Marco de Canaveses

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Marco de Canaveses
<map lat='41.13574463182004' lng='-8.598175048828125' zoom='11' view='3' float='right' />
Information
Country:
Flag of Portugal
Portugal
State: North Region
Population: 53,450
Licence plate: -
Major roads: A4, N211
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Marco de Canaveses is a small city in Portugal where the HitchFest takes place.

Hitchhiking out

South towards Aveiro, Lisbon, Algarve

Option 1: Repsol Gas Station

The best way to go South is to take the motorway towards Porto (West) in a first instance. Just before the river called Rio Tamega, which is one of the two main rivers of Marco de Canaveses, you will have this gas station. You can easily walk to the gas station located in the Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street which is about 800 meters (10 min) from the city centre (town hall). So from here, you walk Northwest, for about 550m, from Rua de Sao Nicolau street towards Rio Tamega until you get a street located on your left side called Rua Cruz Street (where you will turn), the last street before you reach a small bridge passing over Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Walk for more 200m and the gas station will be just on your right side when you will reach the main road Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Check here to see how to get there. Be specific when you ask people to give you a lift. Tell them you are going direction to Porto through A4. Many of the cars which stop here might be from locals, though many are also going direction Porto. Be aware, that some drivers might tell you they are not going to Porto as they might take the other motorway A11 which goes to Guimaraes. In this case, tell them to leave you at the tolls (portagens in Portuguese) just before the entrance of the motorways A4 and A11 (they start in the same place), as the motorways in Portugal are payable. This is certain part good for hitchhikers because you can ask drivers directly when they stop to take the card from the machine. Take A4 direction Porto. To reach the entrance of both motorways (A4 and A11) located at about 10km from the gas station drivers must drive through the national road N211.

Via Porto's External ring road (CREP)

This is the first sub-option inside option 1. Be specific when you ask people to give you a lift. Tell them you are going direction South to Aveiro/Lisbon via A4 and after via A41. That's because drivers might think you are only going to Porto through A4. The point is that after 25 km in the motorway A4, you will have to take exit 9A to the motorway A41 direction Aveiro/Lisbon for 30 km. After that, there will be a juction to motorway A1. So take exit 21 and you'll finally be on your way to Lisbon. When you are starting the trip at the tolls or gas station you can choose to tell drivers you are going to Lisbon via CREP (you will probably have to be quite lucky as most people go to Porto) or just take any car that goes to Porto asking the driver to leave you at the junction/connection to A41. Though on this last case be aware that you will be hitchhiking on the highway, and that might be dangerous. You can always try to leave the motorway walking and after hitchhike at the entrance of the motorway. Though expect that not that many cars will go South from there. This option is mostly good if you find a direct lift from the tolls or from the gas station in Marco de Canaveses to Lisbon. You can check your way here.

Via Porto's Internal ring road (VCI)

This is the second sub-option inside option 1, and most probably the best one. Be specific when you ask people to give you a lift. Tell them you are going South via Porto through A4 and through VCI. That's because drivers might think you are only going to Porto through A4. If you are lucky to have a direct lift from Marco de Canaveses or from the tolls great, though it might be difficult as said. If not, now you will continue all the way for 37 km after entering the motorway A4 until you merge to A3 towards Porto/Lisbon (take the right exit number 6). That's what drivers that go to Porto will do. You can also opt to leave at the gas station (called Estaçao de Serviço de Aguas Santas) in the motorway, 2 km before the referred merge to A3. If you do that you might be lucky (even if the gas station is before arriving Porto), as normally some cars that are coming from inland opt to stop here, before heading South. If you are going to Lisbon and your driver is going only to Aveiro, accept the lift until the last gas station on the motorway before the exit to Aveiro. If you opt not to stop at the gas station, you will only be around 2,5 km on A3 before meeting a junction to VCI/A20. You will want to keep on the left side to take the correct way to South/Lisbon, and after take the first exit to Antas. If your driver took the right side instead of the left before meeting the junction to VCI/A20, ask him to leave you somewhere where there is a metro station nearby, so you can take the metro to Estadio do Dragao (after ask the direction to torre das Antas from there), or just check another places to hitchhike in Porto. Once you are in Antas, hitchhike in the exit direction Lisbon/South. You can check the exact place here.

Option 2: Crossroad near Repsol Gas Station

The location of this option is very close (about 1 km walking) to the location of option 1. See here. This serves as an alternative to option 1, and you can perfectly try both as they are so close. Make sure you hitchhike the road going to the left towards the river. Use the same instructions as in option 1.

