Which route do I take?

[ralston8]

Hello everyone, I'm walking my 2nd Camino after the French way last year and felt the Camino calling me again and this time I have just about 3-4 weeks from Sep 12 and I'm still undecided as to which Camino to walk. There's the Primitivo on my mind or the Portuguesa or even open to walk the Frances again from Pamplona to Leon. I'll decide over this week. Either way, my flights booked from Toronto to Porto and I will figure out how to get to Pamplona or Oviedo depending on the route I choose.
The Primitivo is beautiful I hear and a bit tougher but not sure if there will be many ppl walking it this time of the year. If you are please do drop me a note and maybe I need that push to select it especially this time as I'm going about it by myself.
Buen Camino
Ralston

 

[Bradypus]

If you are arriving in Porto then the main Portugues route passes a couple of km from the airport. Why not join that? It will be busy - numbers on the Portugues are growing rapidly and it may soon rival the Frances in numbers.

 

[David Tallan]

Hello everyone, I'm walking my 2nd Camino after the French way last year and felt the Camino calling me again and this time I have just about 3-4 weeks from Sep 12 and I'm still undecided as to which Camino to walk. There's the Primitivo on my mind or the Portuguesa or even open to walk the Frances again from Pamplona to Leon. I'll decide over this week. Either way, my flights booked from Toronto to Porto and I will figure out how to get to Pamplona or Oviedo depending on the route I choose.
The Primitivo is beautiful I hear and a bit tougher but not sure if there will be many ppl walking it this time of the year. If you are please do drop me a note and maybe I need that push to select it especially this time as I'm going about it by myself.
Buen Camino
Ralston

With 3 to 4 weeks, you could consider walking the Salvador and the Primitivo, both. The Salvador runs from Leon to Oviedo, so it makes a beautiful prelude and appetizer for the Primitivo (although it is a sweet little Camino in its own right).

 

[Tincatinker]

Either way, my flights booked from Toronto to Porto

So, with 3-4 weeks you’re thinking of spending one of them farting about getting from Porto to Oviedo or even Pamplona? Haven’t the gods of international travel already pointed you at your route?

Looks to me that you’d have time to walk Porto to Santiago; Santiago to Fisterra and Muxia and even back to Santiago.

 

[David Tallan]

So, with 3-4 weeks you’re thinking of spending one of them farting about getting from Porto to Oviedo or even Pamplona? Haven’t the gods of international travel already pointed you at your route?

Looks to me that you’d have time to walk Porto to Santiago; Santiago to Fisterra and Muxia and even back to Santiago.

Oh, I seem to have skimmed over the part where you already had a flight booked to Porto. Definitely Tincatinker's advice is the way I would go.

 

[KFH]

So, with 3-4 weeks you’re thinking of spending one of them farting about getting from Porto to Oviedo or even Pamplona? Haven’t the gods of international travel already pointed you at your route?

Looks to me that you’d have time to walk Porto to Santiago; Santiago to Fisterra and Muxia and even back to Santiago.

Seems by far the most logical. I would go Porto to Santiago to Fisterra to Muxia then bus up to A Coruña or Ferrol and do the Ingles to Santiago.

Three Camino paths in one trip-- with minimal travel hassle.

 

[ralston8]

If you are arriving in Porto then the main Portugues route passes a couple of km from the airport. Why not join that? It will be busy - numbers on the Portugues are growing rapidly and it may soon rival the Frances in numbers.

Thanks for the tip, I think I may just do the Portuguese from Porto via the costal route then, let me plan it.

 

[trecile]

Since you have 3-4 weeks to walk how about taking the train down to Coimbra or Tomar to start on the Camino Portuguese.

Camino Portugués Central | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

If you still have time after Santiago you can walk to Fisterra and/or Muxía, or head up to Ferrol or A Coruña for the Camino Inglés.

 

[CTLawGal]

I haven't done Porto, but my first Camino included the Primitivo in Spring 2023 and am longing to return, so if you don't mind the extra travel to get to Oviedo, and you are prepared for the elevation gain and solitude, you might enjoy that, plus a last week to Finisterre and Muxia if you didn't make it there yet. I loved it although I did find the up and down challenging. I would think it is beautiful in the fall. I'm trying to decide between returning (Norte, Primitivo) or trying Le Puy en Velay in Spring 2025, that's how much I loved it.

 

[lt56ny]

So, with 3-4 weeks you’re thinking of spending one of them farting about getting from Porto to Oviedo or even Pamplona? Haven’t the gods of international travel already pointed you at your route?

Looks to me that you’d have time to walk Porto to Santiago; Santiago to Fisterra and Muxia and even back to Santiago.

I'm still undecided as to which Camino to walk.

You are arriving in an absolutely beautiful city. Also staying in Portugal gives you the opportunity to meet the warmest and some of the most generous people anywhere. FInally, and there is plenty of videos, blogs, info here about the Central route and the coastal/litoral routes. Both wonderful, with good infrastructure, and with their own personalities and strengths. Why waste time traveling. You can use that travel day to walk around Porto and soak it's beauty and charm in for a memorable beginning.

