First Camino Advice Please

[Mark Hannah]

I want to do my first Camino next week, was thinking starting at Porto or Fatima. Any suggestions or advice. Im a fast walker, travelling alone. I have up to 2 weeks duration but would prefer 10 days. Any help gratefully received. Thanks!

 

[stevov]

Are you wanting to finish in Santiago? If yes you need a route of stages that will get you there in 10 days or so. Check out the Portuguese Inland, The Portuguese Coastal, or The Portuguese Senda (seaside route). I did the Senda from porto to Santiago that took 17 days (home to home) inc one overnight and 3 rest days (the last enjoying Santiago)...I am not a quick walker. From Fatima would give you more time to take in more than hard walking. Just to say that you can Camino without concluding at Santiago.

 

[HeidiL]

I walked from Porto to Santiago with my husband and (then) 12-year-old son in 10 days, and we're not fast walkers, considering how many people we saw passing us.

It's a lovely walk, but can be very wet.

 

[Walking Lover]

I want to do my first Camino next week, was thinking starting at Porto or Fatima. Any suggestions or advice. Im a fast walker, travelling alone. I have up to 2 weeks duration but would prefer 10 days. Any help gratefully received. Thanks!

We did Lisboa to Santiago in July. We skipped 6 stages in Portugal but once we got to Tui, we walked all of the rest. We walked an average of 13 - 20 miles/day. If you can do this, you can walk from Porto to Santiago easily in two weeks. I suggest walking the Coastal Route out of Porto. It was beautiful.

 

[MarcelWals]

Just let the 'fast' behind you and walk just in time. It's not a race Just enjoy the moments and let your watch at home. It will be ok.

Marcel

 

[BarbieBee]

I walked from Porto to Santiago with my husband and (then) 12-year-old son in 10 days, and we're not fast walkers, considering how many people we saw passing us.

It's a lovely walk, but can be very wet.

Heidi,
Did you walk the coastal route? Where did you stay and how did you go about booking lodging?

Thanks,

Barbie

 

[HeidiL]

No, we walked the central route. Post-covid, maybe some booking is advisable - we just walked and found places where we wanted to stop, but had to pay for hotels when the albergues were full.