From Porto to Labruge, Camino Portuguese de la Costa, Stage no. 1

Basic Information

• Starting Point: Porto, Portugal – Portugal’s second-largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its historic Ribeira district, tiled churches, colorful streets, and vibrant atmosphere. It offers every service a pilgrim might need: supermarkets, pharmacies, outdoor shops, cafés, restaurants, and a wide range of accommodation options. In my opinion, it is one of the nicest starting points of any Caminos in Spain or Portugal. Worth an extra day to spend, if you’re a city lover and not in rush. There won’t be a more beautiful town on this camino.
• Ending Point: Labruge, Portugal – A small coastal town north of Vila do Conde, known for its long sandy beach and dunes. Labruge is quiet compared to Porto, but with over 3,000 inhabitants, you can count with all services for pilgrim, one big pilgrim-only hostel (67 beds), and a few other accommodation options.
• Availability of an alternative route: YES, the two major variations are inland variant and coastal variant. 80% of pilgrims choose to follow the coast, that’s why we put it as a main road here, and the inland just as an alternative. Basically:
  • Coastal route (recommended and most popular), following the ocean almost the entire way, with long stretches of wooden boardwalks along beaches and dunes. You can see the map of this route here.
  • Inland option, which was originally the main camino (marked with yellow arrows). It has more elevation, is 4 km shorter, and can be interesting for pilgrims who like urban culture and want to make a more authentic opinion about life of ordinary people in Portugal, that takes place far from the beaches and promenade restaurants for tourists :). You can see the map of this route here.
• Distance:
  • Main coastal route: approximately 25 km. Download GPS here.
  • Alternative inland variant: 21 km. Download GPS here.
• Elevation Difference:
  • Main coastal route: +70 meters, – 70 meters
  • Inland option: +170 meters, – 170 meters
• Difficulty Score:
  • Main coastal route: 3/5. While there’s not much elevation, the day be tricky with wind, lot of walking on sand (beautiful but not easy on the feet, especially if you’re not accustomed to it), so this stage should not be underestimated.
  • Inland option: 2/5. A bit easier, shorter, with terrain easy to walk on.
• Beauty Score:
  • Main coastal route:  3/5.
  • Inland option: 2/5.
• Terrain/Asphalt Walking Ratio:
  • Main coastal route: 30%/70%. And only if you walk on sand whenever possible,
  • Inland option: 1%/99%. Basically it is all in the urban areas, and you always walk on tarmac.
• Next stage: Camino Portuguese de la Costa, Stage no. 2, Labruge – Fao.

Elevation profiles for the routes

– The coastal variant, as you can except of one steep hill still in town of Porto, it is pretty flat, since you follow the coastline closely.  Climbing and descending 70 meters on 24 kilometers is as flat as it can be :).

– Inland variant, slightly more eventful, but as you can see the climb gradient very rarely surpasses 2%, and most of the stage is still completely flat.

