There’s something addictive about walking the Camino de Santiago. Ask anyone who has undertaken one and they will most likely tell you they’d love to do another.
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When I decided to walk the Portuguese Camino again, I knew I wanted to stay as close to the sea as possible. That’s why I chose the Litoral Way (Senda Litoral in Portuguese and Spanish), a truly coastal variant of the Camino that hugs the Atlantic between Porto and Vigo.
Unlike the official “Coastal Camino”, which frequently veers inland and left me feeling rather short-changed, this one delivered the sea air, the beaches, the boardwalks, the fishing villages and the charm I was hoping for.
This is an honest and practical account of my experience on the Litoral Way, and how I tailored the route to suit our pace, energy, availability and interests.
Each typical stage between Porto and Vigo is covered, including highlights, tips, and points of interest. I’ve also drawn on my previous Caminos and trips along this stretch of coast to talk about the parts we didn’t walk on this trip, giving you the benefit of extra insights and options.
At the end of this guide, you’ll find overall planning tips and resources. There’s also information after every stage about where we stayed and availability of facilities.
Overall impressions of the Litoral Way
The Senda Litoral gave us (4 women aged between 54 and 72) everything we were hoping for: beautiful coastal scenery, sandy beaches, nature reserves, charming villages and plenty of time for reflection and fun.
Even though I was already familiar with much of the coastline, there were plenty of beautiful beaches that were new to me and which I enjoyed more than some of the inland sections of the official Coastal Camino.
That said, it felt less “Camino-like” than other routes I’ve walked, despite meeting plenty of fellow “pilgrims”. The terrain is more urban and developed in parts – lots of boardwalks, seaside promenades and cycle paths, and fewer rural villages, forests and agricultural areas.
Is the Senda Litoral right for you?
If you enjoy ocean views, boardwalks, quiet fishing villages, varied coastlines and historical towns, you’ll likely fall in love with this route.
All the Portuguese Camino routes merge in Redondela so you’ll get your dose of rural Galicia and greenery over the following few days of walking if you continue on to Santiago de Compostela.
In terms of distance, the Senda Litoral (284.5 km / 177 miles from Porto) is longer than the Coastal Camino (257 km / 160 miles from Porto, unless you choose to skip sections by taking a taxi or bus.
Still not sure which Portuguese Camino to choose? Read my comprehensive guide to the Portuguese Camino to help you decide.
Read on to find out more about the route, broken into possible stages or walking days…
Porto to Matosinhos (approx 11 km / 7 miles)
Even though this is a relatively short stage, there’s quite a lot to see and do so unless you’re short on time, it’s worth walking this section for the views and to do some sightseeing along the way. (I’ve walked this on a previous occasion so we skipped it on this trip.)
👉 See my Things to Do in Porto article if you want to explore the city before setting off. Ideally allow at least a day in Porto before starting your Camino.
Start walking from Porto cathedral, following the Camino markers through the medieval streets to the Douro River. You’ll soon pass by the Miragaia neighbourhood, which is a cluster of traditonal stone houses near the former customs building (Alfândega) and Porto Tram Museum.
The Arrábida Bridge was an amazing feat of engineering for its time. It’s also possible to do a bridge climb for amazing views of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia if you book in advance.
On your way to the mouth of the Douro, look out for a fishing quay, birdwatching station, the pretty gardens of Jardim do Passeio Alegre, Felgueiras lighthouse and a small fortress on your right.
From here, walk along the promenade and boardwalk to reach what the locals call Castelo do Queijo (Castle of Cheese). It’s actually the 17th century São Francisco Xavier Fortress, which was bulit on a rocky outcrop that is shaped like a Portuguese cheese.
From here, you’ll be entering Matosinhos.
👉 Read: The Best Things To Do In Matosinhos.
Practicalities for the Porto – Matosinhos section of the Senda Litoral
It’s all flat terrain so no need for rugged footwear.
There are plenty of eateries along this route so no need to carry extra supplies unless you want to. In terms of accommodation, Matosinhos has more options than Leça da Palmeira, which is just a little further north.
Matosinhos to Vila do Conde (approx 23 km / 14 miles if you do the whole thing)
We reduced this stage to 19.5 km / 12 miles by starting from Capela da Boa Nova (we took an Uber from our hotel in Porto). Despite the ugly refinery on the right, the chapel and lighthouse on the rocks made for a great start for our 2025 Camino.
