Finished the Porto to SDC route

[micamino73]

Finshed the Porto to SDC route. I liked the O Porrino Green route. Portugal was spectacular. Km after KM of Grapes on Vines and Corn. Albergue were pretty good, esp the new one on Barcelinhos and Rubiaes. The Tui route in Spain was pretty commercial, But visiting Herbon Monastery near Padron was a good decision.
For sure would do again, I think walking in Portugal is great, the route is not packed like the French route.

 

[wayfarer]

Congratulations and well done.

 

[ourgirl]

Finshed the Porto to SDC route. I liked the O Porrino Green route. Portugal was spectacular. Km after KM of Grapes on Vines and Corn. Albergue were pretty good, esp the new one on Barcelinhos and Rubiaes. The Tui route in Spain was pretty commercial, But visiting Herbon Monastery near Padron was a good decision.
For sure would do again, I think walking in Portugal is great, the route is not packed like the French route.

Hello! What were your stopping points? Plotting my route, now--looking to go coastal.

 

[Diogo92]

Finshed the Porto to SDC route. I liked the O Porrino Green route. Portugal was spectacular. Km after KM of Grapes on Vines and Corn. Albergue were pretty good, esp the new one on Barcelinhos and Rubiaes. The Tui route in Spain was pretty commercial, But visiting Herbon Monastery near Padron was a good decision.
For sure would do again, I think walking in Portugal is great, the route is not packed like the French route.

Glad you liked it Robert

 

[micamino73]

Hello! What were your stopping points? Plotting my route, now--looking to go coastal.

Porto to vila do conde (took metro to avoid 10km of city walk)
Vila do conde to Barcelinhos
barcelos to Ponte de lima.. (Spectacular)
ponte de lima to Rubiaes (hill climbing)
Rubiaes to Valenca/tui
tui to Redondelo
redondelo to pontevedra
pontevedra to Caldas de Reis.. (Thermal baths there great.. Get a hotel)
caldas de Reis to Padron (say in herbon)
herbon to Santiago de compostela.

Might i suggest you. Walk it in 12 days splite the Barcelos to ponte de lima in 2 days and stay in casa da fernanda.

And allow a day to rest so gives you a chance to splite another stage. Or maybe see Braga.

 

[ourgirl]

Might i suggest you. Walk it in 12 days splite the Barcelos to ponte de lima in 2 days and stay in casa da fernanda.

And allow a day to rest so gives you a chance to splite another stage. Or maybe see Braga.

I've been thinking about walking it in 14—actually 13—taking an extra day in Porto. Thank you for giving me your stops!

 

[krazeekuban]

My plan for October '15

 

[DurhamParish]

Glad you enjoyed it. Porto to SdC was my "first", and I'll never forget it. It changed my life.

http://www.blurb.com/books/3762387-camino-portugues

 

[Former member 22438]

Glad you enjoyed it. Porto to SdC was my "first", and I'll never forget it. It changed my life.

http://www.blurb.com/books/3762387-camino-portugues

Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed looking at your pictures and happy memories came back in mind

 

[ausmarko]

I did exactly the same route and while there were many less pilgrims, staying at the new Albergue in Rubias - the only one for miles - it was full to three times capacity, and even had people in the courtyard and this was late September.
Enjoyed it mostly but found some of the facilities few and far between and had to do a couple of "Transport" stages (taxi) to go around motorway walks or to make the next town.
I would like to go back and maybe do the coast all the way up. I really enjoyed the first day to Villa do Conde but luckily the wind was mild..it would have been hard if a headwind was blowing on the coast.
I didn't particularly like the walk out of Villa in the morning - mostly on tarmac - trying to get to Rates to join the inland route.
But generally a great walk and a fairly light foot traffic, but i must admit, it was nice on the Camino Frances to bump into lots of people along the route that you had met along the way.

 

[amorfati1]

I did exactly the same route and while there were many less pilgrims, staying at the new Albergue in Rubias - the only one for miles - it was full to three times capacity, and even had people in the courtyard and this was late September.
Enjoyed it mostly but found some of the facilities few and far between and had to do a couple of "Transport" stages (taxi) to go around motorway walks or to make the next town.
I would like to go back and maybe do the coast all the way up. I really enjoyed the first day to Villa do Conde but luckily the wind was mild..it would have been hard if a headwind was blowing on the coast.
I didn't particularly like the walk out of Villa in the morning - mostly on tarmac - trying to get to Rates to join the inland route.
But generally a great walk and a fairly light foot traffic, but i must admit, it was nice on the Camino Frances to bump into lots of people along the route that you had met along the way.

