Where to start? Tomar? Porto?

[Marla in CA]

Question for all those who have done the Camino Portugues before. I definitely want to begin walking well before Porto, but probably well after Lisbon too. I would be interested in opinions as to where to start or what towns not to miss. Tentatively, I planned on starting in Coimbra and walking to Santiago. However, I know of someone who is starting in Tomar, but then when he arrives in Coimbra, after he is finished looking around, he is taking the train to Porto. Any opinions on these 2 different options? I can recalculate the stages and see if I can start in Tomar and keep walking all the way through to Santiago, but in case I can only do one or the other, I am interested in people's experiences and opinions.

THank you in advance for any comments.

 

[Flog]

Tomar is a beautiful town and it's a beautiful walk from there to Coimbra.
From Coimbra to Porto there is some tramping through industrial suburbs, it's not so pretty.

But it's all Portuguese camino, good or bad, I would walk it all again in a heartbeat.

 

[Marla in CA]

Tomar is a beautiful town and it's a beautiful walk from there to Coimbra.
From Coimbra to Porto there is some tramping through industrial suburbs, it's not so pretty.

But it's all Portuguese camino, good or bad, I would walk it all again in a heartbeat.

This helps me tremendously. I really appreciate it. I like the fact that you informed me about industrial suburbs, not being so pretty, yet you would walk it again. This is exactly the type of honesty and first hand experience I was looking for in response to my question.

 

[jungleboy]

Tomar is a beautiful town and it's a beautiful walk from there to Coimbra.
From Coimbra to Porto there is some tramping through industrial suburbs, it's not so pretty.

I agree. I found the Tomar to Coimbra stretch much nicer than the Coimbra to Porto stretch.

 

[Marla in CA]

I agree. I found the Tomar to Coimbra stretch much nicer than the Coimbra to Porto stretch.

Thank you. Going to revise my plan.

 

[GraemeHall]

I started in Lisboa and walked all the way. Sure, some sections are more "scenic" than others. My life is like that too and I wouldn't do either of them any differently.
Blessings.

 

[John Sikora]

Another vote for starting in Tomar. Spend a day or so there as well as Coimbra. They are both very nice towns with a lot of history to see. As others have said, the Coimbra to Porto is a lot of industry but I still liked the walk. If you need the time, skip that section.

 

[TrvlDad1]

I agree. I found the Tomar to Coimbra stretch much nicer than the Coimbra to Porto stretch.

I’m starting from Tomar March 22 with several “off stage” stops to visit Templar sites. I hate to book ahead, thoughts on that between Tomar and Coimbra. Thank you!

 

[Dilbin]

Tomar is a beautiful town and it's a beautiful walk from there to Coimbra.
From Coimbra to Porto there is some tramping through industrial suburbs, it's not so pretty.

But it's all Portuguese camino, good or bad, I would walk it all again in a heartbeat.

Hi. I walked from Coimbra to Santiago. Have also walked the coastal another time from Porto. I had a major issue with one of my eyes a day after leaving Coimbra( needing to visit a hospital), walked two days in torrential rain and one bizarre experience in a weird accommodation. Like someone else said I too would walk again in a heartbeat. If I'd time would love to have left from Lisbon. The magic of the Way is hard to explain but I will never forget walking across the Dom Luis Bridge into Porto with my eye patch and that inexplicable feeling of freedom. Buen Camino

 

[jungleboy]

I’m starting from Tomar March 22 with several “off stage” stops to visit Templar sites. I hate to book ahead, thoughts on that between Tomar and Coimbra. Thank you!

My view is that booking ahead isn’t necessary as there’s not going to be any kind of bed race on this part of the CP.

On the other hand, there isn’t a ton of pilgrim accommodation either so it would be good to do a bit of research in advance to look into the options in various towns for each stage, even if you don’t book any of them. It’s not a matter of just arriving in a town and seeing signs for five (or however many) different albergues to easily choose from like the CF.

