Ínsua in Caminha is one of the most iconic spots in the North of Portugal and is often a hallmark of the Portuguese coast. It is definitely a place to visit in Portugal.
How to visit Ínsua? At first glance, it might seem complicated and maybe not worth it, but in reality, it’s easy, much easier than we expected when we decided to go there. Check all the information about the island, the fort, and of course, where to stay and how to visit Ínsua.
What is an Insua?
The “Ínsua” is a small island located near the mouth of the Minho River in Caminha. It is a granitic island, almost without elevation, but with a rather large beach. Despite being only about 200 meters long (at low tide, it will be a little bigger), Ínsua has a beautiful fort, ruins of a monastery, and a spectacular white sand beach.
Due to its extraordinary location, the Ínsua Fort is a remarkable monument in northern Portugal. Its dramatic effect on the landscape makes it one of the main reasons to consider Moledo Beach one of the most beautiful in the north and one of the best beaches in Portugal.
According to the dictionary, an Insua in Portuguese is an “Island formed in a mouth or a river.” So, the name is fitting.
Where is Ínsua?
The island of Ínsua is located in Caminha, very close to the Spanish border, just 300 meters from the coast, towards the Camarido forest. It is a bit south of the mouth of the Rio Minho and more than 3 km from Caminha town center. Officially, it belongs to the parish of Moledo, Municipality of Caminha.
The island (and its fort) can be seen from various points and viewpoints along the coast, the beaches, and even the national road 13.
Curiosity: Despite being more than 300 meters from the coast, going to Ínsua on foot at certain times was possible. This is a sporadic phenomenon, but it happened in 1575 (the 1st documented connection), repeating itself in 1582, 1629, 1708, 1895, 1947, and finally in 2001.
How to visit Ínsua?
As we initially said, going to Ínsua is easy, a lot easier than we thought. Despite being from the northern region, we had never been there until recently. We always had the idea that it was not possible or it would be too complicated. There are actually several alternatives, and they are not very expensive.
So, it is possible to take a taxi boat, go on a tour, or take a SUP or kayak.
Go to Ínsua by Boat / Taxi-boat
The easiest way to get to Ínsua is by taxi-boat. You must go to the river portion of Camarido Beach, next to the “Forte de Ínsua” restaurant. Those coming on Nacional 13 turn to Mata do Camarido, next to the Hotel Porta do Sol. At the end of this road, you will find the aforementioned restaurant. Next to Orbitur Park, there is a huge car park, so you shouldn’t have too many problems finding where to leave your car.
Once you are next to the restaurant, you will notice several signs indicating the taxi boat for pilgrims crossing the Minho River. They also transport tourists to the island. Just call this number and ask for transportation.
The island is very close, and the boats are pretty fast, so even if you have a few people in front of you, you won’t have to wait too long. The boat trip takes between 5 and 10 minutes and is quite pleasant.
In Ínsua, there is no pier or any infrastructure for the boat, so it goes directly to the beach. Thus, it is very likely that you’ll need to get out in the water or get wet. Despite this minor difficulty, it is an activity that anyone can do with a minimum of agility and mobility.
Go to Ínsua by SUP or Kayak
Another option to go to Ínsua is SUP or Kayak. Despite enjoying SUP, we never tried this option, but we’ve seen many people do it, so it’s possible.
Although it is pretty close, only 300-400 meters from the coast, it is open sea and an area known for some currents. If you don’t have experience riding a SUP at sea, it can be quite complicated.
This is obviously an entertaining way to visit Ínsua and is only possible for those with practice and stamina. If you are considering this option, it will be much easier to get there from Moledo or Mata do Camarido beach as it is much closer than the Minho River.
Go to Ínsua with Diverminho
Going to Ínsua on a Diverminho tour is the most expensive option, but not too expensive. It costs only 15 Euros per person, with the boat already included. Taking the tour has the advantage of allowing us to visit the interior of Forte de Ínsua, as it is closed to the general public, and it is only possible to see it through Diverminho.
Finally, and also through Diverminho, there is the possibility of playing an escape room in the fort. It will be an exciting experience, and it should be extremely fun for those who like this type of game. After going there, we only became aware of this possibility, but it went directly to our list of things to do in Portugal.
Ínsua Fort
A national monument since 1910, the Ínsua Fort is the main attraction of this islet. However, we must mention that you can only enter the fort through the Diverminho tour or the escape room, as it has been leased. Due to its unique location, even from the outside, it is an impressive fort.
The Ínsua Fort has an irregular star plan, consisting of two polygonal angled bastions located north and west and two half-bent bastions between south and east. A Franciscan convent from 1292 was integrated inside the fort, enlarged and renovated in 1471, and again in 1502. It also has the peculiarity of having a freshwater well, one of the only three freshwater wells located in the sea.
It is believed that the convent predates the fort and that the first fortified structures were built in the 15th and 16th centuries, but nothing remains of them. The fortress known today was built between 1649 and 1652, marking the beginning of the defensive line of the Atlantic coast. Crossing fire with Praça de Caminha, Ínsua was the first defense of Portugal’s northwestern border, marking the first line of fire in the system of interior fortifications deployed on the banks of the river Minho.
During the 20th century, several national and local authorities noted the abandonment that this fort suffered, but little has been done to reverse it. As mentioned above, the fort was then leased to Diverminho, which, in our opinion, is a much better option than leaving it unattended and abandoned.
We were also told that there is the idea of establishing a hotel on the island, which, if done successfully, could be an exciting way to enhance the heritage. Staying in a nice hotel in a place like Ínsua would undoubtedly be a spectacular experience and easy to sell.
Best time to go to Ínsua?
The best time to go to Ínsua is clearly in summer when it’s hot and sunny, and we can take advantage of the spectacular beach that forms there. However, even in summer, you can only visit the island if the weather and the sea allow it.
Taxi boats only operate from mid-May to mid-September, and it is much more likely that you can visit them in July and August. Outside of these months, the best thing might be to contact Diverminho and arrange a guided tour to ensure you can go there.
Where to stay when visiting Ínsua?
While the supposed hotel designed for the Fort of Ínsua is not built, the best place to stay should be in Caminha or Vila Praia de Âncora.
In Caminha, we suggest the Porta do Sol hotel. Besides being an excellent hotel, with a swimming pool and spa, it is very close to the Camarido forest and the Marina where taxi-boats pick you up. So you can go to the boat on foot, without any stress. See prices and more information about Hotel Porta do Sol.
Alternatively, if you like camping, you can always use the Orbitur campsite, which is next to where you pick up boats. This park also has bungalows and mobile homes for rent. Click here to view.
There are plenty of accommodation options in Vila Praia de Âncora, as it is a popular holiday destination. Among them, we should highlight the Hotel Meira, the Vila Praia Tourist Apartments, and Baixinho Guesthouse. They all have very affordable prices and have excellent reviews.
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