Stage Barcelos to Vitorino dos Piães

The first half of the classic —and tough— Barcelos to Ponte de Lima stage covers some 22 kilometres of rolling Minho countryside, with moderate ramps and the odd more demanding section. It is a thoroughly rural route of vinho verde vineyards, eucalyptus woods and scattered villages, where services are scarce: it is wise to leave Barcelos well stocked with water.

The day begins by crossing the River Cávado over the Barcelos bridge and leaving the city behind through Barcelinhos. After the first level kilometres, the Way starts to gain height gently between Vila Boa and Lijó, alternating tracks, cobbled lanes and minor roads among plots of vine trained on trellises.

Passing through the parish of Balugães, with its church of São Martinho, marks the midpoint of the route. From here the path faces its most solitary stretches and a notable ramp or two, with a long sector without bars or fountains that tests the pilgrim's planning. The landscape, however, is of serene beauty: woods, streams and stone hamlets that have barely changed in generations.

The stage ends on reaching Vitorino dos Piães, a village in the municipality of Ponte de Lima lying about 22 kilometres from Barcelos. Its rural guesthouses and quintas have established it as a resting point for those who choose to split the long day to Ponte de Lima in two, saving the pleasant final descent to the Lima valley for the following day.