At Praia da Memória, look out for the striking obelisk that marks the 1832 landing of King Pedro IV and his troops, an event that reshaped Portugal’s future.
There are a couple of fishing villages on this section, the first being Angeiras, where a cluster of boats and fishing equipment line the beach, backed by a row of colourful cottages. A slightly smaller community is in Vila Chã, a few kilometres ahead.
The coastline along this stage largely consists of a string of sandy beaches with interesting rock formations and colourful wildflowers, in May at least. There are plenty of information boards about local flora, fauna and history.
At Mindelo, the boardwalk heads away from the beach, through a nature reserve. After that, it’s a short walk through the increasingly urban surrounds of Vila do Conde to the bridge over the River Ave.
Vila do Conde has a small but attractive historical centre. Even if you’re staying near the coast or river, it’s worth exploring, especially to see the beautiful parish church.
The town is known for its shipbuilding and lace making industries and there are a few small museums where you can learn more about the local culture and history. You can even go aboard a replica 16th ship and visit the former customs house.
Practicalities for walking from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde
There are several places to eat and drink on this route, although many of the beach bars and restaurants are seasonal so bear this in mind, depending on your dates.
There are no hills or challenging terrain.
Vila do Conde has a range of accommodation. We picked Naval Guesthouse based on its convenient location. As it happened, this was fortuitous. Despite the very small rooms, the bathrooms had dehumidifiers, which meant that our wet clothes and shoes dried completely overnight.
Casa do Rio Charm Suites is much nicer, and just around the corner. I’ve also stayed at the more traditional 3 star Hotel Brazão a few times and would happily do so again.
Vila do Conde to Apúlia (19.4 km / 12 miles)
When I did the official Coastal Camino, I remember feeling frustrated at having to walk 4 km through residential neighbourhoods to reach Póvoa da Varzim, not once glimpsing the ocean.
On the Litoral Way, it’s a very different, and much more pleasant, story. We followed the River Ave, passing the replica wooden ship and the mural dedicated to the local cod industry. At the mouth of the river, there’s a small chapel (dedicated to Our Lady of the Guide) and St. John the Baptist Fort.
As we followed the sandy beach towards Póvoa Varzim, we joined fellow pilgrims and many locals using the promenade for exercise.
Póvoa da Varzim celebrates is fishing culture in various ways, including a photographic tribute to the town’s fishing community near the marina and a mural of painted tile panels that depicts scenes of traditional fish-related activities as well as the hardships endured.
Tip: At Praia do Fragosinho, take the boardwalk on the left just after Restaurante Gosi to walk by the sand instead of the road.
The Litoral Way passes more sandy beaches until Aguçadora, at which point, it follows a long raised boardwalk through market gardens to the outskirts of Apúlia.
Tip: Once you’re on the cobbled road after the long boardwalk, you’ll reach a point where the Camino signs point straight ahead into a patch of pine forest but to stay on the Litoral Way, you need to bear left. At this point, I found the Camino Ninja App and Google Maps to be helpful, especially as we navigated the small streets leading to our hotel.
Apúlia has a small beach and is a pleasant low-key town with no major sights. You may wish to visit the Museu do Sargaço, a small space dedicated to the history of the seaweed collectors of the area.
Practicalities for the Vila do Conde to Apúlia section
Our first coffee stop was the delightful Pôr do Sol beach bar at Caxinhas.
We made a slight detour into Areosa to Restaurante O Marcelinho for lunch. This proved to be an excellent choice, with great meat and fish dishes at a reasonable price, in a typical non-touristy restaurant.
There are no cafés or restaurants between Praia da Barranha and Apúlia so if you need refreshments, plan accordingly.
We stayed at the 3 star Apúlia Praia Hotel, which had spacious rooms and a decent breakfast. There are a couple of great cafés right next door. Tosco is tiny, but serves delicious pastries, quiche and salad. Pascua is more traditional and spacious but great value for money.
If you are looking for a decent meal, Restaurante Paredão, behind the fish market, serves amazing octopus, among other things.
Other accommodation in Apúlia tends to be apartments so if you can’t get a room at the hotel, you might need to rethink your stages and stay elsewhere.
Apúlia to Esposende (approx 9 km / 5.5 miles)
The distance from Apúlia to Viana do Castelo is 34.4 km / over 21 miles, which is too much for us in one day. We decided early on that we would take a taxi from Esposende and spend the afternoon in Viana do Castelo, our plans to take a rest day there having been thwarted by accommodation restrictions.
