Camino Portugués - lessons learned

[Nathen]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

 

[Orione]

Congratulations on finishing the walk! Sounds like a beautiful yet challenging route. Thank you for the debriefing. I don’t know if I’ll ever walk this via, but I love reading these lessons learned from someone who was just there, and I know they are invaluable for those about to start this route.

 

[Nathen]

Congratulations on finishing the walk! Sounds like a beautiful yet challenging route. Thank you for the debriefing. I don’t know if I’ll ever walk this via, but I love reading these lessons learned from someone who was just there, and I know they are invaluable for those about to start this route.

Thank you, Orione.
We're all in this together, and we have much to learn from each other.

 

[kiwiolivia]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

Thank you. I'm planning this for next year spring or fall, training and research to do as it will be my first Camino, from NZ with no European experience in my travels thus far.

 

[Nathen]

You're most welcome, kiwiolivia. I wish you well with your training and research, and please feel free to ask me any and all questions you may have.

 

[SabsP]

Ibuprofen up to 1200 mg per day?
This OTC medication should come with a big warning IMO.
Please talk this through with your GP or pharmacist before taking it.

Extra magnesium? Aside from special medical reasons, a normal varied diet provides enough magnesium.

 

[Roland49]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

Congrats!

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

That's what I did in '23. But just out of necessity, I walked 1 week prior the catholic youth assembly in Lisbon, so both Albergues in A Guarda were booked out.

The walk to Tui up the river via the Fort in Valenca was quite amazing. That was the only part, that I felt solitude on the whole CP. It was a quiet sunday morning, many church-goers and bell-ringing across the valley, but not another pilgrim in sight! Lovely!

Good luck with your planning!

 

[LTfit]

Interesting observations because unless things have changed since 2016, there were lots of accommodations when I walked and I didn't use an app only the Gronze website. I did the Senda Litoral/Coastal until Redondela when it meets the Central.

And what is a "conventional Camino"? There is no other Camino like the Francés, each has particular characteristics. Maybe because I'm used to walking Caminos other than the Francés, but I found the Portuguese fairly busy (June) and the numbers have increased substantially since I've walked.

I guess that it all comes down to previous experiences and expectations.

 

[FLEUR]

I've walked these Portuguese routes. 3 of us then aged 75, plus one under 70 managed ok. We had previously walked other Caminos (Frances and Baztan).

I strongly recommend John Brierley's guide books for maps, distances and accommodation.

All advice is invaluable and it's good to share.

 

[lt56ny]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

I have a question about accommodations. You said you only used the Wise Pilgrim app for direction. I walked this route in November last year and had no trouble finding albergues every night. Did you use Gronze.com or the Buen Camino app? I use all three to give me the biggest variety of towns and albergues. I also stayed on the literol almost the whole way as it rained so hard and so much the camino in the forests were often like walking in streams. I didn't do the Espiritual Variente as it was such horrible conditions but I believe both Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino have this variant included in their apps.

 

[SunCity]

Congrats on making it on your Camino. We are also currently walking the literal route. We are 68 and 69 years old. I agree do not use the Camino Ninja app. One day we were so off track we ended up walking the beach for 2 miles. We saw one yellow arrow that day. We also switched to the Wise Pilgrim app. Leg cramps are always a reality. I used biofreeze and took naproxen and lots of water.
It is a beautiful route and there are many pilgrims walking it now. You can jump between literal route and coastal route. Sometimes they are one and the same.

 

[jpcnd78]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

The walk out of Armenteira was perhaps the best walk of my 2 Caminos

 

[Nathen]

Ibuprofen up to 1200 mg per day?
This OTC medication should come with a big warning IMO.
Please talk this through with your GP or pharmacist before taking it.

Extra magnesium? Aside from special medical reasons, a normal varied diet provides enough magnesium.