West towards Porto

Option 1: Repsol Gas Station

It is pretty easy and direct to get to Porto, as many people drive to Porto from Marco de Canaveses everyday! Just before the river called Rio Tamega, which is one of the two main rivers of Marco de Canaveses, you will have this gas station. You can easily walk to the gas station located in the Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street which is about 800 meters (10 min) from the city centre (town hall). So from here, you walk Northwest, for about 550m, from Rua de Sao Nicolau street towards Rio Tamega until you get a street located on your left side called Rua Cruz Street (where you will turn), the last street before you reach a small bridge passing over Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Walk for more 200m and the gas station will be just on your right side when you will reach the main road Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Check here to see how to get there. Be specific when you ask people to give you a lift. Tell them you are going to Porto through A4. Many of the cars which stop here might be from locals, though many are also going direction Porto. Be aware, that some drivers might tell you they are not going to Porto as they might take the other motorway A11 which goes to Guimaraes. In this case, tell them to leave you at the tolls (portagens in Portuguese) just before the entrance of the motorways A4 and A11 (they start in the same place), as the motorways in Portugal are payable. This is certain part good for hitchhikers because you can ask drivers directly when they stop to take the card from the machine. Take A4 direction Porto. To reach the entrance of both motorways (A4 and A11) located at about 10 km from the gas station drivers must drive through the national road N211. Though you will probably be lucky to find a direct lift from Marco de Canaveses. Once on the you will continue all the way for 37 km after entering the motorway A4 until you merge to A3 towards Porto/Lisbon (take the right exit number 6). That's what drivers that go to Porto will do. You will only be around 2,5 km on A3 before meeting a junction to VCI/A20. You can go to both sides depending where you go in Porto. You can go left side direction Lisbon, and after take the first exit to Antas, or you can go right (best option) instead where you will have a bunch of options to go in Porto. Be aware that Porto VCI gets very busy at certain parts of the day, especially from 8 am to 10 am and from 5 pm to 8 pm, when people go to work and leave the work, respectively.

Option 2: Crossroad near Repsol Gas Station

The location of this option is very close (about 1 km walking) to the location of option 1. See here. This serves as an alternative to option 1, and you can perfectly try both as they are so close. Make sure you hitchhike the road going to the left towards the river. Use the same instructions as in option 1.

East towards Vila Real, Madrid, France

Though the road M570 is used by the many locals to drive to the east, especially to Amarante, that won't be very good for a hitchhiker. It is usually faster and more simply to take the road N211 direction A4, like in the previous options.

Option 1: Repsol Gas Station

From this gas station many cars drive direction Porto, especially, though this is also a good option to take a lift towards east. Just before the river called Rio Tamega, which is one of the two main rivers of Marco de Canaveses, you will have this gas station. You can easily walk to the gas station located in the Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street which is about 800 meters (10 min) from the city centre (town hall). So from here, you walk Northwest, for about 550m, from Rua de Sao Nicolau street towards Rio Tamega until you get a street located on your left side called Rua Cruz Street (where you will turn), the last street before you reach a small bridge passing over Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Walk for more 200m and the gas station will be just on your right side when you will reach the main road Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Check here to see how to get there. Be specific when you ask people to give you a lift. Tell them you are going direction Vila Real, though you are flexible to go with them if they drive to Porto, as the road will be the same until you reach the tolls. Many of the cars which stop here might be from locals, though many are also going direction Porto. Be aware, that some drivers might tell you they are not going to Porto as they might take the other motorway A11 which goes to Guimaraes. In any case, you will want to leave at the tolls (portagens in Portuguese) just before the entrance of the motorways A4 and A11 (they start in the same place), as the motorways in Portugal are payable. This is certain part good for hitchhikers because you can ask drivers directly when they stop to take the card from the machine. Take A4 direction Vila Real. Some people might tell you they go only to Amarante or Vila Real, though If you are going to Spain you will want to accept the lift and ask the driver to leave you at the first gas station you will find on the motorway, which is pretty close to the tolls (about 4 km), like you can see here. If so, accept the lift, as you will have the chance to be straightly on the motorway which will take you to Spain, and so you will have more chances. To reach the entrance of both motorways (A4 and A11) located at about 10km from the gas station drivers must drive through the national road N211.

