- Home
- ~ Camino Portugués (The Portuguese Way)
- Day Three, Azambuja to Santarem
Day Three on the Camino Portugués
~ Azambuja to Santarém, 33.3 Kilometers (20.7 Miles)
Just so you know, all Amazon and Booking.com links on this website are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate and a Booking.com associate, we will earn from qualifying purchases when you click on these links, at no cost to you. We sincerely thank-you as this is a reader-supported website.
Our day three on the Camino Portugués was through miles and miles of fertile, open farmland north and east of Azambuja. The day was hot, dry and with a steep uphill climb into Santarém at day's end.
It was to be a difficult and long day, one that would challenge even this experienced pilgrim's resources. It was indeed a day to get to know myself better.
"I think everybody has their own way of looking at their lives as some kind of pilgrimage. Some people will see their role as a pilgrim in terms of setting up a fine family, or establishing a business inheritance. Everyone's got their own definition. Mine, I suppose, is to know myself." ~ Eric Clapton
Map and Stats of Day Three on the Camino Portugués
Here is my Google map that I created from my GPS tracks. I included the stops we made along the way, for food and accommodation and additional services for your convenience.
Here are the elevation stats for day three as well. You can see the hearty climb at the end of the day:
Photo-Rich Travelogue of Day Three on the Camino Portugués
We started our day at the same place we had dinner on day two. The proprietress, ultra-pilgrim-friendly, served us at 7:00 a.m. so we could get an early start to beat the heat. (There is now a bakery shop that opens at 5:30 a.m, the Pastelaria Arcada in the center of town.) While her son from the prior evening was fluent in English, she didn't speak a lick! Somehow we managed to communicate, with me speaking in mostly Spanish.
She made us sandwiches to carry out, since this leg has very little services, and none after Porto Muge. We were happy and content to have plenty of food for this day, when we set off.
Our Swiss friend joined us for pastries and café con leite. He sadly informed us that he would not be walking with us today, but was going to take the day off and take the train to Santarém. His reason was that it was too hot to walk.
We had expected this, and agreed to meet up in Santarém later. He would spend the day relaxing around town and hopefully, he would feel better tomorrow. We were not unhappy, and looked forward to walking, just the two of us.
After receiving hearty hugs and Bom Caminhos from our "Camino Mother," Rich and I began our day. We crossed over the railroad tracks at the Azambuja train station, below.
After crossing the tracks, the day immediately begins on the pavement, of the N3-3. Fortunately there is a lovely bike/pedestrian way at least for the first kilometer or so, see the photo below. You will even pass a picnic area in the first meters as you can see in the photo.
Along the Pedestrian Way of the N3-3, East of AzambujaFor many kilometers we will join the N3-3, then divert, only to rejoin it again on the way to Valada, where we planned our first break after about 13 km.
The bikeway ends and only the pedestrian greenway continues by the time you reach this bridge, after about 1.65 kilometers, with this sign.
Immediately after crossing the bridge, the waymark, below appears...
Waymark After Bridge...and leads you sharply left and back toward the bridge on this lane, below. You can see the old signpost for the Fátima waymarking.
The tractor lanes we walked next were lovely and inviting, briefly following along an irrigation ditch to the right.
The shortcut diversion from the N3-3 on these farm lanes, was nice enough, as the morning was still cool. Here is Rich posing for me in the wide open spaces.
After approximately another three kilometers, the gravel road led us to a small airport, the Aeródromo Azambuja that you can locate on the map. The airstrip is up ahead at the cluster of buildings in the photo below.
Walking Toward the Aeródromo Azambuja and the N3-3However, there is not much of anything here resembling an airport that we could see when we reached the buildings. At the entrance to the airstrip to the right, the lane comes to a T-intersection and joins the N3-3 again, after about 4.8 kilometers total. The sign points to the left, to Valada, our destination for our first break.
Turn Left Onto the N3-3 Towards ValadaWe were not all that thrilled to be joining the pavement. The road ahead appeared long and open and day three was warming up rapidly. We knew we had a full 13 or so kilometers to the first café in Valada. (At least at that time.)
