2022 Portuguese Camino guide books

[BethL]

Pre-COVID, I purchased the Brierley Camino Portuguese 11th Edition published in 2020 and the Wise Pilgrim Guide to The Camino Portuguese 2019 Edition (2nd).
We are currently hopinig to walk from Lisbon to Santiago starting early April 2022. I see there are 2022 editions of each guide. I plan to take one guide with us.

My questions: Are there any real changes to either guide? If you could only take one, which would it be?

I have downloaded the Camino Ninja, MAPS.ME and Windy Maps on my phone. We have never walked a Camino, but are experienced hikers. We usually walk with just a paper map and compass, no guidebooks, and see where things lead us.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

[andarapie]

I have not walked the Portuguese, so take all this with a grain of salt. I walked the Norte and Primitivo last year, and what follows is based on that experience.

It's unclear if you are planning to take a smart phone or to just go with paper maps, but I would take a smart phone so that you can use maps with GPS. The Wise Pilgrim apps (including for the Portuguese) all have detailed maps that can track your exact position with GPS. I found this very helpful on the Norte and Primitivo as there were times when the Camino was not well marked (often the arrows have been covered over or are in obscure places, and sometimes they are non-existent), and by looking at the app I could locate myself and figure out which route I needed to take. The Wise Pilgrim app also has variant routes, which some other free map apps that have the Camino marked (mapy.cz, for instance) may not have, and user-generated albergue reviews.

I have not used the apps you mentioned, but I have heard that Camino Ninja just cuts and pastes information from Wise Pilgrim.

With regard to whether albergues are open or not, no book will be that helpful on a day to day basis, because so much changes weekly or daily depending on the season and particularly with regard to Covid. I found Gronze.com to have the most up-to-date information in this regard, and it also has user-generated albergue reviews.

With regard to books, I found the Cicerone guide to the del Norte to be very helpful what routes or sites or experiences may be the most interesting, and have downloaded the Cicerone guide to the Portuguese in preparation for my future walking. While I much prefer the experience of reading an actual paper book to a digital version, I found carrying an actual book to be just so much excess weight, and would just take the app or pdf or other digital version of whichever one you prefer.

Also, if you are carrying a smart phone, I would leave the compass at home, because it will only be excess weight.

 

[BethL]

I have not walked the Portuguese, so take all this with a grain of salt. I walked the Norte and Primitivo last year, and what follows is based on that experience.

It's unclear if you are planning to take a smart phone or to just go with paper maps, but I would take a smart phone so that you can use maps with GPS. The Wise Pilgrim apps (including for the Portuguese) all have detailed maps that can track your exact position with GPS. I found this very helpful on the Norte and Primitivo as there were times when the Camino was not well marked (often the arrows have been covered over or are in obscure places, and sometimes they are non-existent), and by looking at the app I could locate myself and figure out which route I needed to take. The Wise Pilgrim app also has variant routes, which some other free map apps that have the Camino marked (mapy.cz, for instance) may not have, and user-generated albergue reviews.

I have not used the apps you mentioned, but I have heard that Camino Ninja just cuts and pastes information from Wise Pilgrim.

With regard to whether albergues are open or not, no book will be that helpful on a day to day basis, because so much changes weekly or daily depending on the season and particularly with regard to Covid. I found Gronze.com to have the most up-to-date information in this regard, and it also has user-generated albergue reviews.

With regard to books, I found the Cicerone guide to the del Norte to be very helpful what routes or sites or experiences may be the most interesting, and have downloaded the Cicerone guide to the Portuguese in preparation for my future walking. While I much prefer the experience of reading an actual paper book to a digital version, I found carrying an actual book to be just so much excess weight, and would just take the app or pdf or other digital version of whichever one you prefer.

Also, if you are carrying a smart phone, I would leave the compass at home, because it will only be excess weight.

Thank you for the information. Yes, I will be taking a smart phone. I'll look for Wise Pilgrim app and Cicerone info. I do have Gonze bookmarked. I don't believe they have an app.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

We usually walk with just a paper map and compass, no guidebooks, and see where things lead us.

In my experience, this is the best way to walk a Camino as your attention will be on the way rather than on some technology. Also the joy of discovery when you accidentally find that special albergue or sort out some issue along the way.

Portugal is a modern country with super friendly people, why not let the Camino lead you?

 

[andarapie]

In my experience, this is the best way to walk a Camino as your attention will be on the way rather than on some technology. Also the joy of discovery when you accidentally find that special albergue or sort out some issue along the way.