Option 2: Crossroad near Repsol Gas Station

The location of this option is very close (about 1 km walking) to the location of option 1. See here. This serves as an alternative to option 1, and you can perfectly try both as they are so close. Make sure you hitchhike the road going to the left towards the river. Use the same instructions as in option 1.

North towards Braga, Vigo, A Coruña

Option 1: Repsol Gas Station

From this gas station many cars drive direction Porto, especially. Though this is also a good option to take a lift towards North. Just before the river called Rio Tamega, which is one of the two main rivers of Marco de Canaveses, you will have this gas station. You can easily walk to the gas station located in the Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street which is about 800 meters (10 min) from the city centre (town hall). So from here, you walk Northwest, for about 550m, from Rua de Sao Nicolau street towards Rio Tamega until you get a street located on your left side called Rua Cruz Street (where you will turn), the last street before you reach a small bridge passing over Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Walk for more 200m and the gas station will be just on your right side when you will reach the main road Avenida dos Bombeiros Voluntarios do Marco street. Check here to see how to get there. Be specific when you ask people to give you a lift. Tell them you are going direction Guimaraes, though you are flexible to go with them if they drive to Porto, as the road will be the same until you reach the tolls. Many of the cars which stop here might be from locals, though many are also going direction Porto. Be aware, that some drivers might tell you they are not going to Porto but to Guimaraes using the motorway A11 and that is good for you. In any case, you will want to leave at the tolls (portagens in Portuguese) just before the entrance of the motorways A4 and A11 (they start in the same place), as the motorways in Portugal are payable. This is certain part good for hitchhikers because you can ask drivers directly when they stop to take the card from the machine. Take A11 direction Guimaraes/Braga. If you are going to Galicia in Spain or you just want to get a lift to a gas station already in the motorway, you have a gas station located in A11 called Estaçao de Serviço de Lousada located about 10 km away from the tolls (See here the way). Some people at the tolls might tell you they go only to Felgueiras, Guimaraes or Braga, though you you will want to accept the lift and ask the driver to leave you at the gas station. To reach the entrance of both motorways (A4 and A11) located at about 10km from the gas station drivers must drive through the national road N211.

Option 2: Crossroad near Repsol Gas Station

The location of this option is very close (about 1 km walking) to the location of option 1. See here. This serves as an alternative to option 1, and you can perfectly try both as they are so close. Make sure you hitchhike the road going to the left towards the river. Use the same instructions as in option 1.

Hitchhiking in

A quick reference in how to get to Marco de Canaveses - the best way to hitch in is using the motorway A4 if you are coming from West, South and East, and use A11 if you are coming from North. They will merge at the same meeting point - the exit that leads to Marco de Canaveses and the respective tolls located about 10 km from the town. If you are coming from South, West or East using A4, take exit 14 and right after take exit 16 for N211 towards Marco de Canaveses. If you are coming from North using A11 take exit 16 for N211 towards Marco de Canaveses. If you didn't find a direct lift to Marco de Canaveses, you will get a lift fast from the tolls, as most of the drivers will take the road to Marco de Canaveses, or will drive through it.

Camping

If you want to do wild camping in Marco de Canaveses you have plenty of space and places besides the ones recommended here where you won't be bothered by anybody.

Parque de Merendas de Montedeiras is a really nice park located about 8 km from the centre of the town but very easily acceded. Here you have the description how to get there.

If you prefer something beautiful to wake up in the morning and to be closer to the centre of Marco de Canaveses, you can go to the historical site Tongobriga located about 3,5 km from the town.

You can also try Ecocamping do Juncal located about 6 km from the centre of Marco de Canaveses if you prefer to find some affordable and interesting camping park.

You can also try to use the normal online platforms for travellers, though you might not find many people! The user verde_mar is sometimes there and you can try to get him, though expect that he will be travelling as he has a nomadic lifestyle.

NOTE: Portugal (and especially the North of Portugal) is prone to forest fires during the summer so you might want to avoid places with many trees!!

Other useful info

How to get to HitchFest?

Once you enter in Marco de Canaveses following the upper instructions, just after crossing Rio Tamega river you will want to go to the centre of the town (town hall - Camara Municipal in Portuguese) where most of the drivers will be able to take you. You will have some plates indicating how to get to the centre (town hall) where you will be able to take a shuttle to the festival located about 8 km from there for free. If your driver will drive towards Parque de Merendas de Montedeiras or is able to take you there directly, there will also be some plates indicating the way to HitchFest - Montedeiras.