Camino Portugeses in august

[Tuuli Kams]

Hello!

I´m planning to take a camino Portugese coastal route from Porto in summer 2017. Most probably in august, as it is my best chance to have a vacation.
Does anyone have any experience of walking it in august? Is the weather too hot during this time for walking or is it managable?
I´m really looking forward to have my first camino so all the information I could get about it would be such a blessing!

 

[Former member 22438]

Welcome on the forum Tuuli.
It can be hot in August in Portugal. But also can be rainy too. You never know. It is a sea climate.
One good thing you walk along the ocean side so there will be wind.
But keep in mind it can be busy in August. The Portuguese and Spaniards will have vacation too and there are many places they like to go to. And these places are the same as you will stay the night.

Bom caminho

 

[Doogman]

Hi: I walked the Portuguese central route in August 2013, and the Portuguese coastal route in July 2016. I would say that the weather is definitely manageable. You will usually get a bit of a breeze along the coast, which is quite nice, but as you head inland it gets a bit warmer, especially the last 3-4 days into SdC. On some days I could definitely feel it warming up around noon, and by 2:00PM or so it was very hot in the sun, but I would usually be finished walking by then. Leave early and drink lots of water, and it will be fine.

I thought the coastal route was great. Spend a couple of days in Porto first. It is a wonderful city. If you have the time, walk along the river from Porto to the ocean, and walk along the oceanfront as far as Matosinhos on Day 1. It is an urban, beachfront walk, but a good warm up. From Matosinhos you can take the metro back to central Porto for the rest of the day, and then take it back again the next morning to continue your Camino along the boardwalk.

Bom Caminho!

 

[AdaR]

I thought the coastal route was great. Spend a couple of days in Porto first. It is a wonderful city. If you have the time, walk along the river from Porto to the ocean, and walk along the oceanfront as far as Matosinhos on Day 1. It is an urban, beachfront walk, but a good warm up. From Matosinhos you can take the metro back to central Porto for the rest of the day, and then take it back again the next morning to continue your Camino along the boardwalk.

Hi Doogman,
I too am planning my Camino from Porto to SdC in August 2017, so this thread is of great interest to me. Can you help me understand why you suggest taking the metro from Matosinhos to Porto and back again? Why not stay in Matosinhos? Thanks

 

[KariC]

Porto is a beautiful city, and one that should not be missed unless time just won't allow. Staying in Matosinhos to be close to the start of the Camino, and going in to Porto to visit, is certainly a reasonable alternative.

 

[Doogman]

Hi Doogman,
I too am planning my Camino from Porto to SdC in August 2017, so this thread is of great interest to me. Can you help me understand why you suggest taking the metro from Matosinhos to Porto and back again? Why not stay in Matosinhos? Thanks

Hi: There is no reason that you would have to go back to central Porto. It is just that it is easy to do, and Porto is a more interesting place. However there is a campground in Matosinhos, and there may be other accommodation options there as well.

 

[KariC]

Hi: There is no reason that you would have to go back to central Porto. It is just that it is easy to do, and Porto is a more interesting place. However there is a campground in Matosinhos, and there may be other accommodation options there as well.

There definitely are! I stayed in Casa do Godinho, a lovely small hotel close to the ocean - there are many, many hotels of varying sizes and cost there.

 

[Former member 22438]

Hi Doogman,
I too am planning my Camino from Porto to SdC in August 2017, so this thread is of great interest to me. Can you help me understand why you suggest taking the metro from Matosinhos to Porto and back again? Why not stay in Matosinhos? Thanks

it is a nice walk from Porto Sé cathedral along the Douro river and Atlantic ocean to Matosinhos. only 10 kms . keep the river and ocean at your left side. so you head northwards
bom caminho

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi Doogman,
I too am planning my Camino from Porto to SdC in August 2017, so this thread is of great interest to me. Can you help me understand why you suggest taking the metro from Matosinhos to Porto and back again? Why not stay in Matosinhos? Thanks

Because you may want a second evening in Porto, and not have to carry your backpack that day. Matosinhos is the very outskirts of Porto, so might as well enjoy the core of the olf historic Porto rather than the burbs.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

it is a nice walk from Porto Sé cathedral along the Douro river and Atlantic ocean to Matosinhos. only 10 kms . keep the river and ocean at your left side. so you head northwards
bom caminho

Or better yet, cross the Douro by foot on the Eifel bridge, keep the river to your right, get on a little boat that crosses the river after some 6-7km, and walk the rest keeping the river /ocean to your left after that.

 

[Rainerbernd]

Olá,

Your first stay along the coast could also be at the beautiful campsite Angeiras (Lavra). It´s about 4 1/2 hrs walk from Porto. They offer nice bungalows, free swimming pool, WIFI,restaurant and bar . The price is between 9 € and 13 €. You should make a reservation : infoangeiras@orbitur.pt and don´t forget the magic word pilgrim to get the pilgrim´s fare. They speak English, French, Spanish and in May/June German (I stay there for hospitaleiro).

From the cathedral you can walk down to São Bento station and take bus 500 Matosinhos (Mercado) to the sea.
Or take the old tram, starting at Infante.

Bom caminho

Rainer

 

[Former member 22438]

Or better yet, cross the Douro by foot on the Eifel bridge, keep the river to your right, get on a little boat that crosses the river after some 6-7km, and walk the rest keeping the river /ocean to your left after that.

that is a nice walk too at the Vila Nova da Gaia side as Anemone writes. it is more quiet. indeed about one km after a big gray concrete bridge you'll find the ferry .opposite the landing on the other side there is a bar where they now and then play and sing original fado music by locals. we were lucky to attend a rehearsal there.
we reached the place by the antique tram -I thought it was the last stop and almost in front of the ferry and this bar. after the rehearsal we took the ferry and walked back to Vila Nova da Gaia. sipped a portwine on the roofterrace of one of the famous Port wine houses, Cruz, and overviewed Porto and the Eiffel bridge . very nice place .
thanks Anemone for mention this ! happy memories .

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hello!

I´m planning to take a camino Portugese coastal route from Porto in summer 2017. Most probably in august, as it is my best chance to have a vacation.
Does anyone have any experience of walking it in august? Is the weather too hot during this time for walking or is it managable?
I´m really looking forward to have my first camino so all the information I could get about it would be such a blessing!

it will be very warm to hot, but nothing like the spanish meseta, so manageable. it will/can also cool down as you are near the atlantic the whole time. last year, late august and early september had a couple brutal days with temperatures hitting 40ºC, the locals keep on saying this is extra-ordinary, but it appears to have happened over the last years... climate change?

 

[Jane Erasmus]

Hello!

I´m planning to take a camino Portugese coastal route from Porto in summer 2017. Most probably in august, as it is my best chance to have a vacation.
Does anyone have any experience of walking it in august? Is the weather too hot during this time for walking or is it managable?
I´m really looking forward to have my first camino so all the information I could get about it would be such a blessing!

Hello Tuuli

I will be walking from Porto along the Sea shore - Litoral route. I plan to start walking on 16 August. When will you be walking? Look out for a green pack with a South African flag on it

Jane