Finally finishing our Camino Portogues

[HeidiL]

Next weekend my husband and I will take the train from Lisbon to Coimbra, and then take the bus to Conimbriga, where we stopped walking in February last year.

We'll walk to Porto, where we started walking with with our son in March 2013.

When we get to Porto, I will consider our Camino Portugues finished - at least until someone convinces me we should walk from Faro (or somewhere else down South) to Lisbon...

 

[lt56ny]

I just walked the whole Camino last September/October. By far the nicest part of the Camino starts in Porto. Porto is also a wonderful city to take an extra day. There are some really nice treks and some beautiful towns and cities along the way. The people ain't too bad either!!!!

 

[Kanga]

I think @HeidiL has experienced Porto - she says she started walking there in March 2013.

I walked the same camino 3 times before doing another - so from my perspective there is nothing wrong with starting again!

 

[HeidiL]

Yes, we spent some days there in 2013. So far, I've enjoyed everything I've seen of Portugal after 11 work visits there in the last 4 years, plus holidays and caminos.

 

[HeidiL]

Did it - but were quite annoyed to find major discrepancies between the distances cited in the guides and the actual distances.

This time, we followed the yellow arrows religously, and ended up with a total of 186 km walked, instead of the 146 that we SHOULD have walked according to the guides.

The days around São João da Madeira were particularly bad - extra mountain climbs and 30+ km days that were supposed to be a lot shorter were quite unpleasant.

I believe the caminho may have been moved to avoid road walking? I really didn't think there were THAT many bad road stretches, as I have read here...

Oh, well, we did get through it all, and my injuries will heal. Met lots of lovely people along the route, my "portuñol" worked quite well, and we met a few pilgrims walking to Fatima. Would have liked to meet pilgrims walking our way, but apparently, there weren't any.
And my husband and I are still happy to walk together.

 

[Hollygal]

I am interested in walking from Porto next march 2019. Anyone have input as far as weather?

 

[HeidiL]

Could be sunny and bright - could be pouring with rain. It's not likely to be COLD, anyway...