Portuguese Coastal Way ‧ Stage 3
Camino Portugues Along The Coast
On foot
13 stages
Information
About this stage
In this stage we will leave the town of Póvoa de Varzim to enter a somewhat “different” route, as we will pass through several sections of different characteristics, some of which will be promenades and beautiful beaches, however, we will have to walk along quite a few sections of road. It may not be the most beautiful stage but it will be worth it for all that follows.
Pilgrim Recommendation
In Fão it is very common to find pilgrims that have abandoned the Portuguese Inland Way for the Coastal alternative that comes from São Pedro de Rates.
Distance and elevation
Stage profile
Route
Itinerary
Km 0 ‧ Póvoa de Varzim
To get back from the centre of Póvoa, just go to the promenade (Av. dos Banhos) and follow it in a northerly direction. To our right are flat blocks and to the left, on the sand, we have bars with chill out terraces, some restaurants and different beach facilities. After 900 metres we pass between the buildings of the municipal swimming pools and the football pitch; soon, without changing the landscape, we enter the neighbouring town of A Ver-o-Mar.
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Km 3,5 ‧ A Ver-o-Mar
The coastal promenade is now called Av. dos Pescadores. At the end of Fragosinho beach, we turn left to continue along the wooden walkways over the sand. Further on, in the parish of Aguçadoura, we reach a square with a cross in the centre.
Km 7,1 ‧ Aguçadoura
A new stretch of wooden walkways takes us to an old windmill; after 2 km we arrive at the
Aguçadoura Fútebol Clube football pitch, where we leave our walk along the coastline.
Further on the arrows lead us to turn right onto the M-501, a narrow road that runs
parallel to the coast. We continue along its narrow shoulder towards the north, through a
landscape of fields and greenhouses. We pass a diversion on the left, where a signpost
indicates the access to the Orbitur Rio Grande campsite.
We continue along the road for 450 metres until we reach a crossroads where we turn left
onto a cobbled track. Soon we will see the silhouette of a windmill in the background, but
before reaching it the arrows turn right towards a wooded area where we find the facilities
of a football pitch; our route continues along Rua do Pinhal until after 400 metres we
cross a road and arrive at the first houses of the village of Apúlia.
Km 14 ‧ Apúlia
We pass in front of the church and walk through the streets of the village centre. We leave along a paved path that after 800 metres takes us to a road; we turn left and, after 30 metres, on the right, one of the most pleasant sections of the journey begins: for 1.5 km we follow a dirt track, in the shade of pine trees and some eucalyptus trees, that leads us to the village of Fão. After passing the football pitch, turn right along Rua Santo Antonio da Fonte; once in front of the cemetery, turn left, pass a sculpture of Saint Anthony and follow the pavement of the N-13 road; cross it at a pedestrian crossing and arrive at the church of Bom Jesus.
Km 17,7 ‧ Fão
We continue along the avenue of the church-sanctuary of Bom Jesus. After crossing the old part of the town, we reach the Cádavo river, which we cross over the metal bridge of the N-13 road, known as the D. Luís Filipe bridge, dating from 1892; here, pedestrians walk over side footbridges, separated from vehicle traffic. As soon as we cross the bridge we turn left onto a no longer used service road. We will soon reach a roundabout, and after overcoming it, it is time to cross the avenue and head down a cobbled street that leads to Rua Narciso Ferreira. We pass by the cemetery and continue straight on into the centre of the village of Esposende.
Km 20,2 ‧ Esposende
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