Camino Portugués #3: Great encounters as I walk toward Porto | Travel journal

In week 3 of my Camino Portugués I walk from Mealhada to Porto and Ponte de Lima, with meaningful encounters, long stages and a mentally challenging stretch.

In the fall of 2025 I walk the Camino Portugués starting in Lisbon. Along the way I keep a daily journal. This is the trip report of my third week, from Mealhada to Porto and Ponte de Lima. Missed the previous week? Read: Camino Portugués #2: from Tomar to Coimbra.

Camino Portugués day 14: long asphalt roads and new encounters

While I eat breakfast at the hostel I briefly run into Canadian Rob. They are out there, those other pilgrims. It still feels very different from the Camino Francés, where you meet someone almost every hour. The rest of the morning I do not see anyone at all. By now I am used to it and I manage to enjoy the quiet.

Apart from a short stretch of eucalyptus forest at the start I walk on asphalt the entire day. It is not very inspiring, although it does help the mileage.

The predicted rain stays away and I walk comfortably in my t shirt. Even though the landscape is a bit dull I enjoy it. The temperature makes a big difference. It is twenty degrees now instead of thirty.

My second coffee break is next to a beautiful church covered in colorful tiles. Rob has a coffee in the same cafe and we decide to walk the remaining eight kilometers together. It is a good choice, because the path runs along industrial areas and busy roads. Rob is great company. He is retired and has walked many trails. When we reach Águeda we say goodbye. We both stay in different hostels. Águeda is a very artistic town, full of colorful umbrella decorations and three Bordalo II art works.

Only one other pilgrim is in my hostel. Terrence from the United States. We talk for a while, have dinner together and then put our feet up. We look ahead to the next few days. Porto is getting closer and it might be tricky to reach it because there are few places to stay along the way. That is something to figure out later.

• From – to: Mealhada – Agueda
• Number of kilometers today: 27
• Total kilometers: 305
• Accommodation: Albergue Peregrinos St Antonio de Agueda (no reservation, I simply knocked on the door).

Camino Portugués day 15: variety and a hostel in the jungle

The day starts on the N1, a road I have grown to dread. Cars and trucks fly past at high speed and I have to cross the road several times, which is not great. Still, I notice pretty quickly that the landscape and sights are far better than yesterday. I pass unusual country houses that would be beautiful with a bit of paint, medieval bridges and small villages full of curious cats. Every now and then the sun breaks through the clouds. A small moment of joy. I also walk through several eucalyptus forests again where I have to watch out for the biggest puddles.

About halfway I run into Terence at a supermarket and we continue together. The miles feel surprisingly easy today and I can hardly believe that my Achilles was giving me so much trouble last week. All the aches are gone and I feel strong. After about twenty seven kilometers I say goodbye to Terence. He continues for another twelve kilometers and I have booked a small inn nearby.

Getting there turns into a small adventure. The inn is an old water mill hidden deep in the forest. Luckily there are signs leading the way and the path gets narrower as I go. When I reach the mill the German owner welcomes me and it really feels like an oasis in the woods. A spacious dorm, the sound of a waterfall in the background, a garden with lovely seating areas, although I cannot use them because rain is on the way, and a cozy kitchen.

Rob arrives about an hour later and we are the only guests. We have a relaxed evening with a good meal prepared by the host and I crawl under the warm blankets early. Such a peaceful place.

• From – to: Agueda – Pinheiro da Bemposta
• Number of kilometers today: 28
• Total kilometers: 333 (over half!)
• Accommodation: Watermill Moinho Garcia (booked on the morning through Booking.com).

Camino Portugués day 16: oops, I accidentally walked 40 kilometers

It is still dark when Rob and I leave the inn. We have to cover 36 kilometers today because there are very few places to stay, so we head out at seven. In the beam of my headlamp I see a big toad jump across the path. A fun start to the morning. Luckily we no longer have to walk through the forest and soon we are in the lit streets of Pinheiro da Bemposta. We cross my beloved N1 twice in a short time, then follow quiet village roads. Some of the villages look like they have been around for a thousand years. It slowly starts to feel a bit like Galicia. I keep my raincoat on because there is a light drizzle.

