Carreço

Carreço is a parish in the municipality of Viana do Castelo, on the Alto Minho coast, which the Portuguese Coastal Way crosses shortly after leaving the city. It lies halfway between Viana and Vila Praia de Âncora, making it a handy stop for those who prefer short days by the sea.

Its hallmark is the Montedor headland, crowned by the lighthouse of the same name, in service since the early twentieth century, and by several restored windmills, one of them with the traditional trapezoidal wooden sails. Below lie the beaches of Carreço and Paçô, with the ruins of the small Paçô fort watching over the shore.

Pilgrims find a quiet, rural setting here, with stone houses, farmland and the ocean always in sight. Accommodation is limited and booking ahead is advisable; there are a few cafés and restaurants, but little else in the way of services.

Carreço is above all a peaceful pause at the start of the stage to Caminha, along one of the most open coastal stretches of the route.