Walking the Portuguese Camino: Vila do Conde to Esposende

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Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while (ok, since at least 2016!) will know that I have walked the Camino de Santiago from St Jean Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, over the course of 5 summers (but 7 years thanks to C*vid) and those who know me in real life will know that I have nothing but AMAZING things to say about this experience. So much so that, when a group of us finished the final leg in the summer of 2022, we all immediately started looking at different routes to walk. We completed a stage of the Camino del Norte in July 2024 (San Sebastián to Bilbao), in 2025 we walked from Bayonne to San Sebastián along the Atlantic Coast in France and Spain, and in the summer of 2026, we started the Portuguese Camino, walking from Porto (Portugal) to Baiona (Spain) over the course of 7 days. This is Day 2 of the walk!

Day 2: Vila do Conde > Esposende 28km (!)

Ok, had you told me that I’d be walking 28km on Day 2 of this trip I might have balked (and maybe got the bus part way!). For some reason, none of us had realised quite how long this day would be. How is that possible, you ask? Well, because there are various routes you can follow – the Coastal Route or the Senda Littoral – this one is literally right alongside the sea and a bit longer and it’s the one we/ some of us had chosen because it’s flat… So, heading into it, we only had a vague idea of the mileage but no idea how long and hot the walk would be. Probably for the best!

We left Vila do Conde at a decent hour when the sun was still hidden so it was a nice cool start…

Soon, though, the sun came up and we found ourselves back beside the beach.

Easy for navigation, at least!

We had a bit of a pit stop in Póvoa de Varzim as one of our group had a friend living there. It’s a cute seaside town…

Bronze statue of a girl in a dress and boots, standing on a stone pedestal beside a large rust-colored arch. Carnival float with green wave shapes, white foam, and a statue in a boat at a public square. White historic building with stone corners and wrought-iron balcony railings against a blue sky with scattered clouds on a cobblestone plaza. Warning sign: person on a wave inside a red triangle; text reads 'Perigo de alagamento' ('Danger: Overwash Occurrence'); Póvoa de Varzim label at bottom. Bronze statue group of six people on a stepped stone pedestal beside a granite memorial wall under a blue sky; outdoor memorial sculpture.

Though we were just about 7km in here, we had our first stop of the day with a beach view…

Empty sandy beach with rows of wooden frame shelters extending toward the ocean; a sign reading 'FILA 3' marks the path; foreground stacked planks and a tarped cover.

But with many km to go still, we pushed on…

Seaside promenade along a sandy beach with a tall streetlight, red lifebuoy station, and buildings in the distance beneath a blue sky. Beach scene with a red-and-white striped beacon near the shore, a wooden railing in the foreground, and blue ocean under a cloudy sky. Two hikers wearing beige fedoras and backpacks walk along a wooden boardwalk toward the beach on a sunny day.”,

All along the coast but hey – easy to figure out the route and not get lost, right?

According to the map, there was another 8km before our lunch stop but my goodness, it felt longer…

Person standing on a wooden boardwalk with two trail signs on a stone wall ahead (blue sign with arrow and shell, brown sign). People walk along a wooden coastal boardwalk toward a distant horizon under a blue sky with scattered clouds Wooden fence along a sandy beach with a blue directional sign featuring a yellow arrow and scallop shell. Sunny coastal scene with blue sky, calm ocean, rocky shoreline, sandy foreground with yellow flowers, and a concrete seawall on the left. Wooden boardwalk along coastal dunes with railings, leading to a distant group of people under a blue sky. Wooden boardwalk railing along a sandy beach with blue ocean under a clear sky.

Once again, the boardwalks provided cushioning for our feet but no shelter from either the sun or the wind, which was, again, relentless… Here’s Colin getting info about how far the lunch stop was 😉

Two men sit by a concrete wall while a small white and brown dog on a leash stands between them; the man in blue is taking a photo with his phone.Colorful ribbons and trinkets tied to a wire fence along a beachfront boardwalk.

