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- Day Twenty-Two A, Coastal Route, Vigo to Redondela
Day Twenty-Two A on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués
~ Vigo to Redondela, 14.5 Km (9 Miles) or 16.5 Km (10.25 Miles) from the Vigo Municipal Albergue
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Day twenty-two, Part A on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués, is a very short stage, using the high, flat and easy plateau trail system, called the Senda da Auga.
Because this stage is so easy, you can either divide day twenty-one into halves, staying at the Albergue Peregrinos San Xurxo in Saiáns (works the best with the Coastal Route, for a total of about 29 kilometers OR 31 kilometers total if choosing the Sendal Litoral). The second option would be to continue walking past Redondela, for several more kilometers. This is what we did our second time, ending in Arcade after an additional 6.7 kilometers (21.2 kilometers total, or 23.3 kilometers total from the municipal albergue). This worked very well for us.
This is why I named this stage "Day Twenty-Two A," not only because it is short, but because the numbering after joining the Central Route would be off as well! Call it writer's license.
"Blessed are you, pilgrim, if words fail you to thank for all that surprises you at every twist in the road." ~ Beatitudes of the Pilgrim, Unknown Author
Map and Stats of Day Twenty-Two, Part A, Coastal Route, Camino Portugués
Here is my Google map, created from my GPS tracks. I placed the albergues/hotels/cafés on the maps as usual. After leaving Vigo there is one café a bit more than half-way, which makes a convenient stop, and then nothing until Redondela. Carry snacks, in the event this place is closed when you walk by.
After Vigo, there is no Senda Litoral for this day. It is in Vigo where the Senda Litoral ends, never to appear again. There are some pilgrims who attempt to continue along the waterfront, after the albergue, but it would be mostly walking along railyards and shipyards. Not nice, in my opinion. As you shall see, this high plateau Senda da Auga is very pleasant indeed!
Starting at the junction where the route comes from the albergue and joining the Rúa de Urzaiz, there is a climb of about 70 meters (230 feet) out of Vigo and onto the plateau trail system, followed by a steep descent into Redondela. Nothing at all strenuous! So relax and enjoy this surprise, as you take your final steps on the Coastal Route!
If you are starting from the municipal albergue at sea level in Vigo, you will need to add 2.1 kilometers to your day, for a total of 16.5 kilometers. You will also have an additional elevation gain of 90 meters (295 feet) to climb. Here is your elevation profile for the day.
Elevation Profile for Day Twenty-Two A, Coastal Route, Camino Portugués, From the Municipal Albergue, Vigo to RedondelaPhoto-Rich Travelogue of Day Twenty-Two, Part A, Coastal Route, Camino Portugués
Route Description from the Municipal Albergue:
Please note that there are absolutely no yellow arrows through Vigo, nor bronze street shells to guide you!
You will leave the municipal albergue on the 3rd floor back door exit and come out onto a small plaza called the Praza Peñasco with a fountain on a lampost. Turn to the right, walk through the plaza and up the hill. When the plaza ends, there is a stairway in front of you, but you will turn left onto the narrow Rúa dos Poboadores.
Walk not even 50 meters on the Rúa dos Poboadores and take your first right turn, going steeply uphill and onto the Rúa dos Perigos. Keep straight about another 40 meters later, where the narrow street is now the Rúa Alta. After another 50 meters, when there is a choice at a Y-intersection, keep up the hill to the right and onto a ramp. When the ramp ends, you will be joining the wide pedestrian street of the Rúa Elduayen.
After only about 75 meters on the Rúa Elduayen we saw the open Café Don Gregorio, photo below (taken the day prior), on the Praza Princesa. It was 0730 and we were very happy to have a hot cup of café con leche that we were unable to make in the albergue. Of course, you can also get breakfast, but we had already eaten our cold one. All the peregrinos from the albergue were stopping here!
Café Don Gregorio on the Praza PrincesaIt is at this café where the route from the albergue, in red on the map above, joins the orange route to the albergue from the Coastal juncture, as I described in reverse from day twenty-one on the Coastal Route. The routes are necessarily different as the municipal albergue cannot be accessed from the back door where you must leave, and it would be much more difficult to find the albergue through the route I just described! It was hard enough to find a route on the way out!
When you arrive in the Praza Princesa, you are home free. The route is now easy.
Walk down the hill through the Praza Porta del Sol, toward the free standing corner building ahead, that houses the Banco Santander. When you arrive at the bank, stay to the right and onto the pedestrian shopping street called the Rúa do Principe. You can easily see the bank in the middle of the photo above and the Rúa do Principe continuing to the right.
Walk along the shopping street for not quite 500 meters, where you will come to the landmark and historic O Farol de Urzáiz, a large lamppost. This is where the Rúa do Principe ends and you will join the long and steep Rúa de Urzaiz for the next 1.4 kilometers, pictured below.
