Central Portuguese Way— Stage 12: Oliveira de Azeméis to Grijó

This is the longest stage since the walk out of Lisbon, and it covers genuinely varied ground. Leaving Oliveira de Azeméis, the Camino passes through Santiago de Riba-Ul before reaching the old Couto de Cucujães, where it crosses a Roman-era bridge that once linked Cucujães to the village of Pica. Cucujães itself now has its own municipal pilgrim albergue, opened in a restored building by the Oliveira de Azeméis town council.

From Cucujães the route climbs through a continuous up-and-down of streets before leaving town through an industrial zone, arriving at São João da Madeira via the 8ª Avenida shopping centre. Known across Portugal as the "capital do calçado" (shoe capital) and once the country's hat-making hub, the city's Museu da Chapelaria — the only hat museum on the Iberian Peninsula — and Museu do Calçado are genuinely worth a stop if time allows.

Beyond São João da Madeira the Camino continues through Malaposta, Lourosa and Moselos on a mostly suburban final stretch, arriving at Grijó — a parish of Vila Nova de Gaia and, at just 15 km from Porto, a clear sign the Camino is nearing its next major milestone. Grijó's Mosteiro de São Salvador, a substantial Augustinian monastery, anchors the village.

Sights en route

Pilgrim lodging

Cucujães now has a proper municipal albergue, roughly a third of the way through the stage. In Grijó, the parish-run Albergue São Salvador is the long-standing pilgrim stop, right by the Camino itself. Many pilgrims split this stage at São João da Madeira rather than walking it all in one day — a sensible option given the distance.

Cucujães

Cucujães, seat of the old Couto de Cucujães, preserves a Roman-era bridge that once carried traffic to the nearby village of Pica. Its new municipal pilgrim albergue, opened in a restored building, has made it a practical and increasingly popular overnight option for anyone splitting this long stage.

São João da Madeira

São João da Madeira built its fortune first on hats and then on shoes, and wears both histories proudly: the Museu da Chapelaria, housed in a former hat factory, is the only museum of its kind on the Iberian Peninsula, while the Museu do Calçado tells the story of the footwear industry that still gives the city its nickname, "capital do calçado." The central Largo Luís Ribeiro, with its tall stone obelisk, marks the heart of town.

Grijó (end of Stage 13)

Grijó, a parish of Vila Nova de Gaia just 15 km from Porto, is dominated by the Mosteiro de São Salvador, a substantial Augustinian monastery with a monumental stone portal. Nearby, the Aqueduto dos Arcos d'Amoreira adds another layer of history to a village that, for many pilgrims, marks the last proper stop before the Camino reaches Porto itself.