the Portuguese Way
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The Portuguese Way ( pt, Caminho Português, es, Camino Portugués) is the name of the
Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...
pilgrimage routes starting in
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. It begins at
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
or
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. From Porto, along the Douro River, pilgrims travel north crossing the five main rivers—the Ave, Cávado, Neiva,
Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
and Minho—before entering Spain and passing through Pontevedra on the way to Santiago de Compostela. The Portuguese way is the second most popular route after the
French Way The French Way ( gl, Camiño francés, es, Camino francés, , literally the "way of the Franks") is the GR 65 and the most popular of the routes of the Way of St. James ( es, Camino de Santiago), the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Com ...
and the Portuguese coastal way is the seventh most popular route in Galicia, with 19.9% and 4.41%, respectively. The Portuguese way is 260 km long starting in Porto or 610 km long starting in Lisbon. The way from Porto was historically used by the local populations and by those who arrived in the local ports. In the contemporary period, most pilgrims are foreigners, and of the total number reaching Galicia between January 1 and October 6, 2017, only 4.27% were Portuguese. Roughly 30,000 pilgrims per year walk this path. It is growing in popularity, and 81,000 walked the Portuguese way in 2018.


Lisbon to Porto

From Lisbon, the starting point is
Lisbon Cathedral The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major ( pt, Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa or ''Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Mary Major''), often called Lisbon Cathedral or simply the Sé ('), is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest churc ...
, passing the Thermal Hospital of Caldas da Rainha (1485) and heading to the Alcobaça Monastery (1252), which was an ''albergue'' (hostel) for medieval pilgrims who could only stay there for a single night. Using Roman roads, pilgrims headed to
Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2011 census was 143,397, in an area of . The fourth-largest urban area in Portugal after Lisbon, Porto Metropolitan Area, Porto, and Bra ...
and had to reach Porto before night fell, as the gates of the city closed. The most notable of the bridges in Porto is Dom Luís I Bridge (1888) replacing the Ponte das Barcas (1842), the barges bridge. Porto is the typical starting point. The ruins from the 14th century city walls still exist including the ''Postigo do Carvão'', the charcoal wicket gate. This wicket provided a link between Fonte Taurina Street to the wharf, where boats anchored in the Douro. Once in Porto, pilgrims headed to Church of São Martinho de Cedofeita (c. 1087). Porto is a medieval city, showing hints of Romanesque and Gothic, as seen in the Cathedral, São Francisco Church and the city walls, and strong Baroque and neoclassical influences which shape most of its old town skyline, including the iconic Clérigos Tower (1754–1763), Carmo church (1768) and
Palácio da Bolsa The Stock Exchange Palace () is a historical building in Porto, Portugal. The palace was built in the 19th century by the city's Commercial Association () in Neoclassical style. It is located in the Infante D. Henrique Square in the historical cent ...
(mid-19th century). Image:Alcoba%C3%A7a_-_panoramio_%288%29.jpg, Claustre of Silence in Alcobaça Monastery, an early pilgrim hostel. Conversations were expressly forbidden. Image:Porto_(19845256129).jpg, The Douro river and Dom Luís Bridge Image:From the river (34011771985).jpg, Porto as seen from the Douro, with the wharf in sight


