Vila do Conde to Rates; the river route vs the aqueduct route

The strolling stage from Vila do Conde to Charges connects the Coastal and the Central Routes of the Camino de Santiago route from Porto. It’s one of many two connecting routes on the Portuguese Camino that’s utilized by individuals who stroll out of Porto following the coast and after the primary day need to proceed their Camino journey on the Central (inland) route. 

The place is Vila do Conde?

Vila do Conde is a coastal city in Northern Portugal, 27 km north of Porto. It’s located on the Coastal and the Litoral Routes of the Portuguese Camino. Two routes depart Porto following completely different trails and join in Vila do Conde. The Litoral Route (Senda Litoral) is probably the most lovely path to stroll out of Porto. Many pilgrims even those that are planning to stroll the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino depart Porto following the Litoral Approach until Vila do Conde. From there they change to the Central Route following the connecting path between Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Charges. 

Switching between the Coastal and the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino

There are two locations with marked trails on the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino the place you possibly can change to the Central Route. The primary one is described on this submit from Vila do Conde to Charges and the second is 70 km north from Caminha to Valença. 

If after every week of strolling on the Central Route, you begin feeling like going again to the coast you are able to do so by following the Non secular Variant of the Portuguese Camino from Pontevedra. 

Vila do Conde to Charges – evaluating the river route and the aqueduct route

I’ve learn plenty of info on-line and in Brierley’s guidebook about each routes earlier than strolling them. It sounded just like the river route is well-marked nevertheless it has plenty of strolling on busy roads whereas the aqueduct route is barely marked however has no strolling on roads. I went to the tourism info workplace in Vila do Conde and so they indicated that the river route was the official Camino route that’s marked. 

Listed below are my conclusions after strolling the river and the aqueduct routes.

Route marking

Each routes are someway marked however not in addition to the principle Portuguese Camino routes. The route marking was someway good in some elements and really poor in others. On the river route, the shells on the primary 5 km have been tough to note as they have been pale or washed off. On the aqueduct route within the final stretch, I didn’t see any arrows for about 2 km.

Roads and site visitors

On each routes, you generally stroll on the street however these roads are extra like streets via cities and villages with no sidewalks. Locals use them to maneuver round. The one time on the river route I actually needed to stroll on the street (freeway) was 1 km earlier than Arcos once I went over the bridge. There have been no vehicles in any respect and the street had a large shoulder. 

The final 3 km to Charges the aqueduct route have been on a sidewalk alongside a busy street and on a street with not a lot site visitors. The final 3 km on the river route have been via the countryside.

I walked the river route from Vila do Conde on Friday morning (between 10 and 12) and the aqueduct route on Saturday morning (between 8 and 10). You’d suppose that Friday morning could be busier however there wasn’t extra site visitors on the river route on Friday than on the aqueduct route on Saturday.

Easiness to navigate

The river route in my view is less complicated to observe than the aqueduct route. It’s very easy. I feel I needed to flip 2 or 3 instances in the course of the stroll. For many of the day, you observe the identical avenue/street that goes via cities. Even in the event you don’t see arrows you simply maintain going straight. Each time it’s important to flip there might be a Camino signal. On the aqueduct route, there are various turns you actually have to concentrate to route marking or use an app. 

The river route merges with the Central Portuguese Camino route in Arcos, 3 km earlier than Charges. From there on it’s straightforward to navigate there are various Camino indicators. The aqueduct route merges with the Central Route in Charges the final kilometer is marked effectively however the earlier 2 km have barely any indicators.

Problem

My stroll from Vila do Conde to Charges on the river route was 13 km and on the aqueduct route – 15 km. My stroll on the aqueduct route was 2 km longer however I needed to do a 700-meter detour to cross the street outdoors of Vila do Conde in a protected place and I walked 300 m further in Vila do Conde once I missed the flip. Each routes are fairly flat with no vital ascents or descents.

Surroundings

I actually loved strolling alongside the aqueduct for the primary 4 km on the aqueduct route. Strolling out of Vila do Conde on the river route wasn’t that spectacular simply strolling alongside a quiet avenue previous homes. As for the remainder of the stroll, I appreciated the cities and villages on the river route greater than on the aqueduct route. On the aqueduct route, you stroll via cities on a avenue between excessive partitions or fences you possibly can’t even see homes behind them. Total the cities on the river route regarded extra like previous cities whereas on the aqueduct route, they regarded extra like newer neighborhoods. 

Each routes have cafes and bars each couple of kilometers.

You get some countryside surroundings on each routes. And a brief patch of forest on the aqueduct route. 

Strolling floor

Each routes from Vila do Conde are virtually solely on laborious surfaces corresponding to asphalt or cobblestones. The river route has extra sidewalks with even surfaces (tarmac, asphalt), and the aqueduct route has plenty of cobbled streets which in my expertise are tougher in your toes. It may not matter because the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino has loads of strolling on cobbled streets.

Conclusion

In order for you a simple and easy stroll I’d suggest taking the river route. Even in the event you don’t see yellow arrows it’s not tough to navigate. The roads aren’t as dangerous and busy as generally described. I can’t say that the Vila do Conde to Charges stage within the sense of site visitors was, specifically, dangerous in comparison with the opposite phases of the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino. 

If you wish to stroll a extra scenic route (the primary 5 km) and don’t thoughts utilizing a Camino app or GPS navigation then the aqueduct route is an efficient alternative.

Which route from Vila do Conde to Charges is described in Brierley’s guidebook?

The guidebook provides a quick description of the river route from Vila do Conde to Arco from the place you proceed to Charges on the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino. As a lot as I like Brierley’s Camino guides I discover the outline of the route is someway complicated. Even after strolling it, I’m undecided I solely perceive the directions from his Camino Portugues guidebook.

