Portuguese way ‧ Stage 16
Portuguese Way
On foot
25 stages
Information
About this stage
If we start from São Miguel de Arcos we will have almost twenty kilometres ahead of us to Barcelos, so we can enjoy its extensive heritage without haste throughout the day.
Pilgrim Recommendation
You can stay more than one night in this village because there are lots of things that you could do and visit. This stage does not pose any additional difficulties for cyclists or people with mobility.
Distance and elevation
Stage profile
Route
Itinerary
Km 0 ‧ São Miguel de Arcos
At the exit of the village we take a detour to the right. Shortly afterwards we reach the N206 road. Turn left onto this road and follow it for 300 metres, then take a path on the right. We cross the small village of Borgonha. We arrive at São Pedro de Rates with its Romanesque church.
Local Information
Police, Medical care, What to see, Where to eat…
Km 3,9 ‧ Sao Pedro de Rates
From the church we head towards the upper part of the town, passing by the Fonte de São Pedro and the chapel of Santo António. We take, without changing direction, a downhill road that later becomes a dirt track. And so we go on for more than an hour, with a long stretch in a pleasant rural setting. We join the N-306 and follow it to the left. We enter Pedra Furada.
Km 10,6 ‧ Pedra Furada
We continue along the N-306; further on the road turns off to the left of the national road and immediately returns to it. We continue walking by the N-306 and shortly afterwards we turn left onto a cobbled street, leaving the road.
Km 14,1 ‧ Pereira (Barcelos)
We cross the small towns of Pereira, Pedrego and Pontegãos. We go over the A11 motorway at the bottom
Km 16,3 ‧ Carvalhal
We turn left. We continue through small rural villages: Porto Carreiro, Santa Cruz and Mereces. Finally we come out onto a road that takes us to the right to the access lane of the N-103. On the right we cross the pedestrian underpass. On the left, we come out onto the N-205, which in this section is the rua Celestino Costa. We then enter Barcelinhos.
Km 19,4 ‧ Barcelinhos
We turn left onto the street that leads us down to the medieval bridge. We cross the beautiful medieval bridge over the river Cávado, entering Barcelos.
Km 19,8 ‧ Barcelos
Local Information
Police, Medical care, What to see, Where to eat…
What to see
During the route
Monasterio de São Simão da Junqueira
The Monastery of São Simão da Junqueira is located in the town of Vila do Conde and was erected in the 11th century. In the year 1082, this monastery already housed seven observant monks belonging to the order of Saint Augustine.
This monastery was coordinated by perpetual abbots until the beginning of the 16th century, at which point it passed to lesser commendatory abbots until the end of the same century. Later, it joined the Congregation of Santa Cruz de Coimbra and also belonged for some time to the Monastery of Moreira. However, it regained its independence at the end of the 17th century, when the reconstruction of the convent church, the present-day church of Junqueira, began. During this period, the monastery was also rebuilt, with new rooms for the monks and a cloister decorated with tiles and a fountain in the centre.
In the 18th century, the monastery was abolished by Pope Clement, so all the relics and goods it housed were transferred to the convent of Mafra. Thus, the monastery church became the parish church and the monastery was sold to private individuals and is now used as a manor house.
Iglesia de São Pedro de Rates
Declared a National Monument, this church is considered one of the most emblematic Romanesque religious buildings in Portugal.
This church has its origins in a small chapel that seems to have been rebuilt at the end of the 11th century. The temple was built in granite and has a Latin cross plan. It also has three naves, separated by four unequal bays. The roof of the church is made of wood.
The most outstanding feature of the church are the capitals, all of which are richly decorated with sculptural ornamentation. Some are decorated with animal motifs, others with plant motifs, while others depict mythological beings, anthropormorphic elements and figures symbolising apostles.
