Porto to Vila Chã. Day One on the Camino Portugués Central Route

My first day on the Camino Portugués and I was planning to walk from Porto to Vila Chã. I was concerned that it was a lot of mileage for day one but, as I was leaving on the Senda Litoral to join up with the Central route on day two, I knew it was going to be flat pretty much all the way.

This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended I may receive a commission. While clicking these links won’t cost you any money, it will help to keep this site going. Thank you for your support.

I arrived in Porto a few days before setting off on the Camino Portugués and, apart from sightseeing and eating as many of Portugal’s famous pasteis de nata as I could, I had a few essential pre-Camino purchases to make – namely my credencial and a scallop shell to hang on my backpack.

If you need ideas for things to do in Porto before the Camino there are lots of ideas in this post.

Getting my Credencial

A credencial (or pilgrim passport) is essential for anyone walking to Santiago de Compostela, regardless of which route they’re taking.

It’s the official document that shows you’re a pilgrim and entitles you to stay in albergues along the way, as well as receive your Compostela at the end. As you go, you collect sellos (stamps) in your credencial – these not only prove your eligibility for the Compostela but will later be the perfect souvenir of your Camino experience.

I bought my credencial at the Cathedral in Porto for €2 along with a scallop shell for the same price.

You can read more Camino lingo you need to know before you go here.

I also decided to have a look around the Cathedral when I bought my credencial – admission was just €3 and, if you have time, I’d recommend it. It was a sunny day so was lovely to wander round the cloisters admiring the beautiful blue and white azulejos (the tiles for which Portuguese architecture is renowned), and the view from the roof was more than worth the climb.

The Night Before

I’ve been planning to walk the Camino Portugués for quite some time now and my aim was to walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostela over 14 days. While it can be done quicker, I didn’t want to have long days on the road with no time at the end of each day to explore the towns I’d be staying in. I’d also decided to take the Variante Espiritual (Spiritual Variant) after Pontevedra which adds another day to the journey.

This post tells you all you need to know about the Spiritual Variant if you’re thinking about including it in your Camino.

I’m not a naturally anxious person but now that my actual start date was here the nerves were starting to show and doubts had definitely started to creep in. I knew I could easily walk the daily distances I’d set (I was only planning to walk fairly short stages most days – anything between 10 and 13 miles (16 to 21 kms) with a few longer exceptions). The big question was, could I walk those distances with a pack on my back? We’d soon find out I guess.

My plan was to start walking at around 9am. However, I kept waking at regular intervals throughout the night as I think I was worried about not hearing my alarm go off.

I must have eventually dozed off and, after a tasty breakfast of croissants, bread with Nutella, orange juice, and coffee at my hotel (Zero Box Lodge) it was time to get ready. There was no going back now!

I left my hotel at around 8.45am for the short walk to the Cathedral and, on arrival, I took my backpack off to take a photo of it in front of the first official way marker. I mean, doesn’t everybody?! As I was taking photos, a tour guide (who’d seen the scallop shell hanging off my pack) came over and asked if I had any objections to him talking to his group about the Camino. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by a group of around a dozen German tourists. I could pick up random words that he was telling them (despite it being over 30 years since I last studied German) and for the next ten minutes they kept looking over at me, smiling, and giving me the occasional thumbs up.

My minor celebrity status over with I was now officially on the road.

Leaving Porto

There are three official routes of the Camino Portugués and, although I chose to walk the Central route, I was actually spending my first day (and part of my second) on the Senda Litoral which follows the Douro River as far as Foz do Douro and then runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean.

Although there are yellow arrows painted on the wall just behind the way marker I ignored those ones as they lead to the Porto suburbs and the inland route out of the city. Instead I followed the instructions in my guidebook to take the steps in the far corner of the square in front of the cathedral.

I must admit that I was concerned that I might get lost before I’d even really got going as the Facebook groups and online forums that I’d been reading seemed to be filled with stories of pilgrims missing arrows, taking wrong turns, and generally getting hopelessly lost just trying to leave the city. I figured though, that once I was on the waterfront I just had to keep the river or the sea to my left and I couldn’t really go wrong!

Walking down the narrow staircases and streets towards the waterfront I received my first ‘Bom Caminho’ from a gentleman leaving his house. I’d go on to receive hundreds of pilgrim greetings over the next fourteen days, but his is the one that I’ll never forget. I guess there’s no going back now!

It was a grey and overcast day as I left Porto and, having checked the weather forecast, I wasn’t holding out much hope for sunshine. I was carrying a rain poncho in my backpack but I was really hoping that I wouldn’t be needing it quite so early on in my walk.

On the first few miles along the banks of the Douro there are some beautiful buildings, many covered in azulejos. I even spotted some street art (something I’m always on the look out for wherever I travel) and shortly after passing under Ponte da Arrabida, I met my first Camino Angel.

Passing the lighthouse at Foz do Douro I left the river behind and was now walking alongside the Atlantic. I’d optimistically hoped to have a paddle in the sea at some point on my first day as I was moving inland for the rest of my Camino but, seeing the angry looking waves, I realised that it was highly unlikely I’d be getting my feet wet anytime soon (unless it rained of course).