As we set off from Apúlia on a cloudy morning, we caught some trading action at the local fish market. Next up was a string of stone windmills overlookng an attractive rocky beach and accessible via a boardwalk.
We then followed the road as it veered inland, through green spaces, which made a pleasant change of scenery. We continued through the village of Fão to the banks of the Cávado River, which offers views upstream, and across to the mountains.
A kind runner took a picture of us sprawled on a painted sign on the road just after the bridge.
Unlike the official Coastal Camino, which takes you through the streets of Esposende, the Litoral Way hugs the river. This allows you to enjoy views of the nature reserve, see one of renowned urban artist Vhils’ pieces, and to observe activity on the fishing harbour as well as enjoy the waterfront walkways and park areas.
Tip: If this is your only opportunity to see Esposende, a short detour upon reaching the marina will allow you to see the historical highlights, including the parish church.
👉 Learn more about Esposende’s charms in this article.
Practicalities from Apúlia to Esposende
If you want a café/bakery in Fão that serves the traditional local cakes (Clarinhas de Fão), aim for Pastelaria Clarinhas.
There are multiple options for food and supplies in Esposende, depending on how far off the trail you want to venture.
Esposende to Viana do Castelo (about 24 km / 15 miles)
I had already walked this route on a different walking holiday so we skipped it this time. You can do this stage in a day if you are reasonably fit, or just go as far as Amorosa (approx 16 km from Esposende) and take a taxi from there into Viana, perhaps after spending some time at the beach.
Again, the Litoral Way differs from the Official Coastal Camino by following the Ecovia through the dunes between beaches and fields, including the pebbly Praia de Belinho, crossing the River Neiva via a footbridge. This avoids a significant hill.
From Praia de Lourdelo, unless the ecovia has been extended, you will have briefly cut inland to reach Amorosa. From here, follow the trail through the trees and bushes until it brings you out at the river beach in Darque. Now all you need to do is walk across the iron bridge over the River Lima and you’ll be in Viana do Castelo.
Tip: If you want to spend time at the beach in Viana, it may be best to do that on the sands of Praia de Luzia Mar or Praia do Cabedelo, which has a beach bar and other facilities. Otherwise, the closest beach north of the River Lima is Praia do Norte, which is very small. If you’re tired of walking, there is a ferry across the river, which runs more or less hourly.
Viana do Castelo is one of my favourite towns in Portugal, with lots of history, character and things to see and do. Well worth a rest day if you have the time.
👉 Read: 6 Unique Things To Do In Viana Do Castelo
Practicalities for the Esposende to Viana do Castelo stage
Waymarkers are a bit lacking in some places. If in doubt, keep the ocean to your left unless it’s obvious that you can’t go that way.
After cepães, there are no cafés or facilities until you reach Praia de Castelo do Neiva, where there are some options close to the route. Amorosa has a few eateries and grocery stores.
There is a hotel in Amorosa if needed, but Viana do Castelo has many more options. We stayed at Hotel Laranjeira this time and found it to be comfortable and spacious and in a great location.
Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Âncora (19.4 km / 12 miles)
This was an enjoyable day with variation in landscape so it wasn’t all beach vibes.
As we left the city behind, we passed the fortress and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Agony, Viana’s patron saint. We also noticed several of Ricardo Ferreira’s mosaic artworks, which depict local traditions and culture.
At Praia do Norte, we joined the ecovia again, passing yet another fortress (Vinha Fort) and some stone windmills as well as plenty of flowers.
Just before heading inland at the village of Montedor, look out for the iron age salt pans in the rocks. The cobbled roads of the village soon give way to a path that leads through a delightful patch of forest and then through fields back to the ocean, via another fortress.
A tunnel of trees on the way to Afife beach, one of my favourite beaches in Portugal, offered some welcome shade. Once the boardwalk ran out, we followed a cobbled road through the fields for a short while until we found a path through the trees that emerges at Forte do Cão.
The boardwalk between here and the mouth of the River Âncora was partially covered in sand but much easier than having to walk across the massive beach! We entered the fishing village of Vila Praia de Âncora alongside the river and, after dumping stuff at the hotel, I was straight back down to the beach to swim in its calm fresh water, with views of the d’Arga Mountains in the distance.