I didn’t use the guidebook for strolling the river route however we now have one at house the 2022 version and I checked the route description out of curiosity.

The river route from Vila do Conde to Charges

Distance – 13 km

Time – 2h30min. – 3 hours

Ascent – 155 m

Descent – 107 m

Strolling floor – principally asphalt, some cobblestones

The river route GPX file

An in depth description of the river route 

The river route begins on the bridge over the Ave River. When you cross the bridge flip proper. You’ll see a yellow arrow pointing in that course. Comply with the river for about 200 m until you get to a street cut up. Take the left avenue (Av. Figueiredo Faria) that goes away from the river. Proceed straight previous the roundabout following Av. Bernardino Machado. There might be some yellow arrows on the sidewalk on the proper facet. Comply with the road until the tip, it’ll take you out of the city. 

After 2 km at a T-junction (the tip of the road) flip proper. You’ll see a constructing materials retailer (AGAL), a automotive service middle,

Comply with the identical avenue for the following 3 km. It goes via a city with a few bars and a personal albergue.

Between 3,5 km and 4,2 km, you stroll on a street with not a lot site visitors. There was a really quick half (within the picture) between two partitions that I didn’t like an excessive amount of.

At 4,5 km you attain a small city with a restaurant (Cafe Novo) and a grocery store. Proceed strolling alongside the principle avenue for about 300 m until an intersection the place you flip proper in the direction of the bridge. There might be a few Camino indicators indicating the route.

From that time for the following couple of kilometers, the route marking is healthier you’ll see many yellow arrows.

Proceed following the identical predominant avenue/street via cities and neighborhoods. Don’t flip anyplace. 

Someplace round 6 km, you cease seeing yellow arrows. Simply maintain following the principle avenue.

At 6,5 km you’ll stroll previous Ramos and Ferriera cafe/bakery. It’s a pleasant place to cease for espresso and pastry. There’s a cut up proper after the cafe the place you’re taking the left avenue. For the following 400 m, you stroll on the street via the city. There might be a few cafes within the subsequent kilometer. 

7,5 km you get to a gorgeous church. From the church, the road goes left. You stroll on a slim street for 400 m until you attain a village.

Between 8 km and 9,6 km, you stroll on the street together with a brief half over the bridge that you just stroll on a freeway, about 400 m. The freeway wasn’t busy and had a large shoulder. The bridge half has a sidewalk. 

9,4 km you attain Arcos the place the route connects with the Central Portuguese Camino. In Arcos, there are a few cafes and guesthouses. 

The route between Arcos and Charges is marked very effectively. After leaving Arcos it goes via the countryside to Charges. 

13 km you arrive in Charges. You’ll be able to keep there or proceed strolling to the following city.

The aqueduct route from Vila do Conde to Charges

Distance – 15 km

Time – 3 – 4 hours

Ascent – 159 m

Descent – 127 m

Strolling floor – principally cobblestones, some asphalt, and 500 m on a footpath

The aqueduct route GPX file

An in depth description of the aqueduct route 

My predominant advice for strolling out of Vila do Conde on the aqueduct route could be very easy simply observe Santa Clara Aqueduct for the primary 4 km. It begins at Santa Clara Monastery about 300 m after the bridge over the Ave River.

When you cross the bridge over the Ave River to Vila do Conde go straight for about 300 m following N13 street. Then flip proper to Calçada do São Francisco, a protracted slim avenue with many stairs. Stroll up the road to Santa Clara Aqueduct. As soon as there flip left and stroll alongside the aqueduct for 1 km.

There’s a half the place you possibly can’t stroll subsequent to the aqueduct. As soon as there (on the wall) flip left and stroll for 100 m then flip proper to a small avenue Rua das Mos that can lead you again to the aqueduct. I missed the flip and did an extended detour. Simply keep in mind to remain near the aqueduct. 

Comply with the aqueduct for the following 1,5 km until you get to a busy street (Avenida do Atlantico). You must cross the street to proceed strolling alongside the aqueduct. Don’t run throughout the street vehicles drive at a excessive velocity from across the nook it’s not protected. You have got two choices; to show left and stroll alongside the street until you discover a crossing (in the event you observe the Camino app it’ll lead you to a safer crossing) or flip proper and stroll alongside the freeway until you get to a tunnel (as I did). Should you stroll via the tunnel you’ll stroll an additional 700 m however you get to cross safely to the opposite facet of the freeway. 

As soon as on the opposite facet of the street proceed strolling alongside the aqueduct for an additional 1,5 km. 

4,5 km flip left away from the aqueduct in the direction of the street (Rua dos Arcos) after which proper. Stroll to the pedestrian crossing and cross the street. There are yellow arrows painted on sidewalks and partitions marking the route. That a part of the route is marked fairly effectively I didn’t have any downside discovering the way in which.

At 7 km there’s a bar. 100 m previous the bar take the proper avenue and stroll below the aqueduct. After that, you’ll stroll on the street for about 300 m. 

Between 7,5 km and eight,5 km, you stroll via neighborhoods with a few cafes.

9 km – 9,5 km you stroll on a footpath via the forest.

At 10 km there’s a cafe. From someplace round there for the following 2 km, I ended seeing Camino indicators. I simply adopted the identical avenue until I reached the city of Rio Mau and the freeway (N206). As soon as on the freeway I turned left and continued on the sidewalk alongside the freeway for an additional kilometer. 

On the intersection on the left, you’ll see official Camino indicators. From there, you simply observe the indicators until you attain Charges. The final kilometer is on the street with not a lot site visitors.

15 km you arrive on the church in Charges.