The Seemingly Endless Pavement of the N3-3As Rich and I walked alone along this seemingly never-ending stretch of pavement, we discussed the situation regarding our Swiss friend. While we were relieved to be free of the "Barnacle," at least for the day, he had been our only companion on the Camino thus far. We did truly feel sorry for him.
We really couldn't tell if he was happy to be taking a day off, or not. On the one hand, he was very cavalier and then turned stoic on the prior two days. When we discussed the weight of his pack and asked him when he was going to mail some things back to Switzerland, he would just look at us and not reply.
Yet on the other hand, he appeared to want to meet the physical challenge of the Camino. He was used to the Alps and loved to hike them.
It was obvious that our Swiss friend did not like to be wrong about things. He never sought our advice. He was very instructional with us, on how to use our hiking poles in a Nordic walking fashion and with other hiking tidbits. He was also quite opinionated and somewhat set in his ways.
He freely expressed his dislike of the lack of cleanliness on the Camino, with dogs roaming freely and leaving their marks on the trail, in addition to visible garbage.
He did not appreciate the Portuguese food and never said much about what he ate. He continued to greatly appreciate the Portuguese beer over the food.
This was his first Camino, and we began to think that perhaps it was our purpose, to help him learn how to be a pilgrim, how to become more adaptable to a different way of being? We mulled this over in our discussion for awhile.
We knew that we would have to tread delicately and wait for when our friend was open to learning. I was secretly hoping that I would not meet up with the Barnacle again. But I was willing to be present to him and his experience. I may have no other choice!
I seem to always find myself in situations where I am to help others, whether or not I choose it. If this was my destiny with the Barnacle, it was easy enough to accept.
Rich and I walked on, happy enough to be with only each others company. It was a nice reprieve.
We were definitely walking through the rich farmland of the alluvial plain of the Río Tejo. Being that it was April, readying for planting was in full swing. I loved to watch the farmers do their earth-work as we walked by.
After about 6.8 kilometers, the Camino Portugués veers to the right, to stay on the N3-3, pictured below.
Right Turn to Stay on N3-3
And 700 meters after the turn we passed by the Quinta do Alqueidão, where if you look closely, in the trees in the photo, there is a café, after 7.5 kilometers. If you desire a break, you can have one after only this amount of mileage!
There is an airstrip here as well, the Aeródromo do Alqueidão.
Café at the Quinta do AlqueidãoAs you continue to follow the Way, after about 8.6 kilometers, the Camino turns left to stay on the N3-3.
In Portugal, a large, wine-growing estate is called a Quinta and we walked by its never-ending vineyards on day three of our Camino Portugués.
The New Field Ready for PlantingThe verdant countryside truly was beautiful, even if the way was long and warming up rapidly.
The Road Towards ReguengoAfter around 10 kilometers, we arrived at the small town of Reguengo. The sign below welcomed us!
Welcome to ReguengoThere is a café, the Cafe Campino in Reguengo, but we did not see any when we first walked through here. Regardless, walking through town is delightful. The roadway and the Camino are on the dike by the Tagus River, now ever on our right, to the East.
Río Tejo Dike Through Town
Leaving Reguengo, the Wisteria grow wild along the road.
In a few more kilometers, the road forks, and the Camino Portugues bends to the right. Here is the Welcome to Valada sign, below, where we stayed to the right.
Right Turn off the N3-3 Into the Town of ValadaAnd you can see that as you walk into town, that the roadway continues to follow along the dike, below. After around 12.5 kilometers when we entered town, we were now more than a third of the way into our day three on the Camino Portugués. A good time for a break.
Entering ValadaThere are several cafés in Valada, and two of them were open when we walked through. There are also four accommodations, the Casal das Areias, (+351 932 384 524), where we have stayed and highly recommend, but is actually a ways north of town and right along the Camino, the similarly priced private Albergue Dois Caminhos (+351 915 657 651), also toward the north side of town along the N3-3 and finally, there are several pricier places that may require multiple night stays, the Casa Tejo and the Casa Holi in the center of town.
Walking Past a Café in ValadaThe route continues to follow the dike along the river. The paved Camino stones here were attractive, but a bit hard on the feet and legs.
There are benches along the dike as you can see below, if you prefer to take a break here.