Reg the albergue in RUBIAES - interesting/astounding that it was full to capacity and beyond in late September.

There are two other accommodation just 50 and 1oo meters downhill from that albergue (and another private place about 1km or more before). Both homes are to ones right hand side, private rooms. The first one did not have an 'official' name, but a most kind elderly woman rents out three rooms. She had a sign in the room /balcony about rooms to rent.
A bit further down is a private albergue, called 'el nido' or similar. -
Yes, Rubiaes is a rather tiny hamlet, but even that place has a several accommodations and a few restaurants further down the hill .... the Caminho Portuguese does indeed seem to became more known and walked ... Bom Caminho

 

[ausmarko]

Reg the albergue in RUBIAES - interesting/astounding that it was full to capacity and beyond in late September.

There are two other accommodation just 50 and 1oo meters downhill from that albergue (and another private place about 1km or more before). Both homes are to ones right hand side, private rooms. The first one did not have an 'official' name, but a most kind elderly woman rents out three rooms. She had a sign in the room /balcony about rooms to rent.
A bit further down is a private albergue, called 'el nido' or similar. -
Yes, Rubiaes is a rather tiny hamlet, but even that place has a several accommodations and a few restaurants further down the hill .... the Caminho Portuguese does indeed seem to became more known and walked ... Bom Caminho

Yes all the other accommodation was booked as well. While we were on the porch in the restaurant down the hill, quite a few people walked past after trying unsuccessfully to get a bed..by this stage the albergue was really busting at the seams.
The restaurant was packed that night as it was the only place in town for a meal. The private place up the hill's owner also owned the restaurant so was happy to drive his customers to and from the restaurant

 

[amorfati1]

Yes all the other accommodation was booked as well. While we were on the porch in the restaurant down the hill, quite a few people walked past after trying unsuccessfully to get a bed..by this stage the albergue was really busting at the seams.
The restaurant was packed that night as it was the only place in town for a meal. The private place up the hill's owner also owned the restaurant so was happy to drive his customers to and from the restaurant

Rather interesting indeed - thanks for sharing -
below are the four photos taken (view from room, and walk the day after) - rain or no rain, have very fond memory of the kindness of strangers there. Thanks for reminding me of it ...
best wishes -

 

[MichaelSG]

I did exactly the same route and while there were many less pilgrims, staying at the new Albergue in Rubias - the only one for miles - it was full to three times capacity, and even had people in the courtyard and this was late September....

You were probably in a fairly big wave going through. I was there on 25 September and the main albergue and the one 1km before town was full but there was still space at the smaller ones. There were 7 people sleeping in the halls / dining room too but still space for others. The town was busy but not bursting that day. For anyone else walking through, you may want to do what a friend did. He decided not to stay in the albergues so he just asked at the restaurant (which we loved!). A waiter made two phone calls and easily arranged a bed at a friend's house which worked out well for him.

 

[tweedy48]

Porto to vila do conde (took metro to avoid 10km of city walk)
Vila do conde to Barcelinhos
barcelos to Ponte de lima.. (Spectacular)
ponte de lima to Rubiaes (hill climbing)
Rubiaes to Valenca/tui
tui to Redondelo
redondelo to pontevedra
pontevedra to Caldas de Reis.. (Thermal baths there great.. Get a hotel)
caldas de Reis to Padron (say in herbon)
herbon to Santiago de compostela.

Might i suggest you. Walk it in 12 days splite the Barcelos to ponte de lima in 2 days and stay in casa da fernanda.

And allow a day to rest so gives you a chance to splite another stage. Or maybe see Braga.

Thank you for this. I am planning this walk in September 2015. How far did you take the metro, what was your stop to start your first day walking out of Porto? I would like to plan the same for the same reason.
Buen Camino!

 

[Former member 22438]

Reg the albergue in RUBIAES - interesting/astounding that it was full to capacity and beyond in late September.

There are two other accommodation just 50 and 1oo meters downhill from that albergue (and another private place about 1km or more before). Both homes are to ones right hand side, private rooms. The first one did not have an 'official' name, but a most kind elderly woman rents out three rooms. She had a sign in the room /balcony about rooms to rent.
A bit further down is a private albergue, called 'el nido' or similar. -
Yes, Rubiaes is a rather tiny hamlet, but even that place has a several accommodations and a few restaurants further down the hill .... the Caminho Portuguese does indeed seem to became more known and walked ... Bom Caminho