Aside from the parish church, the fortress and the fish market, there are no major sights in this low key beach town, which is pleasantly calm outside the hectic summer months of July and August.
Practicalities for the Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Âncora stage
We had a welcome coffee stop at Areia Cozinha na Praia at Praia de Carreço, a colourful establishment that also serves meals and has a friendly atmosphere. The next opportunity for refreshments on the trail was at Afife beach; Bazar Laranjo is a snack bar and shop that sells all manner of items.
In terms of accommodation, there is a limited range of options, mostly guesthouses, apartments and a couple of hotels. I’ve always stayed at the 4-star Hotel Meira, which is good, if somewhat overpriced.
Vila Praia de Âncora to A Guarda (approx 19 km / 12 miles)
From Vila Praia de Âncora, the walk to Caminha is pretty straightforward, following the yellow ecovia along the rocky shoreline to Moledo Beach then cutting through the pine forest to reach the mouth of the River Minho. If you’re lucky, you might see some goats.
I love the views from the estuary, across to Spain and to the mountains of Portugal, with fishing boats bobbing in the water at high tide or birds wading at low tide. We were lucky enough to spot some spoonbills on our way to the historical centre of Caminha.
Towards the far end of the riverside avenue, cut right at the post office (CTT) to reach the main square, Praça do Concelheiro Silva Torres, which boasts a magnificent stone fountain and is flanked by the medieval clock tower and former town hall building.
If you have time, Caminha is another small town worth exploring. You could even take a rest day here if it fits better with your plans.
👉 Find out more in this article about Things To Do In Caminha. A new and worthwhile discovery for me, thanks to a tip from a reader, was Nettie Burnett’s art studio.
From Caminha, your options for continuing the Camino are to:
a) cross the river and head to A Guarda or
b) follow the Coastal Camino to Valença and join up with the Central route from there (allow 1-2 days to reach Valença)
Boat transfers across the River Minho
The ferry that used to run between Caminha and Spain has been out of action for a few years now so the service is provided by small local boats. Since we were doing option a), we prebooked the Xacobeo Transfer service.
On the day, we were approached by several people offering boat transfers from Moldeo and Caminha. Although crossing at Moledo would shave a few kilometres off your walking day, I’m glad we took the trip from the Caminha ferry terminal as it allowed us to enjoy old town Caminha and see some beautiful river beaches on the north bank.
On the Galician side of the river, from the ferry terminal, the official Coastal Camino heads through a patch of eucalyptus forest into A Guarda; a rather uninspiring stretch of Camino to be honest. The Litoral Way bears left around the headland and, after a small industrial zone, is wonderful. The aforementioned river beaches are backed by pine trees and absolutely beautiful.
At the mouth of the river, some of these pine trees are painted with partial petroglyph patterns, like the ones found in the hilltop Celtic settlement of Santa Trega, the ruins of which are preserved on top of the hill. At first, I didn’t understand the significance until I realised that if you stand at indicated points on the trail, they align to form the complete image.
Once you turn the corner after the petroglyph trees, the shoreline changes completely to dramatic rock formations, backed by greenery. It’s a beautiful way to approach A Guarda, which looks particularly colourful and attractive from a distance. Look out for the shellfish nursery revealed by the waves.
Practicalities for walking from Vila Praia de Âncora to A Guarda
There are cafés in Moledo and plenty of eateries and shops / services in Caminha.
We had lunch in Caminha before crossing to Spain but there are options for food at a few places on the way to the mouth of the river. Once you turn the corner to head north, there’s nothing until you hit A Guarda.
Several boat companies offer to take you across the river. As mentioned above, we opted for Xacobeo Transfers.
We chose A Guarda for our rest day base and opted to do that in comfort at the Hotel Convento San Benedito, which was a lovely historical hotel with a fabulous breakfast.
A Guarda to Oia (13 km / 8 miles)
I booked accommodation a few kilometres north of the village of Oia. None of us fancied walking the full 25 km from A Guarda to Baiona, especially as there are several stretches on the main road. We ended up walking as far as Oia, stopping for lunch and taking a taxi to our hotel in As Marinhas, skipping about 12 km.
The Coastal Camino passes through the historical centre of A Guarda to the small beaches north of the town and on to a beautiful rugged section of coastline. There we encountered a man in traditional costume, playing the bagpipes, next to the ruins of a shellfish nursery.
