Camino Portugues Budget

[lisac]

This topic has probably been covered many times so if there's a thread already, please feel free to direct me there. I couldn't find one.

I'm creating a budget for walking the Portugues from Porto via the central route. Can someone please tell me if the meals will cost about the same as on the Frances? We'll likely do pilgrim meals if they're available or moderate restaurant meals.

Thanks so much!
Lisa

 

[dougfitz]

My experience in 2022 walking the CP was that there was a noticeable, but not large, increase in the costs of drinks and simple, pilgrim style, meals once I was in Spain. I didn't think much about comparing the costs of restaurant meals.

Most costs seem to have gone up since I last did the CF in 2016, so I'm not sure that I could make a direct comparison that would help you. You seem to have done the CF more recently than that, so I presume you have more current prices to compare to than I would have.

 

[lisac]

My experience in 2022 walking the CP was that there was a noticeable, but not large, increase in the costs of drinks and simple, pilgrim style, meals once I was in Spain. I didn't think much about comparing the costs of restaurant meals.

Most costs seem to have gone up since I last did the CF in 2016, so I'm not sure that I could make a direct comparison that would help you. You seem to have done the CF more recently than that, so I presume you have more current prices to compare to than I would have.

Do you remember about how much you spent on food/drinks each day? Did you eat mostly pilgrim meals?

 

[dougfitz]

Do you remember about how much you spent on food/drinks each day? Did you eat mostly pilgrim meals?

I didn't keep a record of my food costs. I would eat a pilgrim meal when there was somewhere serving them, but I would just as often find somewhere nice to eat and have a simple meal. There were a couple of places I stayed that were a little remote from other eating places, and I would get a meal delivered. Once in Spain, it was easier to find places with a cafe nearby. The one place that didn't served a communal dinner.

 

[Elizabeth Cheung]

Its not as cheap as the Frances but its pretty comparable. I was on the Frances again last year and prices were up for meals by about 1 to 2 euros. For a "meal." I would bank on spending about $12 Euro per person for a pilgrim meal if they are offered. I seem to remember on the Portugese there are plenty of options for food but no place is really geared towards offering pilgrim meals in the same way as the Frances.

 

[lt56ny]

Its not as cheap as the Frances but its pretty comparable. I was on the Frances again last year and prices were up for meals by about 1 to 2 euros. For a "meal." I would bank on spending about $12 Euro per person for a pilgrim meal if they are offered. I seem to remember on the Portugese there are plenty of options for food but no place is really geared towards offering pilgrim meals in the same way as the Frances.

I have not walked the CP since 2017 but I walked on the CF in 2015 and a few times later. I thought the prices overall were less in Portugal. But I also think it is a relative to what you eat, and where you eat. I walked fromLisbon with a friend (he left in Porto) On more than one occasion we ate in some restaurants that had huge portions of food. Often there was enough food from one order to feed the both of us and we are big guys. Of course a little more than a more traditional portion. I forget what they called it in the restaurant. When I traveled to Brasil I also experienced this in some restaurants when I went out to eat with my Brasilian friends.

 

[henrythedog]

Having just been on the northern end of the Portuguese:

Prices generally in Portugal are lower than Spain (except for fuel, which isn’t likely to be a consideration)

There is substantially less ‘pilgrim meal’ availability compared to the Frances, but the quality of food on a menú del dia is good and portions large. €10-12 will often cover it.

 

[Former member 22438]

Pilgrims menus are not common in Portugal
The last time I walked in 2019 encountered once in Vila do Conde (5€ with a drink) but it was unhealthy rubbish (an undefinited greasy kind of organic meat, some lettuce and French fried.

Better follow my tip : in Portugal and Spain DURING WEEKDAYS look for a restaurant that serves a so called MENU DO DIA (Portugal ) or MENU DEL DIA (Spain) It is advertised in front of the entrance on a chalkboard.

That is a three course menu for workers included a drink for around 10€ per person
It was introduced long ago by the Spanish dictator generalíssimo Franco. Portugal adopted the menu .Every worker deserves a 3 course lunch against low costs A starter like soup , meat dish veggies desert .
You will see that it always is full in the restaurants and the quality of the food is excellent. During the weekend the restaurants do not serve it
When I worked in Spain and travelled around Catalunya as a sales manager I always lunched in restaurants which served the menu del dia and never it was a disappointment
Also during my 5 caminhos we went for it in Portugal aswell in Spain.
Maybe this will help you

In addition : Portuguese and Spaniards have their main course at lunchtime
Breakfast often isa cup of coffee and a croissant or churro and this they use in a bar , bakeryshop ( paderia in Portugal or panaderia in Spain or small restaurant.

The lunchtime I described above

At night they go to a bar for a small bite and a glass of wine.

As a worker here in the Netherlands anyway we drink lots of coffee and we are used by visiting companies that they offer you coffee all day
In Spain it is not common. When you ask for a coffee they point you to a small restaurant around where you can get your coffee on your own expenses.
In the three years I travelled around Barcelona only once one of my about 500 customers offered me a coffee.
Lots don’t invite you at their office but meet up in the restaurants That’s why there are so many small (workers) restaurants and most of them serve the menu do/del dia. Most of them close at around 19h00 pm .

