Porto – Vilarinho

Our suggestion is to finish in Vilarinho, a town located just over 26km away. However, there are not many lodging options, so it is also possible to finish 1.6 km earlier, in Vairão. There you can stay at the pilgrims' hostel of the Vairao Monastery. It is also possible to extend it to São Pedro de Rates, with more services than Vilarinho, but which would mean traveling about 10km more.
This first stage is well signposted and does not present great difficulties in its route, which runs mostly through urban areas.
The starting point of the Portuguese Way in Porto is Carlos Alberto Square. Of medieval origin, this charming square is very close to the Carmo church, famous for its mosaic of blue tiles. From there, we start the route along the commercial Rua de Cedofeita towards the north.

Many pilgrims, however, decide to start from the top of the Cathedral of Porto, the starting point of the variant along the coast. This will allow you to cross the beautiful Portuguese city, directing your steps to Aliados and the Torre dos Clérigos. From there you just have to go to Carlos Alberto square and follow Cedofeita to leave Porto.

The urban section that involves leaving Porto will be extended for about 9 km until reaching Araújo. On this route we will find the church of Carvalhido and the chapel of Ramada Alta. In addition, we will have to pass under the Porto ring road and under the A4 highway. From Araújo we will head to Moreira da Maia, a little more than 3 and a half kilometers away.
At the exit, we have to cross the industrial area of Maia. After crossing the village of Outeiro, our steps will take us to Mosteiró, where we find the church of Vilar.
The last two towns of this first stage of the Portuguese Way will be Gião and Varião to immediately reach our goal of the day: Vilarinho.  

Alternative stage: Porto-São Pedro de Rates (35,8km). The Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago proposes to extend this stage to São Pedro de Rates. If you choose this option, your first stage of the Portuguese Way will be 35.8km. There you will be able to rest at the Albergue de Peregrinos de Rates, a donation hostel with 50 beds located in the upper part of the town.
São Pedro de Rates, located in the town of Póvoa do Varzim, is a place of great significance within the Jacobean culture. According to legend, St. Pedro de Rates was ordained the first bishop of Braga by the Apostle Santiago himself, who entrusted him with the Christianization of the peoples of the north of what is now Portugal during his passage through the Iberian Peninsula.

Its history is also very similar to that of the Apostle James. According to tradition, he was martyred while trying to convert the local population to Christianity. His body was found centuries later by the hermit St. Felix, who for several nights detected a light on a mountain in the Sierra de Rates. The discovery of the body gave rise to the church of San Pedro de Rates, where the remains were deposited.
This church is one of the jewels of Portugal's heritage. Exponent of Portuguese medieval art, the temple was built in the ninth century and declared a National Monument. Years later, in 1552, the body of St. Pedro de Rates was transferred to the Cathedral of Braga, where it remains to this day.