From there, the dirt path leads through greenery before joining the main road for a while. You soon leave the road again to pass through more woodland and the hamlet of Portecelos, where there’s a conveniently-located pilgrim-oriented café.
After another few pleasant kilometres, there’s another couple of short stretches on the main road before returning towards the ocean via a delightful Meditation Garden and then descending into the village of Oia.
Oia’s granite cottages and ancient buildings are largely well kept, making it an attractive traditional coastal village, and a popular destination for daytrippers as well as pilgrims. The beach is quite small and backed by an imposing 12th century Cistercian monastery, which appears to be closed to the public at the moment, although you can read about it here.
Practicalities between A Guarda and Oia (or a bit further)
Cafetaria Horizonte is conveniently located at around 6 km north of A Guarda. In Oia, there is a small selection of cafés and restaurants – we were lucky to get a waterfront table in the garden at Tapería A Camboa but if you’re hitting a weekend lunchtime, it might be a good idea to book ahead.
There are a variety of places to stay in and around Oia. If you are happy to walk a bit further, you could stay in Viladesuso (approx 17 km from A Guarda) or Mougás (approx 19 km).
We chose to stay at the 4-star Hotel Talasso Atlántico in As Marinha (25 km from A Guarda), where we took full advantage of the hydrospa pool circuit to massage our aching bodies (book ahead). There is a restaurant on site.
The local taxi driver is located at the launderette in Oia.
Oia to Baiona (19 km / 12 miles if you walk the whole way)
We set off from our hotel in As Marinhas so this was a short walking day for us (approx 10 km / 6 miles).
As mentioned, there’s a fair amount of road walking north of Mougas so, if you’ve already walked a few kilometres, by the time you reach the right turn to climb the hill and cut the corner of the headland, it comes as a welcome relief.
We had to backtrack from our hotel in As Marinha to reach this turning the next morning but it seemed preferable to continuing along the road around the headland.
My only regret is that we missed the sea glass beach at Silleiro. I only found out about it when we were in Baiona, which was annoying because Dori and I had walked down to a rocky beach near our hotel to watch the waves, spotting a mink while we were there, and even continued along the road to see the Silleiro lighthouse. We were only metres away from the sea glass beach at that point!
I still think we made the right call to cross the hill instead of following the road. The ancient stone path took us through the trees and we emerged in a hamlet, all of which felt much more Camino-like.
The descent into Baiona begins at Cabreiro, following backroads through villages and then the outskirts of the town. Two ancient churches stand at the entrance to Baiona’s historical centre and are well worth popping into. I enjoyed spotting stone engravings in St. Mary’s Church, as well as the rose window.
Baiona is another place that makes for an excellent rest day, with beautiful beaches, great tapas restaurants and some interesting historical features including a replica of the Pinta ship used in Christopher Columbus’ expedition in 1492.
We were staying just beyond the town centre, in Sabaris, so we spent time on the silver sand Ladeira beach before heading to our hotel.
Practicalities for the Oia to Baiona stage
Between Oia and the turn off for the hill shortly after Mougás, there are a few restaurants and a couple of cafés. If you climb the hill, the first place for refreshments is A Casa do Peixe, which is more of a makeshift establishment but very welcoming. After that, you’ll need to wait until you reach Baiona.
Baiona offers a wide range of accommodation, from the Parador on the peninsula to the pilgrim albergue.
In the past, I’ve stayed at Hotel Tres Carabelas and Hotel Carabela La Pinta in the historical centre, which are clean, comfortable and pleasant enough. This time, we chose to walk a little further (3 km) on from Baiona and stayed at Hotel Arce in Sabaris, which is surprisingly good value for money and very comfortable.
Baiona to Vigo (about 27 km / 16.5 miles if you walk it all)
I think this was my favourite stage for the range of beaches.
We walked about 15 km from our hotel in Sabaris to Playa Samil then took a taxi into old town Vigo, cutting approximately 8 km / 5 miles. The part we walked was perhaps my favourite section of the whole Litoral Way.
Leaving Baiona beside the water is picturesque, with views of beaches, boats and green hills in the background. By Sabaris, the landscape changes to a tidal wetland, which is great for birdlife.
Tip: When you reach the Ramallosa bridge, make a slight detour to use the ancient Romanesque bridge instead of the road bridge. The old one is not only picturesque and tied to local fertility rites, it’s also said that St Telmo parted the clouds to save the bridge from being destroyed in a storm.
