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Camino Portuges: signaling and sleeping bags

Juan64

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Did the French Camino, from St Jean Pied a Port, in April 2014
Hi all,
I did the Camino France from Saint Jean Pied a Port in April. As told I had my sleeping bag but found out that a sleeping liner would have been enough. Only in two albergues there is no blankets, in Roncesvalles and in O Cebrerio (but the heating was on in both, and hot), but if you ask they might provide them,anyway.

Also, the signals were ubiquitous, everywhere, nearly imposible to get lost with the yellow arrow and/or shell(vieira) everywhere.

I plan to do the Camino Portugues this April, my two questions are: a sleeping bag is really necessary in this route? How good (or bad) the signalization is?

I havent decided yet if I will follow the Coastal or Interior route, but I definitely want to cross into Spain through Valenca- Tui .

Any suggestion? Thanks
 
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The Caminho Português it's very well marked. Some people say that it's even better marked than the Camiño Francês.

I advise you to take a sleeping bag. A liner won't be enough in April, and the Albergues in the Portuguese don't have blankets.
 

Juan, welcome to the forum. Where are you going to start? There's good marking all the way from Lisbon.
 
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The Caminho Português it's very well marked. Some people say that it's even better marked than the Camiño Francês.

Me, me, me....i say that and it is.
 
Hi Juan, welcome to the Forum.
I would definitely bring a sleepingbag in April - and a silk liner.
Buen camino to you, the Portugese Camino is beautiful and the Portugese people are very friendly and helpful. You have something good waiting for you.
 
My opinion about the marking was that it was perfectly fine almost every part of the Caminho north of Porto. I only recall having trouble leaving Redondela and that may have been due to a pre-dawn departure and lack of a evening reccee. South of Porto I had a lot more trouble with but we were never seriously lost.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Juan, welcome to the forum. Where are you going to start? There's good marking all the way from Lisbon.
Hi, I want to start right after Easter. From Porto, so most probably will spent Easter in Porto, and start on Monday.
Last year did the Camino Francés, and Easter or any mayor Bank Holidays in Spain, the route is a bit crowded and the albergues get full
 


Hi, I want to start in Porto ( I just bought the ticket to get there), but not sure yet if to do Porto-Rates-Ponte de Lima or to do Porto-Braga-Ponte. FromPonte all the way to Tui and onto to Santiago. I am spanish so don't expect any language problem in Portugal. However, could you tell me how good is the signalization in the route Porto-Braga-Ponte. I have been told already the Porto-Ponte is good. Thanks
 
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I do not know about waymarking between Porto and Braga but we walked from Porto to Barcelos and made a one day detour by bus to Braga and continued the central route to Ponte de Lima and so on to Santiago
 

Welcome to the Forum @Juan64

I bring my sleeping bag (light weight down 400 grams) on all my caminos - because I love it and I know it is clean and cosy. The blankets in the albergues are not washed every week and can be very dirty Also if you are freezing at night you cannot rest and cannot sleep

I will be walking from Lisbon mid- May. Walking to Braga will be no problem. It might be good to google the route so you are familiar to it before you start.
Camino Portugues is wonderful and you will enjoy every moment of it.
Buen camino
 
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I do not know about waymarking between Porto and Braga but we walked from Porto to Barcelos and made a one day detour by bus to Braga and continued the central route to Ponte de Lima and so on to Santiago
You mean to took the bus from Barcelos to Braga and went on to Ponte from Braga? Or one day visit to Braga and back to Barcelos?
 
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You mean to took the bus from Barcelos to Braga and went on to Ponte from Braga? Or one day visit to Braga and back to Barcelos?
Yes one day by bus to Braga from Barcelos and by night back to Barcelos by bus.

From Braga to Ponte de Lima by bus is an option but then you'll skip the part Barcelos to Ponte de Lima.
 
Being in Braga there is a central square in the center with a fountain. At one of the corners of the square is the tourist information. Ask there where is the busstop to the world famous sanctuary,church Bom Jesus do Monte. This is about 5 kms from Braga on top of a hill with a fantastic overview over the surroundings and Braga itself. A must see World heritage !
 
There is the Camino das Torres which goes from Salamanca to Santiago, through Braga and Ponte de Lima. It is recent (2011 I believe), the marking are supposed to be there, but I'm not sure the support in terms of albergues is there.
Porto to Braga I don't think there are markings.

Besides the Bom Jesus, there is also Sameiro sanctuary.
 
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