Barcelos

Barcelos is the town of the rooster. The Galo de Barcelos — Portugal's unofficial national symbol — was born from a miracle legend set here: a pilgrim wrongly condemned to hanging declared that the roasted rooster on the judge's dinner plate would stand up and crow to prove his innocence. It did. The oversized, colourful ceramic roosters are everywhere in town, and you'll see them on souvenirs for the rest of the camino.

The ruins at the entrance to town are from the palace of a former Duke, destroyed in the earthquake of 1755 and never rebuilt. The open-air Museo Arqueologico in the ruins is more park than museum, but worth a wander.

The camino through town hits the highlights: the Igreja Matriz opposite the museum; the Torre do Cimo da Vila, which offers the best view of the city and a small crafts exhibition; the Igreja do Senhor Bom Jesus da Cruz, built in 1704 on the spot where a large earthen cross allegedly appeared in 1504; and the Convento de Nossa Senhora do Terco, whose interior is covered wall-to-wall in azulejos with a spectacular wooden ceiling.

The Thursday market in the Campo da Republica is one of the largest open-air markets in Europe — everything from pottery and linens to livestock and farm tools. If your timing aligns, don't miss it. Barcelos ceramics, particularly the black pottery from the nearby town of Prado, are among the finest traditional crafts in Portugal.

All services available. The camino is well marked through town.