https://www.mapmyfitness.com/workout/8186699269

Back in 2017, when I last walked this route, finding a place to stay was a breeze. But this time, as we stopped for lunch in Fão, just before Esposende, we were greeted by a sight that made me do a double-take: hundreds of pilgrims! Knowing the town from before, I realized there definitely weren’t enough beds for all these people. A few quick WhatsApp messages later, I managed to snag a reservation. While I was at it, I went ahead and booked a place for the next town too—just in case!

The walk from Esposende to Viana do Castelo was a welcome break after two days of battling wind and rain. It was fairly easy, and for the first time, we left behind the asphalt, cobblestone, and boardwalks. Instead, we found ourselves walking through forests, alongside rushing rivers, and even over 2,000-year-old Roman roads—wagon tracks still etched into the stone.

There was one hill that took us up to a beautiful Church of Santiago, where many pilgrims, including us, paused to take pictures. From there, we hiked through a eucalyptus forest that eventually led us down into charming little towns, and finally into Viana do Castelo.

Viana do Castelo was lovely, with its old streets and tempting bakeries. I remembered that in 2017, I’d arrived here before noon, and not wanting to wait for the albergue to open, I decided to hop on a train to the next town. The only problem? I fell asleep and ended up having to catch another train back!