Hi SabsP:

As the saying goes, "Your mileage may vary".
Ibuprofen was a regular part of both of my Caminos - on the first, because I was carrying far too much weight and was in pain (shin splints and thigh pain) most of the time, and on the second, because of my serious blister (and thigh pain). 400 mg before I started out in the morning was very helpful, as was 400 mg just before bed - if I didn't, muscle cramps would wake me up.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't consider what I eat on a Camino as a "normal varied diet". And, the daily calcium and magnesium amounts I mentioned in my post were found online (as was the daily ibuprofen amount). That said, I didn't bring any calcium with me, and I didn't take magnesium as often or as much as this suggested amount.

May your Camino(s) be pain free.

- N

 

[Nathen]

Congrats!

That's what I did in '23. But just out of necessity, I walked 1 week prior the catholic youth assembly in Lisbon, so both Albergues in A Guarda were booked out.

The walk to Tui up the river via the Fort in Valenca was quite amazing. That was the only part, that I felt solitude on the whole CP. It was a quiet sunday morning, many church-goers and bell-ringing across the valley, but not another pilgrim in sight! Lovely!

Good luck with your planning!

Thanks for your kind words and for sharing YOUR experience, Roland!
I look forward to combining the Litoral and the Central next year.

 

[Nathen]

Interesting observations because unless things have changed since 2016, there were lots of accommodations when I walked and I didn't use an app only the Gronze website. I did the Senda Litoral/Coastal until Redondela when it meets the Central.

And what is a "conventional Camino"? There is no other Camino like the Francés, each has particular characteristics. Maybe because I'm used to walking Caminos other than the Francés, but I found the Portuguese fairly busy (June) and the numbers have increased substantially since I've walked.

I guess that it all comes down to previous experiences and expectations.

Thanks for your insights, LTfit. I fully own that I wasn't as well prepared for this Camino as I could've been, and I've been thinking in the last few days that I should've use Gronze. Thanks for the "nudge" to do so.

And you're absolutely right about every Camino having its particular characteristics. I only had the Francés as a reference, and I had BIG expectations that I would correct all of the errors that I made the first time. (Ah, the joys of being a Virgo/perfectionist - !!!)

- Nathen

 

[Nathen]

I've walked these Portuguese routes. 3 of us then aged 75, plus one under 70 managed ok. We had previously walked other Caminos (Frances and Baztan).

I strongly recommend John Brierley's guide books for maps, distances and accommodation.

All advice is invaluable and it's good to share.

Thanks, Fleur. I had JB's guide with me - I just didn't make the most of it.
One more lesson learned - !

- N

 

[SabsP]

And, the daily calcium and magnesium amounts I mentioned in my post were found online (as was the daily ibuprofen amount). That said, I didn't bring any calcium with me, and I didn't take magnesium as often or as much as this suggested amount.

I never rely on health information ( or any other important life questions ) from an online internetsource but talk with my professional GP and my pharmacist who both know my medical history and my prescribed medication.

Buen Camino.

 

[Nathen]

I have a question about accommodations. You said you only used the Wise Pilgrim app for direction. I walked this route in November last year and had no trouble finding albergues every night. Did you use Gronze.com or the Buen Camino app? I use all three to give me the biggest variety of towns and albergues. I also stayed on the literol almost the whole way as it rained so hard and so much the camino in the forests were often like walking in streams. I didn't do the Espiritual Variente as it was such horrible conditions but I believe both Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino have this variant included in their apps.

Hi It56ny -

As I've been mentioning in other posts, I didn't make the most of the Wise Pilgrim app. My frame of reference was walking the Francés with Brierley's guidebook, where the infrastructure was great and the path was clear, unlike the Portugués which can be experienced in SO many ways. I also never booked in advance, trusting that the Camino would provide; not always so on this journey. More lessons learned! Next time, I will make use of Wise Pilgrim, Buen Camino and Bronze - and yes, Wise Pilgrim includes the Spiritual Variant.

- N

 

[Nathen]

Congrats on making it on your Camino. We are also currently walking the literal route. We are 68 and 69 years old. I agree do not use the Camino Ninja app. One day we were so off track we ended up walking the beach for 2 miles. We saw one yellow arrow that day. We also switched to the Wise Pilgrim app. Leg cramps are always a reality. I used biofreeze and took naproxen and lots of water.
It is a beautiful route and there are many pilgrims walking it now. You can jump between literal route and coastal route. Sometimes they are one and the same.

