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Stage 2 · Portugués Central
Vairão → Barcelos
Rates and the Bridge over the Cávado
This is the first stage that really feels like the Camino. It is 27.9 kilometres with 420 metres of ascent and as much descent, medium difficulty, with no serious climb but plenty of small ones. You leave Vairão and soon pass Vilarinho; then the route crosses the river Ave by the medieval bridge of Dom Zameiro, a good spot for the first photo of the day, and enters Arcos among fields and trellised vines.
Around the halfway point you reach São Pedro de Rates, with its Romanesque church, one of the oldest in Portugal, and enough bars and shops to stop and get a stamp. Then comes a long stretch of cobbled tracks and paths through pine and eucalyptus, with villages such as Pedra Furada and Pereira where you can find a café, and the kind of Portuguese cobbles that tire the feet even on flat ground.
The last kilometres drop down to Barcelinhos and cross the Cávado by the medieval bridge into Barcelos, town of the legendary rooster and of one of the largest weekly markets in the country, held on Thursdays. It has everything for eating, sleeping and shopping, and the old quarter, with the ruins of the counts' palace beside the bridge, deserves a stroll once the pack is on the floor.
Tips
Start early: it is long and the climbs, though short, add up; you want to be in Rates by mid-morning.
Fill your bottle in Rates. There are cafés in the villages afterwards, but with long gaps between them and village opening hours.
Portuguese cobbles wreck the feet if your footwear is soft: check your feet at every stop and deal with blisters as soon as they start.
If it is Thursday, get into Barcelos in good time: the market takes over the centre and is worth seeing before they pack up.
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What's there today
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Tips from people who walked it
The things that do not expire: where the fountain actually is, which bar opens at six, where not to go in the rain.
None here yet. If you have just walked this stage, you know something tomorrow’s pilgrim does not.
Emergencies
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Say where you are I am walking the Camino Portugués, on the stage from Vairão to Barcelos.
- Health centre Health centre km 1,8
- Medi São Brás Health centre km 1,8
- Farmácia Dias Felix Pharmacy km 20,1
- Farmácia do Cruzeiro Pharmacy km 24,9
- Hospital Particular Barcelos Health centre km 26,5
- Farmácia de Barcelinhos Pharmacy km 27,5
- Farmácia Lamela Pharmacy km 28,7 +351 253 811 684
- Farmácia Moderna Pharmacy km 28,8
- Farmácia A Minha Farmácia Pharmacy km 28,8
- Farmácia Central Pharmacy km 28,8
The map
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What to see on this stage 25
- Mosteiro de São Salvador de Vairão Church km 0,0
- Capela de Nossa Senhora da Lapa Church km 0,0
- Capela de São João Baptista Church km 0,0
- Convento de São Bento Church km 0,0
- Capela de Nossa Senhora da Lapa Church km 1,8
- Capela de São Brás Church km 1,9
- Capela de Nossa Senhora da Ajuda Church km 3,8
- Capela de São Mamede Church km 6,5
- Igreja de Arcos Church km 9,2
- Capela do Senhor dos Desamparados Church km 9,4
- Capela de São Marcos Church km 12,2
- Capela de Santo António Church km 12,7
- Iglesia Church km 18,8
- Igreja Paroquial de Pereira Church km 22,6
- Igreja Paroquial de São Paio de Carvalhal Church km 24,9
- Capela de Santa Cruz das Couladas Church km 26,2
- Iglesia Church km 28,0
- Capela Mortuária de Barcelinhos Church km 28,0
- Igreja Paroquial de Barcelinhos Church km 28,0
- Capela da Nossa Senhora da Ponte Church km 28,1
- Igreja Matriz de Barcelos Church km 28,4
- Capela de São José Church km 28,8
- Igreja do Terço Church km 28,8
- Igreja do Senhor da Cruz Church km 28,8
- Real Irmandade Do Senhor Bom Jesus Da Cruz Church km 28,8