Ave river crossing

There are two traditional routes from Porto, one inland (the Central Way) and the Coastal Way (''Caminho da Costa''). The Coastal Way gained prominence in the 15th century due to the growing importance of the coastal towns in the advent of the
Age of Discovery The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration), also known as the early modern period, was a period largely overlapping with the Age of Sail, approximately from the 15th century to the 17th century in European history, during which seafarin ...
. Next to Porto, there's the
Monastery of Leça do Balio A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which m ...
(1180) in
Matosinhos Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal () is a city and a municipality in the northern Porto district of Portugal, bordered in the south by the city of Porto (8 km from the city centre). The population in 2011 was 175,478, and covered an area of approx ...
, known by the assistance of pilgrims. After leaving Porto, the route splits from the central way in the countryside of Vila do Conde. The rising importance of
Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portuguese city in Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho and Douro rivers. In 2001, there were 63,470 ...
imposed this new direction. The coastal way uses the Estrada Nova (the New road), known to exist already in 1568 as a road connection between the towns of Porto, Vila do Conde and Póvoa de Varzim. This road is now mostly known as Estrada Velha (Old road). The older street was ''Karraria Antiqua'' (the Central Way) or a probable Roman beachfront way (''per Loca Maritima'') linking pre-Roman settlements, Roman fish factories and villas that are known to exist. The Estrada Velha merges with the EN13 highway only before reaching Vila do Conde in the parish of
Azurara Gomes Eanes de Zurara (c. 1410 – c. 1474), sometimes spelled Eannes or Azurara, was a Portuguese chronicler of the European Age of Discovery, the most notable after Fernão Lopes. Life and career Zurara adopted the career of letters in middle ...
and splits again just after crossing the Ave river. In that road junction, the late Gothic Azurara Church was rebuilt in 1502 by the people of the village to commemorate the pilgrimage of
Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, a ...
. Just across the river, the town of Vila do Conde is still today crowned by the
Monastery of Santa Clara Monastery of Santa Clara or Convent of Santa Clara in Vila do Conde, Portugal was one of the biggest and richest feminine convents in Portugal, founded in 1318, by Afonso Sanches and his wife, Teresa Martins Telo. The large historical comple ...
(1318). The monastery's
Neo-Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...
building (1777) dominates the town's skyline and is one of the pilgrim's first sights. The town of Vila do Conde is noted for the austere Gothic and lavish Late Gothic architecture, with the Matriz Church of Vila do Conde being built by king Manuel I during that pilgrimage. Vila do Conde riverside was a relevant Discovery Age port. As legacy, it keeps a
carrack A carrack (; ; ; ) is a three- or four- masted ocean-going sailing ship that was developed in the 14th to 15th centuries in Europe, most notably in Portugal. Evolved from the single-masted cog, the carrack was first used for European trade fr ...
replica and Socorro Chapel (1559), built by the seafarers and inspired by the novelties they saw in Asia. After crossing the Gothic church of Vila do Conde, in Rua da Igreja, the Estrada Velha is renamed Rua dos Benguiados, Rua das Violetas and Rua dos Ferreiros, reaching Póvoa de Varzim's 18th century fishermen's quarter and heading to the small Saint James Chapel (1582) in Praça da República (traditionally named Saint James Square, ''Largo de Santiago''). The chapel was built by Discovery Age seafarers, honoring
Saint Roch Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79 (traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327, also called Rock in English, is a Catholic saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he is especially invoked a ...
, but the Saint James veneration grew stronger due to a 15th-century icon of Saint James found at the nearby beach and kept in there. The way follows west of the chapel to the beach by
Rua da Junqueira Rua da Junqueira, mostly known simply as Junqueira, is a traditional shopping street in Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. The street, located in Póvoa de Varzim City Center, it is the main and the oldest shopping street of the city, with several b ...
, heading to Esposende,
Viana do Castelo Viana do Castelo () is a municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 88,725, in an area of 319.02 km². The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, ...
and
Caminha Caminha () is a municipality in the north-west of Portugal, 21 km north from Viana do Castelo, located in the Viana do Castelo District. The population in 2011 was 16,684, in an area of 136.52 km². Caminha is subdivided into 14 civil pa ...
before reaching the Spanish border. From Póvoa, a new route to the central way uses a
rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
leading directly to the Rates Monastery and passing throw churches dedicated to Saint James. Image:Mosteiro_Le%C3%A7a_Balio_by_Henrique_Matos_02.jpg, Monastery of Leça do Balio. Romanesque transitional to
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
. Image:Rio Ave com o Convento de Santa Clara ao fundo, Vila do Conde - panoramio.jpg, Monastery of Santa Clara in an area rich in Legacy architecture Image:Igreja de São João Baptista.jpg, The Portuguese late Gothic Matriz Church of Vila do Conde built during the pilgrimage of
Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, a ...
in 1502 Image:Porto L1180819 (24582491974).jpg, The Discovery Age carrack replica