 

[ralston8]

Walking from Porto seemed logical and I was up for that. I was in Porto 3 days last year after my Camino and love the city and the people. My friends want to do the Portuguese next year so I'm resisting walking it now. The Primitivo is challenging and I'm up for it, I just hope it'll be dry for most of Sept and at least a handful of pilgrims with me, I enjoy some company rather than solitude. It'll be a bit cooler in Sept in the AM I've checked there's a BlaBlaBus thatll take me to Oviedo from Campanha pretty cheap after I land and I think my mind is made up now so I'll proceed to book it. I will have time to make it to Fisterra and Muxia. Last year after the French we stopped in Negreira and took the bus to Finisterre and Muxia so this time I'll walk it.
I do appreciate everyones input and I will do the Portugues next year. Buen Camino!

 

[ralston8]

I haven't done Porto, but my first Camino included the Primitivo in Spring 2023 and am longing to return, so if you don't mind the extra travel to get to Oviedo, and you are prepared for the elevation gain and solitude, you might enjoy that, plus a last week to Finisterre and Muxia if you didn't make it there yet. I loved it although I did find the up and down challenging. I would think it is beautiful in the fall. I'm trying to decide between returning (Norte, Primitivo) or trying Le Puy en Velay in Spring 2025, that's how much I loved it.

The Camino is so addictive, isn't it? I've been waiting to go back and so happy it'll be in a couple weeks from now.
No disrespect to everyone's comments as they didn't know I'm planning the Portuguese next year with a friend group I met on the Camino but in secret, I was waiting for someone to push me to do the Primitivo and your post did just that, so Thank you.
All the best on your Camino, next year. If I get more time off, then I'll do the Norte myself or I'll have to split the Camino over 2 trips like I did with the French in '22 & '23

 

[CTLawGal]

Yay! Glad I jumped in when everything else was trending Porto - hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I find myself thinking about it all the time and am eager to go back. I had thought to go this fall, but we moved to a new house in June and the sale of our old house is this week, so I've been too distracted by the process, and also exploring my new home and new walks (in a beautiful coastal community, within walking distance to beaches and woods - I'm trying to imagine the walks as part of my personal home Camino, but always arriving at the same place at the end).

I did the Norte/Primitivo/Fisterra/Muxia and loved every minute of it. Another possibility would be, instead of finishing with Fisterra (which is also a great walk), starting on the Norte, maybe at Santander or Ribadesella, depending on how much time you have. The advantages would be some coastal walking and also giving your body some time to warm up to get ready for the Primitivo, as those two sections (as I remember them anyway) seemed easier than the earlier part of the Norte (or maybe I was just warmed up by then? Several of the friends I made along the way did just that, they had time for 3-4 weeks, but not enough time for all of the Norte). I just remember the first week of the Norte being especially hard, but that was likely compounded by it being my first Camino and not knowing what to expect, the portion after Santander seemed easier, in comparison). I'd have to go back to check my notes, others may remember it differently. Also, I was pretty tired of eating fried potatoes through much of the route to Fisterre - I remember the food being better before I got to Santiago (although I did treat myself to two exceptional Michelin recommended restaurants, one in Fisterra and one in Muxia, I felt I had earned it after 6 weeks of walking and a number of very sad meals after Santiago, ha!)

 

[JerryStroebele]

I haven't done Porto, but my first Camino included the Primitivo in Spring 2023 and am longing to return, so if you don't mind the extra travel to get to Oviedo, and you are prepared for the elevation gain and solitude, you might enjoy that, plus a last week to Finisterre and Muxia if you didn't make it there yet. I loved it although I did find the up and down challenging. I would think it is beautiful in the fall. I'm trying to decide between returning (Norte, Primitivo) or trying Le Puy en Velay in Spring 2025, that's how much I loved it.

You should see plenty of people on the Primitivo in September, but yes, be prepared for a lot of up and down. Beautiful. Buen Camino

 

[KFH]

my flights booked from Toronto to Porto

This is the main reason so many of us were saying the Portugues. From where I sit it's been much easier for me to get to Spain than Portugal, let alone Porto. It must be much easier from Toronto.

And I've tried planning between Porto and various Camino cities and seen many steps and/or layovers.

Why did you book to Porto before deciding? I feel like I'm missing something and should read through again.

 

[ralston8]

This is the main reason so many of us were saying the Portugues. From where I sit it's been much easier for me to get to Spain than Portugal, let alone Porto. It must be much easier from Toronto.

And I've tried planning between Porto and various Camino cities and seen many steps and/or layovers.

Why did you book to Porto before deciding? I feel like I'm missing something and should read through again.

Apologies, it was just the pricing and for some reason Spain was expensive so I've traveled by the bus system in Portugal and Spain and its reliable and frequent. Besides on the return journey, Porto is closer from Santiago vs Madrid.

 

[Canche]

Hello everyone, I'm walking my 2nd Camino after the French way last year and felt the Camino calling me again and this time I have just about 3-4 weeks from Sep 12 and I'm still undecided as to which Camino to walk. There's the Primitivo on my mind or the Portuguesa or even open to walk the Frances again from Pamplona to Leon. I'll decide over this week. Either way, my flights booked from Toronto to Porto and I will figure out how to get to Pamplona or Oviedo depending on the route I choose.
The Primitivo is beautiful I hear and a bit tougher but not sure if there will be many ppl walking it this time of the year. If you are please do drop me a note and maybe I need that push to select it especially this time as I'm going about it by myself.
Buen Camino
Ralston

I’m doing the Primitivo from Lugo Sept 10. Did the first part a couple of years ago. Wonderful Don’t know how many will be walking it but it won’t be empty

 

[trac1]

It is enough people at Primitivo during late September. I walked last year, end of september-october, by myself, but never feel alone.