Portugal is a modern country with super friendly people, why not let the Camino lead you?

Because you will probably get stuck without a place to sleep!

 

[jsalt]

Pre-COVID, I purchased the Brierley Camino Portuguese 11th Edition published in 2020 and the Wise Pilgrim Guide to The Camino Portuguese 2019 Edition (2nd).

Hi, I’d take the Brierley guide. It wouldn’t have changed much in the last couple of years. I love his maps. Totally not to scale, but they contain what you need to know.

Wise Pilgrim is also highly recommended, so maybe download the app and take that too?

I also prefer hard copy to squinting into my phone at an odd angle in bright sunlight, so I like to print out a map of the day’s walk and carry it in my pocket.

I then write up my journal on the back of said map at the end of the day . . .

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Because you will probably get stuck without a place to sleep!

It has never happened to me but if you want to live your life out of fear then that is your prerogative.

There are thousands of places to stay in Portugal, if you can't find one then you are looking in the wrong place.

 

[andarapie]

It has never happened to me but if you want to live your life out of fear then that is your prerogative.

That sounds exactly like the people who refuse to wear a mask or to get vaccinated during a pandemic.

We are still in a pandemic. Many albergues are closed or are only operating at partial capacity. This means that making knowing which ones are open, which ones take reservations, etc. is extremely helpful. In the summer, many student and other groups completely book out entire albergues, and even pensions and hotels may be completely booked up. You can show up and hope you get lucky, but odds are at some point you will be completely shut out, particularly as you get closer to Santiago. If you don't mind sleeping outside, it's fine, but if you'd prefer to sleep in a bed, knowledge and preparation are very helpful.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

It has been a long time since I have slept outside and it is not something that I choose. Like I said, if you can't find a place to stay then you are looking in the wrong place.

 

[Kev&Kath]

Because you will probably get stuck without a place to sleep!

It's 'horses for courses' I expect, but I agree with Andarapie. Doesn't hurt to have that bit of tech in your back pocket, and I quite like the added dimension such provides to the pilgrimage (in terms of both information and safety). I know from 'experience'...my tech kept me on track during our recent Frances with the odd referral to GPS. I certainly don't mind getting lost on the way...but nice to have the means of recovery when needed.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

That sounds exactly like the people who refuse to wear a mask or to get vaccinated during a pandemic.

I guess that the difference between me and those (edit) people is that my actions won't adversely affect you or anyone else.

 

[HaveringRob]

I took my Brierly guide book last year but didn't use it much until the end, which I sincerely regretted. It wasn't just about having a place to sleep -- it was knowing what that little church was, or about a town that I passed through. He has a new 2022 guidebook in digital form, which means all the lovely colors. I think it will be too small on my phone, but it is perfect on my 7" tablet. It is lighter than a guidebook and I can use the Kindle app for reading.

 

[RJM]

Walking the Camino Portuguese isn't a hike, it's a walk. A series of day walks through mostly semi urban areas The guidebook you have will work fine. No need to purchase another one.
I've never brought a compass on any of my Camino walks because I've never needed one. I've never approached it in the way I've approached hiking and backpacking trips, where I've used a map and compass. The advice to do so is a bit misguided.

 

[BethL]

I took my Brierly guide book last year but didn't use it much until the end, which I sincerely regretted. It wasn't just about having a place to sleep -- it was knowing what that little church was, or about a town that I passed through. He has a new 2022 guidebook in digital form, which means all the lovely colors. I think it will be too small on my phone, but it is perfect on my 7" tablet. It is lighter than a guidebook and I can use the Kindle app for reading.

I didn't realize that the 2022 came in a digital format. Thank you.

 

[HaveringRob]

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugués Lisbon - Porto - Santiago: including Camino Central, Variente Espiritual, Camino da Costa, & Senda Litoral - Kindle edition by Brierley, John. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugués Lisbon - Porto - Santiago: including Camino Central, Variente Espiritual, Camino da Costa, & Senda Litoral - Kindle edition by Brierley, John. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

www.amazon.com

I didn't realize that the 2022 came in a digital format. Thank you.

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugués Lisbon - Porto - Santiago: including Camino Central, Variente Espiritual, Camino da Costa, & Senda Litoral - Kindle edition by Brierley, John. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugués Lisbon - Porto - Santiago: including Camino Central, Variente Espiritual, Camino da Costa, & Senda Litoral - Kindle edition by Brierley, John. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

www.amazon.com

 

[Casserole]

I'm interested, too. I love the excitement of a new trip so I've read through the entire pre-pandemic Brierley version, its highlighted all over the place.