 

[edandjoan]

Keep the info coming...We loved Tomar and spent a couple days there. We will leave Fatima March 31 going to Coimbra (backwards on the Camino de Fatima). Accommodations are a bit hard until Coimbra and we may migrate to the Central route around Cortica. From Coimbra either the central or interior route. If we take the interior we may head off on the Camino Torres at Lamego. We only plan to make it to the Spanish border, but could always change flight plans and continue to Santiago. Who know?? And if the weather looks bad, we may look to take transportation south and find another walking trail. We have done the Fisherman's trail and over it.

 

[jungleboy]

The magic of the Way is hard to explain but I will never forget walking across the Dom Luis Bridge into Porto with my eye patch and that inexplicable feeling of freedom. Buen Camino

Even though I recommended skipping Coimbra-Porto, I agree that the Porto entrance is spectacular (with or without an eye patch!). I am on the record as saying that it must be the most amazing city view-entrance on any camino, because you approach it from the perfect direction but it’s completely hidden from you until at a certain point the entire city is suddenly revealed in front of your eyes and then it stays that way as you cross the bridge.

 

[Marla in CA]

Another vote for starting in Tomar. Spend a day or so there as well as Coimbra. They are both very nice towns with a lot of history to see. As others have said, the Coimbra to Porto is a lot of industry but I still liked the walk. If you need the time, skip that section.

Thank you, very helpful. I am going to study the stages today, and recalculate. Appreciate your vote.

 

[JimG59]

When deciding on whether to skip less appealing sections of a Camino I’m reminded of a statement from a poster, maybe on here, who said “I’m not just choosing the cherry and icing, I’m eating the whole cake”.

 

[jungleboy]

When deciding on whether to skip less appealing sections of a Camino I’m reminded of a statement from a poster, maybe on here, who said “I’m not just choosing the cherry and icing, I’m eating the whole cake”.

Interesting perspective but I’m not sure it really applies here. The OP isn’t going for the whole cake and will be skipping stages no matter what. The question is which stages to skip.

 

[Marla in CA]

Interesting perspective but I’m not sure it really applies here. The OP isn’t going for the whole cake and will be skipping stages no matter what. The question is which stages to skip.

THank you Jungleboy. Spot on.

 

[Jo H]

Even though I recommended skipping Coimbra-Porto, I agree that the Porto entrance is spectacular (with or without an eye patch!). I am on the record as saying that it must be the most amazing city view-entrance on any camino, because you approach it from the perfect direction but it’s completely hidden from you until at a certain point the entire city is suddenly revealed in front of your eyes and then it stays that way as you cross the bridge.

Interesting to know this as I am planning to walk up the coast from Espinho into Porto so I wonder how that coastal approach to the bridge and city will compare. And will walk Tomar to Coimbra before that.

 

[Marla in CA]

Even though I recommended skipping Coimbra-Porto, I agree that the Porto entrance is spectacular (with or without an eye patch!). I am on the record as saying that it must be the most amazing city view-entrance on any camino, because you approach it from the perfect direction but it’s completely hidden from you until at a certain point the entire city is suddenly revealed in front of your eyes and then it stays that way as you cross the bridge.

Given your comments about the remarkable entrance to Porto, wouldn't it be simple for me to just hop off the train a bit before Porto so I can experience what you and others have described? Or maybe the train to Porto from Tomar is direct without stops?

 

[jungleboy]

Given your comments about the remarkable entrance to Porto, wouldn't it be simple for me to just hop off the train a bit before Porto so I can experience what you and others have described? Or maybe the train to Porto from Tomar is direct without stops?

General Torres would be the closest train station to the viewpoint/bridge but that may require going to Porto Campanha and then getting a local train back, which may defeat the purpose a bit. Alternatively you could get off the train before Torres at Vila Nova da Gaia (which trains from Coimbra should stop at) and walk about 25 minutes to the viewpoint and then into Porto. So that could be worth considering!

 

[Marla in CA]

General Torres would be the closest train station to the viewpoint/bridge but that may require going to Porto Campanha and then getting a local train back, which may defeat the purpose a bit. Alternatively you could get off the train before Torres at Vila Nova da Gaia (which trains from Coimbra should stop at) and walk about 25 minutes to the viewpoint and then into Porto. So that could be worth considering!

Thank you!!

