The second largest city in Portugal, Porto is an ideal place to start the Camino. You can’t leave the city of Porto without visiting the Porto Cathedral and the historical center.
Some pilgrims prefer to do the first leg of the journey by bus as this day, the walk is mainly on paved roads, and getting out of Porto, one has to pass through an industrial area. But if you decide, like most pilgrims, to walk, getting out of Porto is easy.
You will start your journey from Carlos Alberto Square (or Jardin Carlos Alberto) and head northward on the pedestrian Rua de Cedofeita. From there you take Rua 9 Julho. After that, you must pass under the A 20 and A 4 motorways. Shortly after, you reach the first place outside Porto, Araújo, which is more a suburb than a town.
The Camino will pass over two kilometers from the airport in Moreira da Maia and continue in a mountainous area. Vilarinho is not a particularly interesting place, but there is a shelter for pilgrims here and all facilities. Today, throughout the day, you will have facilities everywhere as you will mostly pass through inhabited areas.
You can follow this link and book online a hostel or room in Vilarinho or search for accommodation on your way!
