Coastal route or Interior?

[Isobel]

I'm off to Porto with a friend at the end of March and we're walking to Santiago DC. We were going to do the Coastal route but Is the interior route more peaceful? Which route did you do and why?
Thanks

 

[Johan]

I'm off to Porto with a friend at the end of March and we're walking to Santiago DC. We were going to do the Coastal route but Is the interior route more peaceful? Which route did you do and why?
Thanks

I also would like to know. I am walking in May.

 

[Dutch]

What do you mean by peaceful? Is that no pilgrims around, so quiet?

I walked inland from Porto to vilarinho, Barcelos, ponte de lima.....tui ect. This route, compared to the coastal and the interior is the most social (popular) camino of the three.

 

[Johan]

Dutch,

I am planning to walk from Vila do Conde as follows:

Pedra Furada
Lugar do Corgo (
Casa da Feranda)
Ponte de Lima
Sao Roque /Rubiaes
Tui
Redondela
Pontevreda
Caldas de Reis
Faramello/O Faramello (
Teo)

Any advice?

Thank you.

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Isobel, I have walked neither of these routes but I have driven several sections of the Coastal route in 3013 and all I can say is that it was beautiful. We saw very few pilgrims walking and that was early to mid June, so yes it would be peaceful unless it has got more popular since then.

 

[Dutch]

Wow @wayfarer, you really have your future caminos planned out hahaha....3013

Talk about long term camino addiction

 

[wayfarer]

Wow @wayfarer, you really have your future caminos planned out hahaha....3013

Talk about long term camino addiction

You caught me out, I have to admit it.....I'm a time traveller.

 

[musicman]

I have walked both,recently.
Both are excellent and very different
More pilgrims on the interior,but nothing like the Frances crowds.

Coastal route, less travelled and none the worse for that.

 

[Utgaard]

I wanted both the serenity of the coast and the social aspects of the main route so I did parts of both. I walked the coast in late May, 2014, from Porto to Caminha. It was beautiful and the people were very welcoming, but I met no other northbound pilgrims. If your definition of peaceful includes days of walking in solitude, this might be for you. After Caminha I turned inland and walked to Valenca and joined the main route. You'll be off season, so even after Tui you'll likely find lots of solitude.

 

[Former member 22438]

You caught me out, I have to admit it.....I'm a time traveller.

Space oddity . Space control to major Tom ! You remember that Dave Bowie song ? Walking back to the future

Bom -future -caminho

 

[Former member 22438]

May next

We fly to Porto from Amsterdam

Metro to Vilarino
Vilarinho to São Pedro de Rates
Rates to Barcelos
Barcelos to Casa da Fernanda
Casa da Fernanda to Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo to Caminho/A Guarda
Caminha/A Guarda to Oia
Oia to Baiona
Baiona to Vigo
Vigo to Redondela
Redondela to Pontevedra
Pontevedra to Armenteira
Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa
VilaNova de Arousa to Padrón
Padrón to Santiago de Compostela

A combination of the central route and the coastal.

Bus back to Porto and flight back to Amsterdam.

Can't wait !

Bom caminho

 

[rickster]

I'm off to Porto with a friend at the end of March and we're walking to Santiago DC. We were going to do the Coastal route but Is the interior route more peaceful? Which route did you do and why?
Thanks

I walked the Coastal Route and connected with the inland route at Redondella. I would have liked to have had a little more companionship on the coastal route, however, it forced me to interact more with the "locals". It is very beautiful. Way markings are not as good as with inland, however, overall, I feel that the ideal route is to follow the coast until Redondella and then connect with the crowd. I think that it would be especially nice if you could walk the coastal part with a friend/companion and then you'll have no problem meeting people after Redondella.

 

[Utgaard]

Viana do Castelo to Caminho/A Guarda

I was told by the gentleman who opened the albergue in Caminha that the walk from Viana to Caminha was the prettiest day of any caminho. I am inclined to agree with him. I left Viana in a light mist, the sun was just breaking through when I came across a charming little valley with a stream, a bridge, about six buildings and a cross on the hillside. I sat in a sunny park drying my laundry and listening to the church chime the hour, passed a boulder painted with a Bom Caminho! and was given my scallop shell by Carlos, a gentleman who lives on the caminho and has a personal stamp for any pilgrim he sees passing his home.

 

[Former member 22438]

I was told by the gentleman who opened the albergue in Caminha that the walk from Viana to Caminha was the prettiest day of any caminho. I am inclined to agree with him. I left Viana in a light mist, the sun was just breaking through when I came across a charming little valley with a stream, a bridge, about six buildings and a cross on the hillside. I sat in a sunny park drying my laundry and listening to the church chime the hour, passed a boulder painted with a Bom Caminho! and was given my scallop shell by Carlos, a gentleman who lives on the caminho and has a personal stamp for any pilgrim he sees passing his home.

Looking forward to walk there. We allready drove it by car last year which was a nice tour.
Like to meet Carlos and his stamp

 

[Former member 22438]

I walked the Coastal Route and connected with the inland route at Redondella. I would have liked to have had a little more companionship on the coastal route, however, it forced me to interact more with the "locals". It is very beautiful. Way markings are not as good as with inland, however, overall, I feel that the ideal route is to follow the coast until Redondella and then connect with the crowd. I think that it would be especially nice if you could walk the coastal part with a friend/companion and then you'll have no problem meeting people after Redondella.

