Camino Portuguese pilgrimage

Portugal

The Caminho Portuguese, pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella (Spain)

Six sections of the Caminho Portugués, the Portugal way, in the north of the country. This caminho ends, as is well known, in Santiago de Compostella (Spain). We ended our hike in Tui, on the border of Portugal and Spain. Started in Porto.
The trail follows small country roads, asphalted, old stone roads or small connection roads between the villages. Along many villages and - of course, this is a caminho - churches and chapels. The trail is very well marked: yellow arrows. The real enthusiasts  can get their stamps on countless places en route.
Getting there: a flight to Porto, the light-rail/tram to the city-center for a hotel and next morning by public transport or taxi to Mayo. To avoid walking kilometers through the suburbs of Porto.
Accommodation: We made use of the services of  Pelgrimsroute.nl (a Dutch organization). Spending the nights in hotels and old country houses. You can also use the many sleeping opportunities for pilgrims en route.
Maps: just follow the yellow arrows and nothing can go wrong. Or you purchase Wandelgids - Pelgrimsroute 185 Jakobsweg: Caminho Português | Conrad Stein Verlag (9783866865259). A guidebook.
Or: the camino Portugués, Cicerone, by Kat Davis.

Indication of height: up to 460 m.

April 2016: a part of the Caminho Portuguese, the Portugal way

Day 1: Porto ( Maya) - Arcos………………………….22 km.
Day 2: Arcos - Barcelos…………………………….…...23 km.
Day 3: Barcelos - Balugaes……………………….......17 km.
Day 4: Balugaes - Ponte de Lima…………………...17 km.
Day 5: Ponte de Lima - Rubiaes……………………..19 km.
Day 6: Rubiaes - Tui (S.)………………………….…......20 km.
And with a bus back to Porto.

Along the way: a nice walk on quiet country roads, in a hilly landscape, through many villages, some eucalyptus forests. And vineyards.
Large parts of the route, especially near Porto, rather "cluttered" to the touch. Wherever you look: everywhere you see a house, a building, barns, asphalt.....But also old towns with beautiful Romanesque churches, plazas and baroque mansions.
A "tough" climb to the Portella Grande (460m), day 5. A serious affair, a path with slippery sections, mud and tree roots, slippery rocks. Some people call it a real hike. Especially if before that you've been fumbling under a highway overpass, where the construction material was still plentiful.
On top of the mountain there is no church or chapel from former times.....just some kind of barn, undefined. With a fence around it; no idea why. On this mountain the pilgrim has to make do with a wooden French cross, after about 100 m. of climbing. But the view is fine! And then steep and slippery down again. From rock to rock. To Rubiaes. With a couple of nice Roman bridges on the route.

The old fortified town of Valença, Day 6, overlooking the final destination: Tui on the Minho River. The bridge over the river is clearly inspired by the works of Eiffel.
A completely walled old town with mighty fortifications, battlements and bastions, protecting northern Portugal.

Or Ponte de Lima with its beautiful medieval bridge over the Rio Lima on day 4.Take a moment to hear a legend about this bridge: how the Roman soldiers thought that, seeing the Lima River, they would cross the Lethe River (one of the five rivers in the underworld). The river that in that case would cause amnesia.

As you walk further north, the landscape becomes more beautiful, higher, greener and less densely populated.
When there is heavy rain, there is a chance of (minor) flooding. Then it quickly becomes a bit of "wading" instead of walking. Do not underestimate these floods. The paths with high edges fill with water and walking indeed becomes wading. Walking around is difficult, because wherever you look, outside the paths: water everywhere. And what lies beneath it - or not - you don't see.

For lovers: delicious seafood in the restaurants. Portions of cod of the external category! (partes da categoria externa).

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Below a video about the famous bridge, in which also some attention for the surroundings.