After about 13 kilometers, as you continue along the dike, on the level of the street, you will encounter the small sign for the Albergue Dois Caminhos, seen on the power pole in the photo below.
Continuing Valada Dike and Small Sign for the AlbergueWhere the street along the dike ends at the white house in the photo above, the Camino diverts a few meters to the left, then walks through the church square, seen below, on the north side of town.
Largo da Igreja, ValadaAfter walking past the church, you will join the road out of town. After leaving Valada, the Camino eventually drops down off the dike and joins the road, with lovely wild poppies to grace the Way!
The cluster of buildings in the photo above is significant in that it contains the very pilgrim-friendly Casal das Areias, after about 13.8 kilometers from Azambuja. This working farm is a wonderful respite from the hot Portuguese sun, and its hospitalero will bend over backwards to provide you comfort, food (no store or restaurant is nearby) and anything else you need! You will need to call their number when you arrive, if you are planning to stay here because the gate is locked!
Entryway to Casal das AreiasAfter about 300 meters past the entryway to the Casal das Areias, you encounter what appears to be a water treatment plant, seen in the photo below, on the right side. This is where the Camino stays to the left and onto a gravel lane, up on the dike itself, skirting around this plant, until it rejoins the road and continues to follow the dike.
Rua Profa Julia Albine Gomes Pimenta Turns to a Gravel Lane towards Porto MugeOn day three of the Camino Portugués, walking along the dike, the streets become more rural and change from one name to another on the way to Porto Muge, the next large town.
Rua Cova da Onça Along the Tagus River
Rua do Morgado Towards Porto MugeAlong the Rua Cova da Onça pass by the large equestrian center, a long and attractive blue and white building which is the Quinta da Marchanta after about 15.6 kilometers, where you can stay for the night.
You know you are nearing the center of Porto Muge when the houses are on both sides, and up on the dike!
Nearing Porto Muge on the Rua do Morgado
Porto MugeBy the time you reach this bridge at Porto Muge, you are 16.5 kilometers into your day ~ halfway into day three on your Camino Portugués!
Perhaps the most important thing here, under the bridge is a small house, with restrooms! We both took advantage of that public feature. They are easy to see, right along the route which walks under the bridge.
After the bridge, if you are walking up on the dike, you will notice a nice shady park by the river, another cool spot for a picnic if you so desire.
Next walk by the Quinta das Palmeiras, (+351 916 608 221), another quinta where you may be able to spend the night. Call first! Otherwise, stay in the Quinta Marchanta.
Quinta das PalmeirasSoon after the Quinta we came to the only café we actually saw in Porto Muge, the Café Tofa, below. This is the last café before you get to Santarém, about 17 kilometers from Azambuja. I’m not sure I would even count on this bar, as it wasn’t open the last time we walked by and you would miss it if you blinked!
Café Tofa ~ Last Café Until SantarémWe did not stop here, as we had food in our packs, and plenty of water for the rest of the day. It was about 11:30 when we left the Porto Muge area, and the day was already very, very hot.
We walked on, past the café and along the Rua do Sabugueiro.
Rua do Sabugueiro - Still Following the DikeOften we had a choice to walk up on the path on the dike, or on the street below. We found it to be cooler, and with a breeze from the higher path.
The paved road at last gives way to a dusty lane, heading into the farmland, where you will pass the Quinta da Burra. This used to be an albergue, as you can see by the Camino shell next to its door, but sadly, its proprietress passed away and there is no report as to its reopening. At this landmark there is still about 15 kilometers left to Santarém, with absolutely no services along the way on this long day three of the Camino Portugués.
Quinta da BurraThe dusty lane persists along the dike and about 700 meters past the Quinta da Burra, there is an unclear sign, pictured below. You can see we went up the hill to the right, which was the wrong way. Stay low and to the left.
Stay Low and to the Left at Unclear SignNext, you will walk past the lovely Quinta das Varandas' manor house on day three of the Camino Portugués.
The farm workers were active along the way, planting tomato plants from the blue chairs on the planting equipment to the right. It was fun to watch the process!