Thanks for bringing biofreeze and naproxen to my awareness, SunCity - I'd not heard of them.
It is indeed a beautiful route, and in my experience, accommodations were sometimes not found on the litoral - I had to walk inland to the coastal route, which at times is quite different from the litoral.

- N

 

[Nathen]

The walk out of Armenteira was perhaps the best walk of my 2 Caminos

I completely agree, jpcnd78!
If I were to walk the Spiritual Variant again, I would stop in Combarro, then stay for 2 nights at the monastery in Armenteira, and then do the beautiful walk out of Armenteira.

- N

 

[Nathen]

I never rely on health information ( or any other important life questions ) from an online internetsource but talk with my professional GP and my pharmacist who both know my medical history and my prescribed medication.

Buen Camino.

And so it is, SabsP.

Buen Camino.

- N

 

[SunCity]

Thanks for bringing biofreeze and naproxen to my awareness, SunCity - I'd not heard of them.
It is indeed a beautiful route, and in my experience, accommodations were sometimes not found on the litoral - I had to walk inland to the coastal route, which at times is quite different from the litoral.

- N

I was also a pharmacist for 38 years.

 

[hikentravel1234]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

In April, I did the Coastal to Caminha, then crossed over to the Central to Santiago. I found this route, easy to find accommodations, mostly using Whats App.
For accommodations, I mostly looked at the town/city maps in the Brierley book (so I could stay close to what I wanted to see that day) then Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino to find accommodations in that area.
I use thin injinji toe socks for my toes only (9 toes with blisters on my first walk versus rare toe blisters on my subsequent 4 Caminos). Then I put on a medium weight merino wool sock on top to protect the rest of my foot.

 

[Steven Dwyer]

I appreciate your comments on the Littoral way.by contrast, I walked the Coastal route last October and found Camaraderie and route marking sufficient. The stretch between Caminha and Baiona/Vigo had less traffic due to walkers cutting over to the Central before Guarda.

 

[Nathen]

In April, I did the Coastal to Caminha, then crossed over to the Central to Santiago. I found this route, easy to find accommodations, mostly using Whats App.
For accommodations, I mostly looked at the town/city maps in the Brierley book (so I could stay close to what I wanted to see that day) then Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino to find accommodations in that area.
I use thin injinji toe socks for my toes only (9 toes with blisters on my first walk versus rare toe blisters on my subsequent 4 Caminos). Then I put on a medium weight merino wool sock on top to protect the rest of my foot.

Thanks for your insights, hikentravel1234 - much appreciated!

- N

 

[Nathen]

I appreciate your comments on the Littoral way.by contrast, I walked the Coastal route last October and found Camaraderie and route marking sufficient. The stretch between Caminha and Baiona/Vigo had less traffic due to walkers cutting over to the Central before Guarda.

Thanks for your kind words, Steven, and for telling me a little about YOUR experience.
I'm looking forward to my "do over" of the Portugués next spring or fall, and I appreciate all that I'm learning from others in this forum.

- N

 

[Nathen]

I was also a pharmacist for 38 years.

 

[frannie z]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

This was very useful information:: and current which i much appreciate! Will do a Portuguese camino 2025 (may)

 

[Nathen]

This was very useful information:: and current which i much appreciate! Will do a Portuguese camino 2025 (may)

Thanks for your kind words, frannie. Buen Camino!

 

[Rita Flower]

I had BIG expectations that I would correct all of the errors that I made the first time. (Ah, the joys of being a Virgo/perfectionist - !!!)

- Nathen

Four long Caminos under my belt and I still haven’t been able to ‘correct all the errors’ as each Camino seems to bring its own challenges. The one thing I am getting better at though is listening to the ‘inner nudges’ eg your Gronze nudge - but I still seem to overlook them as often as not.

