Day three on the Camino Portugués between Póvoa de Varzim and Esposende was mainly along the Senda Litoral although a missed yellow arrow at one point did mean that we ended up joining the Central route for part of the way.
Day Three: Póvoa de Varzim to Esposende
Date: Tuesday 1 October 2024
Start Point: Big House, Póvoa de Varzim
End Point: InnEsposende Sports Hostel, Esposende
Distance Walked: roughly 9.17 miles (14.76 kms) as I accidentally stopped Map My Walk at some point and didn’t notice straightaway
Time Taken: 3 hours 36 minutes (including rest stops)
Weather: Rainy
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Leaving Póvoa de Varzim
Today could not have been more different to our first two mornings on the road with a light drizzle as we left our accommodation.
We started the morning with breakfast in Pão Peregrino, a small artisan bakery that we’d spotted on our way back from dinner the previous night, and we also bought some freshly made sandwiches there to have for lunch along the way.
The route out of Póvoa de Varzim is the same whether you’re taking the Coastal route or the Senda Litoral and only changes after Aguçadoura before coming together in Fão.
Our plan had been to stick to the Senda Litoral all the way to Esposende and we were doing well – at first! The usual rule of keeping the ocean to our left was working despite not being able to see very much thanks to the sea mist.
By 10am we were ready for our second breakfast so stopped in Aguçadoura for a coffee and croissant break in Dunas café. It was also a good opportunity to have a bit of a break from the rain which had been a pretty constant drizzle since we’d set off.
Missing a yellow arrow
It was not long after getting on the road again that we must have missed a sign as we found ourselves on the official Coastal route on the way to the small town of Apúlia. I can’t even check where we actually went wrong as I’d inadvertently paused the Map My Walk app which I use to record my walks, and from our coffee stop in Aguçadoura to Apúlia, the map just shows a straight line!
We stopped briefly to take a look around the parish church, Igreja Matriz de Apúlia, which was all decked out in autumn flowers, and also collected our third sello of the day.
Leaving the town of Apúlia behind it was a pleasant walk, despite the drizzle, through eucalyptus forests heading into Fão.
I’d walked this way the previous year but, this time, the trees had been decorated including with shells bearing motivational messages which appear to be the handiwork of someone called Miguel who lives in the village. He’d left some pretty silver scallop shell necklaces hanging on a tree for pilgrims to take in exchange for a donation.
I’d hoped to stop in Fão at Pastelaria Clarinhas to try a clarinha or two but just my luck (the same luck I’d had last time) it was closed – third time lucky if I pass this way again! Clarinhas are a local delicacy of pastry filled with a squash jam which is then fried and sprinkled with icing sugar. With my sweet tooth I was sorry to be missing out – again!
Fão is a small parish with a church, Igreja do Senhor Bom Jesus de Fão, at one end of a tree lined avenue and some pretty tiled buildings lining the street out of the village.
Arriving in Esposende
Leaving Fão we crossed the bridge over the Rio Cávado by which point the drizzle we’d endured all morning had turned into a downpour and by the time we reached Esposende shortly after 1pm we were soaked despite our wet weather gear.
Unfortunately we were too early to check into our accommodation so, after finding a sheltered spot under the arches of the town hall building, we ate the sandwiches that we’d carried with us from Póvoa de Varzim and then, thankfully, found a coffee shop to wait out of the rain. We weren’t the only damp pilgrims in there and it meant I also got to try a clarinha with my coffee while we waited for 3pm to roll around!
We were booked into InnEsposende Sports Hostel, just a block behind the seafront. Again, Christine and I had a private room each with ensuite bathrooms. I’d stayed here previously and liked the spacious room as well as the fact that there was a communal kitchen and lounge area on the first floor. As we were so wet from our walk the guy on reception kindly brought heaters to our rooms to attempt to dry some of our wet gear.
You can read about all my accommodation choices on the Coastal route of the Camino Portugués here.
Exploring Esposende
The rain meant that there was absolutely no way we were going out to see the sights. However, I’d visited Esposende the year before and managed to have a look around. Admittedly a lot of my time then was spent searching for a pharmacy to buy blister products but still…
I started the Coastal route for the first time in September 2023 but was thwarted in my attempts by stupid mistakes which you can read about in this post ‘The Three Mistakes I Made on the Camino de Santiago‘.
If you do have decent weather and want to have a good mooch around Esposende then it’s worth checking out the Igreja da Misericórdia/Capela dos Mareantes which has a beautiful altar, Igreja Matriz de Esposende, which sits at one end of Praça da Matriz, and the town hall.
If you have time to venture down to the seafront you’ll also find Estação de Socorros a Náufragos, a former lifeboat station which now houses the Esposende Maritime Museum.
The best pizza ever
When the rain let up enough for us to venture out we only had one thing on our minds and that was food. More specifically, pizza.
We’d spotted an Italian restaurant, Pizzaria di Pappi, earlier in the day so decided to make a dash through the rain as soon as it opened. I had a delicious pesto pizza and, of course, a glass of vinho verde. When in Portugal and all that!
If Italian food isn’t your thing I can also recommend O Buraco where I ate on my first visit to Esposende, which has delicious seafood dishes.
Today’s Credencial Sellos
Four sellos today – from our first and second breakfasts, the lovely church in Apúlia, and our accommodation for the night.
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 Three
Pizza! I’ve walked this route in lovely sunny weather and know how gorgeous it is but this time with the sea mist, the drizzle and then the downpour, it wasn’t quite the case so I’m voting for food as one of my daily highlights!
I also really enjoyed walking through the forest close to Fão and checking out the shells on the trees.
Lowlights of Day Three
The rain. At times it was relentless which was such a shame as it meant we just had to put our heads down and march on without getting to take in any of the scenery.
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Bom Caminho/Buen Camino
Follow my Camino Portugués Coastal adventure:
Day 1 – Porto to Praia de Angeiras
Day 2 – Praia de Angeiras to Póvoa de Varzim
Day 3 – Póvoa de Varzim to Esposende
Day 4 – Esposende to Viana do Castelo
Day 5 – Viana do Castelo to Caminha
Day 6 – Caminha to Oia
Day 7 – Oia to Baiona
Day 8 – Baiona to Vigo
Day 9 – Vigo to Redondela
Day 10 – Redondela to Pontevedra
Day 11 – Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Day 12 – Caldas de Reis to Padrón
Day 13 – Padrón to Santiago de Compostela
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