Planting EquipmentSomewhere several kilometers into the long dusty lanes, at our 20 kilometer point, we stopped for a picnic. We walked a ways until we found a shady area, in a field to eat the food that we had packed from our breakfast café. It was a nice big sandwich, and our Camino Mother had thrown in extra pastries, for no charge! A nice surprise and a nice, large meal with sweets to rejuvenate us and get us geared up for the last 13 km or so.
We took a long break, airing out our tired and hot feet. It was mandatory, I thought, for the prevention of blisters.
Despite the food, the stretch after lunch felt like a long, long way. We walked on in the heat for some time, just put our heads down, and tried to listened to music to escape.
As the vista opened, we thought that it must be Santarém up ahead on the hill. Wow, did that look far away! By my best estimation, it was still at least 10 kilometers away when I shot this photo.
Finally, at this juncture, below, where we arrived around 2:30 in the afternoon, all at once, the pilgrimage traveler can see the tall towers of a bridge ahead. This viaduct carries the superhighway, the A13 across the Río Tejo, just before Santarém. It gave us some hope, as perhaps Santarém was getting near! You really can't see the towers in the small photo below, but they are there! And the viaduct becomes more and more visible as you continue onward.
Turn Left Here at TThe day had grown brutally hot and I took out a bandana and wet it to put under my baseball cap, to help cool me down. It helped for only the few seconds it took the water to evaporate! But I was still grateful for the shade on my neck. We fantasized about a sun umbrella. Didn't know how practical this would be?
Out of nowhere, a young Spanish pilgrim caught up to us in the vineyards, and slowed down to only chat a bit. He was looking for a café, he told us that he had heard about in a town at the base of the hill to Santarém. He was wondering if we had heard of it.
I knew there was nothing between Porto Muge and Santarém and expressed my doubt. For certain he would find out soon enough.
After our brief chat he quickly gained distance from us, as we struggled to walk faster in the brutal heat. It was just not happening! Slow and steady wins the race.
In the last 10 kilometers we had gone through field after field of tomatoes and vineyards, passed quintas and old estates, many that were quite rundown.
When you come to this T-intersection, below, you are ending the portion of the Camino on the farmer's lanes. It is after about 28.1 kilometers into the day.
Turn Right Under A13 ViaductAfter turning right, above, you join this paved stone road, below. Yes, it is cobblestone. I thought my ankle was going to fall apart when I hit the uneven stones. We still had four kilometers to go.
These last 4 kilometers were the most difficult of all. I ran out of water here, but Rich managed to have some for me. Please be sure to carry plenty of water in this stretch. It was brutally hot in April. I imagined what it must be like in August. Nothing short of hell.
After only 100 meters, you will arrive at this intersection, shown below, with the viaduct and the Ponte Salgueiro Maia, the bridge that crosses the Tagus river, in full view. Turn left here.
Turn Left by the Ponte Salgueiro MaiaAfter walking under the superhighway viaduct, the paved road leads to Ómnias, below.
In the heat of the day we saw no movement in this town. No cafés. We kept walking.
Here is Rich looking quite disgusted at me for making him stop to snap this photo. The heat was making his mood foul. I wanted to capture the moment. The good, the bad, the ugly, as I promised.
Rich, Not Happy at the End of Day Three on the Camino PortuguésJust when we thought it couldn't get any tougher in the brutal heat, after about 30 km, the climb up the hill to Santarém began.
While the photo looks serene below, we felt anything but serene.
Continuing to walk up the hill, on the Calçada da Junqueira, not quite halfway up the steep hill into town, you will pass the historic Fonte da Junqueira, shown below. Many pilgrims stop here and wash their dirty and dusty feet in the cool water!
Fonte da JunqueiraContinuing to walk up the hill, on the Calçada da Junqueira, we entered the city limits.
It is only another ½ kilometer when the Camino turns left and onto the Rua de Olivença, shown below. A few meters later, it is another turn to the right as you can see on the telephone pole.
Along the Rua de Olivença Towards the Town CenterThis main street into town is lined with cafes! We crashed into the first chairs we saw. I ordered iced tea, and gulped it down. The cold fluid was heaven after the hot water in our packs.
Then, of course, pastel de nata (cream tarts) to rejuvenate us as well! Here Rich is going for the gusto! He looks pretty ragged, doesn't he? I am so glad he did not snap a photo of me!
