First Camino from Lisbon to Porto

[Calm]

Hello, my friend of 50+ years and I are on our first Camino walk. We are looking for: 1) safe, comfortable hostels in Lisbon; 2) stages from Lisbon to Porto (via Tomar) in about 16 days. Appreciate any suggestions! Abrigada, Calm

 

[dougfitz]

There are many ways you could do this, but that depends very much what distances you want to do each day. On the https://godesalco.com/ planner, the distance from Lisbon to Porto is 384 km, but that is through Alpriate, which is no longer on the route. Over 16 days, that would be an average of 24 km/day. To average that might require days well over that to compensate for the days where you will inevitably walk less for some reason.

Even when I set a daily target of 20 km/day on this route, my longest day was about 29 km just because of the lay of the land and where towns are located. My shortest day was about 16 km for similar reasons. You might find a pattern where you can do it in 16 days with some days around or just over 30 km. I couldn't have done that.

The other complexity for me was leaving Lisbon. Eventually I decided to walk to the station at Povoa, return to Lisbon, and go out by train again the next day. I did something similar on the leg from Azambuja to Santatrem, catching a bus and train from Porto de Muge then returning to Muge (on the other side of the Rio Tejo from Porto de Muje) by bus the next day and walking from there.

 

[jungleboy]

Here are my stages in 20 days:

Day 1: Lisbon to Alverca do Ribatejo (~36km!) Note: this was the older, longer way out of Lisbon.

Day 2: Alverca do Ribatejo to Vila Franca de Xira (~11km)

Day 3: Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja (~20km)

Day 4: Azambuja to Quinta da Burra (past Porto de Muge, ~16.5km) Note: Quinta da Burra is no longer open.

Day 5: Quinta da Burra to Santarém (~14km + a sneaky 7.5km in walking around Santarém)

Day 6: Santarém to Azinhaga (~21.5km with a shortcut!)

Day 7: Azinhaga to Vila Nova da Barquinha (~17km)

Day 8: Vila Nova da Barquinha to Tomar (~21km)

Day 9: Tomar to Heart Way Pilgrim House (near Vila Verde, ~21km) Note: Heart Way is no longer open.

Day 10: Heart Way Pilgrim House to Ansião (~24.5km)

Day 11: Ansião to Rabaçal (~19km)

Day 12: Rabaçal to Cernache (~19km)

Day 13: Cernache to Coimbra (~11km + ~7km more in Coimbra!)

Day 14: Coimbra to Sernadelo (~24km)

Day 15: Sernadelo to Águeda (~22km)

Day 16: Águeda to Albergaria-a-Velha (~16.5km)

Day 17: Albergaria-a-Velha to Albergue Moinho Garcia (~13.5km)

Day 18: Albergue Moinho Garcia to São João da Madeira (~21km including lunch detour)

Day 19: São João da Madeira to Mar Dentro Surf Farm (~25km)

Day 20: Mar Dentro to Porto (~14km + 8km more in Porto)

 

[Calm]

There are many ways you could do this, but that depends very much what distances you want to do each day. On the https://godesalco.com/ planner, the distance from Lisbon to Porto is 384 km, but that is through Alpriate, which is no longer on the route. Over 16 days, that would be an average of 24 km/day. To average that might require days well over that to compensate for the days where you will inevitably walk less for some reason.

Even when I set a daily target of 20 km/day on this route, my longest day was about 29 km just because of the lay of the land and where towns are located. My shortest day was about 16 km for similar reasons. You might find a pattern where you can do it in 16 days with some days around or just over 30 km. I couldn't have done that.

The other complexity for me was leaving Lisbon. Eventually I decided to walk to the station at Povoa, return to Lisbon, and go out by train again the next day. I did something similar on the leg from Azambuja to Santatrem, catching a bus and train from Porto de Muge then returning to Muge (on the other side of the Rio Tejo from Porto de Muje) by bus the next day and walking from there.

 

[Calm]

Thank you for your sage advice. It looks like 16 days will be tight, but as you've suggested we could combine the route bus trips, etc. Your reply is much appreciated!

 

[Calm]

There are many ways you could do this, but that depends very much what distances you want to do each day. On the https://godesalco.com/ planner, the distance from Lisbon to Porto is 384 km, but that is through Alpriate, which is no longer on the route. Over 16 days, that would be an average of 24 km/day. To average that might require days well over that to compensate for the days where you will inevitably walk less for some reason.