 

[jungleboy]

Interesting to know this as I am planning to walk up the coast from Espinho into Porto so I wonder how that coastal approach to the bridge and city will compare. And will walk Tomar to Coimbra before that.

I’m not sure but since that’s a DIY-type route anyway you could probably make it work. There’s one bridge further west (i.e. closer to the coast) than the Don Luís I bridge (the Arrábida bridge) so that might be the more direct way to cross the Douro but even so, you’d have to head back east after crossing it to reach the centre of Porto anyway, so it might be worth making that eastward move on the south side of the river.

Also worth doing before the Don Luís I bridge is going up to the Miradouro (viewpoint) da Serra do Pilar, which is near the bridge but higher up and it looks down upon the bridge, the river, and Porto.

 

[Jo H]

I’m not sure but since that’s a DIY-type route anyway you could probably make it work. There’s one bridge further west (i.e. closer to the coast) than the Don Luís I bridge (the Arrábida bridge) so that might be the more direct way to cross the Douro but even so, you’d have to head back east after crossing it to reach the centre of Porto anyway, so it might be worth making that eastward move on the south side of the river.

Also worth doing before the Don Luís I bridge is going up to the Miradouro (viewpoint) da Serra do Pilar, which is near the bridge but higher up and it looks down upon the bridge, the river, and Porto.

Thank you Nick. Good advice as I had not studied the route closely. Just inspired by another walker's post to walk via Lavadores and Alfurada but see now to continue eastward as you suggest to cross the Don Luis 1 bridge. And that Miradouro is a great idea too.

 

[Flog]

Interesting to know this as I am planning to walk up the coast from Espinho into Porto so I wonder how that coastal approach to the bridge and city will compare. And will walk Tomar to Coimbra before that.

That walk, if you follow the coast all the way, will take you around through Lavadores and the fishing village of Afurada before continuing (under the Arrábida bridge) along the Gaia shoreline as Porto comes into view, as you continue past the port warehouses to the Luis Bridge to cross it on the lower level. Its a lovely walk in itself, it's just that you'll see it for a while beforehand, and you won't be hit with the sudden spectacular view from the higher level as you are when you walk in by Avinida da Republica.

 

[Jo H]

That walk, if you follow the coast all the way, will take you around through Lavadores and the fishing village of Afurada before continuing (under the Arrábida bridge) along the Gaia shoreline as Porto comes into view, as you continue past the port warehouses to the Luis Bridge to cross it on the lower level. Its a lovely walk in itself, it's just that you'll see it for a while beforehand, and you won't be hit with the sudden spectacular view from the higher level as you are when you walk in by Avinida da Republica.

Thank you Flog for your detailed reply. I now have a clearer idea of this approach to Porto. Am still deciding which way to go. I have not walked the higher level by Avinda de Republica before which is appealing too.

 

[KEdmond]

This helps me tremendously. I really appreciate it. I like the fact that you informed me about industrial suburbs, not being so pretty, yet you would walk it again. This is exactly the type of honesty and first hand experience I was looking for in response to my question.

I walked from Tomar to Porto in the last couple of weeks (Oct 2024) and wholly agree with this - Tomar to Coimbra is great, from there to Porto is mixed, there are stretches going along dual carriages with dust & lorries, busy traffic. The accommodation through Camino Ways earlier from Tomar is good - basic, but clean and friendly with great food (little choice, fish or meat!). Later, hotels are ostensibly better but not really, especially in Porto where hotel room was smelly. Another hotel approaching Porto had glacial service, orders were taken for about a dozen customers and NO FOOD appeared for about 40mins - then one by one. I was third luckily. Cafes were great and welcome breaks during the walks, Portuguese were good fun and appreciate my stilted efforts to speak the lingo. Bom Camino!

 

[André Walker]

If you decide to follow what a few others suggested (skipping the part between Coimbra and Porto), maybe incorporating Fátima into your Camino is an option?

From Tomar you could follow the blue arrows to Fátima. From Fátima: go against the blue arrows and walk to Coimbra.

Check out this map:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=18iGd0PrWLrBINUXaieLn79RywjEEQKI&usp=sharing