It’s easy to return to the waterfront at the roundabout and continue this picturesque route.
You’ll cut across a couple of headlands and see some stunning beaches, starting with Playa America. There are a couple of times when it’s necessary to walk across the sand to rejoin the path, or walk along a main road, but these are not for long distances.
There were a few more inclines on this day than on previous stages but nothing too long or demanding.
One of our favourite beaches was the tiny cove of Playa do Portiño, although the ones around Canido are also stunning, with white sands, cool rock formations and turquoise waters. You may wish to skip the nudist beach though.
We also passed some Roman ruins, which are visible from the roadside, with information about the history (in Spanish but you can take a photo and use Google Lens or ChatGPT to translate).
We chose to stop at Playa de Samil and enjoy some time at the beach instead of getting overtired, especially as the last few kilometres into Vigo is rather industrial.
Although Vigo is not the most attractive of cities once you’re away from the small historical centre, the old town is pretty, and interesting, as we discovered on a Vigo walking tour.
We also spent an extra day there so that we could take a boat to the Cies Islands – a “must do” if ever there was one.
Practicalities for the Baiona to Vigo stage
There are plenty of cafés and restaurants along the route so just make sure you have some water with you on hot days. You will need to walk on loose sand at times.
There are buses from Playa de Samil to Vigo if you don’t want to pay for a taxi. We called the taxi number on the public information board at the beach.
Vigo has all manner of accommodations to offer. On my previous Coastal Camino, I stayed on the busy Avenida Gran Via and was not enamoured with the city. This time, I booked the great value Hotel Maroa, between the old town and the marina, and now have a much better impression of Vigo. The breakfast was well worth the money too!
Vigo and beyond
The route between Vigo and Redondela (16 km / 10 miles) is inland but offers views of the Ria de Vigo and the floating mussel farms. I’ve walked it before on the Coastal Camino so chose not to do it again.
👉 Read about this section in my guide to the Coastal Camino
All of the Portuguese Caminos merge in the town of Redondela and become the Central Camino.
👉 You can read about the stages between Redondela and Santiago de Compostela in this guide.
Planning and logistics for the Senda Litoral Camino
Independent vs tour operator
In the past, I had organised my Caminos through a specialist local tour operator, leaving the logistics of stage distances, accommodation and luggage transfers to them.
Note: Although this company don’t emphasise the Senda Litoral in their roadbooks, there’s nothing to stop you using their services for the logistics and emergency support while opting to stay beside the coast. Many of the lodgings are in the same towns but the distances for each stage are different on the Senda Litoral so you may need to add in some extra days.
👉 Make an enquiry with a local tour operator
Having previously walked parts of this coastal section, I felt confident about taking a DIY approach this time, with the help of a few resources. I walked with three friends and our main aim was to enjoy the experience of walking beside the water at a leisurely pace, with time to relax and unwind in the evenings.
Accommodation on the Senda Litoral
As with the other Camino routes north of Porto, there is a wide range of accommodation available along the trail, especially in beach towns. Obviously the smaller places have fewer options and therefore limited availability.
I tend to use Booking.com to search for and book accommodations wherever I’m travelling.
Tip: Try to cross-reference the location of your accommodation with the actual Camino route to avoid adding unwanted kilometres to your day.
I have no desire to sleep in a crowded albergue (pilgrim hostel). Coping with my friend’s snoring is bad enough, without being in a roomful of tired pilgrims! We also wanted the luxury of our own bathroom and the ease of an onsite buffet breakfast.
We chose to go in May, which is typically one of the most popular months for the Camino, so I wanted to make sure we had a bed lined up for us each day. This is also essential for arranging luggage transfers. I booked our hotels several months in advance but even so, there were a couple of dates that were tricky due to an event in Viana do Castelo.
If you are more free-spirited, you can “wing it”, if you are carrying your gear, but you’ll need to be much more flexible about the standard and location of your lodging.
Pilgrim hostels often operate on a first come, first served basis, meaning early starts to bag a bed.
Luggage transfers
Luggage transfers were a no-brainer to avoid aggravating our dodgy hips and backs, even if the die hard pilgrims call us “Gucci pilgrims”. You’re welcome to carry your own pack if you like but unless you are doing the Camino as a form of penance, or want maximum flexibility as to where you spend each night, I would think long and hard before doing so.
👉 See my tips for packing for the Camino
Don’t let anyone judge you, whichever choice you make. It’s YOUR Camino so do what’s best for you.
