Águeda

Every July, several streets in the centre of Agueda are covered with hundreds of colourful umbrellas suspended between the buildings. The AgitAgueda festival runs for about three weeks and transforms the town into an open-air art installation. The umbrella canopy creates shifting patterns of colour and shadow that change throughout the day. It is one of the most photographed sights in Portugal and has been copied by cities around the world. If you are walking in July, time your arrival to see it

The parish church of Santa Eulalia sits in the heart of Agueda. The current building dates from the 18th century, though a church has stood on this site for much longer. The interior has gilded altarpieces and painted ceilings typical of Portuguese Baroque churches. It is a modest building, but visiting the parish church of each town you pass through is one of the quiet rituals of the Camino.

Agueda is still within the Bairrada region, so leitao da Bairrada (roast suckling pig) remains the star of local menus. If you did not have it in Mealhada, or if you did and want more, the restaurants in Agueda serve excellent versions. The local wines, both still and sparkling, continue to impress. Try the chanfana (slow-cooked goat stew) as an alternative if you want something different.

The Certima runs through the centre of Agueda, and the banks near the town centre have been landscaped into a pleasant walking path. In the early evening, locals stroll here and the light on the water is soft. After a day of walking through vineyards and forests, the gentle sound of a river through a quiet town is exactly what tired legs need.