Walking in Avintes

Porto has no shortage of beautiful urban walks, but this route shows that you don't have to go too far from the city to enjoy a bit of quiet nature.

We started this route on an overcast Sunday afternoon. The weather was a bit warmer than ideal, but still close to perfect. We didn't know quite what to expect but ended up being pleasantly surprised.

Our trail map starts at Praia do Areinho de Avintes, which has more than ample parking to leave your car in. We started going east alongside The Douro, eventually cutting in and climbing up the slopes. After walking along some paved roads that still feel more like nature than urban, we found ourselves in more residential areas.

You'll walk by Igreja Paroquial de Avintes which was built in the 18th century. After that, we continued walking back west, which was probably the most boring part of the walk. After a while, we started heading back down into the next valley, where we started walking on the official trail PR1 - Trilho do Rio Febros. It wasn't well maintained, and we weren't dressed right, so sometimes we left the trail and walked on the streets instead.

After some time you'll find yourself next to O Cais, a local bar/restaurant. We didn't go in, but it looked like a good place to have some petiscos if you are up for it. This is near The Douro again, so we continue on the trail that connects back to Praia do Areinho de Avintes to finish the loop.

Overall, this is an OK route that has some nice sections. One of the advantages is how close to the city it is, especially if you are on the eastern side. You could also make a longer day out of it if you are up for a picnic. The river beach has a big park, with many tables and barbecues for picnics. It was quiet when we started around noon, but there was a lot of activity when we came back around two hours later.

I am posting some pictures from the trail below so you can decide for yourself if it's a route you would enjoy doing.