Reaching Matosinhos

Arriving in Matosinhos I called in at the Tourist Information Centre for another stamp in my credencial.

Just in front of the Tourist Information Centre is the poignant sculpture known as ‘Tragedy at Sea’ which is a memorial to Portugal’s greatest maritime disaster when several fishing boats sank during a storm in 1947 with the loss of 152 men. There’s an information plaque near the sculptures which says that the disaster left behind 72 widows and 152 orphans.

I started to see a few more fellow pilgrims at this point as Matosinhos is a popular starting point for anyone who doesn’t want to walk along the river out of Porto.

It’s also at Matosinhos that the yellow arrows start to appear more often although it’s still almost impossible to get lost as long as you keep to the boardwalks.  

After veering inland slightly and crossing the Ponte Movel de Leça over the river it wasn’t long before I was back on the coast and, after this point, most of the day was spent on boardwalks – nice and flat so no need to use my walking poles.

I stopped to have a look at the small Capela da Boa Nova which sits on the rocks, and after a few more miles took a well-earned break for lunch at Café Rosinha in Perafita where I had a tuna sandwich and a much needed café com leite. The sun was trying to come out at this point so I enjoyed sitting outside making the most of it.

While I could have stayed where I was for a bit longer, I knew I had to get back on my feet as I still had quite a way to go to reach Vila Chã.

By the time I reached the Obelisco da Memoria the sun was out and the blue skies that I’d enjoyed in Porto the previous two days were back.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long and by the time I arrived at Angeiras and the Fishermen Beach it was getting cloudy once more!

A short while later I reached Labruge. Crossing the wooden bridge over the river Onda the scenery was beautiful with wooden walkways over sandy beaches and dunes.

I stopped briefly at the pretty São Paio Chapel but by now my feet were starting to throb and my shoulders were aching so I was keen to keep moving and reach my destination.

Once I saw the pirate sitting outside Taskuinha Bar, I knew I was almost at Vila Chã. It was tempting to stop for a drink but I was worried that if I took my backpack off I might never want to put it on again so I carried on – and it was a good job that I did.

Reaching Vila Chã

By the time I reached Vila Chã the skies had darkened even though it wasn’t quite 4pm, and it was threatening rain.

I’d booked a private room at Casa do Pinhal and arrived just before it started to rain – my timing couldn’t have been any better!

When updating this post it appears that Casa do Pinhal is no longer open for business. A shame as it was a lovely stop at the end of my first day.

I’d been anticipating walking down to the beach to watch a beautiful sunset but once the rain started it didn’t stop so I stayed indoors resting my feet ready for day two!

You can read about all my accommodation choices on the Central route of the Camino Portugués here.

Today’s Credencial Sellos

My first sello, of course, was from the Cathedral in Porto. If you buy your credencial in the Cathedral it’s actually pre-stamped which is one less thing to worry about in the general first day excitement.

My second was from the Tourist Information Centre in Matosinhos and my third was from Casa do Pinhal, my accommodation for the night. I forgot to ask for one when I stopped for lunch – rookie error although it wasn’t a problem as I had the two I need per day to qualify for the Compostela.

If you want to walk the Camino but don’t know where to begin I’ve written this Camino Portugués planning guide which tells you everything you need to know and outlines all the steps you need to take to get you on your way.

Highlights of Day One

I was so happy to be finally walking the Camino, after it was delayed from last year, that even the poor weather couldn’t put a dampener on my spirits. There was also the added bonus that today was a mostly flat route – it’s almost like the Camino wants to break me in gently!

Lowlights of Day One

My sore feet and shoulders. I’m used to walking long distances but I’m not used to walking on so many cobbles and not with a pack on my back!

Even though my backpack only weighed in at just over 6kgs I knew I needed to make a few adjustments to it if I was going to carry it for the next 13 days.

I have an Osprey Tempest 30L pack which has an adjustable back panel so I lengthened the back and, hopefully, it will feel easier going forward. I could send on my pack each day to make things easier, but I’ve started with it and I’d like to keep going. I’m stubborn like that!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this. If you want to read my latest posts you can sign up below to my monthly newsletter to receive them straight to your inbox. Even better, why not come and join the Camino Portugués Planning Facebook group where you can chat to others who are planning, or have already walked, the Camino.

Bom Caminho/Buen Camino

Follow my Camino Portugués Central route adventure:
Day 1 – Porto to Vila Chã
Day 2 – Vila Chã to São Pedro de Rates
Day 3 – São Pedro de Rates to Barcelos
Day 4 – Barcelos to Balugães
Day 5 – Balugães to Ponte de Lima
Day 6 – Ponte de Lima to Rubiães
Day 7 – Rubiães to Tui
Day 8 – Tui to O Porriño
Day 9 – O Porriño to Redondela
Day 10 – Redondela to Pontevedra
Day 11 – Pontevedra to Armenteira
Day 12 – Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa
Day 13 – Vilanova de Arousa to Cruces
Day 14 – Cruces to Santiago de Compostela

Why not pin this for later and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more inspiration, photos and updates?