Climbing on the Rua de UrzaizIn my voice journal, I called this walking out on the Vigo mountain! Ha ha. You will be gaining about 70 meters on this climb through the city.
After about 1/2 kilometer, pass the huge bus station on your left. It is around the bus station that you will finally see yellow arrows, below, but on the right side of the street. Not that you need them here! Too little, too late in my opinion.
Yellow Arrows AppearAfter a total of about 2.1 kilometers from the albergue, you will arrive at the junction of the Coastal Route, shown below. It is easy to spot with the large mural on the top of the building. It is here that the Rúa de Urzaiz becomes a pedestrian shopping street.
Intersection Where the Senda Litoral Meets the Coastal RouteRoute Description from the Junction with the Coastal
For the rest of this route description, I will use the total mileage counts from this juncture of the two routes in the first mileage statistic, followed by the kilometer amount from the albergue in parenthesis.
Walking onward, continue along the Rúa de Urzaiz where it now becomes a pedestrian shopping street for the next 1/2 kilometers.
After 1/2 kilometer, turn left onto the Rúa de Toledo and pass the bizarre, modern Igrexa Parroquial da Inmaculada Concepción, staying to the right, and walk a total of 1/4 kilometer when you come to the next intersection. Turn right here, below photo, to stay on the Rúa de Toledo.
Right Turn Here on the Rúa de ToledoWalk another 360 meters on the Rúa de Toledo. Turn left onto the Rúa Cantabria. Cross the N-556, here.
Crossing the N-556 on Day Twenty-Two A, Coastal Route, Camino PortuguésContinue to walk on the Rúa Cantabria for another 0.9 kilometers.
Along the Rúa Cantabria, pass the Café-Bar Chato after about 1.5 kilometers (3.6 kilometers from the municipal albergue). A few meters later, pass a colorful children’s playground on your right, and actually walk downhill briefly, afterwards! Your climbing is now almost complete when you arrive here. Because this is still an uphill walk, the views of the Ría de Vigo abound.
View of the Ría de VigoAfter the brief downhill, however, there is a final 400 meter walk with a bit more elevation gain remaining. Keep climbing until you come to a Y-intersection, where you stay to the right, uphill and onto the Rúa da Pouleira. After walking another 1/4 kilometer, after about 2.3 kilometers (4.4 kilometers) from the juncture, turn left onto the Camiño Poulo at this roundabout, below.
It is here that the Senda da Auga begins, a 9.3 kilometer trail system that is essentially flat for the rest of the stage! Yay! There is a large green sign just beyond the roundabout, identifying the route and there is a fountain next to it if you need to fill up your water containers.
The Senda da Auga BeginsThe roadway is now marked with yellow squiggly lines with green next to it, below. While the painted roadway is not as bright as when I first photographed it, you can still see the markings. I kept the photos with the brighter painting!
After 300 meters on the Camiño Poulo, stay straight on where the street becomes the Camino Pedrosa.
In another 100 meters or so on the Camino Pedrosa, stay high and turn right onto the Camiño da Traída das Augas, at this high wall.
Stay High and Right at Wall, Day Twenty-Two A, Coastal Route, Camino PortuguésThe route gets decidedly more rural and the lush green of the forest accompanied our journey for the next one-half kilometer.
Later, the forest opens up and we would catch glimpses of the bay below, through the trees.
Farther along we walked through more clusters of homes, with open views of the bay below. Quite pleasant. We could see views of the shipyards below. Vigo is a busy port. We were glad we were walking above it all on this nice, flat, view-laden path.
Then after a short, slight descent, we joined a wider road, to continue on the Camiño da Traída das Augas. You have completed 4.1 kilometers (6.2 kilometers) at this intersection.
Continue on the Camiño da Traída das AugasFollowing the Senda da Auga and its green, wavy lines, the Camino turns left here in a few meters, to leave the wider street for this narrow one with lovely river views, still called the Camiño da Traída das Augas.
After almost two kilometers on the Camiño da Traída das Augas, the street becomes the Camiño de Valeiro. In only 200 meters, stay straight on, where the street becomes the Rúa Subida a Traída. In another 200 meters, the road becomes the Camiño da Traída. We saw our first mojón (concrete waymark) here, announcing that Santiago was 96.4 kilometers away!
After about another 1/2 kilometer, the street turns to dirt, and the painted, wavy lines disappear, but the trail system continues and walks the pilgrimage traveler back into a forested area for a brief 200 meters.
Road Turns to DirtWhen the trees open, a village is ahead.
High Village AheadAfter 400 meters, walk uphill, out of the forest, and back into town to join the Camiño da Traída again. It is a quiet side road through town. Everything is well-marked, with arrows, and signage to ensure that you are on the Coastal Route!
