Any advice please on walking Portugeese Way starting mid-October

[felixjerome]

Dear All,

Last year I walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP and it was without doubt one of the most incredible transformational beautiful experiences of my life! Such a special adventure and so many wonderful lessons and beautiful experiences and comings together.

This year I hope to walk the Portugeese was but due to work commitments I can;t leave the UK until October 11th. My questions:

Has anyone walked the Portugese way around this time? Do you have any tips - will it be a bit cold.
I had hoped to go all the way from Lisbon earlier this year but as it is later I may start at Porto. I was lucky to meet amazing people on Camino Frances and as happy as I am often walking alone I would like there to be other peregrinos. Do may people walk this late in the year and are all the albuerges open?

So, lots of questions in fact, thank you very much for reading all this! If anyone has walked it around this time than any tips and advice would be really welcome.

Thank you and Buen Camino

xxx F

 

[Marc S.]

I walked the Camino Portuguese last year, starting from Porto at October 2. There were many pilgrims walking at the time, I think I saw 20-30 pilgrims every day, with the numbers increasing in Tui at the Spanish border. As far as I remember all albergues were open so you should have no trouble finding accommodation. As for the weather, this is always difficult to predict. Most days were sunny and 20-25 degrees. But there were some days of heavy heavy rain as well. I bring my waterproof trousers on most caminos, and then don't wear them. So this time I did not bring them, but really needed them. But well, such is life. Anyway, if you are looking for a quiet camino without other pilgrims I would not advice to do the Portuguese in October. It is a lovely walk though, physically not too hard, and plenty of options in terms of accomodation and planning your stages. Have a look at the section on the CP on this forum, I am sure it will answer all of your questions. Buen Camino!

 

[HeidiL]

I've been in Lisbon in October three times, but only walked from Porto in April.

There will be rain, possibly lots of it, but the walk itself is lovely.

Just be aware of the way Portuguese restaurants pad your bill by putting food you didn't order in front of you. That piece of cheese is not free, like it would be in Spain - it probably costs as much as the rest of your pilgrim menu...

 

[grayland]

Do a bit of research as there are now many route choices.
The "coastal route" can mean just a couple days on coast and then over to the Central Route or it can mean staying on the coast all the way to Vigo avoiding the Central.
All are now very well marked and infrastructure in place..

It has become a bit confusing when talking about the routes as people are using the same name to describe different routes.
It is all good.

 

[peregrina2000]

Just be aware of the way Portuguese restaurants pad your bill by putting food you didn't order in front of you. That piece of cheese is not free, like it would be in Spain - it probably costs as much as the rest of your pilgrim menu...

It is true that the Portuguese restaurant customs are different in Spain, and every Portuguese restaurant I've ever been in puts some starter type munchies on the table. They are not free. I'm sure that the point is to make money, but I have never felt like anyone on the restaurant staff thought there was anything at all wrong or amiss when I just wave it away as it's on its way to the table. Every now and then, though, the offerings look very good, and they usually are well under 3 or 4 euros, so sometimes we go for it. I remember one particularly delicious octopus salad that seems to be a staple in many places.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[RobThePilgrim]

I have vacationed in Portugal every year since 2004. This year I decided to walk the CP, in July. There were few people on the CP until I hit Tui, but perhaps October will be busier. October is a very special month in Fatima so perhaps there is an increase in pilgrims hoping to do Santiago and the "Adios" in Fatima in one trip. Marc S. seems to have experience walking at this time and his advice seems spot on.

I have been to Portugal in October and found that it might occasionally rain in the morning but it usually clears up before lunch and you get a nice sunny day. At night in October it can get a little cool, especially for those coming from warmer climates, and you will likely see the Portuguese wearing coats, but I am comfortable in a polo shirt.

The Portuguese are great, warm, people (I had motorists stop to give me a bottle of water) and the food is great, and inexpensive. So I have no doubt that you will have a great adventure.

Bom Camino.

 

[ally2014]

Hi, i walked the CP last year from Lissabon - starting on the 20th of october. There were very few people along the way... Ponte de Lima was the first place where I actually met more people. The albergue there was nearly full... after that everyone just went their own way again. Hardly saw anyone again untill Tui.
It is a very quit way. I havent done the French route but heard many stories.
I really enjoyed it... So i decided to do another quiet one... The Via de la Plata.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Make sure you stay at a fantastic new, private albergue in the centre of Pontevedra. It's called Slow City Hostel see link http://slowcityhostelpontevedra.com/ Proces start at 17.5€.