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Agree about returning to Portugal.Been having a similar debate on which one to suggest to my son.
As other jhave mentioned, Convento Christo, Coimbriga, Coimbra ...... were nice places to spend an afternoon or a day. Porto is a great rest day, or two. The scenery and architecture is different - both are appealing.
We've had great encounters with local people on the Portuguese. Pilgrims walking may still be a novelty - at least south of Porto.
It depends on where one starts. Shorter walked like starting in Porto, Astorga or Leon have a similar social dynamic that is very different than starting 5 weeks or more from SdC.
If doing the shorter 10-12 day walk then in Portugal you can mix Coastal/Litoral with the Central for an even more pleasant walk.
Tui to SdC and Sarria to SdC are different but the walking on groomed paths is very similar. While the Portuguese is busy, it did not have the herds that the last 100 km of the Frances had.
In Portugal those little alarm dogs still bark! There are so many people walking the last 100 km of the Frances that the dogs just don't bother.
I know several people who have walked the Portuguese to see if they like to do a longer Camino. I did it the first time to warm up for the Frances from Roncesvalles, but have returned because it is a pleasant, relaxing walk with wonderful people and equally pleasant scenerary
That’s a great point. There’s not only one (or two, thinking of coastal v central) camino path to walk in Portugal. There are others with less road walking than the standard CP that may appeal more to the OP, although most have virtually no pilgrims on them. Here’s my overview of different routes in Portugal:There are other paths on Portugal to try aside the popular Porto sections too...from Braga, Visau, the argarve..
Fair enough. Often newbies are a bit intimidated by solo foreign travel, that wears off after a camino or 2. At least in my experience.That’s a great point. There’s not only one (or two, thinking of coastal v central) camino path to walk in Portugal. There are others with less road walking than the standard CP that may appeal more to the OP, although most have virtually no pilgrims on them. Here’s my overview of different routes in Portugal:
https://spiritofthecamino.com/camino-de-santiago-portugal
I think you have summed it up very well the CP that was in my head, the words you used were "nice places", pleasant, relaxing, The scenery and architecture is different - both are appealing the word missing is challenging, and spectecular for me.Been having a similar debate on which one to suggest to my son.
As other jhave mentioned, Convento Christo, Coimbriga, Coimbra ...... were nice places to spend an afternoon or a day. Porto is a great rest day, or two. The scenery and architecture is different - both are appealing.
We've had great encounters with local people on the Portuguese. Pilgrims walking may still be a novelty - at least south of Porto.
It depends on where one starts. Shorter walked like starting in Porto, Astorga or Leon have a similar social dynamic that is very different than starting 5 weeks or more from SdC.
If doing the shorter 10-12 day walk then in Portugal you can mix Coastal/Litoral with the Central for an even more pleasant walk.
Tui to SdC and Sarria to SdC are different but the walking on groomed paths is very similar. While the Portuguese is busy, it did not have the herds that the last 100 km of the Frances had.
In Portugal those little alarm dogs still bark! There are so many people walking the last 100 km of the Frances that the dogs just don't bother.
I know several people who have walked the Portuguese to see if they like to do a longer Camino. I did it the first time to warm up for the Frances from Roncesvalles, but have returned because it is a pleasant, relaxing walk with wonderful people and equally pleasant, relaxing, warm up, scenery.
My FreindNot to be controversialbut just my humble opinion, I have obsolutely no interest in walking the Camino Portuguese, "there I have said it" something I have felt for long time.
I have walked the Camino Frances many times and last year Fiinisterre and Muxia.
Watched many vids and blogs but left with the feeling it's flatish and unchallengeing and lot of walking beside roads and rural landscapes.
Maybe comradeship, scenery,and albergues are better?? pilgrims lately seem to be drawn to it.
Sorry for the negative vibes but I cannot get my head round it. Can someone explain without taking offence its a genuine perspective.
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Thanks Lynn, I would really love to underestand your actual route to Porto and then across Rio Douro if you have it recorded somewhere. What towns are in the "Market Graden of Portugal"?Walked Lisbon to Porto in 2019.
Not many peregrinos, was alone walking several days, but that was fine.
Beautiful scenery especially a day or two out of Lisbon through the 'Market Garden of Portugal.
The local folk couldn't have been more pleasant and friendly. Some English spoken, but folks were very patient of me at least trying to respectfully speak in their language.
Walking down into Porto and across the Rio Douro was gorgeous and exciting.
I plan to finish Camino Portugues in 2025, Porto to Santiago. Can't wait!
