falcon amidst a flock of much smaller birds in Carrapateira. They seemed to be surrounding and then flying straight at him. Occasionally, he separated and made dive bombs, but minutes later he was caught up with the swarm again. Were they trying to warn him off?
Silves storks
Storks can be found all over the Algarve, particularly the Silves area where I had a perfect view of them gathering in the early mornings down by the river.
Stork, Silves
They perch on their massive nests which are balanced on top of poles, turrets and church spires.
Feathered fact: “White Storks are faithful to both their partner and nesting place each year and the building of the nest is carried out by the male and female together”
From Algarveblog
Unusual ocean setting for a stork
However, I was astonished to see one so close to the sea at Cabo Sardao.
Storks on Japanese ceramic, Tanzan Kotoge, 2015, Museo de Zaragoza
The motorway insersection I crossed from Seite Rios to the Zoological Gardens, Lisbon
My final memory is of swimming in a swirling sea, rocks all around me, when an oyster catcher plopped in just a little way away. I think I must be getting stiller for these birds don’t seem to be frightened and come surprisingly close. It’s a joy.
This was the setting but I didn’t have my camera in there for obvious reasons, so you’ll just have to believe me!
Walking without a donkey 