Taxis and skipping ahead
We used taxis to keep our daily distances to an average of 16 km (10 miles) and skip some of the less appealing sections. We found local taxi numbers at the ferry station in A Guarda, and at the taxi stop in Oia. In Porto and Esposende, we were able to use Uber.
Qualifying for the Compostela pilgrim certificate
If you are walking all the way to Santiago de Compostela, you will still be able to qualify for your compostela certificate as long as you can prove that you have walked at least 100 continuous kilometres on an official route, with the final stage being to the cathedral.
Weather
Apart from getting caught in a few downpours on our first walking day, we were really lucky with the weather. Temperatures, mid-May, were in the early 20ºCs and it wasn’t too windy. If the weather is terrible, it would probably be less blustery if you are away from the coast, in which case, you could switch to the official Coastal Camino.
👉 If you’re not sure about the best time of year to do the Portuguese Camino, check out my full guide to help you decide.
Useful resources for planning and while walking
I already have a copy of John Brierley’s Pilgrim’s Guide To The Camino Português so I downoaded the updated pages for the Senda Litoral from his website. I found the maps helpful to plan ahead for café and lunch stops, and to estimate distances.
With hindsight, I should have used the Camino Ninja app earlier on in my planning because it calculates the distances between places more accurately than my guestimates using the Brierley maps. It was also handy for checking that we were on the right track in places where Camino signage was missing.
The Senda Litoral is not as well-marked as the other routes but the general rule of keeping the sea on our left worked well.
Although the Camino Ninja App indicates which towns and villages have cafés, restaurants, supermarkets, ATMs etc., it doesn’t tell you exactly where they are. For that, I needed to use Google Maps, which enabled me to check review scores before choosing which establishment to head for.
Note: Camino Ninja’s route currently still takes you through Castelo do Neiva from Esposende to Viana do Castelo. Stick to the Ecovia Litoral instead if you want to stay coastal.
Physical training and preparation
If you stick to the coast, you’ll find very few hills between Porto and Vigo and the terrain is mostly boardwalk, eco trails and backroads, with a few uneven dirt paths and short sections along bigger roads.
The rationale behind choosing to do this Camino in May was so that we could get more training in during the spring. When we did the Santiago to Finisterre and Múxia Camino, it was September/October and we hadn’t done much walking preparation during the summer because it was too hot.
As it happened, 2025 was one of the wettest springs in Portugal ever so we didn’t get as much training in as we’d planned. Nevertheless, we all keep pretty fit and active in other ways (gym, yoga, dance) and our distances were manageable so we coped well, despite not feeling as super fit as we would have liked.
👉 Read this guide for more tips on training and looking after your body before and during a Camino
Packing for the Camino Senda Litoral
As I mentioned above, the coastal sections didn’t require heavy walking boots. We wore a mix of walking sandals, trainers, walking shoes and walking boots, depending on individual needs.
I usually like to walk in something sturdy and supportive, like my Merrel MOAB 3s but recently, my bunions have been playing up and I had to switch to my walking sandals on the second day. Overall, I found my Sketchers trainers to be the most comfortable, and perfectly adequate for the surfaces we were walking on. I’m not sure that I would want to wear them for the inland sections though. Extensive duty on cobblestones and rugged dirt paths might be pushing their comfort levels a bit too far and they don’t have any serious grip or cushioning / shock absorption.
Clothing-wise, some of us wore shorts every day. I varied between quick-dry walking trousers and shorts, depending on the temperature and likelihood of rain.
Although the route was mostly flat, I used my walking poles every day – they help distribute the effort and take the pressure off my hips. They’re also helpful for navigating steep or boggy sections. Use the rubber tips to muffle the sound though, otherwise you’ll drive yourself and other walkers crazy!
👉 See my detailed guide to packing for the Camino
Refreshments along the Senda Litoral / Litoral Way
I was suprised to find that even in mid May, not all of the beach bars were operational. On a couple of days, we had to walk over 9 km before reaching a café (coffee stops are an important component of our Caminos!).
I always carry plenty of water and a few snacks, just in case, but most of the time, we found supplies en route. It’s worth checking ahead, using Google Maps to reference opening times, and to see where you might find lunch so that you know whether or not you need to take sandwiches or other supplies with you.
👉 Further reading: Portuguese Camino From Porto To Santiago de Compostela – All You Need To Know