Bom Caminho!
Having walked both (recently walked Lisbon to Santiago) I would share (imho) that both are unique experiences and therefore difficult to compare (apples to oranges). The walk throughout Springtime Portugal was joyful, beautiful, many uphill challenges, and some of the most friendly people you would ever be blessed to meet. I also note the many unique historical towns you will experience (Lisbon. Santorum, Tomar, Coimbra, Porto to name a few). Coastal walks out of Porto, Spiritual Variant to Padron, Mountain Vistas to die for...priceless. Perhaps the best measure is to experience both...glad I did.Not to be controversialbut just my humble opinion, I have obsolutely no interest in walking the Camino Portuguese, "there I have said it" something I have felt for long time.
I have walked the Camino Frances many times and last year Fiinisterre and Muxia.
Watched many vids and blogs but left with the feeling it's flatish and unchallengeing and lot of walking beside roads and rural landscapes.
Maybe comradeship, scenery,and albergues are better?? pilgrims lately seem to be drawn to it.
Sorry for the negative vibes but I cannot get my head round it. Can someone explain without taking offence its a genuine perspective.
Quote
If memory serves me correctly, Robbo55, the market garden area was primarily between Azumba and Santarém in the lowlands along the Río Tejo. It was a beautiful, flat walk, and for many stretches there were tomato fields as far as you could see. I walked in September, and it was harvest time apparently with farm machinery picking the tomatoes. Truck after truck left the fields loaded with the most beautiful looking tomatoes, a sight to see. I actually went into one of the fields and helped myself to a couple and enjoyed eating them along the way.Thanks Lynn, I would really love to underestand your actual route to Porto and then across Rio Douro if you have it recorded somewhere. What towns are in the "Market Graden of Portugal"?
My experience is the things that make a memorable Camino are enjoying the pilgrims you are walking with, how the nature, architecture, history, spirituality, etc., you encounter strike you on any given day along the way, the interesting people — pilgrims and locals — you meet by happenstance, the experiences you have in cafes, restaurants and albergues, and the satisfaction you derive from completing your walk. I suspect these are common to all Caminos. But if the Frances does it all for you, I say count it as a blessing.Not to be controversialbut just my humble opinion, I have obsolutely no interest in walking the Camino Portuguese, "there I have said it" something I have felt for long time.
I have walked the Camino Frances many times and last year Fiinisterre and Muxia.
Watched many vids and blogs but left with the feeling it's flatish and unchallengeing and lot of walking beside roads and rural landscapes.
Maybe comradeship, scenery,and albergues are better?? pilgrims lately seem to be drawn to it.
Sorry for the negative vibes but I cannot get my head round it. Can someone explain without taking offence its a genuine perspective.
Quote
That is a a wonderful quote, and very true..."Comparison is the theif of joy", thanks for sharing“Comparison is the thief of joy”. I’ve done the Frances and on the CP getting ready to walk to Santiago tomorrow. It was hard to avoid comparing until I was reminded of the quote above, I believe credited to Rosevelt.
They are both so different and I’m afraid that comparison ruins the experience.
If you like the Camino Frances, great. No one is knocking that. But it does seem strange to come into a Camino Portugues forum and start a thread with "I have no interest in walking the Camino Portugues."Not to be controversialbut just my humble opinion, I have obsolutely no interest in walking the Camino Portuguese, "there I have said it" something I have felt for long time.
I have walked the Camino Frances many times and last year Fiinisterre and Muxia.
Watched many vids and blogs but left with the feeling it's flatish and unchallengeing and lot of walking beside roads and rural landscapes.
Maybe comradeship, scenery,and albergues are better?? pilgrims lately seem to be drawn to it.
Sorry for the negative vibes but I cannot get my head round it. Can someone explain without taking offence its a genuine perspective.
Quote
Sorry Dave I did not notice it was a CP forum my humble apologies.If you like the Camino Frances, great. No one is knocking that. But it does seem strange to come into a Camino Portugues forum and start a thread with "I have no interest in walking the Camino Portugues."
That said, there are a number of things that might lead one to walk the Camino Portugues. An interest in seeing the scenery and historic sights, taste the different cuisine, enjoy the different (Portuguese) culture, see a different part of Galicia (when you walk into Galicia on the Frances, you walk through cattle country; on the Portugues, through wine country, which smells much better).