 

[Nathen]

Four long Caminos under my belt and I still haven’t been able to ‘correct all the errors’ as each Camino seems to bring its own challenges. The one thing I am getting better at though is listening to the ‘inner nudges’ eg your Gronze nudge - but I still seem to overlook them as often as not.

Thanks, Rita - I needed to hear that.
As in all of life, the challenge/invitation is to accept what is and be in the moment as fully as possible...

- N

 

[AidaYYC]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

Hey Peregrino,
I am 73 yrs and this past April, I walked the Portugues from Lisbon to Porto and from Porto I took the Senda Litoral to Vigo and after that I joined the Central to Santiago in 30 days with 2 days rest. In terms of app to use, I only relied on Buen Camino which provided all the information I needed. As far as beating the leg cramps, I bought shelled walnuts and would have a handful at a time together with a half banana for every 10 km walked to supplement the electrolytes. It made a difference especially on those hot days. I agree wholeheartedly on using Compeed for blisters ... it allows you to walk. I also agree on having a phone to allow you to make phone calls.

Buen Camino

 

[lt56ny]

Hi It56ny -

As I've been mentioning in other posts, I didn't make the most of the Wise Pilgrim app. My frame of reference was walking the Francés with Brierley's guidebook, where the infrastructure was great and the path was clear, unlike the Portugués which can be experienced in SO many ways. I also never booked in advance, trusting that the Camino would provide; not always so on this journey. More lessons learned! Next time, I will make use of Wise Pilgrim, Buen Camino and Bronze - and yes, Wise Pilgrim includes the Spiritual Variant.

- N

Happy that you had a mostly great experience. That is what we are here for to help each other out and fill in some gaps of knowledge based on our own experiences. Buen Camino also has a section solely for the Variant. Buen Camino!!! All three have ratings of albergues and some hostels. I think overall the Gronze.com website has the most extensive and detailed ratings. I may be wrong about this in regards to Wise Pilgrim as I don't often check readers responses. Buen Camino is just a star system. When I read ratings there are usually a few things I look for, cleanliness, history of bedbugs, bed comfort and if there is a noisy bar or club very close to the albergue, especially if it is a weekend of festival.. I usually don't have to worry about overcrowding or heat etc. as I walk in low season and now walk mostly on less traveled caminos. There are those who are bothered by nasty or rude owners, and other such things. Of course these are legitimate but they would not make me shy away from sleeping there. We all have our own priorities of course. Yours may be far different than mine. Buen Camino

 

[Nathen]

Hey Peregrino,
I am 73 yrs and this past April, I walked the Portugues from Lisbon to Porto and from Porto I took the Senda Litoral to Vigo and after that I joined the Central to Santiago in 30 days with 2 days rest. In terms of app to use, I only relied on Buen Camino which provided all the information I needed. As far as beating the leg cramps, I bought shelled walnuts and would have a handful at a time together with a half banana for every 10 km walked to supplement the electrolytes. It made a difference especially on those hot days. I agree wholeheartedly on using Compeed for blisters ... it allows you to walk. I also agree on having a phone to allow you to make phone calls.

Buen Camino

Thanks so much for sharing your insights with me, AidaYYC.

I'm not sure yet - I need to more closely compare the maps in Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino - but it seems that Buen Camino only shows the Coastal Route, not the Litoral. That's why things unraveled for me.

Hmm - shelled walnuts and banana. I'll have to try that.
I just googled "foods rich in magnesium", and pumpkin seeds topped the list. I'll try that too.

And AMEN for Compeed!

Next time out, I'm going to book ahead with a phone number and stay in private rooms.

Buen Camino!

