The Confusing Naming: What Is the Portuguese Coastal Camino?
If you’re planning to walk the Portuguese Coastal Camino, you are most likely referring to the Senda Litoral rather than the Caminho da Costa.
Few pilgrims realize that the path they follow along the coast is only partly the official Coastal Camino. In many sections, they are actually walking a different way, known as the Senda Litoral.
The two paths are identical between the coastal town of Póvoa de Varzim (about 40 km north of Porto) and the Spanish border town of Caminha, but they differ both before and after that section.
Most people, however, use the term “Portuguese Coastal Camino" or “Coastal Way" when they are actually referring to the Senda Litoral, and this is what causes so much confusion.
Strictly speaking, the correct terminology would be:
The Portuguese Coastal Camino (Caminho da Costa)
The Portuguese Coastal Variant (Senda Litoral)
The reason is that the Caminho da Costa is a certified Camino de Santiago route, whereas the Senda Litoral is recognized as a variant of the Camino rather than a Camino in its own right.
The official Coastal Camino: Caminho da Costa
Screenshot der App Camino Ninja
The Portuguese Coastal Camino, officially known as the Caminho da Costa, is a certified Camino de Santiago route. It initially follows the same path as the Central Camino north of Porto before branching off towards Póvoa de Varzim.
From there, it continues along the coast through Viana do Castelo to Caminha on the Spanish border.
Instead of crossing into Spain at Caminha, the official Coastal Camino remains on the Portuguese side of the border and continues inland to Valença, where it rejoins the Central Camino. From there, both routes follow the same path to Santiago.
The official Coastal Camino between Porto and Póvoa de Varzim is used by very few pilgrims, as much of this section passes through rather unremarkable urban and industrial areas.
Likewise, the stretch between the border towns of Caminha and Valença is often viewed more as a connecting section between two Camino variants than as a particularly attractive pilgrimage route. As a result, many pilgrims choose to cover this part by train instead of walking it.
The Senda Litoral
Screenshot der App Camino Ninja
The Senda Litoral leaves Porto along the banks of the Douro River and then continues by the ocean through Matosinhos and Vila do Conde. Shortly afterwards, it joins the official Portuguese Coastal Camino and follows the same path all the way to the Spanish border at Caminha.
There, you cross into Spain by boat and continue on the Senda Litoral along the coast through Oia, Baiona, and Vigo until the route joins the Central Camino in Redondela, about 80 km before Santiago.
The Senda Litoral is not a certified Camino de Santiago route, but it is recognized by the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago – you will get your Compostela if you walk it.
It is well waymarked and used by many pilgrims. When you receive your Compostela in Santiago, you are asked which Camino you walked. Since the Senda Litoral is not listed as a separate option, you must select “Portuguese Coastal Camino."
As a result, there are unfortunately no separate statistics showing how many pilgrims continue along the coast on the Spanish side instead of following the inland route.
Hi, I am Nicoletta and I plan and support your Camino.
Let′s have a chat!
A direct comparison of the two ways
As you can see in the screenshots (thanks, Camino Ninja), the two routes differ mainly at the beginning of the pilgrimage and on the Spanish side of the border.
The Coastal Camino
The Senda Litoral
Conclusion: The Senda Litoral Is the Coastal Camino - It Just Isn't Called That
To summarize:
- The Portuguese Coastal Camino is the Caminho da Costa, a certified Camino de Santiago route.
- The path that follows the coastline is the Senda Litoral, which is also known as the Coastal Variant.
- The Portuguese Coastal Camino (Caminho da Costa) and the Coastal Variant (Senda Litoral) follow the same route between Póvoa de Varzim and the Spanish border.
- When people talk about the Portuguese Coastal Camino, they are usually referring to the Senda Litoral, since the official Coastal Camino is used by relatively few pilgrims.
Both in my work at the Pilgrims’ Office in Porto and as a resident of Porto, I regularly see how these confusing names lead to misunderstandings. I often stop pilgrims on Rua de Cedofeita and ask which route they intend to walk. Quite frequently, they want to reach the ocean but have accidentally followed the arrows of the Caminho da Costa instead.
By the way, if you’d like to learn which arrows belong to which route, you can read more about it in this article.
Hi, I am Nicoletta and I plan and support your Camino.
Let′s have a chat!