Advanced Info About the Stage

• Natural Highlights:
  • Jardins do Palacio de Cristal, Porto. Location on Google maps here. Beautiful gardens with peacocks and other interesting birds walking around. Lot of flowers, trees both natural for the zone and imported, water zone, public toilets, views. If you’re a nature and flower lover, this is a must visit during your stay in Porto. 500 meters deviation from the coastal camino.
  • Parque da Cidade do Porto, Porto. Location on Google maps here, entrance right from the camino. The biggest park in the town of Porto. Very green, beautiful, with a nice balance of natural and “artificial” elements. Several ponds with plenty of water birds, great views, variety of landscapes, definitely worth a stop or even an entire afternoon :).
  • Praia de Leca da Palmeira, Matosinhos, km 10, right on the camino. Location on Google maps here. One of the nicest if not the nicest beach of today’s walk. Interesting landscape, small pools built with ocean water, perfect for sunset, often big waves, which makes even for a better spectacle.
  • Praia de Labruge, Labruge, km 24, on the camino. Location on Google maps here. Ideal place to go once you leave your backpack in the albergue in Labruge. Nice sandy beach, not too bit and already a bit far from Porto to be as crowded as most beaches closer to the town. Again great for sunset views, but also for a short swim after the stage. There a little “bay” section on the far end of the beach, which is better for swimming, because the waves and winds are typically lighter there.
• Historical & Cultural Highlights:
  • The town center of Porto. Now, I do not want to be another tour guide recommending you “the best 10 things to see in Porto”. In all honestly, with the charm and colors this city has, I believe it is best throwing such guides in the rubbish bin (or closing them on your phone), and simply walk along the streets of the old town, and the Duero river zone. There are plenty of beautiful churches, chapels, bridges, and historic buildings to be seen anywhere you go. And, of course, plenty of great ice cream shops and bakeries always nearby :). In some sense it is almost better not spending too much time in Porto, because temptations of all kind for a weary pilgrim are plentiful. It’s better enjoying them for one afternoon or evening and then embark on the camino :).
  • Castelo do Queijo, km 9, location on Google maps here. Right next to the camino. A symbolic entrance fee of 50 cents, definitely worth paying. This fort from 17th century with authentic cannons will give you a good idea of how things once were here, where the enemies came from the see. There is also a cafe, great views of the ocean, and overall the place is well maintained and worth a visit, and a short break on your camino.
  • Farol de Leça Faro, km 13, location on Google maps here. An incredibly tall lighthouse featuring a museum of parts and mechanism of a typical lighthouse. Interesting stop, you can also go to the top for the views. Basically right on the camino, the museum is open to public only on Wednesdays, but the entry is free. Nice spot on the way even if you do not get to the museum.
• Alternative route info: The inland route is perfectly marked with yellow arrows all the way from the Cathedral from Porto, and passes through urban zones of Porto and neighboring towns. While most people skip it, and also I recommend the coastal route, things are always not completely black and white... For example, on a rainy day (a rainy stretch is quite common in spring, autumn and winter here), I believe this is a better way to follow. It is 4 km shorter, has better protection from wind, and plenty of bars and cafes to stop by and rest from a rain for while, basically everywhere along the route. It also passes along the airport of Porto, and some pilgrims who fly to Porto to do this camino will start walking right from the airport :). So, in all these scenarios, inland is a good alternative to take. You can again check my map of this route here.
• Camping/Bivouac Options on the Stage: Just for the start (if you will follow our guide all the way), I want to stress that just like in Spain, wild camping with a tent isn’t allowed in Portugal. Penalties range from 100 euro to 400 euro. On the other hand, bivouacking (meaning staying somewhere overnight just in your sleeping bag) is not prohibited, and you should be totally OK with some precautions. Having said all of this, sure you can camp on the camino (and some pilgrims do so). Just it is pivotal to choose good spots, protected from the eye of the public and police–which is easier on some sections of the way and extremely tough on other. Anyway, let’s have a look at this first stage: Wild camping here is extremely hard and not recommended. The entire zone is just too populated and crowded, and the vegetation too sparse to comfortably hide somewhere from the eyes of the passersby… There also isn’t any real official camping place, except of one of the new “Kampaoh” type of camping, where you often cannot even pitch your own tent, but have to stay in the tents provided by the camping… Anyway, if you want, you can check it out here:
  • Kampaoh Praia de Angerias. Location and reviews on Google maps here. Tents/bungalows from 25 euro/night, can go up a lot in summer season. Frequented by pilgrims who do not get other bed  in Labruge. Decent place, good pool, small shop, half a kilometer from the beach. To check availability call to: +351308807627.
• Dog-Friendly Score: 3/5. Not too bad, the pilgrim hostel in Porto accepts dogs, and the one in Labruge has a garden, and the stay of your dog can be arranged at least outside (but it is recommended to speak with the host in advance). If you walk with a dog, opt for the coastal camino. There is less asphalt, more fountains with drinking water, and your dog will enjoy the beaches and the sand. On the flip side, there isn’t much shade (this will be the story for most of your way to Santiago), so make sure to start early and make stops in spots that offer some relieve from the sun for your beloved dog. One thing I also want to mention is that bus travel in Portugal is extremely unfriendly for dogs and their owners. If you want to skip some section of your camino, always look for trains. Dogs (with an exception of those accompanying blind people) simply aren’t allowed on the buses…
• Special Remarks: The first day is always a good indication about the number of pilgrims on the way, and whether it is necessary making reservations in advance. Pay attention to the numbers o pilgrims on the camino, and especially in albergues and other accommodation options in Labruge. If you find it tricky to get a bed on the first night, it may be better booking at least couple of days in advance…