Essentially, don't climb too far up or down any hills, and you will be on the right path! The Camino Portugués on day twenty-two A on the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino is lovely here for this very reason. Not strenuous, but entirely flat ~ the kilometers tick off fast!
The views below are still with us, showing the mussel pens, called bateas in the water below.
In the next section, the Coastal Route alternates between pavement and dirt roads.
Sandy Coastal Route, Day Twenty-Two A, Coastal Route, Camino PortuguésIn not quite another kilometer, come to this lovely waterfall on the Rego Fondón with a fountain, below. Do not turn off the road and onto a separate trail (the Ruta Rio Molinos Fondon), but stay straight on the direct road. This would be a lovely place, on a hot day for a rest and a picnic. We had completed just shy of 7.0 kilometers (9.1 kilometers) from the juncture of the two routes.
Rego Fondón Waterfall and FountainFollow along the dirt road for 1.2 kilometers and marvel at the views from the lofty heights of this amazing trail system. Join the pavement once again on the Camiño da Fenteira. Along this road is a grand view of the famous bridge, the Puente de Rande, a marvel of modern architecture suspended across the Vigo River estuary,
Continue on the Camiño da Fenteira for 500 meters, when you see painting on the pavement, announcing a bar to the right after about 8.6 kilometers (10.7 kilometers) total. And indeed, up the hill to the right, off-Camino about 50 meters, is the well-positioned bar and with a great view, the O Eido Bar, below. Of course, we stopped for a bite and coffee.
Bar O EidoBack on the Camino, after another 300 meters, you will come to a Y-intersection, where you will go right onto a dirt road.
Walk almost 2.6 kilometers more on the Senda da Auga, following the signs on dirt roads, for the final plateau push though lovely forests before the steep descent into Redondela.
Through this section we had several surprises! One was the sudden appearance of a rainbow, without any rain, below, and the other was the appearance of riders, shown next; one on a horse and two on bicycles!
Sudden Appearance of a Rainbow
Riders: Horseback and BicyclesI really do love this plateau trail system. Here I am, all smiles on day twenty-two A of the Coastal Route on the Camino Portugués.
Just before the Senda da Auga ends, at approximately 11.2 kilometers (13.3 kilometers), there is a fountain, the Fonte da Mina do Conde. It is safe to fill your bottles here.
When the Senda da Auga ends, photo below, after a total of 11.6 kilometers (13.7 kilometers) for the day, you turn left onto the Camiño Condesa de Torrecedeira. Now we started the final, three kilometers, with a steep descent into Redondela. Signs for accommodation were now abundant! You can see in the photo below, how steep the descent is on the Camiño Condesa de Torrecedeira.
The Senda da Auga Ends HereContinue downhill on the Camiño Condesa de Torrecedeira for about 650 meters, descending into Redondela until the bottom of the hill, where the street becomes divided at a cross, pictured below. You can see the Igrexa de Santo André de Cedeira a bit farther along, however, turn left here, onto the Aldea Cruceiro street and past a school on your right.
Divided Street at CrossWalk 1/3 km on the Aldea Cruceiro and turn left onto the Estrada Subida Cedeira. Walk 200 meters on the Estrada Subida Cedeira and turn right onto the narrow Camiño das Cardosas. This is a lovely little street on the outskirts of town, shown below.
The Narrow Camiño das Cardosas into RedondelaWalk 600 meters total on the Camiño das Cardosas and as the road steepens and looks like it is going nowhere, suddenly it comes out at the railroad tracks, turns left and walks under the tracks and brings you to the Estrada Vigo, the N-550, smack in the town of Redondela.
If Redondela is your destination for the day, there are many, many hotels and albergues from which to choose, here where the Central Route joins the Coastal Route. Click here to book a hotel!
There is one municipal albergue, shown below, the Albergue Casa Da Torre De Redondela and many, many private albergues.
Continue on by turning right onto the N-550. There are narrow sidewalks here to keep the pilgrimage traveler safe. Walk 300 meters south on the N-550 to the first roundabout. The first private albergue, A Rotunda, is on the corner.
Take the first left onto the Avenida de Vigo. In a few meters, bend to the left (north), cross the bridge and see the Praza Ponteareas, below. This is where the Central Portuguese Route from the south and the Coastal Route finally meet!
Stay to the left after the plaza and join the Rúa Pai Crespo to walk into the heart of town. Shortly encounter the next private Albergue Santiago de Vilavella and the Albergue A Conserveira.
Along the Rúa Pai Crespo into Heart of RedondelaIn 200 meters, at this juncture with the Rúa José Regojo, below, there is a funky overhead railroad bridge architectural feature.
