Day 1 - Porto to Vila do Conde

A great first day on the Camino! From Porto to Vila do Conde, we took the coastal route which was pretty much a straight shot north along a boardwalk. The sun was out with a gentle breeze making for most pleasant walking.

After a nice breakfast at The Poets Inn where we got a short night's sleep due to our midnight arrival, we were at the cathedral by 9 am to pick up our Pilgrim's Credential. Porto seems to be a lovely city, but we unfortunately didn't get to see too much since we got in much later than expected yesterday. Nonetheless, we were both very excited to start walking this morning and take our first steps north. 

We chose the coastal route so as to avoid miles and hours of walking through Porto's industrial zone. It was an excellent decision! The walk along the beach couldn't have been nicer. 

With all the coffee shops and restaurants on our route, it was easy to take a break whenever we needed or wanted one. Our total distance today was 23 km or about 13 miles. Easy enough for a first day, but long enough to get back into the rhythm of walking.

We passed through some charming fishing villages today. Barely were we every out of sight of the ocean. Vila do Conde is itself a coastal town with a rich fishing history. Here in town, our hostel, the Bellamar, overlooks the River Ave.

Seafood is definitely on the menu tonight.