I take my wife with me
I do not know if she allows me to meet other people after Redondela
Just joking. ! We love the caminho Portuguese. Walked it before and looking to come back in Portugal and Galicia and we'll keep the ocean at our left as soon as possible

 

[Duncan Idaho]

I wanted both the serenity of the coast and the social aspects of the main route so I did parts of both. I walked the coast in late May, 2014, from Porto to Caminha. It was beautiful and the people were very welcoming, but I met no other northbound pilgrims. If your definition of peaceful includes days of walking in solitude, this might be for you. After Caminha I turned inland and walked to Valenca and joined the main route. You'll be off season, so even after Tui you'll likely find lots of solitude.

Hello Utgaard - a quick question if I may. Is the route from Caminha to Tui safe / straightforward enough ? On main roads or quieter paths ? I am beginning in Porto on the 27th March and cannot decide between the coast all the way until Redondela or cutting inland at Caminha.

 

[Johan]

Good morning

I have another question! Do you know of any Orthodox Christian Churches along the way?

Thank you.

 

[Former member 22438]

R

Hello Utgaard - a quick question if I may. Is the route from Caminha to Tui safe / straightforward enough ? On main roads or quieter paths ? I am beginning in Porto on the 27th March and cannot decide between the coast all the way until Redondela or cutting inland at Caminha.

Caminha to Vila Nova de Cerveira you walk alongside the main N road, fairly busy. Safety vest on ! And walk towards the oncoming traffic so they see you.
From Vila Nova de Cerveira you will walk on minor roads-still necessairy to take care but most traffic follows here the A route to Valença do Minho .from there is the safe waymarking to Tui.
I drove from Valença to Caminha several times and was wondering how unsafe it was for pilgrims.
If you are in Caminha better take the "transbordador" the ferry to A Guarda if it sails again or ask at the tourist information booth for a fisherman who takes you in his boat to the other side of the river and continue walking to a Guarda, Oia ,Baiona, Vigo to the interior route at Redondela.

 

[Former member 22438]

Good morning

I have another question! Do you know of any Orthodox Christian Churches along the way?

Thank you.

Just google Orthodox Christian Churches in Portugal (Spain or Galicia ) and find your answers

 

[Arn]

As you can see, regardless of which route you take...stopping at Casa Fernanda IS a must. You will always remember this as a truly bright star on your Caminho.
Bom Caminho,
Arn

 

[Utgaard]

Duncan,

I followed the map of Luis Frexio and the arrows. It was rained on me this day, but I don't recall any real concerns about my safety. There are some highway stretches - after the bridge across the Rio Coura the map shows two or three sections along the N13 road of 0.2 to 0.5 km (not a big deal). There was one place where I walked with the traffic because the shoulder was much, much wider on that side of the road and it felt safer to walk with the traffic on a wide shoulder than facing traffic with almost no space. I do agree with Albertinho that almost all the busy road walking is before Vila Nova de Cerveira.

I did lose the arrows in VNdC (but I had a tendency to get lost in just about every town) and just wandered along the main road until I found them again. The pilgrims group in the Viana district do a good job with the markings.

I enjoyed this section immensely. The arrows took me up the front steps of someone's house, then around a path to the side. A bit later I came across a house that had dozens and dozens of small statues. It is close to 30 km, though. and it did become a bit of a slog towards the end. I believe there is an albergue in VNdC that you can use to break the walk.

Continuing along the coast to Redondela or cutting in at Caminha? I think they are both good choices.

 

[coldweather]

Hello. I am planning to start the CP in Porto in April 2016 (just after Easter). I have walked the CF in 2013. I am used to the infrastructure of the CF. Although popular/crowded - the CF has plenty of alburges, bars, restaurants, shops, etc.

I am debating between the coastal route vs. the interior route.

Will you please tell me the differences I should expect with the infrastructure on the CP? Which route has alburges, bars, places to eat, etc. Also, when I did the CF the cost of most alburges was about 10 Euro and the pilgrim meal was about 10 Euro. What should I expect for sleeping and dinner costs on the CP?

Thanks.

 

[Dutch]

I just came back from the CP. I have walked the interior before, starting from the porto cathedral.

This time i was thinking of walking the coast, so i started walking on day one from the Porto cathedral to Vila do Conde (not with metro to matosinhos).
Eventhough i really loved this first day on the beach, i also knew after a few hours of walking that walking for 8-10 days with nothing but the sea on your left side would be very very boring (for me), so after vila do conde i walked inland where the scenery is much more varied.
Really enjoyed it again. I walked to SdC in 8 beautifull days.

So ocean is great, but very boring (its personal i guess)
By the end of the day i also got really irritated eyes from the constant ocean breeze.

 

[Former member 22438]

We walked the coastal this year from Viana do Castelo
It is a beautiful walk. Nothing bouring. You see many nice villages like Viana, Vila Praia de Ãncora, Caminha, a Guarda, Oia, Baiona (very beautiful) big city Vigo.

Worthwhile to be visited all. Spectacular crossing of the Minho river by fisherman's boat.

 

[Dutch]

Like i said, Albertinho, its an opinion, just like yours is.
I thought the ocean and beaches to be beautiful, but to monotone to see that the whole day, every day.

 

[Introibo]

Hi hi Dutch,
That's an interesting observation. I'm planning to walk from Porto in late September and had initially thought
that the coastal route would be my preferred option. I live by the sea, and whilst it's nice to go down and look
at it each day I'm not sure I want it to be a dominant part of my walk. I also liked the communal aspects of
the Frances route. On the other hand Our Lord spent much of his life by the sea.
Decisions, decisions. But pleasant ones.