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Day 3 | 4 July 2026 | Walking the Portuguese Camino
From Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja | 19.9 km – 12.3 miles
We left Vila Franca de Xira at 05:00, hoping to get some walking behind us before the day’s heat took hold. The heatwave showed no sign of easing, and the forecast was for another sweltering 38°C.
We passed many people still partying in the streets at this early hour following yesterday’s Festa do Colete Encarnado (Red Waistcoat Festival). Apparently, they do it all over again in October, but then it’s called the Feira de Outubro.
Along the way we had started to see white storks nesting high above us. In one place, a muster of storks was nesting on electricity pylons.
Since leaving Lisbon we had met only six other pilgrims and after 8 km we met two more – a woman from Taiwan and her son. The moment she spotted us, her face lit up.
“You are the first pilgrims I have met,” she said with a broad smile. “All I have wanted to do is say Bom Caminho to another pilgrim.”
We laughed and wished her “Bom Caminho.” She responded by repeating it three times in quick succession. She had been waiting days for the opportunity.
Just before we reached the small town of Vila Nova da Rainha, we came across something that seemed completely out of place – rice fields!
Curious, I later discovered just how important rice is to Portuguese agriculture and cuisine. It was certainly something I had not expected to find on the Camino.
When we reached Azambuja we luckily walked straight into our second festival in as many days.
We heard the music before we reached the Praça do Município (town square), and as we entered we found ourselves in the middle of the Mercado Medieval, the town’s Medieval Market festival.
For one day each year, Azambuja steps back through the centuries with historical re-enactments, music, costumes and market stalls celebrating its past from the Middle Ages through to the present day. It was an unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable way to finish the day’s walk. We found a table in the shade, ordered a cold beer, and sat back to soak up the atmosphere. Moments like these become some of the most memorable parts of the Camino.
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