Portuguese Coastal Way ‧ Stage 5

Information

About this stage

Distance and elevation

Stage profile

Km 0 ‧ Viana do Castelo

We will describe the official route: starting from Praça da República, take Passeio das Mordomas, turn left into Rua Cándido dos Reis and continue straight on along Rua General Luís do Rego; once in Largo 9 de Abril, look for Rua de São Tiago. After passing under the train tracks we see the Estação Viana Shopping centre; before arriving we turn into Rua Portela da Cima, which is a steep climb. We cross over a subway under Av. 25 de Abril, which is the city’s ring road, and when we come out we turn left, still going uphill, along Rua D. Moisés Alves Pinho, arriving in front of the Santos Mártires church. We continue straight on along the same street and then along Rua dos Sobreiros, bordering the Santa Luzia hill. From Rua Pedreira da Areosa we turn left to follow several narrow streets between stone walls, which finally leave us at a roundabout. We continue along Rua Entre Quintas, Rua da Saudade and Travessa das Pereiras; after crossing a stone bridge over a stream we come to the entrance to the Quinta da Boa Viagem mansion.

Km 4,9 ‧ Areosa

We continue 100 metres along a paved path between two rows of olive trees, before turning right uphill and reaching a small housing estate. We continue on paved road through a pine forest and take a path that turns off to the right. We continue between houses, stone walls and narrow streets, sometimes with good views of the coastline. When we reach a bridge over the railway track we turn right to take Rua do Moreno and cross the tracks at a level crossing without barriers. We reach the cemetery and the church of Carreço.

Km 8.4 ‧ Carreço

We continue behind the church parallel to the railway line, to finally cross it again, this time over a bridge. We follow the cobbled Avenida de Paço.
Shortly afterwards the path enters a eucalyptus forest, a rough but very pleasant part of the route, after which we reach a crossroads. Now on paved roads we enter the neighbourhood of Armada, which belongs to the town of Afife.
After a stretch of cobbled path through the forest we reach the Quinta de Cabanas and the Convent of São João de Cabanas. After the bridge the path continues to the right along the river’s edge, taking some cobblestones and stairs. A slope and rocky path leads us to another path with cobblestones, now going downhill; then comes a new uphill stretch through the forest, with a dirt track and stone tiles. After 20 minutes we reach a first crossroads, and shortly afterwards another crossroads where we start a descent over stony ground. After 1 km, now on cobblestones, we reach the village of Barreiros.
After 800 metres the path takes us past another large stone cross in a grassy parterre, and we continue along a cobbled path. Just after crossing a stone platform over the river Âncora, we take a path to the left, along which we reach the N-305 road, which we cross. We take another shortcut to the left along Rua da Barrosa, through pine trees, and reach a school and the glazed building of the municipal swimming pool. We soon walk under the N-13 road through a subway and proceed towards Praça da Revolução, the centre of Vila Praia de Âncora.

Km 18,3 ‧ Vila Praia de Âncora

We cross the railway line at one of the level crossings and arrive at the coast, next to the Lagarteira fort. We follow the entire coastline, parallel to the railway line and the sea, passing by the chapel of Santo Isidoro. After 1.8 km the path crosses a subway under the railway line and enters the town of Moledo.

Km 23 ‧ Moledo

After crossing under the railway track we continue parallel along the pavements of Santana Avenue until we reach a large roundabout. Cross the roundabout at the pedestrian crossings and continue along a cycle path, always parallel to the railway tracks, for 3.2 km until we enter Caminha, arriving at the Town Hall square, with the beautiful Clock Tower and the gate that leads to the old town centre.

Km 26,8 ‧ Caminha