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If there ever happens to be a choice I'll take a coastal route. I just love the seaside.We are planning on walking the Camino from Lisbon to Santiago next spring and we're trying to decide coastal or inland route, what's the difference and why would you pick one over the other?
Dan Plunkett
I would recommend this as well. My wife and I walked the central route from Porto this April. Especially day one out of Porto involves a lot of walking busy roads with very narrow shoulders. When not on the roads, the trails are cobble stones or granite setts. Knowing what I know now, I would have started on the coastal route and then cut inland as scruffy1 suggests or even after day one, head inland from Vila do Conde and rejoin the central route at Arcos as from that point the central trail is very interesting.Combine them! After Porto walk Coastal until Viana do Castelo then cut inland to Ponte de Lima, a personal favorite. True, you miss the ferry boat but you also miss Vigo, not a personal favorite.
Hi DanWe are planning on walking the Camino from Lisbon to Santiago next spring and we're trying to decide coastal or inland route, what's the difference and why would you pick one over the other?
Right now we are leaning towards the coastal.
Thanks for your help,
Dan Plunkett
I have just done the coastal/senda from porto and it was amazing. The weather was hot and I experienced only one day of rain so this no doubt helped make the experience. I followed the coast line route/senda but also the route took me on beautiful routes a little inland especially the stretch from esposende through marinhas. The camino coast up all the way from porto to panxon / portino is especially beautiful and provides you with a sea side experience which balances out the mostly inland route to sdc after redondela in spain. I haven't done the portuguese inland route and I understand one advantage is that it is the traditional route and is much better way marked. The coastal senda can be more challenging ...it was not always well signed and you can at times be exposed to strong coastal wind and sea fog, seas can be too high for bathing safetly, (I swam on rest days in sabaris/Baiona, and sanxenxo nr pontevedra...took a bus) and if taking the ferry at caminha bear in mind it doesnt run on a monday.We are planning on walking the Camino from Lisbon to Santiago next spring and we're trying to decide coastal or inland route, what's the difference and why would you pick one over the other?
Right now we are leaning towards the coastal.
Thanks for your help,
Dan Plunkett
Hi Dan, having looked at typical temps etc I chose early June expecting pleasant but not high temps ....research indicated mid 20s ...arrived 7th June in porto and within a few days there was a heatwave which lasted until my last day in santiago. Even on the day it rained it was hot. This heat was notably unusual for northern Portugal and Spain and on one or two days there was actual official advice to the population to stay indoors...ie it was at least 35 degrees on some days. Walking on these days was tough going esp going uphill with the backpack and included frequent stops...one on the vigo coast where it was so hot i actually had to head down from the woodland walk to the sea for a swim to cool off ! ...shade becomes looked for and you need to ensure you have a min of 1 litre of water at all times. I did enjoy the sunshine but you do need to be prepared should the temps soar. I eventually adjusted by leaving very early in the am ie no later than 6.30 am (stocked up with some fruit biscuits water etc the night before)...this meant I could walk for 5 or so hrs before the sun got fierce.Thanks for all the great information. Would you mind telling me what time of year you walked it. We'll be starting about the 15th of May from Lisbon andwe are hoping for good weather.
Thanks again,
Dan
I have just done the coastal/senda from porto and it was amazing. The weather was hot and I experienced only one day of rain so this no doubt helped make the experience. I followed the coast line route/senda but also the route took me on beautiful routes a little inland especially the stretch from esposende through marinhas. The camino coast up all the way from porto to panxon / portino is especially beautiful and provides you with a sea side experience which balances out the mostly inland route to sdc after redondela in spain. I haven't done the portuguese inland route and I understand one advantage is that it is the traditional route and is much better way marked. The coastal senda can be more challenging ...it was not always well signed and you can at times be exposed to strong coastal wind and sea fog, seas can be too high for bathing safetly, (I swam on rest days in sabaris/Baiona, and sanxenxo nr pontevedra...took a bus) and if taking the ferry at caminha bear in mind it doesnt run on a monday.
Hi Gerard how far is it?If there ever happens to be a choice I'll take a coastal route. I just love the seaside.
April 2017 I left Lisbon and walked up the Tejo River valley and on to Porto as per Brierley's guide. People sometimes walk up the coast but there does not appear to be a 'recognised' guide. Reports say accommodation is not too hard to find if you are not constrained by your budget to albergues.
From Porto I walked out to the coast and just wandered my way up, sometimes off the Camino, staying in albergues, camping grounds and small hotels.
A most enjoyable trip. I think I got the best of both country and coast walking.
Regards and good travelling,
Gerard
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