Our first café stop is after ten kilometers in Oliveira de Azeméis. A pastel de nata and a galão and I am ready for the next stretch. When we leave town it is a bit drier and we admire the colorful facades.

The next kilometers pass quickly. Up and down from village to village, mostly along a railway line. A low cloud hangs over the landscape so there is not much to see. At least it stays mostly dry.

São João da Madeira feels like a big city. We pass a hospital, a large shopping mall and countless roundabouts. At a small square in the center we take our second break. We have already walked twenty kilometers. I notice that the small churches along the way are becoming more and more beautiful with more and more colorful tiles. A sign for me that we are getting closer to Porto.

The final kilometers feel long. Mostly along the busy N1 again. I am happy when we stop for another break with five kilometers to go. I even manage to order a sandwich in Portuguese. Almost bouncing, we continue with renewed energy. It has finally stopped raining.

After more than 40 kilometers we arrive in Grijó around 4.30 pm. Our original idea that the stage would be 36 kilometers turned out to be wishful thinking. Either way, we are glad to be there and check into the municipal albergue. It is basic, but since there are only three other guests we have the entire first floor to ourselves. Feet up and rest.

• From – to: Pinheiro da Bemposta – Grijó
• Number of kilometers today: 40
• Total kilometers: 373
• Accommodation: Albergue de Peregrinos Paroquial São Salvador de Grijó (no reservations, we simply walked in).

Camino Portugués day 17: on to Porto!

Every long distance hike has a few milestones and today brings one on the Camino Portugués. I reach Porto after just under 400 kilometers. The walk from Grijó is not very remarkable, mostly rain. I do notice more and more Camino signs along the way. I expect to see plenty more in the coming week.

I walk with Rob again and before we enter the city we climb through a large park that feels like a forest. Some of the paths are narrow and despite the rain I really enjoy it. It feels a bit adventurous.

Around eleven we reach the viewpoint at the Ponte Luís I. From here you can see Porto in full view. Even in the rain it is impressive. I do have to get used to the crowds. Large groups of tourists everywhere.

We want a stamp for our pilgrim passports at the cathedral, but the line is so long that we move on to the tourism office next door. Luckily we are helped straight away. Rob and I have lunch at a vegan restaurant called Kind Kitchen. Highly recommended. After lunch we say goodbye. I continue walking tomorrow and he stays an extra night. I am curious whether we will run into each other again.

I booked a private room along the Camino just outside the center. Small, but comfortable. There is a laundromat around the corner, so I immediately take advantage of that. I also do some groceries and meet up with Alan for a drink. He happens to be in the city as well. I keep it short, because I notice how tired I am. I really need some quiet time. By eight I am in bed with a pizza and a series. Pure relaxation.

• From – to: Grijó – Porto
• Number of kilometers today: 19
• Total kilometers: 392
• Accommodation: BREINER 28 (booked the night before through Booking.com, private room for a good price)

Camino Portugués day 18: starting a new chapter alone

Winter time started last night, so it gets light an hour earlier. I feel well rested when I step outside into the sunshine at seven thirty. And yes, it is finally sunny again. Luckily it is not thirty degrees anymore but closer to twenty. Perfect walking weather as far as I am concerned and I practically hop my way out of Porto.

As usual when leaving a big city on the Camino the route follows busy roads. Many people take a bus or train for part of this stretch, but I want to walk every single step to Santiago. I do not mind it much today. There are wide sidewalks and here and there a small church appears along the route.

From Porto you can choose between several routes and the main ones are the Costa, the coastal route, and the Central, which goes inland. For a long time I thought I would take the coastal route, but a few days ago I suddenly had a strong feeling that I should go for the Central. I promised myself that on this Camino I would follow my intuition more than usual, so I am heading inland toward Santiago. I am curious to see what it will bring me.

Because the Camino between Porto and Santiago is much more popular than the stretch before it, I expect to see more pilgrims. To my surprise I do not see a single one all day. Not even during café breaks. Very interesting.

