Camino de Madrid or Portugues from Porto?

[Kiwi-family]

Hubby said yesterday we should do a camino for our 25th wedding anniversary. We have to be back home in less than three months! YIPPEE! We'd be going sans kids and can only be away for three weeks. Gotta travel from NZ so that takes a chunk of time.
Recently I had asked him about doing the Camino de Madrid and yesterday's conversation was based around that. We thought we could make it from Madrid to Sahagun.
Today he said "What about the Portugues?" Obviously we'd need to start in Porto. Advantage would be that we would make it to Santiago. Another is that it would be different to Spain (though I insist to my complaining kids that every route in Spain would be different too!)
Airfares are $1,874 or $1,876 so nothing in it.
Advantage of Madrid is once we arrive we start walking - no further train trips. Also I've already sussed it out (though it wouldn't take long to look at Gronze for the other route). Additionally, we might meet no other pilgrims, which in this case we would not mind!

Does anyone have any information that might sway our decision one way or the other?

 

[Castilian]

Today he said "What about the Portugues?" Obviously we'd need to start in Porto. Advantage would be that we would make it to Santiago. Another is that it would be different to Spain

If you start in Porto, roughly half of the route would be in Spain...

On the Camino de Madrid, you have meseta and a mountain range to cross. No mountains on the Camino Portugués although it doesn't mean is all flat...

 

[annakappa]

Maybe the time of the year might influence you? What time are you thinking of?

 

[KinkyOne]

If you start in Porto, roughly half of the route would be in Spain...

On the Camino de Madrid, you have meseta and a mountain range to cross. No mountains on the Camino Portugués although it doesn't mean is all flat...

Actually and roughly it's Guadarrama range first and then the Tierra de Campos
But it doesn't make any difference for hikers like you @Kiwi-family.

Ultreia!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Maybe the time of the year might influence you? What time are you thinking of?

June - so maybe hotter on Madrid and more chance of rain on Portugues???

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Rachel,
The Camino de Madrid is a modern concoction, which I'm not saying is a bad thing -- it's actually a very good thing, because unlike all the other caminos, where the roads came later and gobbled up the Caminos, this Camino came later and avoided the roads. So there is virtually no asphalt at all. The pilgrim infrastructure is quite good, albergues where you need them, and if you are inclined to do rest days, a slight detour from Simancas into Valladolid is a great idea. There are a few interesting towns, Medina de Rioseco, Coca (mainly just its castle), and Villalon come to mind, and I've been wanting to get into the romanesque church at Wamba for a long time! The castle at Manzanares el Real is amazing, too. I started May 15 and the weather was not hot, but that was then and this is now and who knows what June 2015 will bring. One thing it's not likely to bring is a lot of people -- I met two guys, whom I walked with for about 5 days, and the rest of the time I was alone. Lots of open fields, big poppy patches, green grains.

I haven't walked the coastal route that everyone raves about, but I like the Portugues, too. I walked it many years ago, though, so things have changed a lot. But even then there was a fair number of pilgrims, though June shouldn't be too crowded. June is not a particularly rainy month in Portugal, in my experience, but I'm sure there are lots of exceptions.

If you're looking for short bits, you might also want to think about Montserrat to Puente La Reina on the Cami Catala. That's part of my 2015 camino, and eroski shows a lot of albergues and it looks like some great scenery too. It joins up with the Camino Aragones around the monastery of San Juan de la Pena, and then on to Puente la Reina. Not trying to complicate things, just want to make sure you consider all your options! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Kiwi-family]

Thanks for that Laurie
We actually just considered flying into Barcelona and walking to Montserrat, then up to Monestir de Sant Pere de Rodes. That would end up less walking and more time spent in Barcelona which we have not visited. We have about 18 days on the ground. All ideas are welcome.

 

[annakappa]

Montserrat to Puente de la Reina, via S. Juan de la Peña, was on my priority list, but somehow we are going to walk instead from Oporto, starting 8 th June, most probably on the Coastal Route.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Montserrat to Puente de la Reina, via S. Juan de la Peña, was on my priority list, but somehow we are going to walk instead from Oporto, starting 8 th June, most probably on the Coastal Route.

Now there's a reason to do this route - we would expect to be arriving in Oporto on the 8th so just might catch you up! Would be lovely to meet you two.

 

[annakappa]

Now there's a reason to do this route - we would expect to be arriving in Oporto on the 8th so just might catch you up! Would be lovely to meet you two.

Hey.... That would be fantastic! Please doooooo consider this!

 

[jprogers]

Hi
How exciting doing the planning. You could fly into Oporto.... ...I think RyanAir do a Barcelona- Oporto flight...and start walking from there . We walked the Portuguese in a June & had perfect weather ...wee bit of rain...and the spring countryside was amazing ..its all very green and lots of small holdings that grow heaps of veges and grapes and flowers. Back then the coffee price doubled as we went over the border from Portugal to Spain. I do remember the HUGE meals we were served in Portugal.

 

[boots682]

I recommend the Caminho Portuguese from Porto, via the coast to Vila do Conde, then to Sao Pedro Rates and the main route.
Did it in 15 days last Fall and it was so wonderful I would do it again.
Great municipal albergues along the way plus Casa da Fernanda - a highlight of the pilgrimage.
Actually met a trio of Kiwi pilgrims along the way... but that is another story with surprise blessings.
Any route that you choose will be an adventure that you will cherish for a lifetime - and a great 25th anniversary.

 

[Castilian]

I think you've already found the reason you where looking for to choose between the caminos you quoted so all what I say to you is: Enjoy your route!

Actually and roughly it's Guadarrama range first and then the Tierra de Campos

Don't mix Tierra de Campos with the meseta. Tierra de Campos is just a small area of the meseta and most of the meseta you cross on the Camino de Madrid isn't located in Tierra de Campos.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_de_Campos

P.S.: The Central System (the Guadarrama range is one of its parts) divides the Meseta Central in two parts: the submeseta norte (all the meseta located at the North of the Central System) and the submeseta sur (all the meseta located at the South of the Central System). Being Madrid located on the submeseta sur and Sahagún on the submeseta norte, you start and end the Camino de Madrid in the meseta (or in a meseta if you consider the submesetas mesetas on their own).

 

[Kiwi-family]

We booked flights to Lisbon yesterday - the deciding factor was simply that we have never been to Portugal and thought it would be nice to do something totally different for a major celebration. The Madrid route will wait for another time;-)
Now we have to decide between coastal and central or a combination of both!

 

[KinkyOne]

I think you've already found the reason you where looking for to choose between the caminos you quoted so all what I say to you is: Enjoy your route!



Don't mix Tierra de Campos with the meseta. Tierra de Campos is just a small area of the meseta and most of the meseta you cross on the Camino de Madrid isn't located in Tierra de Campos.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_de_Campos

P.S.: The Central System (the Guadarrama range is one of its parts) divides the Meseta Central in two parts: the submeseta norte (all the meseta located at the North of the Central System) and the submeseta sur (all the meseta located at the South of the Central System). Being Madrid located on the submeseta sur and Sahagún on the submeseta norte, you start and end the Camino de Madrid in the meseta (or in a meseta if you consider the submesetas mesetas on their own).

Everyday we learn . And I'm very grateful for that. I remember you posts about "albergue" pronounciation issue. And many more.

Thank you, Castilian!!!

PS (But still there's not much of the Meseta from Madrid to Guadarrama )

 

[Castilian]

But still there's not much of the Meseta from Madrid to Guadarrama

Right, not much but a bit