I'm not saying that these are necessarily better than the Frances - just different. Sometimes you want a change. Let me give a couple of examples. I love paella. I make it at home often. It is great food. It is not the only food I want to eat for the rest of my life. When I occasionally enjoy something else it doesn't need to be a competition between that and paella. I like the Beatles. I have all of their albums and listen to them regularly. But I do occasionally want to listen to other music, too. If I enjoy listening to other music from the 60s ( or 90s, or contemporary) it's because I like that, too.
Yes, a fair amount of the Portugues is fairly flat. So is a fair amount of the Frances. For some people, the Meseta on the Frances is their favourite part. These people are unlikely to be put off by the lack of mountain ranges on the Portugues (although there certainly are hills on the Portugues). Frankly, "a lot of walking along roads and through rural landscapes" is a pretty good description of the Frances, too. It isn't the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. I'm not sure why this would bother you on the Portugues and not the Frances.
A lot of people are drawn to the Portugues for a first Camino because most walk from Porto and that can be done in 2 weeks, which fits with many people's available vacation time and seems a more manageable task for a first Camino than a month to six weeks for a "complete" Frances. Or for a later Camino because they want to try something different, as described above.
Challenging and spectacular? Consider the Long Range Traverse.I think you have summed it up very well the CP that was in my head, the words you used were "nice places", pleasant, relaxing, The scenery and architecture is different - both are appealing the word missing is challenging, and spectecular for me.
"Horses for course's" is a saying appropiate to the summation I have now, not any more enthusiasm for CP.
I will stick to the voyage of discovery and people which every time for me will always be the "Challenge" of CF.
Actually I think you posted in just the right place. I was interested in just this question as I am contemplating doing the CP after Two CF’s. I was educated by the comparisons and I don’t want to hear just the positive. Where would be more appropriate?Sorry Dave I did not notice it was a CP forum my humble apologies.
Great post, I was contemplating walking CP but got the pre conceived response I expected, for, its as I thought, nice seems to be the operative word on CP nice people, nice food, nice scenery, nice pleasant short walk I will stick to CF its history of pilgrimage and the Spanish and Basque peoples and its variants and expect the unexpected its never disappointing.Actually I think you posted in just the right place. I was interested in just this question as I am contemplating doing the CP after Two CF’s. I was educated by the comparisons and I don’t want to hear just the positive. Where would be more appropriate?
One thing I didn’t know is how much asphalt and cobblestone there is. This is really relevant to
I hadn't the courage to take on the Camino Frances solo in 2008 but the Camino called and I headed to Porto. A beautiful experience with very few pilgrims but quiet time in nature, handsome buildings, great food and kind people won my heart and I'm going to head back next year. I walked to Finisterre after reaching Santiago in 2008 and two hospitalieros at San Roch confirmed that I had made the right decision to walk the CP as a first Camino. Having walked the Camino Frances and from Le Puy to Conques and part of the Via Francigena in later years, none lived up to the CP. Why not give it a try?Been having a similar debate on which one to suggest to my son.
As other jhave mentioned, Convento Christo, Coimbriga, Coimbra ...... were nice places to spend an afternoon or a day. Porto is a great rest day, or two. The scenery and architecture is different - both are appealing.
We've had great encounters with local people on the Portuguese. Pilgrims walking may still be a novelty - at least south of Porto.
It depends on where one starts. Shorter walked like starting in Porto, Astorga or Leon have a similar social dynamic that is very different than starting 5 weeks or more from SdC.
If doing the shorter 10-12 day walk then in Portugal you can mix Coastal/Litoral with the Central for an even more pleasant walk.
Tui to SdC and Sarria to SdC are different but the walking on groomed paths is very similar. While the Portuguese is busy, it did not have the herds that the last 100 km of the Frances had.
In Portugal those little alarm dogs still bark! There are so many people walking the last 100 km of the Frances that the dogs just don't bother.
I know several people who have walked the Portuguese to see if they like to do a longer Camino. I did it the first time to warm up for the Frances from Roncesvalles, but have returned because it is a pleasant, relaxing walk with wonderful people and equally pleasant scenery.
You will probably be surprised at the growth of pilgrim numbers on the Portuguese since 2008!I hadn't the courage to take on the Camino Frances solo in 2008 but the Camino called and I headed to Porto. A beautiful experience with very few pilgrims
Hope it's still relatively quiet!You will probably be surprised at the growth of pilgrim numbers on the Portuguese since 2008!
Porto is the second most popular departure point of any camino after Sarria, and has been for a few years now. It’s true that pilgrims from Porto are divided into 2-3 routes, but still, the CP in general is busy and getting busier by the year. Good job getting in early in 2008!Hope it's still relatively quiet!
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