- N

 

[Nathen]

Happy that you had a mostly great experience. That is what we are here for to help each other out and fill in some gaps of knowledge based on our own experiences. Buen Camino also has a section solely for the Variant. Buen Camino!!! All three have ratings of albergues and some hostels. I think overall the Gronze.com website has the most extensive and detailed ratings. I may be wrong about this in regards to Wise Pilgrim as I don't often check readers responses. Buen Camino is just a star system. When I read ratings there are usually a few things I look for, cleanliness, history of bedbugs, bed comfort and if there is a noisy bar or club very close to the albergue, especially if it is a weekend of festival.. I usually don't have to worry about overcrowding or heat etc. as I walk in low season and now walk mostly on less traveled caminos. There are those who are bothered by nasty or rude owners, and other such things. Of course these are legitimate but they would not make me shy away from sleeping there. We all have our own priorities of course. Yours may be far different than mine. Buen Camino

Thanks again for sharing your insights and experience, It56ny.

The puzzle I want to solve is finding accommodation on or as near the Litoral as possible; in my experience, the only options seemed to be on the Coastal route, which at times is considerably different from the Litoral. I'll be comparing maps and info in Gronze, Buen Camino, Wise Pilgrim and JB's book.

Buen Camino!

- N

 

[lt56ny]

You will see that they give you options. I stayed almost entirely on the literol and had no problems. Here is an example from Gronze.com

A Ramallosa - Vigo (por litoral) | Camino Portugués de la Costa | Gronze.com

Aquellos que quieran apurar hasta el final la costa atlántica, desde el puente de A Ramallosa tienen la opción de seguir todo el litoral hasta la ciudad de Vigo, pasando por varias playas –muy concurridas en verano– y siempre con vistas a las islas Cíes. La mayor parte del recorrido está marcado...

www.gronze.com

remember. if you look at the GPS on Buen Camino and Wise Pilgrim it can show you that on most days you can stay on the litoral no matter the markers.

 

[Nathen]

You will see that they give you options. I stayed almost entirely on the literol and had no problems. Here is an example from Gronze.com

A Ramallosa - Vigo (por litoral) | Camino Portugués de la Costa | Gronze.com

Aquellos que quieran apurar hasta el final la costa atlántica, desde el puente de A Ramallosa tienen la opción de seguir todo el litoral hasta la ciudad de Vigo, pasando por varias playas –muy concurridas en verano– y siempre con vistas a las islas Cíes. La mayor parte del recorrido está marcado...

www.gronze.com

remember. if you look at the GPS on Buen Camino and Wise Pilgrim it can show you that on most days you can stay on the litoral no matter the markers.

Okay - I'm confused.

On my 3rd day, I wanted to walk the Litoral from Aguçadoura to Amorosa.
Looking at Gronze, Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino, the only accommodation they show for that stretch is along the Coastal, which is significantly different than the Litoral... in fact, the only app of the 3 that even shows the Llitoral along that stretch is Wise Pilgrim...

?

 

[Becky 59]

Ibuprofen up to 1200 mg per day?
This OTC medication should come with a big warning IMO.
Please talk this through with your GP or pharmacist before taking it.

Extra magnesium? Aside from special medical reasons, a normal varied diet provides enough magnesium.

Note from a physician: magnesium is an excellent muscle relaxant, good for cramps, and pretty non-toxic: an overdose may cause a touch of diarrhea.

 

[AidaYYC]

Note from a physician: magnesium is an excellent muscle relaxant, good for cramps, and pretty non-toxic: an overdose may cause a touch of diarrhea.

Thank you. I rather use items that can be added to my diet whenever possible and use medication as a last resort

 

[Nathen]

Note from a physician: magnesium is an excellent muscle relaxant, good for cramps, and pretty non-toxic: an overdose may cause a touch of diarrhea.

Thanks so much for this info, Becky!

 

[Nathen]

Okay - I'm confused.

On my 3rd day, I wanted to walk the Litoral from Aguçadoura to Amorosa.
Looking at Gronze, Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino, the only accommodation they show for that stretch is along the Coastal, which is significantly different than the Litoral... in fact, the only app of the 3 that even shows the Llitoral along that stretch is Wise Pilgrim...

?

Ah. Now I understand.

On my "do over", I want to stay along the beach from just north of Esposende to Cabedelo before heading inland to join the Coastal Route into Viana de Castelo.