Finally we arrived in Aguçadoura where it seemed all the locals were sitting down to Sunday lunch too. We scored big in the veggie department though…

Bowl of mixed salad with tomato slices around the rim, cucumber rounds, shredded carrots, onions, olives, and greens in the center.

With some cheeses, meats and melon, this was a perfect lunch for most of us. Some of us had sardines (ahem, Neil). In any case, we felt fortified for the next 15km (!!!!). 15km AFTER lunch on a Camino day means it’s a tough one…

This afternoon felt NEVER ENDING… Along the beach, it was very hot and windy…

Sunny beach with blue ocean, grassy dune in foreground and a small red-yellow flag on the sand. Wooden boardwalk with railings extending toward a row of houses in a coastal neighborhood under a blue sky. Wooden boardwalk through sandy dunes toward a small tower at the end on a sunny day.

Finally, we moved away from the beach and inland a bit. No wind here but still no shade…

Two hikers with backpacks walk away along a cobblestone rural road under a clear blue sky, power lines overhead. Group of four hikers with backpacks walking along a cobblestone rural road under a clear blue sky.

This was a more interesting route as we wound our way through small villages – there was more to look at than just the sea/ sand. SO it (kinda but not really) made the time go a bit faster…

Later that afternoon, we arrived in pretty Apúila where there was a requisite washroom break and church visit!

Front view of a white church with two tall bell towers, clocks, a central niche statue, and a blue door on a sunny day.

At this point we had already done about 20km according to our watches and it felt impossible that there was still so much of the day to go… On we pushed…

A little bit of off-roading…

Sunlit dirt hiking trail through a pine forest with a yellow arrow trail marker on a post and hikers ahead. Two-track dirt trail winding through a sunny, wooded path with grasses in the center and tall trees and shrubs on both sides. A clear blue sky above.

And then…

Three pedestrians walk along a sunlit stone sidewalk beside a road; a small brown metal utility box with a white hammer symbol is set into the curb near the edge of the path.

Esposende in sight!

Person wearing a hat and backpack walking along a tree‑line sidewalk beside a red bike lane on a sunny day. Coastal marsh with green grasses and shrubs along shallow tidal pools under a clear blue sky. Sunlit seaside boardwalk with a jogger in a hat, railing on the left, and tree shadows across the pavement.

On this particular day, our hotel was situated on the *other* side of town – read: an extra km or thereabouts which doesn’t sound long but after such a long day, every step makes a difference! This was perfect for the following morning setting off but not so perfect for arrival!

Garmin smartwatch on a wrist showing running stats: 28.12 km, pace 13:44/km, 959 kcal, with Done at bottom. Indoor tiled floor visible.

Ouf!

This was the only town I didn’t get out to explore a bit during this year’s trip – typically I will take a wander around after we arrive before dinner. However…

Hotel pool area with blue water, white umbrellas and lounge chairs, and a white multi-story building with arches in the background.

A surprise swimming pool caught my attention…

Cocktail glass with ice and a lemon wedge sitting on a poolside stone ledge at a sunny resort pool.

With a giant Port and Tonic to boot!  A perfect way to end the long day!

Even more perfect? A tiny sports bar next to our hotel who we convinced to show the World Cup match with Canada playing! Cold beer, kind staff and meals with salads just 50m from our hotel rooms? What more could we ask for?!

Plate with a sunny-side-up egg over ham, surrounded by French fries, hash browns, and a fresh green salad with tomato slices.

Stay tuned to see how we fared the next day…

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Disclosure: I researched Camino tour operators independently and chose the Camino Travel Center based on a number of features such as flexibility to accommodate a couple of “splits” in some of the longer days, price, and customer service. They were, in fact, the first company I came across in my very first Google search and the one I ended up booking with. From the initial inquiry to the actual trips, they have been a pleasure to deal with and we have been very impressed with the service provided (bag transportation) and the accommodation choices. I was not compensated to write about this trip in any way but I love sharing companies and products I believe in with my readers. I couldn’t recommend the Camino Travel Center more highly. 

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