The further I get from Porto the greener it becomes. Small villages come and go and locals often wish me a “Bom Caminho.” Always nice to hear.

A little after two I knock on the door of Casa da Laura in the village of Vilarinho. A small inn with a big garden. Perfect for a quiet afternoon in the sun. For a moment I think I am the only guest, but a little after four another group of pilgrims arrives. Two from the United States, one from the United Kingdom and one Portuguese pilgrim. They enter with lots of energy and noise and I have to adjust for a moment. They are younger than most pilgrims I have seen so far, but they are all friendly. We get to know each other over a glass of port offered by the owner and later have dinner together at a café in the village. An unexpectedly fun evening.

• From – to: Porto – Vilarinho
• Number of kilometers today: 27
• Total kilometers: 419
• Accommodation: Casa da Laura (no reservation, I just knocked on the door)

Camino Portugués day 19: change of atmosphere

For the first time on this Camino I am struggling mentally. It is not the weather. The sky is bright blue and the temperature rises to twenty degrees. It is not the landscape either. Plenty of green, forests and small villages. On paper it is the perfect walking day.

Still, I feel low the entire day. Between Lisbon and Porto I was completely in my element. Quiet trails, little commercial stuff, kind and interesting people, lots of contact with locals. Since Porto everything feels different. I suddenly see posters for hostels everywhere, inviting me to stay because they have a swimming pool. There are mileposts counting down to Santiago, something I do not want to think about yet. And of course there are more pilgrims. The whole demographic shifts. Before Porto I mostly saw solo hikers. Now it is groups and couples.

The latter does not bother me in itself, but the change from being alone most of the time and meeting one person at most to meeting more than ten people a day is too much for me. I want to stay in my own bubble for now. I do not really feel ready to connect with others.

I know it is a phase and that I will get through it. Still, I decide to book a private room in Barcelos instead of staying in a hostel. Barcelos turns out to be a pleasant surprise. A beautiful town with statues of roosters on every corner.

It is not a bad hiking day at all, but it is a clear transition phase. The Camino is not comfortable, beautiful or fun every single day. That is part of a long distance hike. Tomorrow is a new day. A fresh start.

• From – to: Vilarinho – Barcelos
• Number of kilometers today: 29
• Total kilometers: 448
• Accommodation: Residencial Kuarenta&Um (private room in a guesthouse with a large shared kitchen, booked the night before through Booking)

Camino Portugués day 20: my intuition is in charge

When I wake up it is dry, even though the forecast said it would rain. A good start to the day. I went to bed planning to stay up a bit longer, but now I get up right away. I feel like making something of today.

At 7.30 am I take my first steps on the Camino, a little further north again. It takes a while to get out of Barcelos. It is a surprisingly large city. The route then leads through several villages and people seem friendlier than yesterday. I hear one “Bom Caminho” after another. I let yesterday go and decide to follow my intuition today. If I want a short day I will stop early. If I feel like covering more miles that is fine too. I have not booked anything. There are plenty of places to stay ahead.

From time to time it starts to drizzle. I put on my raincoat and take it off five minutes later. False alarm. That is how the first twenty kilometers go. Then the real rain begins and for an hour I walk completely soaked between fields and past churches. There are very few cafés today, but the landscape becomes more beautiful. More hills, a few vineyards and, surprisingly, many sheep.

Luckily, Mr Blue Sky shows up at the end of the day and a rainbow appears. I am completely dry by the time I reach my hostel in Ponte de Lima after thirty four kilometers. It is a nice place and there is only one other guest. Despite the rain it has been a good day. I feel like I have my Camino vibe back.

• From – to: Barcelos – Ponte de Lima
• Number of kilometers today: 34
• Total kilometers: 482
• Accommodation: Old Village Hostel (booked a few hours before arrival through Booking ).

The third week brought no physical issues, but mentally it was a bit harder. Luckily it did not last long. My daily distances are getting longer and they come naturally. It is nice to feel myself getting stronger.

Read more: Camino Portugués #4: the final stretch to Santiago