Then, after briefly being on the Coastal Route, I want to stay along the beach from Viana de Castelo to Fox do Minho before joining the Central at Caminha.

These sections are only shown and mentioned in JB's book - not in Gronze, Buen Camino or Wise Pilgrim.

 

[tommycamino]

Is the Central busier and better-served? More pilgrims and more sociable?

 

[dougfitz]

In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino.

This is an interesting observation. I have done the CF twice, and after the second time I have focussed on other routes into Santiago. After my first pilgrimage in 2010, these other routes have retained the characteristics and ambiance of that first Camino. The CF had changed too much by the time I did it again, six years after that first pilgrimage, for me.

 

[trecile]

an overdose may cause a touch of diarrhea.

Some forms of magnesium are better or worse for this.

A bit of a funny story: Last year I walked the Primitivo with two young women who had been walking from the border with The Netherlands and Belgium. One day I mentioned that I needed to be careful to time when I took my magnesium (I was taking magnesium oxide, which has the laxative effect). They asked me why, and I explained. They then turned and looked at each other and said "it must be the magnesium!" They had bought more magnesium while on the Camino, and apparently it was a different form than what they had used before, and they had been having tummy "issues".

I normally take magnesium glycinate, which does not have much of a laxative effect.

 

[MarianneF]

I just completed the Camino Portugués (Senda Litoral and Spiritual Variant) - I walked from Aug. 29th to Sept. 12th - and I want to share lessons learned.

On the plus side:
- The beaches/waterfront in both Portugal and Spain are stunning. It was a joy to walk alongside or near them, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of them.

On the challenging side:
- This route is much more of a solitary walk than the Francés (which I walked in '19). I embraced that, and at times I greatly missed the camaraderie that I experienced on the Francés.
- There's much less infrastructure on this route, and accommodation seems much more out of the way (on a couple of occasions, I had to get to the Coastal route to find an albergue).
In short - as has been mentioned in other posts - this route feels much less like a conventional Camino. And that's fine, IF that's what you're after.

Lessons learned:
- Do more research beforehand! I ended up using the Wise Pilgrim app, and it would have been even more useful to me if I'd also looked at its accommodation suggestions (I only used it for navigation). DON'T use the Camino Ninja app! On the one day I used it, It took me WAY off course and resulted in an 11 1/2 hour day (albergue to albergue)!
- Make sure that you get a phone plan that enables you to make phone calls and not only gives you data. (Many of the albergues I tried to connect with by texting via WhatsApp were not on WhatsApp, so I couldn't book ahead.)
- Do trial walks at home to make sure that your pack, shoes and socks are as comfortable as can be. I made the serious mistake of trusting that Injinji toe socks would deliver a blister free walk. Not so! On the very first day, I developed an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot which severely impacted my entire Camino. (BIG thanks to the German pilgrim who brought Compeed to my awareness - I wouldn't have been able to complete my walk without it.)
- Leg cramps in my upper thighs were also a serious issue. (I'm 65, but I'm in great shape.) Solutions include: Ibuprofen (up to 1200 mg every 24 hours), Calcium (1000 mg per day), Magnesium (400-420 mg per day for men, 310-320 mg per day for women), plenty of water (64 oz / 2 litres per day), and stretching. (I didn't do enough of any of these, save for taking Ibuprofen.)

I'm already planning a "do over" of the Portugués in the spring or fall of '25.
(The 1st day of the Spiritual Variant was very challenging - a LOT of elevation; the 2nd day was heavenly - mostly flat and very scenic. Next year, I'll walk the Litoral to Caminha and then join the Central Route all the way to SdC.)

Bon Camino!

- Nathen

Hi Nathan. Where exactly did Camino Ninja app fail you? Many people expressed their satisfaction with the app. I was planning on using the app next year doing the Litoral solo. I am too old to end up walking for 11 hours on 1 day!

 

[lt56ny]

Okay - I'm confused.

On my 3rd day, I wanted to walk the Litoral from Aguçadoura to Amorosa.
Looking at Gronze, Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino, the only accommodation they show for that stretch is along the Coastal, which is significantly different than the Litoral... in fact, the only app of the 3 that even shows the Llitoral along that stretch is Wise Pilgrim...

