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Portuguese Central Way:
Porto to Santiago de Compostela
The first steps...
The first step was taken in front of the Sé Cathedral in Porto. This is the Portuguese Way, which starts in Porto and goes all the way to Santiago de Compostela. In fact, there are two routes, the Sea Route and the Central Route, which is the one we followed. During these 270 km, five days in Portugal and five days in Spain, we passed through mountains, through forests, farms, villages, historic cities and crossed rivers and medieval Roman bridges.
It was our first hike. We didn't know anything about the trail and we didn't have any appropriate equipment. Helinho made a wooden walking stick, we had normal sneakers, our clothes weren't very suitable and our backpacks didn't have any adjustments. In short, everything was wrong! But we really wanted to do that trail, despite our fear of facing it. Following the advice of a Spanish friend, we tried to see the trail as a whole, without thinking about the distances we had to cover. It would be like our own life, day by day.
So, on September 14, 2013, we set off very early from the Sé Cathedral in Porto. Before we took our first steps, we met a mother and daughter, about 8 years old, who had already walked the Central Portuguese Way. The girl gave us two small rosaries, made by herself. She wished us “good luck” and recommended that we not go to Finisterre. To this day, we don’t know why, but we followed her recommendation. That year, we didn’t go to Finisterre after finishing the walk. Since then, we have visited Finisterre several times, including on foot.
We started walking along Cedofeita Street before sunrise. We were approached by a young man who was completely drunk. We were a little scared when he came up to us and hugged us. There was no one around, but he just wanted to wish us luck on our journey and said in a very slurred voice: “- one day I will make this journey to Santiago”. Today, we hope he did!
We walked 26 km to Vilarinho. We stayed in a house where they had two rooms for rent. The double room was already occupied when we arrived. We stayed in the other room, which had a double bed and a bunk bed. The lady who owned the house was very friendly and welcomed us with fruit, juice and also served fresh cheesecakes and a good port wine. Later, we were accompanied by a Swedish woman who asked if we had ever done that route. We said that this would be the first day of our first route. We asked her again and she replied that this was the sixth time on this Portuguese Way. The Swedish woman had already done the French Way 12 times and the English Way 12 times. We thought it was crazy, but today we are sure that this was a premonition of what we would become, a couple of hikers...
Rule number 1 of the path: don't get distracted!
That's right, you need to always be alert when you're walking. Any distraction can lead you down “other paths,” which aren't always the ones you planned.
All the paths that lead to Santiago de Compostela are identified by the well-known yellow arrows. One piece of advice we give to anyone who is going to take this route is that if they don't find the signage within 100/200 meters, it is best to go back to the last arrow and look for the signage.
On our second day, we arrived in a small town and continued following the signs to leave the city and take a trail through the woods. From afar, a teenager caught our attention saying, “This is not the road to Santiago de Compostela.” We thought it was strange because the sign was clearly marked there. Suddenly, a lady in a shack replied: “The road is here. Some people have already passed by today. You can follow it.” We listened to the lady’s advice and continued on, certain that we would reach Barcelos, our next stop.
We walked for a long time. We didn’t have any apps, maps, or anything… just the arrows to follow. After walking for a long time, we arrived at a village. The local men were gathered in a bar. The heat was unbearable. We stopped to have a drink and eat a sandwich. We asked a man where that place was and if Barcelos was far away. All the men came to talk to us, saying that Barcelos was very far away. We didn’t believe it. The arrows were there too. Several of them offered us a “lift”, a ride for the Portuguese, but imagine if we were going to get in a car, if our goal was to walk and get to Santiago on foot. We were reluctant! A man came up quietly, took us aside, and said: “- You’re very far from Barcelos. I’m going there. You can come with me”. We refused. Then came the final card: “- Look, you’ve already walked much further than you should have to get to Barcelos. I know that walkers don’t want to break their promise to go on foot, but the sun is very strong. You can come with me and I will put you on the right path, before the entrance to the city. From there, you can continue on your way.” And so, he convinced us. We accepted the “ride” and continued on our way.
Later, we discovered that the “Camino del Mar” crossed with the “Central Path” where the teenager and the lady left us in doubt about which trail to follow. We followed the Caminho del Mar. Both would lead to Santiago, but our option was the Central Path.