The beach boardwalks

A contemporary version of the Coastal Way, pushed by German pilgrims, goes through Northern Portugal continuously along the sea, using beach walkways. This version of the Coastal Way is gaining importance, as the traditional route is increasingly urbanized and the new version is considered by some pilgrims to be more pleasant. As a form of respect for pilgrims on foot and local use, the use of bicycles is not allowed in some of these walkways. It follows a trend which started with
Hape Kerkeling Hans Peter Wilhelm "Hape" Kerkeling (; born 9 December 1964) is a German comedian, TV presenter, author, and actor. Career At secondary school in Recklinghausen, Hape Kerkeling and some fellow students formed a band (''Gesundfutter'', meanin ...
's book '' I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino De Santiago''. Image:Caminho Costa Portugues Povoa Varzim.JPG, A marking in a boardwalk of the Portuguese coastal way Image:Praia_de_Santo_André_Chorões.jpg, A boardwalk in Santo André, Póvoa de Varzim Image:Dunas Frontais Ofir Apulia.jpg, A 1,5 km way along the Sand dunes in Ofir, Esposende. Image:Pinheiro_bravo_Parque_Litoral.jpg, Maritime Pine forest in Fão, Esposende


The legend of Rates Monastery

Rates Rate or rates may refer to: Finance * Rates (tax), a type of taxation system in the United Kingdom used to fund local government * Exchange rate, rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another Mathematics and science * Rate (mathema ...
is considered a central site of the Portuguese Way and where pilgrims were most numerous. The way has been used since the Middle Ages and the ancient
monastery of Rates The Monastery of Rates ( pt, Mosteiro de Rates) was a Benedictine monastery located in the parish of Rates in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, in Portugal. The part of the monastery that has survived to this day is the bell-tower and, most ...
(rebuilt in 1100) gained importance due to the legend of Saint Peter of Rates. On the way to the Rates Monastery there is the medieval Dom Zameiro Bridge. It was (re)built in 1185 for an easy cross of the Ave river by medieval pilgrims. It is part of Roman Via Veteris and known in the Middle Ages as ''Karraria Antiqua'' (the old way); as such the bridge has Roman origin. The legend holds that Saint James ordained Peter as the first bishop of Braga in the year AD 44. Peter died as a martyr while attempting to convert local
pagans Pagans may refer to: * Paganism, a group of pre-Christian religions practiced in the Roman Empire * Modern Paganism, a group of contemporary religious practices * Order of the Vine, a druidic faction in the ''Thief'' video game series * Pagan's ...
to Christianity. The temple held a cadaver, which people believed was Saint Peter of Rates. The cadaver was transferred to Braga Cathedral in 1552. Rates is also the location of the first modern pilgrim hostel (''Albergue'') in the Portuguese way, before others opened up in the region.


Cávado river crossing

After leaving the monastery, the crossing of Cávado River was made using barges landing in Barca do Lago, which literally means "Lake's barge". The river was known in antiquity as ''Celadus''. The Brotherhood of Barca do Lago stated in 1635: "This passage is very popular and it is for more than 400 years in our peaceful possession". The Portuguese King Sancho II made the crossing there during a pilgrimage in 1244 and centuries later
King Manuel I Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, as ...
did the same in 1502. Currently, the crossing which replaces the barges in both the Coastal and the Coastal derivation of the central way is made through Ponte de Fão, built in 1892. A pilgrims' barge in Barco do Lago was reinstituted for recreational pilgrimages, with a replica of the "Barca de Carga" (Cargo's Barge) being launched in 2017. For pilgrims preferring the inland route, the crossing is made throw the Medieval Bridge of Barcelos, constructed between 1325 and 1328.


Neiva river crossing

Neiva river footbridge in Antas, Esposende. From Barca do Lago pilgrims head to the Neiva Castle. Currently lost, the Neiva was a Castro culture hillfort and early medieval castle that already existed when Afonso I of Portugal became king. It was located after crossing the Neiva river, known in antiquity as the ''Nebis'', named after the pagan river goddess
Nabia Nabia was the goddess of rivers and water in Gallaecian and Lusitanian mythology, in the territory of modern Galicia (Spain), Asturias (Spain) and Portugal. The present-day Navia River and Avia (river) in Galicia and Asturias, the Neiva River, ...
. Today, in the area, there's the Albergue de São Miguel in the locality of Marinhas in Esposende, prior to the crossing and the Monastery of São Romão de Neiva (1022), located after the crossing.


