Caminha sits at the mouth of the Minho, with Spain just across the water. Here you can also branch off onto the Caminho Português Central, via Vila Nova de Cerveira and Valença. Both routes lead to Santiago.
A long day lies behind you: over 26 kilometres, around 7 hours of walking from Viana do Castelo. There’s no steep climb, just a lot of hours. It stays low and the ascent is modest, but you’ll still feel it in your legs by the end. You walk north along the coast, with the sea coming back into view again and again. Sometimes you only hear it. That stays with you: silvery-grey water, wind in the dune grass and foam spreading out across the sand.