Stage Viana do Castelo to Porto Mougás

At close to 50 kilometres between leaving Viana do Castelo and reaching Porto Mougás, this is one of the longest and most memorable days on the Coastal Portuguese Way, usually split by pilgrims according to their pace and the timetable of the Caminha ferry. The route runs almost always within sight of the Atlantic, with a gentle profile in altitude —barely rising above 200 metres— but demanding because of the distance and the exposure to the coastal wind and sun.

Leaving Viana do Castelo, the path crosses the river Lima and heads north along the coastal route, alternating wooden boardwalks, sandy beaches and coastal pine groves. The Way passes through Vila Praia de Âncora and Moledo, seaside resorts where the ocean is a constant companion, before reaching Caminha, at the mouth of the river Minho. Here Portuguese soil ends: the pilgrim takes the ferry across the wide estuary and, within a few minutes, lands in A Guarda, now in the province of Pontevedra.

A Guarda welcomes the walker with its fishing harbour and the nearby bulk of Monte de Santa Trega, crowned by one of the most famous Galician hill forts. From the town, the route hugs the coast heading north, along a path of cliffs, coves and old fishermen's trails. The great landmark of this stretch is the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Oia, a Cistercian foundation with a Baroque façade that rises literally at the edge of the sea, battered by the waves, in one of the most photographed scenes of the entire Coastal Way.

After Oia, the path continues close to the shore, climbing small rises above the cliffs and dropping down to sheltered coves, until it reaches the spot of Porto Mougás. This small fishing village, open to the ocean and sheltered by the A Groba mountains, offers the pilgrim a well-earned rest after a long day of borders, lighthouses and waves, with the satisfaction of having left Portugal behind and set firm foot in Galicia.