Just like in real life, we made a choice that wasn't what we wanted, but there were people who put us on the path we chose. We learned that we just need to know exactly what our goal is and follow it, trusting that there are good people who can help us when we need it.
The Rooster of Barcelos and Napoleon Bonaparte.
We arrived in Barcelos very tired, thirsty and hungry. We found a place to stay in a small, old inn, but with very friendly staff. We rested a bit, then went out to explore the city and do some shopping for the next day. It was Sunday and the city was very busy. In front of the inn, many people gathered to eat, drink, sing traditional songs, dance and have fun.
The next day, very early, we left Barcelos and headed towards Ponte de Lima. The beginning of the walk was quite peaceful, when on a narrow street called “Rua do Cruzeiro” we got a big scare. Two “foxes”, the symbol of the Minas Gerais football team, Cruzeiro, ran across our path. Wow! Actually, it would have been better to have been scared by two “roosters”, since we are Atlético fans.
We arrived at Ponte de Lima and repeated the ritual. We looked for a place to sleep, rested, went out to explore the city a little, did some shopping for the next day, had dinner, and slept. All of this very calmly.
But the journey is not just about beautiful landscapes, a sense of freedom, and a few “lost” experiences that later become stories. There are setbacks. The next day was a particularly difficult day. After leaving the medieval town of Ponte de Lima, we climbed the Labruja mountain range.
A very tiring path towards Rubiães, a place with few resources. Halfway along the path we find the “Cruz dos Franceses”. This is an enigmatic place. It is said that a French soldier from Napoleon Bonaparte’s army was buried alive there. The soldier was lynched by the locals in retaliation for the atrocities committed by the army. Hence the name Cruz dos Franceses. Other stories circulate around there. For example, the violent death of a certain Nobleman. And, of an Italian pilgrim who in 1745, met a famous bandit from the region and killed him.
Anyway, stories aside, this was a high point of our Portuguese Way. A high point, both literally and metaphorically. It is the highest part of the trail and the view of the valley is beautiful. And there, we can't say whether it was because we were so tired or if it really hit us that we were making our dream come true, we both burst into tears and couldn't stop. It was very emotional. After this catharsis, we took a deep breath and continued on our way towards Rubiães.
“There was a rock on the road, there was a rock on the road”... Vera tripped over this rock on the road. With her backpack on her back, it was impossible to stop herself from falling. But we still made it to Rubiães safely. Suddenly, everything became very strange. A feeling of fragility, fear of not being able to go on. But this didn’t last long. We had a good snack with white wine in a “bitaquinha” (a small bar) and went to a brand new hostel with very friendly people. The lady at the hostel helped clean the wound and later the owner of the only restaurant in the village picked us up by car for dinner.
The night was great! We chatted and exchanged information with other hikers, the restaurant owner and his staff. After that, the same restaurant owner took us back to the hostel. It was a beautiful and restorative night of sleep. The next morning we were ready for another day of hiking. The lesson of this day will remain forever. Even when we fall, there will always be someone who will lend us a hand, cheer us up and make us feel better.
Spain in sight...
Sometimes, not everything seems as it really is! On the fifth day of our walk, we crossed the bridge between Valença, still in Portugal, and Tuí, now in Spain. Happy to have arrived in Galicia, we tried the Galician soup and enjoyed watching the children playing in the square in the late afternoon while their parents chatted and sipped coffee or sangria.
The next day, we arrived in Pontevedra, a larger city with more resources. We entered the city and stopped at the first small hotel we found. We saw the apartment, the price was good, the room was very simple, but clean. Already tired, we decided to stay there. We left our backpacks in the room and went to have a soda at the bar, which was on the ground floor of the hotel. We felt the atmosphere was “strange with strange people”.
We were apprehensive and went up to our room. Since it was a larger city, we began to question whether this was the best place to stay. At that moment, there was a knock on our door. It was a lady with Helinho's wallet and documents in her hand. The lady said: "You left this at the bar. Take care of it!" We definitely decided that we would stay there. All our suspicions were dispelled and we thanked that lady for her kindness. Appearances can be deceiving.
The next day, we headed to Caldas de Reis, a smaller, very pleasant city on the banks of the Umia River. It is a tourist town that looks more like a spa. You can rest your feet in the delicious warm water right in the city center.