I see that your interest in bringing tech is being poo-poo'd by some, but when we walked part of the CF in 2018, it was slim pickins' for places to stay. I will definitely be taking my phone and all its apps with me this year.

Also, the book gives you something that the apps or just walking can't - there are so many detours that you can take to avoid busy roads. I think its totally worth it and am curious if I should get the newest version.

 

[BethL]

I'm interested, too. I love the excitement of a new trip so I've read through the entire pre-pandemic Brierley version, its highlighted all over the place.

I see that your interest in bringing tech is being poo-poo'd by some, but when we walked part of the CF in 2018, it was slim pickins' for places to stay. I will definitely be taking my phone and all its apps with me this year.

Also, the book gives you something that the apps or just walking can't - there are so many detours that you can take to avoid busy roads. I think its totally worth it and am curious if I should get the newest version.

 

[BethL]

Thank you for the reminder about the alternative routes around some of the road walks. I'm not sure if the interactive map on my smart phone shows those.

The alternative routes and some condensed information about some of the sites/towns we're strolling through are the two reasons I was considering taking a guide book. I think I an going to download a Kindle version. If I never open it, at least I haven't carried it 400 miles.

 

[BethL]

Walking the Camino Portuguese isn't a hike, it's a walk.

Yes, a perfect reminder! Thank you.

 

[lt56ny]

Yes, a perfect reminder! Thank you.

Let me make it easier for you without alot of the judgements and disagreements that your simple and pertinent questions asked.
You are walking on a very well marked camino. I walked in 2017 from Lisbon and there were very few places that were confusing in terms of where to go or which way to turn.

Walking the Camino Portuguese isn't a hike, it's a walk.

Truer words have never been spoken. This is not the Appalachian Trail.
What you need to consider is how much time you have and how far you want to walk each day. If you have the time why rush it? The other consideration is where are you starting from? Do you want to take a variant and go to Fatima between Lisbon and Porto? Are you going to stay in the interior after Porto or go on the coast? WIll you do the highly recommended Espiritual Variante?
In these Covid times I would recommend a few things. If you are starting in Lisbon the infrastructure is good but no wheres near as good as after Porto. Have Gronze.com available the night before to see what albergues are open and closed. Know that if you have walked 20 or 25K and you decide to go further check to see where the next places to stay are. You may have to walk further than you would like.
Someone mentioned it is Portugal and there are thousands of places to stay but that doesn't mean every place fits your budget. If you are lucky and have no budget requirements than there is less of a worry.
I do have budget requirements so I am more limited. I would also much rather stay in simple surroundings with other pilgrims rather than in a hotel room.
As others suggested the Wise Pilgrim app has a GPS. I have it on my phone but I personally like the Buen Camino app better. Having Wise Pilgrim/Buen Camino and Gronze gives me more choices of places to stay. Gronze also leaves reviews and you may discover wonderful albergues to stay at to enrich your experience. When in doubt call ahead. It is Covid.
You will be surprised how many people in Portugal speak English. I speak decent Spanish but when the Portugese people speak Spanish well it ain't easy brother.
Finally know you are in Portugal. Great coffee, beautiful things to see, wonderful food and in my mind the nicest most generous people on earth.
Just follow the yellow arrows. You will be fine.

 

[lt56ny]

It has never happened to me but if you want to live your life out of fear then that is your prerogative.

There are thousands of places to stay in Portugal, if you can't find one then you are looking in the wrong place.

I am sorry but I have to strongly disagree with your statements here. This is Covid. Things are changing often in regards to being open and closed. There are fewer choices on where to stay between Lisbon and Porto. Everyone walks the distance per day of what they want/need to walk. There may be thousands of places to stay but that does not mean there are alot of places or even more than one or two in any given location. But most importantly, again there may be thousands of places to stay but that doesn't mean there are thousands of places that fit everyone's budget. I for one have to be careful about how much I spend. Also there may be thousands of places to stay but i do not want to stay in a hotel or a pension unless it is absolutely necessary and that means I would rather walk further than I would like or a shorter distance. There are thousands of reasons we walk. But for many maybe not thousands of places that enhance our camino. Finally you said you choose your life not to live in fear. I think there have been moments, days, weeks and even years that each one of us have lived in fear. Maybe for someone living in fear their camino will give them an opportunity to move on from their fear, even if it is just a little bit.
Buen Camino.

 

[RJM]

It has never happened to me but if you want to live your life out of fear then that is your prerogative.

There are thousands of places to stay in Portugal, if you can't find one then you are looking in the wrong place.