The Redondela Tower, "Torre"Look to your right and you will see waymarks on the tower or "torre," leading you to a lovely side street, off to the right for pedestrians only, which continues to be called the Rúa Pai Crespo.
Find Quiet Walking Street, the Rúa Pai CrespoWalk about 200 meters or so on this walking street, and come out onto a busy street. There is a roundabout to your left, and across the street is a plaza with the Albergue Casa Da Torre De Redondela.
The Municipal Albergue of RedondelaCarefully cross the street to this municipal albergue. This is where day twenty-two A on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués officially ends.
We walked on by, around the right side of the plaza and up the stairs to the Rúa Isidoro Queimaliños, where there are more private albergues, A Casa de Herba...
The Camino Continues by A Casa de Herba Private Albergue...and just beyond it, the Albergue Casa D'Abreu where we stayed the first time through. The Camino walks directly by these three albergues, within minutes of one another. Farther along, all nearby is the private Albergue Alfonso XII and the parochial, Albergue Santiago de Redondela (+34 627 74 88 02), and finally, on the north side of town is the Albergue Avoa Regina.
Our first time through Redondela, we arrived after 4:00 p.m. and settled on the Casa D'Abreu, a privada, in order to get lower bunks. The municipal albergue was already full. I would not recommend the Albergue Casa D'Abreu. There was no hot water available for our showers. When our roommate, Irina from Latvia, complained, the proprietress said, "Oh, I have to change the gas." But our showers were cold. I think she just turned the gas on and off at will to save a Euro.
There was no heat all night either and it was a chilly night! I should have been suspicious when the proprietress knocked on our door that afternoon, offering more blankets! Even though I was warm enough in bed with the extra blankets, it was frigid when I got out of bed in the morning. Rich and I jokingly said the place should be called the "Casa A'Fria" instead of the Casa D'Abreu!
We did like the small rooms. This was clearly a 3-story house converted into an albergue. We had only 3 beds in our room, one single and one bunk. Irina slept in the top bunk. It had only one small bathroom for the entire house that you had to wait in line to use. Plus the bathroom had no lock. Argh!
Mostly it was the whole atmosphere of squeezing the Euro until it hurt! Plus the proprietress was a bit snide with us, but oh-so-much-more friendly and flirty with the group of Spanish cyclists that arrived later. I secretly wondered if she charged foreigners more. Not a very friendly place, in my humble opinion. But I do hope this has changed. You may wish to try it out yourself.
There are many, many hotels and inexpensive pensions as well, here in Redondela. Click here to see your choices! So many options for the pilgrimage traveler!
That evening, after our routine of cleaning up and washing our clothes, we stumbled down to the main square. I was not in the mood to explore much ~ very unlike me, so I have no pictures of the town. In fact, I felt rather closed that evening. Not sure if our albergue experience put me in this mood or not. Maybe the cold shower did it, or maybe I just didn't want to leave the coast!
That afternoon in our room, when Irina started talking about this man she fell in love with on the Camino, a 40-something lady acting like a teenager, I just smiled, while my mind remained totally blank! I just could not be present to her experience, no matter how hard I tried!
On our trip through town, we did find an amazing, friendly hamburger joint where they made the biggest hamburgers I have ever seen in my life! What a nice surprise! It was by the city hall in the park, called the Los Leones Hamburger Place. Check my Google map above if you are interested.
I was so happy with my good 'ole hamburguesa and apparently Rich was too, because he ordered a second one after he ate the first! The bartender just laughed at him as he said he was very, very hungry! We had essentially not eaten a real meal that day, but only a few snacks. We also quaffed down a few beers to make ourselves feel better. At least I did! And yes, it did make me feel better.
We have not stayed in Redondela since! I find the town has not much to offer me, but I truly hope your experience is much better if you choose to stay here!
Reflections on Day Twenty-Two, Part A, Coastal Route, Camino Portugués
While we had been advised by some that Vigo is ugly to walk through, we actually found it to be quite nice and much better than expected. We saw many things that pleased the eye and we especially enjoyed the high plateau walk of the Senda da Auga.
While our day was full of surprises, not all were of the kind that lifted our hearts, especially the time we spent in Redondela. I also felt invaded upon when we joined the throngs of people and pilgrims in Redondela. Our Camino was about to change!
I was sad to be leaving the warm, sunny coast for the high, cooler uplands of Galicia. Now, the heart of Galicia was in front of me. It was going to be an uphill climb from here to Santiago de Compostela, literally and figuratively.
And this also I shall include in my pilgrimage. Once again, I would adapt. And this is the Camino...
Salutation
May your own day twenty-two, Part A, the final day on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués be filled with glory and the best surprises for which to be thankful! Keep your eyes open for the possibilities! Ultreia!
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