Lima river crossing

The crossing of the Lima River is made over the Eiffel bridge (1878) in the Coastal way, and previously by barge. The bridge and the town of
Viana do Castelo Viana do Castelo () is a municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 88,725, in an area of 319.02 km². The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, ...
are signed by the sighting of the Monument-Temple of Santa Luzia (1904) over a hilltop. The
Lantern tower In architecture, the lantern tower is a tall construction above the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church, with openings through which light from outside can shine down to the crossing (so it also called a crossing lante ...
of the sanctuary is where the pilgrim can see most of one's route in one of the most iconic views of Northern Portugal. Pilgrims were treated in the Old Hospital (''Hospital Velho'') of Viana do Castelo, an ancient hostel for pilgrims from early 15th century. In
Classical antiquity Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
, the Lima was said to have properties of memory loss due to events in an ancient battle there between the
Turduli The Turduli (Greek ''Tourduloi'') or Turtuli were an ancient pre-Roman people of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. Location The Turduli tribes lived mainly in the south and centre of modern Portugal – in the east of the provinces of Beira Li ...
and the
Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...
. Also known in antiquity as
Oblivion Oblivion may refer to: Film * ''Oblivion'' (1994 film), an American space Western * ''Oblivion'' (2013 film), an American post-apocalyptic science fiction film Literature * ''Oblivion'' (''Power of Five''), a 2012 novel by Anthony Horowitz * ...
,
Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
compared it to the mythological Lethe, the river of unmindfulness. Two ancient canoes found in Lanheses (
Viana do Castelo Viana do Castelo () is a municipality and seat of the district of Viana do Castelo in the Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 88,725, in an area of 319.02 km². The urbanized area of the municipality, comprising the city, ...
) and the itinerary of the ''Loca Maritima'' Roman way suggest that to be the site where the Roman soldiers were fearful of the crossing during the conquest of the region in 136 BC. For the inland route, Ponte de Lima's bridge is used. The later bridge possibly dates to the 1st century and was rebuilt in 1125. One of the most tiring parts of the Portuguese inland Way is in the Labruja hills in Ponte de Lima, which are hard to cross.


Minho river crossing

The Camino winds its way inland until it reaches the Portugal-Spain border at the Minho river through Valença, where international bridges exist, heading for a 108 km walk to Santiago, passing through Tui. In the coastal way, the way from Viana do Castelo leads to
Caminha Caminha () is a municipality in the north-west of Portugal, 21 km north from Viana do Castelo, located in the Viana do Castelo District. The population in 2011 was 16,684, in an area of 136.52 km². Caminha is subdivided into 14 civil pa ...
, reaching the town's Gothic keep of former Caminha fortifications and since the 17th century the town's clock tower. The contemporary crossing of the Minho on the coastal way makes use of the ferryboat in Caminha. The ferryboat heads to
A Guarda A Guarda is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra in the autonomous community of Galicia, in Spain. It is situated in the ''comarca'' of O Baixo Miño. Demography Colors= id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9) id:darkgrey value:gray(0.7) ...
, just across the river, in Galicia. From there pilgrims reach the seaside Monastery of Santa María de Oya (1185), located in
Oia Oia or OIA may refer to: Places *Oia, Spain, a municipality in Galicia, in the province of Pontevedra *Oia, Greece, a small town on the island of Santorini *Oia, alternate name of Oea (Attica), a town of ancient Attica *Oia, alternate name of Oe ...
. The way reaches Redondela, where the coastal way merges with the central way, leading to the medieval city of Pontevedra and, after crossing the Ulla river, there is the town of Padrón. This is 25 km from the final destination,
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...
(1122), the legendary burial place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
.


In Spain


References


External links


The Portuguese Coastal Way, institutional
{{DEFAULTSORT:Way Of St. James (Route Descriptions) Camino de Santiago routes Hiking trails in Portugal Hiking trails in Spain