Tea and Nata BreakAfter our break we set out to find our hotel. We had made loose plans to meet our Swiss friend at the hotel where he was planning to stay, but after several attempts to call or text him, I could not connect. I was having trouble with the international connections and I wasn't sure what was wrong.
We walked through town, by the main traffic circle, (where the actual Camino goes to the right, refer to day four and see my Google map above) and where I officially end this day's narrative.
We walked past the Igreja (church) de Nossa Senhora da Piedade, and just beyond the Igreja De Marvila market building.
This beautiful blue tile building is the town's marketplace. It was just beyond this market building that we found our hotel (no longer in operation). There are plenty of hotels if you wish to book ahead through booking.com. Click here for the latest deals.
There is an albergue in town, the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Santarém (+351 243 305 260), just west of the main traffic circle in town at the church of the same name. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the albergue is temporarily closed, however, you may want to contact them to see if they are open when you walk through. The only other dormitory option is the N1 Hostel and Apartment Suites.
Some of the most economical hotel choices are the Hotel Vitória, the Villa Graça Hostels and Apartments and the Tagus Host (we have stayed here and it is adequate, clean and in the center of town).
As fate would have it, we ran into our Swiss friend at the hotel as we were checking in! When we realized we would not be able to call or text in the conventional manner, we set up WhatsApp to communicate over Wi-Fi, in the future.
We agreed to regroup, and meet up in a few hours for dinner. Rich and I cleaned up and walked around the town for a bit. The town of Santarém is lovely. It would actually be worth it to spend a rest day here, as our Swiss friend did.
We had a lovely dinner together in a restaurant that did not survive the pandemic. As we conversed over dinner, our Swiss friend finally confessed that he had a blister on his one little toe. He wouldn't discuss the severity of it, and when I offered to treat it (I am a nurse) he said he was fine, and would take the subject no further. He agreed that he realized that his feet were swelling and his boots were indeed, too tight. He did, however, want to join us again in the morning for the next day's walk.
Ahh, yes, it was indeed my fate to help the Barnacle, in whatever fashion he would allow. Unable to state that we preferred to walk alone, I accepted that it was our task perhaps, to help him learn how to be a pilgrim.
After imbibing in lots of Portuguese wine with dinner, I realized that there was little light left in the day, and I wished to see the famous Portas do Sol at sunset. I asserted the partying gentlemen that I was going to the look-out now, that they would have to settle the account when they finished their wine, as I raced away from the table.
Lessons Learned on Day Three, Camino Portugués
Knowing myself, as in the above quote from Eric Clapton, served me well today. Knowing that I can indeed, as an experienced pilgrim, reach down deep to do what needed to be done to walk the entire route on day three brought me comfort and a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.
Day three on the Camino Portugués could have been worse. It could have been a mud slog in pouring down rain! Or we could have had issues like the wildfires impeding the route, as what had tragically occurred later in 2017.
While the heat was torture, walking slowly and steadily while drinking lots of water, got it done. I could still do it. A full 33 kilometers.
I had also renewed my life's commitment to do what I could to help others ~ in this case our Swiss friend as he learned how to become a pilgrim. What I knew about myself is that with him, the approach had to be tender, kind and suggestive, instead of direct and instructional. I believed I was up for the challenge.
On this day three of our Camino Portugués, with Rich and I examining our values and our strengths, we knew that we both had what it took to be examples on how to be pilgrims and how to help those who chose to be helped.
Despite our friend's struggles, he was hoping to orchestrate our Camino as well as his own. I also learned that I can assert my own self, my own Camino, to do what I had to do to walk my own pilgrimage. I had subtly stated at dinner that we were no longer going to stay in hotels, but that to meet other pilgrims, if we had the choice, we needed to stay in albergues. Because the Barnacle, was just that, a Barnacle, he agreed to try an albergue the next night.
While I was not sure if a walking pilgrimage through Portugal was our Swiss friend's idea for gaining self-knowledge, what lay in store for us traveling together was yet to be determined. If the Barnacle was still attached, so be it.
Salutation
May your own day three on the Camino Portugués be full of self-examination and self-knowing as you become the best pilgrimage traveler that you can be! As it has been said, if you want to know God, get to know yourself! Ultreia!