Even when I set a daily target of 20 km/day on this route, my longest day was about 29 km just because of the lay of the land and where towns are located. My shortest day was about 16 km for similar reasons. You might find a pattern where you can do it in 16 days with some days around or just over 30 km. I couldn't have done that.

The other complexity for me was leaving Lisbon. Eventually I decided to walk to the station at Povoa, return to Lisbon, and go out by train again the next day. I did something similar on the leg from Azambuja to Santatrem, catching a bus and train from Porto de Muge then returning to Muge (on the other side of the Rio Tejo from Porto de Muje) by bus the next day and walking from there.

Why is Alpriate no longer on the route?

 

[Calm]

Here are my stages in 20 days:

Day 1: Lisbon to Alverca do Ribatejo (~36km!) Note: this was the older, longer way out of Lisbon.

Day 2: Alverca do Ribatejo to Vila Franca de Xira (~11km)

Day 3: Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja (~20km)

Day 4: Azambuja to Quinta da Burra (past Porto de Muge, ~16.5km) Note: Quinta da Burra is no longer open.

Day 5: Quinta da Burra to Santarém (~14km + a sneaky 7.5km in walking around Santarém)

Day 6: Santarém to Azinhaga (~21.5km with a shortcut!)

Day 7: Azinhaga to Vila Nova da Barquinha (~17km)

Day 8: Vila Nova da Barquinha to Tomar (~21km)

Day 9: Tomar to Heart Way Pilgrim House (near Vila Verde, ~21km) Note: Heart Way is no longer open.

Day 10: Heart Way Pilgrim House to Ansião (~24.5km)

Day 11: Ansião to Rabaçal (~19km)

Day 12: Rabaçal to Cernache (~19km)

Day 13: Cernache to Coimbra (~11km + ~7km more in Coimbra!)

Day 14: Coimbra to Sernadelo (~24km)

Day 15: Sernadelo to Águeda (~22km)

Day 16: Águeda to Albergaria-a-Velha (~16.5km)

Day 17: Albergaria-a-Velha to Albergue Moinho Garcia (~13.5km)

Day 18: Albergue Moinho Garcia to São João da Madeira (~21km including lunch detour)

Day 19: São João da Madeira to Mar Dentro Surf Farm (~25km)

Day 20: Mar Dentro to Porto (~14km + 8km more in Porto)

Thank you for sharing your route. It sounds like the 16 days we planned is far too tight!

 

[dougfitz]

Why is Alpriate no longer on the route?

There is a new path along the Rio Tejo from around Sacavem to Alverca do Ribatejo. The old path went inland along this section. It could probably still be walked, but now the albergue at Alpriate has closed, there seems little point in doing that.

 

[jungleboy]

Thank you for sharing your route. It sounds like the 16 days we planned is far too tight!

Depends on you! As you can see there were a few short stages in there.

 

[Calm]

There is a new path along the Rio Tejo from around Sacavem to Alverca do Ribatejo. The old path went inland along this section. It could probably still be walked, but now the albergue at Alpriate has closed, there seems little point in doing that.

Thank you again. This is very helpful!

 

[rogersoncharles1951]

Hello, my friend of 50+ years and I are on our first Camino walk. We are looking for: 1) safe, comfortable hostels in Lisbon; 2) stages from Lisbon to Porto (via Tomar) in about 16 days. Appreciate any suggestions! Abrigada, Calm

Personally I like the yes hostel in Lisbon and the spot hostel in Porto if that is any help

 

[Peter J Martin]

Hello, my friend of 50+ years and I are on our first Camino walk. We are looking for: 1) safe, comfortable hostels in Lisbon; 2) stages from Lisbon to Porto (via Tomar) in about 16 days. Appreciate any suggestions! Abrigada, Calm

It depends on how you want to do your Camino, in relation to cost etc.
I am flying into Lisbon on the 30 April to start the Camino Portuguese the next day, flying home on the 6 June, I have a number of rest days and will stop off in Fatima for two days. Each days walking is a reasonable distance for me.
I am 78 years old and this will be my eight Camino with medical and joint issues, I have always arranged my Caminos with Juan at juanv@caminosyrutas.com . All my accomodation for each day and my daily large bag transfer is arranged.
It has always worked for me and I am sure Juan would be able to help you with your proposed 16 days walking.
Best wishes.