My picks for accommodation on this stage

1. Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto, Porto, km 0. Location and reviews on Google maps here. The only pilgrim-only hostel in Porto. 50 places, 18 euro/bed, open all year long, registration from 14:30 to 20:00 (but in my experience possible also later).  You can reserve in advance (and it is highly recommended you do so, especially from May to September), on one of the following numbers: +351 220 140 515, +351 962 150 991. If they do not answer, try WhatsApp. Basically the best place to start your Camino Portuguese de la Costa–to meet fellow pilgrims, to get the credencial (pilgrim passport), and to get the vibe right from the start. Well equipped kitchen, all installations in decent (or better condition), ability to stay for 2 nights (if you want to get to know the city a bit before embarking on your camino).
2. Pousada de Juventude de Porto, Porto, km 4. 250 meters away from the Camino, location and reviews on Google maps here. It isn’t a pilgrim only place, but may pilgrims stay there, due to relative affordability. Late check-in (from 6pm), but then that’s not a huge issue if you arrive late to start your camino. Installations are very nice and modern, and the location is great, close to the Duero river, and still can be considered central, for many nice things to see in town. Prices start at 23 euro/night, but can increase in high season. 124 beds, open all year long, 24 hours reception desk (good for pilgrims who want to experience Porto at night, before starting their walk). Recommended way of making a reservation: Booking.com, exactly here.
3. Albergue de Peregrinos San Tiago de Labruge, Labruge, km 24.5. Location and reviews on Google maps here. Pilgrim-only place, 80 beds in total, 15-16 euro/night, open all year long, check-in from 2pm. Very nice communal zone inside and outside, well-equipped kitchen, plastic mattresses (that’s definitely a minus, especially if you aren’t accustomed to sleep on this type of mattress). But other than that the installations are new and in good condition. Doesn’t accept reservation–first come first gets, which can be a problem in high season. You should be there by 2pm in summer months in order to get the bed.
4. Estudio Praia Labruge, Labruge, km 24.5. Ideal pick for those seeking a bit of privacy for an affordable (almost pilgrim) price at the end of today’s stage. A very nice studio (for 2 guests), just 50 meters from the camino (location on Google maps here). Comfy place with own kitchen and good sound proofing, ideal for a couple on the camino. Prices from 70 euro for the entire apartment. You can check all photos and reviews on Booking.com, exactly here.

Pictures from the stage

– There are many nice churches in town…

– Stairs in the pilgrim hostel in Porto

– One of the many romantic spots when you follow the coastal route. And a nice place for a rest for any pilgrim :).

– Typical wooden pathways on the coast. You will walk on many such over the next days…

Few tips at the end

• Book something in Porto before your arrival. Ideally the pilgrim-only hostel I recommend, or anything else. Porto is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe during the summer months (Portugal in general has grown a lot in popularity in recent years), and it would be a mistake thinking you’d always find something there, since it’s a big city. Sure, you will find something, but the price may easily eat up half of your budget :). So it’s really better getting something ahead.
• Weather on the Northern coast in Portugal often comes in “waves”. You may have a stretch of great weather, but also a dodgy period of 5 days with almost non-stop rain–something that simply happens in this part of the world. You’re in big town, check the weather forecast, and if it isn’t as you expected, Porto is the best place to get your water-proof gear for the Camino :).

Next/Previous Stage

• Next stage: Camino Portuguese de la Costa, Stage no. 2, Labruge – Fao