That day, we stayed at a very good hotel. Being a tourist city, the prices were not the lowest, but we really needed a little comfort. A hotel with a soft bed, white sheets and towels, and a very clean bathtub would not hurt anyone. We enjoyed the luxuries and slept very well.
In the morning we woke up early, as usual, too lazy to leave all that comfort. But when we got up we saw lots of little black dots on the sheets. We opened the window, took a good look and the bed was covered in lots and lots of little black bugs… YUCK!!!! We ran to the shower. We took a shower, scrubbing our bodies and heads hard. We didn’t know what it was and if any of those things had bitten us or were hiding in our hair and other parts of our bodies. At first we were desperate, but fortunately we didn’t get stung a single time.
To this day, we still can’t understand what “that” was. How could these animals be in such a clean, white bed? Was it a “trip” of ours? We’ve heard so many things about the “Camino de Santiago de Compostela” that we even thought we were “purging” something from our bodies. Or, was it just an “apparently clean” hotel? Isn’t there a saying that goes: “beautiful guitar on the outside, moldy bread on the inside”?
That's how we concluded that sometimes prejudice blinds us. At first glance, we were afraid to stay at the simple little hotel in Pontevedra because it was a “strange place with strange people”. The other hotel, because of its appearance, gained our complete trust. One thing is certain, if we think about the word “pre/concept” we will understand that “pre” conceived ideas are always a mistake. It's best to get to know the place first, get informed and then “like it or not”. But at least you need to give it a chance before you start thinking and saying stupid things.
Getting there...
Sunday, September 22, 2013 was the penultimate day of this hike. It was also the day to celebrate Helinho's birthday. We arrived in Padrón around noon.
It is said that the Apostle Santiago was killed and beheaded in Jerusalem and that his body was taken in a boat by two apostles to what is now Santiago de Compostela. Arriving in Padrón, the boat ran aground. It was tied to a rock or pedrón in Galician, which gave rise to the name of the city.
It was market day and the town was bustling with people. We found this strange, because we were alone most of the time. We saw very few walkers in the small towns and villages. Among these walkers, we found a Scotsman who stopped to rest and greet the dawn, playing his music on a bagpipe.
We stayed at a beautiful guesthouse. The house was made entirely of stone, typical of Galicia. We went to rest for a while. The day was extremely hot. Later, we decided to go out to explore the city, but the streets were empty. Everything was closed, except for a bar where we sat down to have a beer and toast Helinho's birthday. As the heat wore off, people started to leave their homes. We ended the day drinking wine to celebrate the moment. The next day, we would arrive in Santiago de Compostela.
We woke up very early, had coffee at a bar and even got a “good luck” hug from the owner of the coffee shop.
Near Padrón, in Iria Flavia, according to the story, the Apostle Santiago would have preached when he was in Spain and would later have passed by, already dead, brought by his disciples.
Well, right there in Iria Flavia, a bottle of water that was inside Helinho's backpack leaked, wetting not only what was inside the backpack, including his passports, but also all his clothes. But we were too happy to be bothered by this incident. We were reaching our destination. If the baptismal water represents “purification” and “renewal”, it was there that we were baptized as “pilgrims”, “walkers”, “travelers”...
We saw Santiago de Compostela from afar. The feeling was impossible to describe. We were happy to reach our goal, but also a little sad that the journey was over. It was then that we realized that the journey would not end that day. Six months later, we began the French Way.
Arriving in Santiago de Compostela was a mix of feelings and a bit of disappointment. Walking gave us a good energy, a feeling of freedom and sharing. And there we came across a big city, with residents coming and going without even looking or responding to our greetings. We passed a large hospital, shops, buildings. In short, we wanted to skip all that and get to the Cathedral right away. And finally, we arrived at 3:30 p.m. We went in and were very emotional. We did the whole pilgrim ritual, we cried, we prayed, we hugged Santiago, thanking him for that opportunity to walk and arrive safely. And we reinforced our desire to return there in six months.
The next day we went to the Pilgrim Mass and saw the “botafumeiro”. We were moved again. We stayed in Santiago for two days before starting our “outward” journey home…
Some people know that in 2001 we drove to Alaska. When we were getting there, we had the same feeling of joy and sadness for being close to our goal and for ending something we had planned for a long time. To keep our heads on straight, we decided that we would no longer use the word “return”. That life would always be a “one-way” trip for us. And that is how we have managed these moments, we always “go”.