The first hostal you'll meet coming down from the Alto do Portelo in Rubiães is called São Rogue . the hostal is run by a lady indeed and has three rooms . Rubiães down town is about three kilometers further on. That is quite a walk specially if you just came down from the thoughest walk of the entire Caminho Portuges. Just 50 meters away from the hostal is a small kind of grocery shop annex bar but that is all in this middle of nowhere. I had the impression that the owners of that shop thought we were allians or so from another planet. They only sold beer and aguardent , a bunch of raw endives and digestive cookies.
To walk to the next restaurant from there is 3 kms downhill so back means another 3 kms uphill.
But the lady of the hostal phoned the restaurant and the cook herself picked us and two other Dutch ladies up in a huge Toyota fourwheel drive, prepared our meals (20€ in total for my wife and me including drinks ) and after finishing she brought us back to the hostal. So at the end to us it was a good decission to stay in São Roque instead of the albergue a bit further down.
The next day we spoke to two German ladies who stayed at the other privat place, a residential with a swimmingpool and very comfortable.

 

[MichaelSG]

Thank you for this. I am planning this walk in September 2015. How far did you take the metro, what was your stop to start your first day walking out of Porto? I would like to plan the same for the same reason.
Buen Camino!

Many people take the metro to Matosinhos (Mercado station which is the second to last stop on the blue line, just next to a bridge over the river, heading toward Vila do Conde) to avoid walking through Porto. As noted in my blog though, I found walking through the city was greatly enjoyable. My wife and I walked from Lisbon but we took a bit of a rest day in Porto. During that day, we walked from the cathedral to Matosinhos (about 10km), took the metro back to town, then the next day took the metro back out and started walking from where we left off. If you are starting in Porto, it may be a good way to start getting over jetlag or jet legs. Bom Caminho!

 

[Former member 22438]

Many people take the metro to Matosinhos (Mercado station which is the second to last stop on the blue line, just next to a bridge over the river, heading toward Vila do Conde) to avoid walking through Porto. As noted in my blog though, I found walking through the city was greatly enjoyable. My wife and I walked from Lisbon but we took a bit of a rest day in Porto. During that day, we walked from the cathedral to Matosinhos (about 10km), took the metro back to town, then the next day took the metro back out and started walking from where we left off. If you are starting in Porto, it may be a good way to start getting over jetlag or jet legs. Bom Caminho!

Some people walk out of Porto direction airport Maia and Vilarinho to Rates.
They do not know about the coastal route out of Porto to Matosinhos and Vila do Conde.
They will walk on the hardshoulder of dangerous motorways and on cobblestone roads.
That's why it has to be advised to follow the Douro river from Porto center to the seaside and from there follow the Atlantic coast to Matosinhos and on to Vila do Conde. From there you walk either to São Pedro de Rates and the interior route or keep following the Atlantic coast to Esposende ,Viana do Castelo,Caminho Vigo where you reach the interior route at Redondela in Galicia.
Bom caminho

 

[tweedy48]

Many people take the metro to Matosinhos (Mercado station which is the second to last stop on the blue line, just next to a bridge over the river, heading toward Vila do Conde) to avoid walking through Porto. As noted in my blog though, I found walking through the city was greatly enjoyable. My wife and I walked from Lisbon but we took a bit of a rest day in Porto. During that day, we walked from the cathedral to Matosinhos (about 10km), took the metro back to town, then the next day took the metro back out and started walking from where we left off. If you are starting in Porto, it may be a good way to start getting over jetlag or jet legs. Bom Caminho!

Thank you so much for the info.

 

[tweedy48]

Some people walk out of Porto direction airport Maia and Vilarinho to Rates.
They do not know about the coastal route out of Porto to Matosinhos and Vila do Conde.
They will walk on the hardshoulder of dangerous motorways and on cobblestone roads.
That's why it has to be advised to follow the Douro river from Porto center to the seaside and from there follow the Atlantic coast to Matosinhos and on to Vila do Conde. From there you walk either to São Pedro de Rates and the interior route or keep following the Atlantic coast to Esposende ,Viana do Castelo,Caminho Vigo where you reach the interior route at Redondela in Galicia.
Bom caminho

Thank you very much for the info. It will help with my planning.
Buen camino.

 

[mikevasey]

I had the impression that the owners of that shop thought we were allians or so from another planet.

Near enough, The Netherlands ;-)

 

[swessin1]

I have fond memories of Rubias (after a very difficult day of walking). We had a wonderful couple from Denmark serenade us Peregrinos to guitar music and singing in the courtyard. I was sipping Vino Tinto and munching on fresh bread and cheese while enjoying music from Bob Dylan, John Denver and The Mama's and the Papas. What a wonderful night! Pics on my blog - swessin1.blogspot.com