?

Don't be confused just do a little planning. I used this example to show that the litoral had a few places to stay as well as the traditional coastal route. If memory serves me correctly I do believe I stayed on the coast every night while I was in Portugal until I got to Vigo. Don't sweat and stress I promise you that you will figure it all out without any problems!. We all have doubts before we begin. I still do and I will start my 9th camino next month. It is natural. Remember when you are walking don't listen to your head, listen to your body. For me, thinking can get me in trouble

 

[Nathen]

Is the Central busier and better-served? More pilgrims and more sociable?

That's my understanding, tommycamino.

 

[Nathen]

This is an interesting observation. I have done the CF twice, and after the second time I have focussed on other routes into Santiago. After my first pilgrimage in 2010, these other routes have retained the characteristics and ambiance of that first Camino. The CF had changed too much by the time I did it again, six years after that first pilgrimage, for me.

One aspect of this Camino (mostly the Litoral) that surprised me: most pilgrims kept to themselves.
The second one frustrated and saddened me: the "rule" of lights out at 10 seems to be on the wane - people chatted long after that, in both the kitchen/common area and in the dorm rooms...

 

[Nathen]

Some forms of magnesium are better or worse for this.

A bit of a funny story: Last year I walked the Primitivo with two young women who had been walking from the border with The Netherlands and Belgium. One day I mentioned that I needed to be careful to time when I took my magnesium (I was taking magnesium oxide, which has the laxative effect). They asked me why, and I explained. They then turned and looked at each other and said "it must be the magnesium!" They had bought more magnesium while on the Camino, and apparently it was a different form than what they had used before, and they had been having tummy "issues".

I normally take magnesium glycinate, which does not have much of a laxative effect.

Good to know, trecile! Thank you.

 

[Nathen]

Hi Nathan. Where exactly did Camino Ninja app fail you? Many people expressed their satisfaction with the app. I was planning on using the app next year doing the Litoral solo. I am too old to end up walking for 11 hours on 1 day!

Hi Marianne - It failed me miserably as a navigation tool, and led me to walk along a beach and through a field that had no path whatsoever. I didn't use any other aspect of the app.

 

[David Bedlow]

I walked this route in 2023, at the age of 75. I am attaching my report (I did this before some time ago so I am sorry if this is not allowed). Accommodation was a serious difficulty and I was obliged to resort to booking in advance, a thing I had never done before.

 

[AidaYYC]

I walked this route in 2023, at the age of 75. I am attaching my report (I did this before some time ago so I am sorry if this is not allowed). Accommodation was a serious difficulty and I was obliged to resort to booking in advance, a thing I had never done before.

Thank you very much for sharing your notes. I walked the CP from Lisbon to Santiago this past April and your photos brought back many memories.

 

[Nathen]

I walked this route in 2023, at the age of 75. I am attaching my report (I did this before some time ago so I am sorry if this is not allowed). Accommodation was a serious difficulty and I was obliged to resort to booking in advance, a thing I had never done before.

Thanks very much for sharing this, David.
I too had never booked in advance - things are changing!

- N

 

[BRSmith13]

The walk out of Armenteira was perhaps the best walk of my 2 Caminos

My very favorite too! Just magical.

 

[Nathen]

Don't be confused just do a little planning. I used this example to show that the litoral had a few places to stay as well as the traditional coastal route. If memory serves me correctly I do believe I stayed on the coast every night while I was in Portugal until I got to Vigo. Don't sweat and stress I promise you that you will figure it all out without any problems!. We all have doubts before we begin. I still do and I will start my 9th camino next month. It is natural. Remember when you are walking don't listen to your head, listen to your body. For me, thinking can get me in trouble

Wise words, It56ny!

Since I've come home, I've been doing a LOT of reading, map studying and planning.
Next time out, I'll be much better prepared AND able to listen more closely to my body!
(My goal is to make my Caminos a walking meditation.)

- N