 

[happymarkos]

Hello, my friend of 50+ years and I are on our first Camino walk. We are looking for: 1) safe, comfortable hostels in Lisbon; 2) stages from Lisbon to Porto (via Tomar) in about 16 days. Appreciate any suggestions! Abrigada, Calm

I can see there is a lot of excellent replies for you. The Forum is such a loving community
Please bear in mind the Camino is yours and if you need to take a bus or train for a short section you can. In fact John Brierly, unfortunately no longer with us, urges readers to take a bus into some big centres as pilgrims become traffic blind after days of walking in the countryside and step in front of cars. He also counsels it’s your Camino so recognise your limitations. Friends suffered from heat stroke trying to walk the stages to Porto and ended up in hospital.
It’s a spiritual as well as a physical journey.
Spiritual in the sense we become attuned to nature and our “busy” minds can slow down and literally and metaphorically “smell the flowers” and trees and crops etc. in fact when a car or truck passes the exhaust fumes stand out in a very unpleasant way.
Oh well.

 

[Rita Flower]

Using any Camino app and Gronze will give you all the info on stages and accomodation. So you can self select stages that suit you for the day.
If you divide km Lisbon to Porto by 16 you will get your average walking day - then you ca also figure out if you might need to taxi, bus or train for a bit.
I walked from Lisbon with a friend in 2016. I can’t remember what resources we used for accomodation but always found really good hostels. My friend did all the booking just one day ahead. Excellent!
I couldn’t keep up with the timeframe we had set so I did take a taxi and a bus and a train at different times for parts of the day.
The Portugese are so very friendly kind and helpful so when in doubt ask - and we didn’t speak Portuguese so there must have been enough English speakers around. So grateful.
Enjoy the walk. Enjoy the food.
Buen Camino

 

[ChadEstes]

My wife and daughters and I walked longer stages between Lisbon and Porto, but took days off in between, which was a wonderful way to experience Portugal, as well as a great way for our bodies to recover and our feet to adjust to walking longer distances than what we got to practice at home. (This is an 18 day plan, including the overnight in Lisbon)

1		Alverca do Ribatejo	32.2
2		Azambuja	30.3
3		Santarem	33.2
rest		Santarem	0
4		Golega	34.4
5		Tomar	32.1
rest		Tomar	0
6		Alviazere	33.2
7		Rabacal	32.8
8		Coimbra	29.2
rest		Coimbra	0
9		Mealhada	23.1
10		Agueda	25.4
11		Pinheiro da Bemposta	23.5
12		Santa Maria da Feira	22.1
13		Porto	35.8
rest		Porto	0

 

[Simperegrina]

My wife and daughters and I walked longer stages between Lisbon and Porto, but took days off in between, which was a wonderful way to experience Portugal, as well as a great way for our bodies to recover and our feet to adjust to walking longer distances than what we got to practice at home. (This is an 18 day plan, including the overnight in Lisbon)

1		Alverca do Ribatejo	32.2
2		Azambuja	30.3
3		Santarem	33.2
rest		Santarem	0
4		Golega	34.4
5		Tomar	32.1
rest		Tomar	0
6		Alviazere	33.2
7		Rabacal	32.8
8		Coimbra	29.2
rest		Coimbra	0
9		Mealhada	23.1
10		Agueda	25.4
11		Pinheiro da Bemposta	23.5
12		Santa Maria da Feira	22.1
13		Porto	35.8
rest		Porto	0

Can you share where you stayed at night to and including Santaren @ChadEstes? Any accommodation throughout Lisbon to Porto that were highlights for you?

Many thanks

 

[Traveller47]

Hello, my friend of 50+ years and I are on our first Camino walk. We are looking for: 1) safe, comfortable hostels in Lisbon; 2) stages from Lisbon to Porto (via Tomar) in about 16 days. Appreciate any suggestions! Abrigada, Calm

I just completed the Portugues Way from Lisboa to Santiago and the portion from Lisboa to Porto was very difficult due to rain, cold, mud, rocks and steep hill climbs of 10, 15% + and in many cases, poorly marked! The towns and the people I met were quite lovely as were the paths through the forests and the Albergues were very well equipped but most of them lacked heat! I’m 76 and thankfully I was in no hurry so I made quite a few stops! I started on February 23 and finished March 31st. The Porto to Santiago is a totally different trip! Very well marked and the Albergues are closer and many more people on the Way! I hope this helps.