The advantage a guidebook or similar gives the Camino walker is knowledge of the distances and accommodations, and other forms of Camino infrastructure. The arrows and other markers obviously lead the Way. No need for any orienteering skills, compass GPS etc. If there was that need the emergency services all along the Camino routes in Spain, Portugal and France would be working overtime for many months of the year rescuing lost pilgrims lol.
Guidebooks etc keep the pilgrims on the path. No trespassing. Without the path one could very well be traipsing through private property that the owner doesn't want you to be on. Ranches, farms, agriculture fields etc.
I can't say I ever saw not wanting to get stuck on the Camino with no accommodation for the night as a fear. I've been in actual fearful situations and wondering if a town has an empty bunk doesn't compare lol . More like I just plain prefer to sleep indoors, on a bed, do my business on a toilet and not a dirt hole, take a shower etc. Not that I haven't spent anytime sleeping outdoors before. I have, plenty of times. Wilderness hikes, time in the army etc. But if I had to on the Camino I would. It's not a hostile environment. Just find me a church porch or the like to roll out my bag and crash out on for the night and I'm ok. Fortunately while walking even in the busiest of times on the Camino I was always able to find a bed for the night even if it meant walking a few more kilometres to the next town, crossing my fingers till I got there.

 

[Mcosentino80]

Because you will probably get stuck without a place to sleep!

Andarapie - do you think not pre-booking places on the Portuguese camino could mean that we can't find a place to stay? We are going in April and are wondering if we need to pre-book the entire Santiago to Porto stretch.

 

[andarapie]

Andarapie - do you think not pre-booking places on the Portuguese camino could mean that we can't find a place to stay? We are going in April and are wondering if we need to pre-book the entire Santiago to Porto stretch.

The short answer is "no, but". A lot depends on Covid restrictions and how many albergues are open and what the capacity restrictions on them are. Last summer, on the del Norte and Primitivo, it was advisable to book a day or two ahead because many albergues were closed (all of the public ones in the Basque Country, for example), others were operating at half or 2/3 capacity, and there were many student/tourist groups booking up private albergues as well as pensions and hotels. At most, last summer I would have recommended people maybe book three nights ahead, particularly as you approach Santiago - I didn't do that, and the day before I reached Santiago had to walk until 1AM to find a bed (in a rundown motel)!

It will definitely not be that crowded in the spring, compared with the summer. You won't have to worry about the student/tourist groups. And judging by how things are going right now with Covid, restrictions may be minimal or non-existent by April. Of course, that all may change in a few weeks if there is a new, more virulent strain spreading. Gronze.com has the most up-to-date listing of which albergues are open and what the capacity is.

If I were you, I would reserve the first night or two on the camino and see how things are going. If there are plenty of beds or vacancies, probably no need to reserve ahead for the time being. But if you are noticing that beds or rooms are scarce as more people join the camino (or for whatever reason), and you are having to walk an extra X km to find a place to stay, then it might be a good idea to book ahead one or two nights. Also note that every camino becomes more crowded as the various caminos converge on Santiago and you join with peregrinos coming from other directions. (This should be less of a problem on the Portuguese as it enters Santiago from the south and does not join up with the Frances, which has the most peregrinos.)

Good luck and buen camino!

 

[Mcosentino80]

The short answer is "no, but". A lot depends on Covid restrictions and how many albergues are open and what the capacity restrictions on them are. Last summer, on the del Norte and Primitivo, it was advisable to book a day or two ahead because many albergues were closed (all of the public ones in the Basque Country, for example), others were operating at half or 2/3 capacity, and there were many student/tourist groups booking up private albergues as well as pensions and hotels. At most, last summer I would have recommended people maybe book three nights ahead, particularly as you approach Santiago - I didn't do that, and the day before I reached Santiago had to walk until 1AM to find a bed (in a rundown motel)!

It will definitely not be that crowded in the spring, compared with the summer. You won't have to worry about the student/tourist groups. And judging by how things are going right now with Covid, restrictions may be minimal or non-existent by April. Of course, that all may change in a few weeks if there is a new, more virulent strain spreading. Gronze.com has the most up-to-date listing of which albergues are open and what the capacity is.

If I were you, I would reserve the first night or two on the camino and see how things are going. If there are plenty of beds or vacancies, probably no need to reserve ahead for the time being. But if you are noticing that beds or rooms are scarce as more people join the camino (or for whatever reason), and you are having to walk an extra X km to find a place to stay, then it might be a good idea to book ahead one or two nights. Also note that every camino becomes more crowded as the various caminos converge on Santiago and you join with peregrinos coming from other directions. (This should be less of a problem on the Portuguese as it enters Santiago from the south and does not join up with the Frances, which has the most peregrinos.)