Downloadable Camino Portugués eBooks in PDF Format ~ Get Your Copy Today! Don't carry a hard copy guide book to increase your pack weight. Use our digital guides on your next Camino instead.
The Variante Espiritual is Brand-New, Hot off my writing desk!
The Lisbon to Porto eBook is now updated to include the brand new boardwalk route along the river on the first day out of Lisbon!
And the Journey Continues:
~ Lisbon to Porto
~ Porto to Santiago Via the Coastal Route and/or the Sendal Litoral
Skip to Central Route Below, for Final Days 22-25 to Santiago
~ Porto to Santiago Via the Central Route
Please Consider Showing Your Support
Many readers contact me, Elle, to thank me for all the time and care that I have spent creating this informative website. If you have been truly blessed by my efforts, have not purchased an eBook, yet wish to contribute, I am very grateful. Thank-you!
Search This Website:
The Pilgrimage Traveler Digital Guides
Our Guides Help You:
~ Know what to expect each day!
~ Locate historic sites along the Way!
~ Know where you are in your journey!
~ Discover a quote from the sages, for your daily reflection on the journey!
Click on a Photo Below to Get Your Copy.
Brand New and Hot Off my Desk in January, 2024, the Spiritual Variant. Experience the Unique Traslatio Boat Ride!
Updated 2024 guide, below, includes the new route out of Lisbon on Day One!
Our Most Popular Guide!
The Most Historic of the Portuguese Caminos - not to be missed! Updated for 2024!
The Spiritual Adventure of a Lifetime, Following in the Footsteps of St. Teresa of Ávila!
The Amazing Mountain Route Alternative, the Camino Sanabrés, from Granja de Moreruela on the Vía de la Plata!
The Most Incredible Mountain Scenery on this Camino from Leon to Oviedo!
The Shortest of the Caminos, but Not Easy!
The Very First, Original Camino from Oviedo to Santiago
The Pilgrimage to the End of the World - A Must Do!
All Banners, Amazon, Insurance and Booking.com links on this website are affiliate links. As an associate of these companies, the Pilgrimage Traveler website will earn from qualifying purchases when you click on these links. We have used and love all of our product recommendations and believe you will too! We sincerely thank-you!
Follow Me on Pinterest:
Follow Me on Instagram:
Find the Pilgrimage Traveler on Facebook:
Like / Share this page on Facebook:
***All Banners, Amazon and Booking.com links on this website are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate and a Booking.com associate, the Pilgrimage Traveler website will earn from qualifying purchases when you click on these links, at no cost to you. We sincerely thank-you as this is a pilgrim-supported website***
PS: Our guide books are of our own creation and we appreciate your purchase of those too!!
Shroud Yourself in Mystery, along the Via de Francesco!
Walk in the Footsteps of St. Francis, and Connect Deeply to the Saint and to Nature in the Marvelous Italian Countryside!
Recent Articles
-
The La Verna Sanctuary, The Official Start of the Way of St. Francis
Jun 04, 24 09:51 AM
The peaceful, secluded and phenomenal setting of the La Verna Sanctuary is a very special place where your pilgrimage on the Way of St Francis begins. -
Day Eighteen on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués
May 23, 24 12:05 PM
On our day eighteen on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués was a most enchanting stroll through time on old roads made of real cobblestone and rutted stone pavers that were full of twists and tu… -
Day Twenty-Two A on the Coastal Route of the Camino Portugués, Vigo
Feb 24, 24 07:43 AM
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.
Need suggestions on what to pack for your next pilgrimage? Click Here or on the photo below!
Carbon fiber construction ( not aluminum) in a trekking pole makes them ultra lightweight. We like the Z-Pole style from Black Diamond so we can hide our poles in our pack from potential thievesbefore getting to our albergue! There are many to choose from! ( See more of our gear recommendations! )
Gregory BackPack - My Favorite Brand
Do not forget your quick-dry microfiber towel!
Booking.com
My absolute favorite book on how to be a pilgrim:
Your Opinion Matters! Comments
Have you had a similar experience, have some advice to give, or have something else you'd like to share? We would love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment in the box below.