You walk into Albergaria-a-Velha with fresh legs. It’s still early enough for a drink on a terrace, a bit of washing and an afternoon without any rush. That’s how this stage feels: you haven’t had to survive the day, you’ve simply walked it.
Looking back, it was a calm day. You leave Águeda and walk through rolling countryside, where the road creeps uphill now and then. In total you climb a good 200 metres, spread over the whole route, and the highest point stays low. You’ll need to catch your breath now and then, nothing more. At just over four hours of walking, you don’t need the day to recover from the previous one either. This is a stage to enjoy. So feel free to take some time for yourself that afternoon.