Good luck and buen camino!

Thank you, this is great advice!

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Pre-COVID, I purchased the Brierley Camino Portuguese 11th Edition published in 2020 and the Wise Pilgrim Guide to The Camino Portuguese 2019 Edition (2nd).
We are currently hopinig to walk from Lisbon to Santiago starting early April 2022. I see there are 2022 editions of each guide. I plan to take one guide with us.

My questions: Are there any real changes to either guide? If you could only take one, which would it be?

I have downloaded the Camino Ninja, MAPS.ME and Windy Maps on my phone. We have never walked a Camino, but are experienced hikers. We usually walk with just a paper map and compass, no guidebooks, and see where things lead us.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

Writing as a non-pilgrim but interested supporter, liviing right now one block above the track for the main Caminho from Lisboa north, a couple of comments:

Signposting has dramatically improved in this region (Vila Nova da Barquinha, just south of Tomar) in the last couple of years. The local municipalities have gone all-out on signage, having realized that caminho visitors are valuable visitors in their territories.

Almost every town along the way is thinking about how they can better support the peregrino/as (pilgrims in Portuguese--remember it's a gendered word in Romance languages, so if you're a woman, you're a peregrinA).

That being said, the locals' idea of what's interesting to a visitor can be quite different from the visitor's own perspective, so their signage, other than the all-important arrows, is not always that useful.

I've read the Brierly guidebook for Portugal many times. It's a great little book. Any version of it would be a very valuable resource as you walk the Portuguese caminho, I'd say, just for his commentary on all the local towns and their features. Probably not all that useful on the hostels, etc. themselves, but it would enrich your visit to the area for sure!

(As an update, we live just uphill from the caminho, and now, in early March, we're seeing only 1 or 2 pilgrims per day, though of course we're not watching all the time. Spring is well on its way, though the nights are going down to 2 or 3 Celsius.

Farming plots are beginning to be planted out with spring crops. The grapevines are budding. The orange trees starting to blossom. April should be great! Though, be sure to take plenty of water with you when you walk. They're predicting a dry spring, and the stretches between towns won't have many water sources.)

Bom caminho!

 

[Former member 22438]

I still remember walking from Santarém to Gôlega and Brierley showed the caminho through the village of Azinhaga. So we were looking forward to have a coffee and a pastel de nata there and a toilet stop.
The reality was different. Due to a local conflict between to maiors of surrounding municipalities the caminho stayed outside Azinhaga as a detour .
So happy to read that the caminho infrastructure there improves now.
honour to the Via Lusitana the Portuguese Pilgrims Association for their great job, mantaining the waymarkers.

 

[BethL]

Writing as a non-pilgrim but interested supporter, liviing right now one block above the track for the main Caminho from Lisboa north, a couple of comments:

Signposting has dramatically improved in this region (Vila Nova da Barquinha, just south of Tomar) in the last couple of years. The local municipalities have gone all-out on signage, having realized that caminho visitors are valuable visitors in their territories.

Almost every town along the way is thinking about how they can better support the peregrino/as (pilgrims in Portuguese--remember it's a gendered word in Romance languages, so if you're a woman, you're a peregrinA).

That being said, the locals' idea of what's interesting to a visitor can be quite different from the visitor's own perspective, so their signage, other than the all-important arrows, is not always that useful.

I've read the Brierly guidebook for Portugal many times. It's a great little book. Any version of it would be a very valuable resource as you walk the Portuguese caminho, I'd say, just for his commentary on all the local towns and their features. Probably not all that useful on the hostels, etc. themselves, but it would enrich your visit to the area for sure!

(As an update, we live just uphill from the caminho, and now, in early March, we're seeing only 1 or 2 pilgrims per day, though of course we're not watching all the time. Spring is well on its way, though the nights are going down to 2 or 3 Celsius.

Farming plots are beginning to be planted out with spring crops. The grapevines are budding. The orange trees starting to blossom. April should be great! Though, be sure to take plenty of water with you when you walk. They're predicting a dry spring, and the stretches between towns won't have many water sources.)

Bom caminho!

Thank you so much for the real on the ground information. We are getting super excited. We were in POrtugal for 3 months in 2016 and loved everything about the country, but especially the Portuguese people. We plan to walk as s;ow as possible and enjoy all the sights and sounds of Spring in Portugal.