Ah! But this time we didn’t go to Finisterra… We followed the advice of our little Portuguese friend…
After a Christian Path, an Islamic Route...
After walking a path that started in front of the Sé Cathedral, in Porto, ended at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and, before “going” home, we decided to explore a route that both Christians and Muslims have followed.
We started in Mérida and arrived on a festive day. The city’s main tourist attractions were packed and many people were dressed in medieval Roman style. And it was in a tavern near the Temple of Diana that we tried a rose wine. Not bad, but not that good either.
The city has many places to visit: the Acueducts of Los Milagros and San Lázaro, the Basilica of Santa Eulalia, the Roman Amphitheatre, Arco de Trafaro, the Museum of Roman Art, Alcazaba, the Roman Bridge over the Albarregas River, Ponte Lusitania, the Archaeological Zones of Moreria and the famous Temple of Diana.
Having seen all this, we set off for Córdoba. There, we came across a very interesting historic center, as it was an important Roman city and a major Islamic center in the Middle Ages. The first place we visited was La Mezquita, which has a prayer hall with Byzantine columns and mosaics. It was later transformed into a Catholic cathedral that incorporated a Renaissance nave into its architecture. And so we continued visiting the entire Medina, the Jewish Quarter, the Alcazaba, the Royal Cavalry, the Mills, the Synagogue, and Plaza La Corredera, which in the Middle Ages was once the site of executions and a prison. Then, we went to the market, which today, in addition to hosting festivals such as the Noche Blanca del Flamenco, is a very pleasant place with bars, cafes, and restaurants. In addition to these places, we visited Plaza del Potro, Ajerkia, or simply walked through the streets of the city, imagining what it must have been like there during Islamic rule.
It was time to leave. We were eager to see Granada, because of all the history it contains. And, there we were! Luckily, we were able to buy and schedule a visit to the Alhambra. This is a must-see place. If you go to Granada and don't see the Alhambra, I'm sorry, but you haven't experienced the city and its history.
The Alhambra was considered the eighth wonder of the world and is located on the Sabika hill, which is right in front of the Albaícin neighborhood. In the background is the Sierra Nevada, which is part of the entire landscape of Granada.
The Alhambra is a citadel with a palace whose name can be translated into Portuguese as “red castle” and “Arab fortress”. We spent the whole day seeing all the details of the complex. Inside and outside, in the gardens, we were transported to that distant era. However, Granada also had other wonders in store, such as the Capilla Real, Corral del Carbon, the Parroquia de los Santos Justos y Pastor and the Monastery of San Jerónimo, Plazas de Izabel La Catolica and Campo del Principe, the Arab Baths and much more.
The Albaicín neighborhood is the most Moorish in Granada. Walking through its streets and stopping at Plaza Larga to eat some tapas and have a few beers was a delight. Also unmissable are the views of San Nicolas and Sacromonte, known as the gypsy neighborhood. Along the Camiño del Sacromonte are the “cuevas” (cave houses) that perform flamenco at night. In short, Granada was a city to appreciate and enjoy every corner, enjoying its stories and its food and the view of the Alhambra, which is part of the Granada landscape.
It was time to leave for Seville, our last stop in Andalusia. On another trip we visited Seville and other Andalusian cities. But it was great to return years later. The idea there was to revisit places and enjoy what Seville has to offer: its joy.
For us, Seville continued to be one of the most Spanish cities in our imagination. We chose a bar called Las Gitanas Locas for the end of the day, after our walks around the city visiting the Cathedral, Alcazar, Giralda, the Jewish quarter, Plaza de España, and Plaza de Toros. Regarding Plaza de Toros, it is worth mentioning that on another trip to Seville, we ventured to a bullfight. That was a very traumatic experience. We were close to a man and his granddaughter, who “taught” us everything about this bizarre “game.” And, by chance, the bullfighter was demoralized. The bull faced the bullfighter and did not fall before him, which was the reason for his demoralization and many boos.
The Triana neighborhood was also a great place to be. The Triana Market is one of the attractions, as well as the bars with typical foods, such as salmorejo, other tapas and lots of flamenco music.
Although Seville was already a familiar place, we still wanted to return. Other neighboring cities are also on our radar. We are even considering walking the Caliphate Route, which will give us the opportunity to learn more about Andalusian culture.
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