2026 Camino Portugues

After a quick breakfast, we took an Uber to Matosinhos, where we had ended our walk from Porto a couple of days ago. We made our way to the drawbridge we had to cross and encountered some other pilgrims.  We soon turned into a crowd because the bridge opened to allow a container ship to pass. By the time we crossed, there were nearly twenty other backpack-wearing pilgrims gathered together — people from many different countries, speaking many different languages, all ultimately heading toward the same destination, though by different routes and with different stopping points along the way.

As we made our way toward the coast, the larger group gradually spread out. Some walked faster, others slower, and before long the three of us found ourselves walking quietly on our own. Most of the day was spent walking on boardwalk that was built over the dunes next to the Atlantic coast, giving us great views of sand dunes, rock outcroppings, and crashing waves. We had to keep an eye out for broken boards and crooked walkways due to a recent hurricane, but the vast majority were in good shape. It was a sunny day but the gentle ocean breeze kept us cool. About every half mile there was a cafe right on the beach although most didn't open until noon.

The Camino is pretty well marked with the familiar scallop shell symbols and bright yellow arrows pointing the way, so we rarely felt uncertain about where to go but occasionally looked at the map on an app to confirm. There are two routes that are near the coast - the Coastal (which is not actually on the coast but has coastal views), and the Senda Litoral (which runs along the beach). We're currently on the Senda Litoral but can switch over easily as the two routes converge at each day's stopping point.

At one point, while transitioning from a neighborhood back toward the boardwalk, we passed a large area filled with flowering cactus plants heavy with prickly pears. An elderly woman struck up a conversation with me and commented on the abundance of fruit and assured me it was perfectly fine to pick some. She even gave advice on how to spot the ripest ones. It looked like there weren't any prickly spines on them but I was sorely mistaken.  I picked them just to please her but I think I'm done with my people-pleasing ways.  As we finished the day, I was still trying to remove the spines from my hands. This is now known as the prickly pear incident.

Along the route we encountered several fascinating landmarks, including a magnificent lighthouse that is the second tallest in Portugal and vats that were used by the Romans for salt-preserving fish.

One of the day’s most unexpected moments came when we heard an incredibly loud chorus of sound rising from beneath a boardwalk near a small stream. We couldn't figure out what it was until we got close enough to see. The sound was coming from FROGS.  Cute, little green frogs. The video hardly captures just how deafening those little green creatures were.

After 19 miles of walking, the day finally came to an end in Póvoa de Vazim and we are beat. I'm at The ONE Grand Hotel right on the beach and had an early dinner of Caldo Verde and half a Francesinha, a Portuguese sandwich drenched in sauce. Now it's time to rest up for tomorrow's walk.Read more