 

[Wayfarer56]

We walked the CP (Porto to SDJP) last May and the CF and Norte in October. We found Portugal to be more budget friendly, averaging around 75 euros per day, staying in pensions and eating in local restaurants. For the 2 of us, this breaks down to about 35-40 accommodations (low = 25, hi=55), 6 morning coffee & pastries, 10-20 snack/lunch, & 25-30 for dinner (usually pilgrims menu). Spain was generally more expensive, by about 35%. Daily costs for 2 in Spain was about 110 euros, where accommodations was about 45-55 euros (low=30, hi=60), coffees & pastries 5-6, snacks/lunches 10-15, dinners 30-40.

I would add a couple of place of particular note on the CP:
- Taquinho do Silva in Aquacadura, good food and incredible hospitality of Christina, who runs the restaurant
- Casa rural as Bentinas, Milladoiro, (for last night before SDJP) wonderfully restored old house in the theme of a medieval castle with a wonderful breakfast.

Hope this is helpful for your planning.

 

[merenptah]

Having just walked entirety of the Camino Frances and then immediately walked the Camino Portuguese in reverse from Santiago to Lisbon on the coastal route (and currently about 40 km from Lisbon) over the past two months I feel pretty confident in being able to give you an idea on recent cost comparisons. Pilgrim’s menus when available are cheaper in Portugal than on the CF on the CP 7-9 euros vs 10+ on the CF. Coffee and pastries are much cheaper on the CP (65 to 85 cents on average for coffee vs 1-1.50 on CF). But counterintuitively supermarket food is a bit more expensive in Portugal than in Spain even comparing same chain and same exact product (DIA supermarket/Froidz). As an example granola bars that were 1.29 in Spain were 1.89 in Portugal and so forth and so on. Albergues are cheaper in Spain (municipal 8 euros) vs Portugal (municipal 10 euros), and I feel private albergues are a little more pricey in Portugal. So I think it all ends up being a bit of wash. Hope that helps.

 

[Palousewalking]

Pilgrims menus are not common in Portugal
The last time I walked in 2019 encountered once in Vila do Conde (5€ with a drink) but it was unhealthy rubbish (an undefinited greasy kind of organic meat, some lettuce and French fried.

Better follow my tip : in Portugal and Spain DURING WEEKDAYS look for a restaurant that serves a so called MENU DO DIA (Portugal ) or MENU DEL DIA (Spain) It is advertised in front of the entrance on a chalkboard.

That is a three course menu for workers included a drink for around 10€ per person
It was introduced long ago by the Spanish dictator generalíssimo Franco. Portugal adopted the menu .Every worker deserves a 3 course lunch against low costs A starter like soup , meat dish veggies desert .
You will see that it always is full in the restaurants and the quality of the food is excellent. During the weekend the restaurants do not serve it
When I worked in Spain and travelled around Catalunya as a sales manager I always lunched in restaurants which served the menu del dia and never it was a disappointment
Also during my 5 caminhos we went for it in Portugal aswell in Spain.
Maybe this will help you

In addition : Portuguese and Spaniards have their main course at lunchtime
Breakfast often isa cup of coffee and a croissant or churro and this they use in a bar , bakeryshop ( paderia in Portugal or panaderia in Spain or small restaurant.

The lunchtime I described above

At night they go to a bar for a small bite and a glass of wine.

As a worker here in the Netherlands anyway we drink lots of coffee and we are used by visiting companies that they offer you coffee all day
In Spain it is not common. When you ask for a coffee they point you to a small restaurant around where you can get your coffee on your own expenses.
In the three years I travelled around Barcelona only once one of my about 500 customers offered me a coffee.
Lots don’t invite you at their office but meet up in the restaurants That’s why there are so many small (workers) restaurants and most of them serve the menu do/del dia. Most of them close at around 19h00 pm .

Thank you for this explanation, both interesting and useful.

 

[lisac]

Its not as cheap as the Frances but its pretty comparable. I was on the Frances again last year and prices were up for meals by about 1 to 2 euros. For a "meal." I would bank on spending about $12 Euro per person for a pilgrim meal if they are offered. I seem to remember on the Portugese there are plenty of options for food but no place is really geared towards offering pilgrim meals in the same way as the Frances.

Thanks, that good information!

 

[lisac]

I have not walked the CP since 2017 but I walked on the CF in 2015 and a few times later. I thought the prices overall were less in Portugal. But I also think it is a relative to what you eat, and where you eat. I walked fromLisbon with a friend (he left in Porto) On more than one occasion we ate in some restaurants that had huge portions of food. Often there was enough food from one order to feed the both of us and we are big guys. Of course a little more than a more traditional portion. I forget what they called it in the restaurant. When I traveled to Brasil I also experienced this in some restaurants when I went out to eat with my Brasilian friends.

Thank you for your response!

 

[lisac]

Having just been on the northern end of the Portuguese:

Prices generally in Portugal are lower than Spain (except for fuel, which isn’t likely to be a consideration)

There is substantially less ‘pilgrim meal’ availability compared to the Frances, but the quality of food on a menú del dia is good and portions large. €10-12 will often cover it.

Ok, we'll look for the menu del dias!